Bonding With Your Horse Through Natural Horsemanship

Natural horsemanship is a firm yet natural way to train your horse and build a relationship with it. Often taught at boarding high schools as gentle-breaking, natural horsemanship is the healthiest way to train a horse.

The Body Language of the Horse

Natural horsemanship emphasizes the communication between the horse and the trainer. Since horses and trainers don’t speak the same language, trainers need to understand the body language of the horse.

Boarding high schools can teach you how to understand the different facial expressions horses make and what they might mean. It’s also important to recognize how the horse moves its head neck and tail. By understanding a horse’s body language you can start training a horse at its own pace.

Applying Pressure

Applying pressure is a gentle way to train your horse to move. You can apply pressure by gently pushing the horse with your hands or leading it gently with a rope. In time the horse will understand these prompts and move calmly when directed. Applying pressure will also build the relationship you have with your horse.

Ground Training

There are a handful of leading exercises you can practice with your horse. These exercises are taught at boarding high schools and can help built trust and mutual respect between horse and trainer. Start ground training by getting your horse used to grooming. Grooming is a ground exercise where the trainer leads the horse by a rope and calls out commands.

It’s good to start ground training with touch. Touch your horse and get him used to your touch. By touching your horse, it will start to trust that you will always touch it with gentleness and respect. Avoid touching your horse in the areas that aren’t comfortable, like the eyes and stomach.

Boarding high schools teach these principles of natural horsemanship in-depth. If you are too old to attend a boarding school, then there are other avenues to learn natural horsemanship.

Joshua Valdivia is an academic writer for Fusion 360, an SEO and content marketing agency. Information provided by Wasatch Academy. Follow on Twitter.