Bomb Proofing Horses… or Not

I have never spent much time bomb proofing horses because with the Waterhole Rituals™ I provide a horse a feeling of safety in my charge and they follow my lead without question because of the relationship I have establish with them. Before you consider bomb proofing a horse, I would advise you to first, get the go and stop buttons working on your horse at liberty, as well as teaching a horse to be polite, respectful and willing to work with you creatively in any given moment. What your horse is lacking is an understanding in how to respond creatively and with interest.

It is a good idea while bomb proofing your horse to ask your horse to leave the area at a quick trot as well as to stand still, work between these two requests. Horses are capable of giving many different responses to the same thing if you train them through a combination of routines and creative spontaneous interactions. I can crack a whip very close and all around a horse’s body with no response if I wish. The next minute I can ask him to leave very quickly just with a signal from a reed. From the training I give my horses, they can go back and forth between these responses at a moment’s notice. I do not want my horses to be trained like robots, I want them to listen to me and not get lost in just performing things from a routine.

I create a true working bond where the horse is always focused on working with me as a partner, not trained like a circus bear or a horse that decides you must give him a treat for something you did not ask for. There is a way to think smart and develop a horse to be what you need him to be through creative planning. Here is an exercise you can do to “fix” a horse that is unresponsive due to bomb proofing or any other reason.

Have a friend stand outside the arena from your horse along the fence about 25 feet down with some hidden treats and ask your horse to leave with the signal you would like to use and then have your friend shake the treat bucket and stick it through the fence so the horse can have his reward. Repeat. This is a simple solution that a horse learns quickly. Be smart and plan this so it functions well for you by not tipping off your horse to the fact that a grain

bucket is there.

Here’s another idea. Have your friend stand in the area you hope to send your horse to with a hidden, small bucket of carrots or grain. Stand about eight feet away from your horse then with your intent and body language move forward quickly towards your horse using my reed and wave it all around his space and tell him to go. Send out big energy. You can point and point again repeatedly in the direction you want him to go. Keep this up until he walks away. He will walk away eventually because he will not stand there forever. Remember, it takes the time it takes. After you give the command to send your horse off, have your friend shake the bucket of carrot or grain and have your friend call the horse to them.

As soon as he walks away have your friend give him a carrot then have your friend repeat the same commands you did to move the horse back to you. Be ready to give your horse a carrot when he returns. Try to keep enough urgent energy in your body language to get him to trot back and forth between you. In between, you can work on asking your horse to stand still while you wave things around him and when he stands, he also gets a carrot. Your skill will let you take this exercise to the extremes I have described with my horses in that I can send it away fast or slow or have them stand still on one spot as long as I need him to stand.

Remember get the gas pedal and brake working on a horse before bomb proofing. It is a lot easier. Next, remember to get him to go between standing still and go trot and not to lose either response.

Carolyn Resnick

Horsemanship from the Ground Up