Holistic Horse Training
With the days getting shorter and the weather turning worse, I want to ask you: is your horse training working for you or against you? I strongly believe that some days, we are better off not actively training with our horses but instead spending quality time together or improving our skills with books or online courses.
Starting Tequila really encouraged me to dig deep into different training techniques, the body language of horses, and how to communicate with them. I explored biomechanics, my mindset, and the horse's state of mind—plus, of course, fitting equipment.
Techniques and Methods
There are so many different techniques, methods, and trainers out there. I believe many are excellent, but some are not worth your time. My focus is not on a specific training method but on the principle of asking the horse a question and helping it figure out the “right” answer.
Always consider the horse’s state of mind—as well as your own. Force and violence are never okay. However, asking the horse to step out of its comfort zone and pushing its boundaries can be important. There’s nothing wrong with using treats; I love using them. But we shouldn’t end up relying on them, as their absence could cause significant stress.
Our interactions with horses should be clear, safe, kind, understanding, light, fun, and well-timed, with exact instructions.
Communication and Body Language
I’ve started learning more about how the horse’s brain works and how horses communicate with one another. Two great books I recommend are “Horse Brain, Human Brain” and “Horse Speak”—both provide a better understanding of how horses work and “talk” to one another.
In order to “teach” the horse what we want, we must help it figure it out. Learning about your horse’s body language will inevitably make you more aware of your own body language—an essential aspect of communication with your horse.
We know how important balance in the saddle is, but the way we walk, step, and carry ourselves on the ground also “speaks” to the horse.
Biomechanics
Biomechanics is a topic I have only recently discovered, and I can’t believe how blind I was to it before. Horses are not naturally made to carry people—that’s a fact. It is our responsibility to ride and train them in a way that avoids short- or long-term health issues.
To achieve this, we need to understand how the horse’s body works, which muscles are engaged, and the correct positioning. I don’t have a good book recommendation yet, but I’ll add one here if I find one in the future.
Mindset
This is my favorite—and the hardest—part to grasp when it comes to training. Force does not create soft connections. Frustration does not become joy. The mindset and state of mind with which we approach our training define our results.
Perfection is our biggest enemy. There is no such thing as perfection—perhaps fleeting moments of it, but those moments pass quickly. If we can embrace the journey, with all its ups and downs, we will be in the right mindset to work with our horses.
One of my favorite books on this topic is “The Alchemy of Lightness”.
Fitting Equipment
The sad truth is that around 80% of saddles don’t fit properly. If the saddle doesn’t fit, the horse will experience pain, and that’s the last thing we want. Hire a professional saddle fitter and educate yourself on this topic. I highly recommend watching the YouTube video “9 Steps of Saddle Fit”.
While you’re at it, check if your bridle is set up correctly too! Fortunately, we live in a time when information on any topic can easily be found on the internet.
Final Thoughts
I don’t claim this to be the only way or the right way—it’s just my way. I hope you can take something valuable from this for your training. If nothing else, remember this: be kind. Be kind to your horse, and be kind to yourself.
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