Horse training is not a magical process.

 

Horse training is not a magical process:

"I wish I could have a magic wand. I could then wave it over you and make everything better." These are some words from a buddy that have stuck with me. And, while there have been some horses I've worked with for whom I've wished for one, if a horse training wand existed, I wouldn't have a job or would be in the wand business. Yet it never ceases to astonish me how often not only the horse trainer but also the horse, is expected to do exactly that. When it comes to horse training and obedience, I have high expectations. 

When leading, I expect a horse to keep off my feet, come to me and allow me to halter him without turning away or lifting his head, listen to my reins without bucking or bolting, and go where I ask without pushing or pulling me about, and so on.

However, I do not expect these things without first teaching the horse what is expected of it through a series of lessons. Some horses will take less time and be simpler to teach depending on their past training and temperament, but persistence, repetition, purpose, and awareness, not wands, are required. 

Unfortunately, once the horse left my property, it was in the hands of the owner to ensure its continued success. Unfortunately for me, I can typically predict a horse's fate before I even see it. During those initial chats with the owner, I discover not just what the horse is doing and isn't doing, but also why. That talk will also reveal how long it will take for that horse to resume those behaviors once it returns home. 

"My horse will be simple," or "This horse will make you seem nice," will be part of the dialogue. Because they "just don't have the time," these owners are bringing the horse to me. They believe that when I train the horse, they will suddenly have the time they didn't have before and that my training will stick without any additional work or learning on their part. The horse was not made good by Pixie Dust. Yes, a horse can have a good mind and learn quickly, but clever animals can quickly replace all I do with what the owner does. Your wand is here. 

"He will just require 30 days because he has no troubles," is one of my favorite quotes. Really? So, why is he here? This horse may have received expert training ten years ago, and the owner is confident that the horse remembers it and only requires a "tune-up." I'd like to sit down with the owner and administer a high school entrance exam to see what they recall. These are the horses who have been revising the book "How To Train Your Owner In Six Easy Kicks" for the past ten years. Now I have to deal with these minor issues that quickly escalate into major issues once the horse realizes that I will not tolerate them. 

Plus, the proprietor insists, "He's never done it before." Your wand is here.

The depressing words that point to the owner's mentality of "I'm not changing the way I ride/handle the horse, just solve the issue" definitely take away a horse's chances of success. Before we even begin, the horse and I are doomed to fail. It makes no difference how much time, blood, sweat, and tears I put into a horse if the owner has that attitude. They don't realize that in a week or less, they'll undo everything I've accomplished. 

They refuse to accept responsibility for the horse they are training as soon as they see it. Horses reflect their owners. Why? Everyone who owns a horse is a teacher. Every horse is in school. If you don't like something about your horse, it's more likely that you need to be fixed than the horse. Whether you like it or not, the owner can "unfix" a horse just as quickly as I can "fix" it. Your wand is here.

This is why it makes me so happy when a horse owner accepts responsibility on the first call. Admitting that they need to learn a new technique to handle their horse and how to keep their horse's training up to date. 

They are dedicated not just to their horse, but also to themselves. Furthermore, they recognize that they and their horses are continually learning, so they want to ensure that they are always providing the appropriate lessons. These are the people who have called me over the years, expressing their delight in the progress of their horses, themselves, and their connection. Because the owner did not expect magic, they took the responsibility and challenge of altering themselves. They never asked for a wand or expected magic to solve their issues.