Training Tip: Reward and Respect Must be Balanced

In general, the more you spoil your horse, the less he will respect you. People often make that mistake when they first start working with their horse. They think, “Surely if I just rub on him long enough he’ll know that I love him. When he sees how much I care, he’ll respect me.” But that’s not the way a horse’s mind works at all. If you only love on him, pat him and feed him and – here’s the kicker – never ask him to move out of your personal space, he will never believe that you deserve to lead him. The more you shower attention on your horse and feed him treats without asking for anything in return, the more dominating he will become toward you. I’m not saying you can’t give your horse a treat or that you can’t love on him. Of course you can, and you should. Those are both great ways to reinforce a job well done. Just remember that treats are a bonus. They are not bribes or payoffs. I really don’t care if you feed your horse five buckets of treats every day, as long as you balance it by moving his feet.