It can be highly irritating to be taking a long, slow, beautiful trail ride and have your horse continually diving to the ground for a morsel of grass or grabbing tall grasses from the side of the trail. It jars you every time, and can whip the reins right out of your gentle, relaxed hands.… Read More Horse Problems: Horse Eats on the Trail
There are many reasons why a horse is stalled. Most of them are fallacious. (based on a mistaken belief. synonyms: erroneous, false, untrue, wrong, incorrect, flawed, inaccurate, mistaken, misinformed, misguided). Horses are herd animals. They experience psychological insecurity when removed or isolated from other herd members. This can lead to instability of temperament and the… Read More Horse Health: The Case Against Stalling
In most cases, spooking is a symptom of deeper problems. Your horse is not properly prepared to look to you as a leader and stop in his tracks when presented with unfamiliar objects or situations. He has not had enough experience controlling his anxiety and coming down from a fearful situation. Some horses are just… Read More Horse Problems: Spooky Horse
Reign gets in with ease, but it was not always so. This topic is one of the most difficult of all horse topics. Horses are: 1. Claustrophobic. Afraid of small spaces. 2. Without good vision as light changes from sunlight to shadow. Afraid of dark spaces. 3. Afraid of loud noises or different footing. 4.… Read More Horse Problems: Trailer Loading
Try “less-is-more” before going to “harsher-is-better” There are many possible reasons to change bits: 1. Your horse is ready to graduate to a bit that teaches him another skill. When your horse has mastered the skill you were teaching with his first bit, he should be rewarded by a bit that gives him more freedom… Read More Horse Problems: Bitting Issues
Every horse should be as easy to mount as this one. A horse that won’t stand still while you mount is, to say the least, irritating and even dangerous. If you’re lucky, you mount and dismount your horse from the ground. If you’re older (like I am) or your horse is particularly tall (like the… Read More Horse Problems: Mounting Issues
There are a couple of situations where a stallion is a better performer than a gelding. I think particularly of Spanish “dancing” horses, Lippizaners, etc. They perform many maneuvers that take tremendous back-muscles. Generally only a stallion can perform them to perfection. However, in almost all other activities, testosterone is a liability. Many people want… Read More Horse Problems: Controlling a Stallion Around Mares
Bathing can be a hassle if your horse has learned how to object. Can he be hosed off in the grass on a loose lead? Is it the cross ties, the area, or the hose that seems to set him off? The introduction of bathing can be accomplished with your horse on a lead in… Read More Horse Problems: Bathing