It is such a common problem among nice people: the horse pushes the human, and the human doesn’t want to be mean, bossy, or tell the horse what to do. But is it really being mean? What if your horse was pushing on you to test your leadership skills? What if his survival instincts were telling him to check your skills, to be sure you have the ability to protect him and guide him when he is in danger?

Your horse needs proof that you are the leader that will keep him safe. If not, it will become his responsibility to make the decisions and run the show. Some horses enjoy running the show; others find it too stressful. In general, most horses in the world today can be safe and get more enjoyment in the world if you make the decisions.

A horse will test your abilities if he is in doubt. One thing he may do to test you by attempting to push you around. If you allow him to push you, he will think twice about your skills and his safety, and he might even enjoy pushing you around. Then your safety is at risk. If you ask him to move out of your space, he will either do so, or challenge you further and say, “Really? Do you mean it?” And if you want to be the leader he’s looking for, without hesitation you’ll say “Absolutely” because you know that you have w.i.t. (whatever it takes) to get him out of your space. Once he’s out and stays out, he will look at you honestly from a respectable distance, lick his lips and say “Wow! She’s good!”

Something very common is, when the horse says “Really?” the person will say “Well, I didn’t really mean it anyways.” So, next time he sees a boogeyman and you say, “Its just a garbage can” he won’t be sure to believe you because he has proof that you usually change your mind.

*Hints* Most horses have been taught to keep their hindquarters away from you, but do they keep their shoulder out of your space?
Be aware of your feet. Did you back out of his space or did he back out of yours?

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If you want a more in-depth study, come and learn more. What about if the learning was combined with an amazing vacation?
Email me at Stevi@YemayaHorseRetreat.com,
Visit us online at: www.YemayaHorseRetreat.com,
Or give us a call at (250) 295-0569 (Princeton BC, Canada).

Writer’s Bio:

Stevi has worked around different breeds of horses, many dynamic instructors and motivational speakers. She understands how people and horses learn best, how to communicate with horses on a physical and spiritual level, and knows how to make situations fun and positive for both you and your horse.

People who have made huge impacts on Stevi’s life have been: Sandra Wallin, Linda Murray, T. Harv Eker , Karla McClaren, Pat Parelli, Maxine Boulding, Ainsley Beauchamp, and lastly, the most amazingly spiritual being she ever met, who picked her up out of the dirt only to chuck her again when she wasn’t listening, the grey Arab, Wendy.

Stevi writes her articles to enlighten you to have fun with your horse, be creative, and treat your horse with respect. “We’ve all got so much to learn, but if we can just take one small step in the right direction, that will make all the difference to your horse.”