OBSTACLE TRAINING- WHY?

It is a FUN way to build a foundation of trust, respect, and responsiveness, enabling the horse to understand and yield to cues from the rider’s pressure, weight, and aids effectively.

Primary goal is to help your horse gain confidence in you as a Leader, and for your horse to build his/her own confidence, and ultimately build a strong partnership between the two.

Using force instead of patience can result in resistance and fear, creating a negative experience for both you and your horse. It is crucial to prioritize the horse’s comfort, safety, and trust during the teaching process to ensure a positive and effective experience.

Obstacles help you experience new ways to ask your horse to go forward, backward, sideways and around.

Start SLOW:

Can my horse stand quietly or near the obstacle?

Can the horse place ONE foot on the obstacle, then two… etc.?

Does my horse need a confident buddy to watch? (Especially for the more nervous horse)

Don’t overwhelm your horse by making them take it in all at once. Only attempt one or two at a time so that your horse doesn’t see “Crazy Carnival” instead of fun challenge.

Some horses do fine at first but then get more anxious. Give them a break by taking them back to where they are comfortable and let them relax and soak in the new information.

Remember this isn’t a race- you have all the time you need to allow them to explore and learn on their own timeline!

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If you would like to come back for additional one-on-one training/practice, feel free to give me a text or call 615-809-8115 

I will be adding an events page with upcoming events such as a Beginner’s Cow Clinic to both the Facebook page @ 7th Heaven Ranch Performance Horses as well as this website.