Raising a dominant horse
All horses are unique, just as us, humans and each has a different personality that requires a custom approach. However, the dominance is present in a lot of horses and this is mainly the presence of their strong spirit and strong will. So how to raise and train the dominant horse without breaking her spirit?
The main mistake in raising a dominant horse is our lack of understanding of how to behave. If we claim on a role of the leader and at the same time showing the signs of insecurity, afraid to initiate the fight, then the horse steps in and challenges us to figure out who we really are.
The answers are simple and you don’t need to fight with your horse to establish a relationships that you can build on. Here are the simple things that need to be established:
The Horse needs to respect our presence
2. Do not try to “break” a horse - trust, perseverance and confidence - are the keys.
Do not take a horse undesirable behavior as a challenge for a fight - an example would be if when you request to go in a circle and the horse rears up - ignore and continue the request. Ignore this behavior only if you feel safe. Staying still and calm is always important - but if you are afraid - it is better to drive away the horse.
Do not provoke a horse – never ask for something what you are not sure about.
If the horse is acting crazy by pulling its ears during training then return to the "kindergarten stages" calm the horse down, breathe into its nose, but do not demand anything! Find something to praise the horse for! It has the right to object if it is difficult for her to complete the request. Demanding an immediate obedience without the established trust and friendship is a way to expose yourself to the constant blow outs. You need to work on patience and communication first, so you can build on the strong foundation of trust, mutual understanding and respect. If the horse is behaving aggressively and your “hierarchy” has not been established yet - it is better not to engage in training and concentrate establishing a clear “hierarchy”. This way it will be much easier for both you and your horse to work together.
Never use horses actions as a battle cry and the right to a war. Instead work on the inner you… present a strong inner power and confidence energy - this is only a step toward the horse to understand that you are worth the respect and attention.
I do not want you to set out on the endless fights when she bites, you block, she bites you back and so on. This is a small spark that leads to the avalanche when the horse senses your feel to drive her away and responds with a higher aggression to push you even more that could end in a major attack. There is no need to arrange this endless fight and don’t have to constantly prove that you are a horse leader. It is important to try to explain your action to your horse - if your actions become clear to your horse, it will stop challenge you. Challenge – that really means an uncertainty in a horse that you are the leader, because you're trying to act as a leader and show a fear her power at the same time. Your clear message to the horse means a lot. The most interesting part is that when you express your opinions to aggression with a minimal discomfort for the horse – this automatically results in a respect from the horse. It sees it like this: "This being expressed their power so gracefully, it does not humiliate me, it is worthy of respect, I like to listen to such a leader.” Only in extreme, unexpected cases, when it comes to your life and safety, you have a right to defend yourself aggressively. And do not forget directing all the powers to the peaceful and mental work. Thinking horse is a more motivated horse to choose you as the leader.
