Assertiveness

[me2]

I spend lots of time & have lots of patience with my horses, but there are times when they get the better of me. I've read all the stuff about assertiveness & about squareing up to horses & making yourself look bigger & looking straight at them to try to appear dominant, but I find this difficult when faced with over 1/2 to of determined heavy cob & at the other extreme with my mini Shetlands of half my height ! I never 'punish' my horses in any way - I believe that the blame is usually mine if things are not going according to plan. What exactly do I do to be assertive ?

[Outrider]

The things you've stated certainly give you ground towards dominance. Throwing arms and hands in the air with a loud voice will do it as well, when he isn't doing what you want, making him move away from you. I train dominance in a round pen. Get the horse moving at all the gaits and don't let him stop until YOU want him to stop, and once he does, he should turn in towards you. If he turns his rear towards you, send him out again at a canter for a while, then stop him again and see what his posture is. He should stand at about a 45 degree angle to you and face you. I also teach a horse to come in to me on signal too. Good luck and Happy Trails!

[Maci]

Like Outrider says, the day you become the "herd mare", is the day your horse fully respects you! That is achieved through assertiveness. You don't just do one action, and all of a sudden, won the "battle" with your horse. Assertiveness is achieved through the small ways, and gradually it will build up, and your horse will learn who's in charge, and to back off. For instance, when you want to canter, and your horse wants to stay trotting, don't give in! Even if it takes you a few try's, don't give in because that let's him know he's won, and he can do that same thing next time. Or, you take charge by having the confident, independant seat whilst riding.
Some days we DO have bad days, and that's okay, but the next time, you go right back on track on achieving that trust by your horse.

Remember The Little Things DO Count In The End!
Maci :)

[horselover]

I worked at as a instructor and trainer at a stable this past summer and they had a herd of about 15-20 horses. Ihad to learn very quickly how to become the "boss mare" in herd so that i would have their respect. I still work there, and other people who work there always ask me "how come the horses always do what you ask?" It's all about being dominant and being firm and assertive with the horses.

One thing I did was I watched how the herd interacts- try it b/c it helps. If you observe their behavior, you will see how the dominant horses in the herd show their dominance. Don't be afraid to talk in a firm voice (NOT yelling), stamp and paw your feet, stare a horse in the eye, and make nioses like they do (I make a kinda harsh blowing noise through my mouth like Frank Bell or some of the other trainers do) when they act up.

Also, never, ever let a horse push you around. For example, when i fed the horses, they often used to push me a way or try to eat out of the bucket of grain before I poured it into their food bucket- don't let them do stuff like this. I would push them a way and say "No" in a firm voice. Now, the only horses who try this with me are new ones, and they get over it quick.

You mentioned not wanting to punish horses. I never yelled or hit the horses. All they are doing is being horses when they act certain ways. Being the "boss mare" doesn't mean I beat on them, I just ask for respect. To balance your firmness and make sure they respect you, not fear you, Make sure you also love on your horses. Rub their necks and withers and blow softly into their nostrils to greet them. Spend time with them in the pasture just hanging out. If you act like a horse not only for dominance but also for friendliness, you'll get alot further.

This is really long, but this is something I got very interested in this summer. I hope it helped. If you become the "boss mare" on the ground, it will transfer to the saddle as well.