Training Tip: Your Horse’s Frame of Mind is Important

Whenever you’re working on desensitizing your horse – getting him to stand still and relax while you approach him with an object or stimulus – set the situation up so that your horse is in a good frame of mind. That means he’s using the thinking side of his brain and is wanting to stand still. That’s the complete opposite of working with a horse that’s been cooped up in a stall for seven hours and is itching to move his feet. Before you work on desensitizing, spend some time moving the horse’s feet forwards, backwards, left and right. Once you’ve moved his feet and he’s using the thinking side of his brain, then you can start to desensitize him. At that point, he’ll be looking to stand still and have a rest.

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