What is the bottom line?

Question

When it comes to riding, training, and overall horse - person - ship... What do you think is the bottom line of what you think should happen between you and your horse?

For example: Do you think that at the end of the day, it is more important that your horse does what it is supposed to do? or Do you think it is more important that you are best friends? or Is it more important that no one got hurt physically or emotionally?

What do you think is the bottom line when it comes to horses?

Answer 1

At the end of the day...even if it's been a 'bad' day.  Like...I lost my temper because the horse 'just wasn't getting it' or being stubborn...

everything comes 'off' with the saddle or halter.  Meaning...once the 'work' is done...we are still 'friends.'

I'm explaining this badly...but I also suggest, ask, then tell.  So, I expect the horse to do what I am 'suggesting, asking, or telling'.  I don't agree with 'forcing' a horse to do something that will get it hurt or frightened for it's survival.  I will 'force' a horse to try something different though...like trotting over a tree.  We will attempt it again and again...until the horse goes over it.  Is that forcing??  I think technically it is.

But when the work or training is done, and we leave a 'work zone'...my body language and energy only speaks "we're relaxed now...we're done".  The horse is allowed to be relaxed too.  So what if it's head is not at my shoulder, but lagging a little.  So what if the horse is looking at something else.  My body language has already stated..."work is done"

So actually for me...all you have stated is important to me.  And I need to incorporate all of them into MY bottom line.

I don't look to MAKE a horse my best friend.  That trust and relationship comes over time...from not hurting the horse emotionally or physically...and doing what I ask...and being a teammate or working partner with me.  The horse becomes 'someone' I depend on...and that builds the 'friend' relationship too.

Ha...this is complicated and a deep subject!!!

Answer 2

Understanding.

where my horse(if i had one) and me understand eachother.

I know it's a weak answer, but its the first thing that comes to mind and what I looked forward about going to the barn.  I understood them and they understood me and together we got along great.

Answer 3

The bottom line is that your horse respects you.  You cannot abuse a horse physically, but body language is where it's at; they understand that.  A 1200-lb horse must think you are badder than him.  Otherwise, the don't hesitate to test you.  When you have their respect, they want to please you, that's where the training begins.

Answer 4

Knowing and trusting each other. It leads to everything else.

Answer 5

While I think it is important that my horse and I have a good relationship, it is also important that my horse realizes that I'm not just a funny-looking horse that walks on two legs, and that he can't treat me like I'm a horse. He should see me as something to enjoy, but also as a leader who's not going to take any c**p from him (treat him as another horse would treat him if he misbehaved in the herd).

I'm not going to absolutely force him to do something, I prefer to allow him to think that he chooses to do what I ask. Whenever I try to get a horse to do something, here's the order of how I get them to do it:

"Suggest" gently,

"Ask" firmly,

"Tell" sharply.

If I ever have to "Tell" a horse to do something, I get off (after doing what I had to tell him to do) and remind him who is boss by doing ten minutes of groundwork and longing, but I also keep in mind that horses have their off-days too, and I don't push them too hard. You can't afford to get mad with a horse. Everything that a horse does "wrong" is usually the fault of the rider, so I think about what went wrong and what I can do to fix it.

Answer 6

I don't want this to sound like a shortcut answer, but honestly at the end of the day, my goal is that we are both healthy, happy, and behaving exactly the way we're supposed to be behaving. Without trust and clear expectations, I believe a horse becomes very confused about his place in the world and neither of us wins. For me, horse(wo)manship is a synthesis of many things such as clear communication, enforcement, reward, turning on the light bulb in the right way, patience, persistence, intuition, mutual respect, and dare I say, affectionate dedication. Bottom line: we work in cooperation as a team and take care of each other.

Answer 7

That my mule and I have a mutual respect.  I am not his friend somedays and somedays, he isn't mine.  But if we have respect on both ends.. thats what is important to me.  I listen to him when things aren't right, even when they are.. However, i expect the same treatment from him at any given moment.

That at the end of the day, he isn't something I would be embarrassed to have out in public.

Answer 8

At the end of a day...I think it's a bit of everything you said.

If the horse won't do what you are trying to have it do and is having a bad day, I make sure to end by doing something they know how to do. That way we end on a positive note but the horse still had to do something correctly. I always try to end the day with grooming.

Answer 9

it takes time to get your horse to conect with you, love, and trust. if you and your horse have that your horse will be willing to do anything for you. but horses are just like people, they have off days just like us so when that does happen just bring your horse to the barn and groom it ttakingit and just spend the time talovingare of your horse and just loveing it.

Answer 10

At the end of the day can I think, "I enjoyed that and I believe my horse did too".

Horses will never 'love' us like we would like to think they do but they can at least enjoy our company.  I would like to think that my horse enjoys my company as much as I enjoy his.

I have come to realise that there are some days that my horse just doesn't want to know me.  These days are not the best for pushing the envelope, these are the days I say 'hi, how are you today' and walk away.  Guess this is called respect.

Answer 11

Well, i think that mainly as that the horse does what its suppose to do, and what we ask them to do.

But if they dont like us at the end of the day, then there is no point to being happy that they listned. I really dont mind if i got hurt during riding. If i fall of its most likely my fault then. But as long as my horse isnt injured, it was a good day!

Answer 12

I think for a person to be labeled a 'good horseman/-woman" all of these things must happen.

The horse and rider must have equal respect of each other - the handler/rider should have utmost understanding of how the horse perceives the request being made - because if the request is made and the horse is able to understand properly what is being requested, then he naturally does what he's supposed to do.  Add to this that no one gets hurt or angry with the other and that you both have a positive experience together.

The horse cannot be expected to understand we are humans and we do things that way - if they could do this, they'd be too smart to allow us to control them - they are horses and can only think as horses do.  They don't understand language although you can teach them the meaning of certain limited words or phrases.  They communicate with each other through body spacea nd body language, so we must learn how to communicate in these ways while trying to bring them up to a level they will understand what we desire of them.  In the end, if we are calm, relaxed and happy and they are too, both ends are met successfully.

Complicated, really when you start digging into it.

Answer 13

i think that in my little corner of the world and at the end of the day if we accomplished something without going backwards,it was a good day but i always try to end a day with the horses on a good note so tomorrow is a new day with something for both of us to look forward to.

Answer 14

I think that everything should be taken to get the horse to do what it was asked, up until the point where it risks the horse's trust or mental/emotional/physical health. Otherwise, whatever it takes. However, I only apply that if I know that the horse isn't justified in it's refusal and that I have given it the correct cues and training to do what I asked. In addition, I think that there is a 3-second rule to correcting behavior before the horse forgets what it is being punished for. If I can't reach the horse in that time, I have to let it pass.

Answer 15

Trust & respect ... that's it in my eyes.

Your horse/pony needs to trust and respect you and you need to trust and respect him/her. It's not a nice relationnship otherwise. After trust is found everything else will be a lot easier I think.

Answer 16

They have to do what we want them to do.  My friendship with my horses is predicated on that understanding.  I can walk away and feel good when what I ask of them is performed, whether it is as simple as not getting into my space, or as difficult as performing an advanced move.  If I get hurt in the process, that's not so good.  And if one of them gets hurt, it isn't what I want, but it can happen if they pitch a fit and injure themselves when learning something new.  Hopefully not often, though.  Nothing works in my relationship with horses if they don't ultimately bend to my will.  The way I go about getting that reflects my respect for them and the way they think...so we are friends and do have mutual respect...but I am the boss and that is the bottom line.

Answer 17

To me it's important that the horse is still my friend and nobody got hurt after it did what I wanted it to do and thinks "that was fun!"

Answer 18

Mutual respect - horses are simply too big to disrespect you. However, respect must be earned, it is a two way street. Earn their trust and show them that you are fair and just. :-)

Horses are always talking to us....we just have to listen