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TRAINING SOLUTIONS FOR THE MODERN HORSEMAN


Tis is an excellent question and a scenario that has played out many times with plenty of trail riders. To solve the issue, it’s helpful to clarify and break down the behaviors exhibited to effectively alter them. Since the horse is “frightened” and “comes unglued,” it is safe to say that these behaviors are not desirable.


WHY DOES THIS HAPPEN? Your horse needs to feel safe. In nature, this


sense of safety comes from being with other re- laxed horses. Communication and socialization within the herd keep everyone free from experi- encing too much anxiety. In domestication, some horses deal with isolation beter than others. A very confident horse will learn to handle being alone and become quite relaxed early on; others have a difficult time trusting their surroundings without a lot of help. How does this relate to the “wide-open spaces”


issue? Well, the mare is uncertain, and the wide- open spaces make her more uncertain. If she were sure of the outcome, she would be relaxed.


16 | June 2012 • WWW.TRAILBLAZERMAGAZINE.US


Te wide-open areas somehow cause her to feel even more alone and separated from a safe situa- tion—the comforts of the herd. To add to the issue, this mare might sense


other horses being ahead of her on the trail. Tis desire to be with them is all-consuming and will create a lot of control issues for the rider as the horse’s natural instincts kick into overdrive.


OPTIONS On young or uneducated horses, I try to


minimize confusion by eliminating options. For example, I will use a 60-foot round pen for my first rides. Tis gives me the ability to focus on “forward” instead of direction. Te round pen


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