
Back to Basics Horsemanship
Being Mission Oriented rather than in the moment
Updated: May 21, 2020
I see this issue A LOT. You want to catch your horse so you grab your halter, power walk over to them, grab them, slap the halter on them and walk off. You want to do your horses feet so you walk over, grab a leg, command up, get a bit ornery if they don't immediately pick up their foot, clean the hoot then drop it and move on to the next. You want to check out an injury so you hone in on it and mess with it.
You want to look in your horses mouth (or give them an oral medication) so you walk over , grab their face, stick your fingers or the tube of meds in the sides of their mouth.
Do you recognize a theme with these? So what if you didn't power walk over to them, what if you gently approached them and quietly put the halter on? What if you said "Hi" first? What if you gently told your horse you want to do their feet and waited for them to shift their weight appropriately? What if you pet your horse 1st near the injury and mentally prepared your horse for what you're about to do? What if you gently took hold of your horses head, gently put a finger in the side of their mouth and waited for them to relax with it in there (like they would if it were a bit), what if you then gently manipulated your fingers so they open their mouth all the way. Or, if it's a medication - you then slid the tube into their mouth next to your finger?
---- Half as much anxiety but still got the same thing done. -----