The Young Horse: Ground Manners

Step 6:
The horse should be in the same position as the previous lesson. It should not care if someone walks by, either talking or quiet. This time you are going to have your helper put the saddle pad on. Your horse should have already experienced sacking out. Have your helper approach the horse with the pad. Let the horse smell it and see it. Have your helper put the pad on the horse's back. If it pulls back at any point, hold firmly. If it panics, take a step back to the previous lesson. If your horse accepts the pad, let it stand quietly & pet it. Tell it how smart and wonderful it is - horses love this. Now, have your helper make the pad fall off. It may scare the horse some. That's OK, you want it to be a little scared so it can experience things that might happen in real life. Hold firm to the rope. Your horse should be learning to accept firmer pressure so when it is tied it won't pull. Some resistance is natural, you just don't want it to really freak out. When the horse gives to the pressure and stops pulling, praise it. If it panics do the previous lesson. Keep trying until it doesn't care anymore. Do this lesson with a lead rope over the back, touching the legs, putting the pad on and off, letting it fall on one side and the other. You should be able to hold the rope without using too much strength. If you are fighting the horse, you need to start over, yes, from the beginning. All this may take a few hours or weeks, depending on the horse.

Step 7
When you are sure that your horse will not panic when you challenge it, you may try tying the horse. Use a quick release knot. Tie the horse, hold the free end of the rope so if it panics you can release the knot. If your horse does panic, begin from step 1 or 2. If it doesn't do steps 5 & 6. If your horse accepts this, you have been successful. Give it a good grooming while tied, returning to a well understood and accepted step any time your horse panics.

NOTE
Some people tie the horse right away & just let it fight. You are asking for injury if you do this. War bridles and other pain inflicting training "aids" serve only to cause resentment and fear. It is much better to earn the animal's trust, that way you will be able to trust it, rather than expecting the unexpected at any moment.

Rubbing it's head on you:

I see it all the time, horse owners try to halter or bridle their horse and the animal constantly knocking on them while trying to rub it's head and face against them. This is a bad habit to let your horse get into. Little kids get knocked down or hurt from a horse hitting against their head. Adults knocked off balance and hit in the face. Most horses are itchy, so, take care of their itches while grooming.

Brush your horse's face with a very soft bristled brush; brush behind the ears and on the face, under the chin and where the head joins the neck avoiding the eyes. Don't let the horse or pony rub on YOU; if it does, stop what you are doing and say NO in a very firm tone. You don't have to yell, just be firm.

Resume grooming. Grooming is a good time to make this lesson because your horse will be more interested in itching and you will have the halter on for further discipline. Each time your horse tries to rub (don't wait until it DOES rub, catch it before) say NO in a firm voice. If you are a parent, just remember how you taught your little one not to touch the stove. Same idea.