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.”
