there are rules...


thought we left on last month about making contracts with your horse. This probably still seems strange to some folks. But if you really think about it, everything we do in life is a contract. Form an idea, make a plan, agree to the plan, and execute the plan. You will find that the more you practice this protocol with your horse, the better he performs. Also last month we


THE HORSE GAZETTE


then there are rules Part 2 of 2 By Karen Brown © 2010 I ’ l l pick up the


can, but won’t, then it is your job to establish your rules (see below).


If you are positive I


to understand the human point of view or to interpret the world through human eyes. You live there, I don’t. 4) Always remember


3) Do not expect me


established the rules for the Rules of Engagement between horses and humans. Now we move on to those rules. Each species has responsibilities. Trouble comes when one or the other fails to uphold their part of the bargain. Frankly, it’s usu-


ally the human that causes the problems. That’s due to one reason—humans often don’t understand their duties; heck, some folks don’t even realize they have any duties when it comes to being with a horse. There’s a wide spread belief that the horse is supposed to do it all. I ask, in what other relationship with another being does only one party have all the responsibility? So let’s take a look at


the rules horses need humans to follow. Your horse will say: 1) Treat me with the


same formality and respect you give to your own species. 2) Recognize and


utilize my extreme intelligence. When you set up a goal from my perspective I will always understand and comply—sim- ply because I want to-- unless I cannot. It is then your job to fig- ure out why I can’t. Am I afraid, does the task activate instincts that dictate alternate behavior from me, are your instructions unclear, can I physically do what you ask?


that every single thing you do with me doesn’t exist in a strictly equine world. I adapt my whole being to your world. Be patient as I learn to do this with grace. 5) Never assume I


tions. I will however, listen to your input and take your advice when you have better under- standing of a given situation. Dominance, however, does not mean I physically intimidate you into submission. It means I have already proven to you that I am the better judge of our environment and job at hand, and as such, have earned the right to dominate the decision making process. By now, some people


am being intentionally difficult. There is always a reason for everything I do. Like humans, I may later change my mind about previous actions. But in any moment, there is a logical explanation for every action I take—when viewed from the equine perspective. 6) Trust me. You have


no idea how many problems are caused by humans because they are the first not to trust. You want us to trust you, but you don’t trust us. All negotiations fail when there is no trust. Now let’s take a look


will be wondering how the heck you get a horse to understand these rules. That is certainly a mystery for a lot of folks, both amateur and professional. I can only suggest you seek the knowledge of a true horseper- son. Such a person will have studied the language of equus and can teach it to you. With that language you can com- municate these rules to your horse in a way he will clearly understand. You then have a foundation upon which to build a safe and enjoyable relation- ship with your equine friend. I’ll close with one


at what rules humans need to establish for their horses. A human needs to teach his horse to:


my space without an engraved invitation. I will create a clear and unchanging boundary that you may never cross. This is for my safety and yours. This rule can never be broken. 2) Keep your focus


on me. When we are engaged in activities or I am in your space you can never ignore me or forget I’m there. It is acceptable to observe the outside world, but not acceptable to take your focus off of me. 3) Acknowledge that


I am the dominant entity in this herd of two. Always. No excep-


1) Never come into


final thought. In the end, it always comes back to the hu- man. The horse wasn’t created by Nature to live in a domesti- cated world. Any time a horse has a hard time in that world, the onus is on the human to bridge the gap. Horses are in- credibly intelligent beings, but their intelligence is geared for their world, not ours. Learn to tap that intelligence in a way that helps your horse cross the bridge into the human world.


freelance writer and a horse trainer. Karen trains all breeds of horses, restarts problem horses, and provides instruction in natural horsemanship. Go to www.karenbrownonhorses.com for more information about this author.


Karen Brown is a 501 Bastrop Highway - Austin, Texas


Phone: (512) 385-3452 - Toll Free: (800) 950-8602 Fax: (512) 385-0932


Website: www.callahansgeneralstore.com


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