Howdy Friends! We’ve all seen horses crowd, or drag, or push their person when being led. I chuckle sometimes when I see folks follow the pace set by their horse as they are dragged along. I frown when I see them yank on the lead and yell at their horse. I feel sorry for them when they get stepped on, because neither of them knows where they are supposed to do, or their job. It simply does not need to be.

We are responsible for setting boundaries. Not by discipline or heavy handedness, but by simple politeness, consistency and thoughtfulness. Horses do not violate boundaries because they want to be bad, unruly or “pushy.” The violate boundaries because their caregiver never set them, politely.

If you think about it pushy horses follow exactly the boundaries set by their person. If each time a horse is haltered and led it drags their person, dances, steps on their feet and pushes them through the gate, well when the halter goes on and they set out the horse has to think, “Okay time to drag, push, dance, and I gotta be sure to try for her feet.” It’s never the horse’s fault, they are well within the boundaries set by their person.

Now let’s talk about the pushy horse on lead. Easy to fix, politely. I like to work on the off-side whenever I’m fixing anything, or introducing something new. It heightens a horse’s attention.

Remember, we can never control any horse by the halter and lead rope. Ever. So forget about that. The halter is simply a gentle guide.

For this exercise, which will become an all the time exercise for a really long time, you’ll need a light dressage wand, or the new popular light bamboo wand. Not a crop, which is too short and stiff, or a lunge whip which is too long.

Stand on the off-side, between her ears and shoulder. Hold the lead rope in your left hand, your hand just about a foot or less from the halter. Hold the wand in your right hand, across your middle to a few inches in front of your horse’s chest.

It is important to stand square, shoulders and eyes looking where you are going, not at the horse. It is sometimes helpful to practice this stance, position and walk alone with the rope and wand, just to master the feel of it before trying it with a horse.

Ask your horse to, “walk on,” and start walking, holding the wand a few inches in front of her chest.

Eyes straight ahead. You may need to, ever so slightly, tap her chest, not hit it, until she figures it out.

In time usually not much time at all, you’ll need only to hold wand the in front of her chest and never touch her.

The pushy, rude horse will never again be seen. As long as you clearly, gently and respectively set the boundaries.

So there you go an easy way to help your horse understand boundaries, and correct body carriage, politely.

Remember consistency works like magic.

Gitty Up ~ Dutch.

Find this and more in my book, IT’S FOR THE HORSES. Here: https://dutchhenryauthor.com/dutch-henrys-its-for-the-horses/

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