Sheryl Crow and Lady “C” execute a beautiful Bow at Houston’s Reliant Stadium. Amid the roar of 55,000 screaming fans and a pyrotechnics show, Lady’s compliance was apparent.
One of the methods we use to build will-
ing obedience in the horse is teaching what we call Tricks of Compliance. These are moves or poses that require the horse to lower his body and his eye, which puts him in a naturally (and instinctually) vulnerable position. Included in this category are the Obeisance (June 2009), Lay Down (April 2009), Bow and Kneel. In learning these moves the horse will learn to accept a physical and mental attitude of acceptance and self-restraint, which leads to trusting compliance. Learning Tricks of Compli- ance helps a horse build range of motion, strength, elasticity of the topline, self- confi dence, trust and willing obedience. There are many practical reasons to use
lessons of restraint in horse training; vet- erinary treatment and panic situations top the list. Make no mistake about it—lots of unforeseen incidents can happen on even a short trail ride within even a couple of miles of home! A horse’s life may literally depend on whether or not he can be re- strained until help can be summoned.
“Building the spirit of compliance
requires the art ul application of equestrian tact which yields the desired response from the horse while preserving his good will.”
In his book, Understanding the Ancient
Secrets of the Horse’s Mind, Robert M. Miller, DVM, says of horses: “They are naturally fl ighty creatures, but the fl ight response can be quickly extinguished so long as they are not hurt. Thus with the correct training techniques, horses can be taught to overcome the claustrophobia of confi nement. Once horses accept the confi nement of a saddle, hobbles, a stake rope, a stall or anything else that inhibits escape, they develop a more subordinate attitude. This means they are more ac- cepting of leadership, more reliant upon human guidance and more willing to work
together with us.” We like to use hobble training as a fi rst
step in preparing a horse for learning Tricks of Compliance. It is a lesson of its own in physical and mental restraint and self- control and can be benefi cial in veterinary treatment or restraint also. We teach all of our horses to quietly and confi dently ac- cept hobbles as well as a soft rope looped around the pasterns. This type of hobble training is for the purpose of learning spe- cifi c moves and poses and is a different topic from hobble training for purposes of controlling grazing. In teaching a horse restraint of any kind including hobble use, remember it is the handler that is earning the horse’s trust not the horse earning the handler’s trust! Compliance follows trust. The welfare of the horse is of the greatest importance mentally, physically and emotionally. We consider these aspects carefully and vary our approach slightly depending on the
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