I got a request a few weeks ago to discuss manners, or rather getting a horse to act politely. I had to think a lot, it has been over a decade since I had to work with a misbehaving horse on the ground. My MS makes it hard for me to keep my balance at all times, and when I got diagnosed I figured that my days of effectively training a young horse were over, for it REALLY helps in disciplining a horse if you can stand your ground. However, even elderly, thoroughly trained horses have their little moments when they have to be reminded to act politely.

My first horse was SOOOO good and mannerly from the ground even if he was only green-broke to saddle when I got him. He did not teach me much about how to discipline a horse (just talking in a harsh voice with yanking the lead rope if needed), but he taught me what to expect from a mannerly horse. He was so good that I thought I was good also and confidently bought my second horse, an Arabian weanling stud colt. This horse was the one who taught me how to teach manners. At the breeder's this colt was so mannerly and cooperative, looking like he was trained perfectly to lead, but once I got him to the stable I boarded at he decided to forget everything he knew and turned into a colt with a chip on his shoulder bigger than he was. Luckily I was still in my twenties and resilient physically and I was still strong.

The most important thing this colt taught me is that IF I CORRECTED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE DISOBEDIENCE I actually had a chance of not being dragged all over creation. This colt never gave me much advanced warning that an explosion was coming, just a certain look in his eye and his nostrils getting a little bigger. After a month of being dragged (at least I kept on my feet) and bruised I learned to notice these tiny, tiny signs of an impending explosion. I also developed an escalating series of corrections that worked with him and which have served me well ever since. I did all this basic training in a leather halter and cotton lead rope, no chains over the nose (maybe I was being foolish about this but I was determined not to put a chain over his nose.) At no time did this colt show any fear of me.

My first correction was "clearing my throat" or any sound that is growly. Depending on how rebellious he looked I also would jerk the lead rope. I am not talking about jerking the lead rope as strongly as possible, I am talking about giving the horse's face a strong bump. The horse's head will go up some, but I quickly learned not to do it so hard that the colt would point his nose up in the air (highest point of his body) and start bouncing. Bouncing his front end was always a bad sign. If he started crowding me he ALWAYS ran into my elbow, and if he was particularly pushy he ran into my elbow a lot sooner than he thought he would. Yes, my elbow got bruised, but that was better than the alternative of getting pushed down. For a few months I just worked on standing for grooming, standing for hoof rasping, leading from both sides, the basic voice commands (whoa, walk, trot), turning with me, and turning away from me. My body learned to react QUICKLY to him. By the third month I was usually reacting right when he started his little bratty moments, with my body moving even before I noticed something was up. This was the moment I started to get respect from him, but I never could stop watching him with an eagle eye, and if I turned my back on him he would still try and nip my back.

That was when I started training him to be lead from in front, I was NOT going to put up with a horse nipping me in the back! While all the time keeping my full attention on where this pesky colt was, I would lengthen the lead rope, stride off ahead, and whenever I felt him starting to dart forward I would say NO sharply and turn quickly on my right leg while extending my left arm out fully to the side, holding my hand in a fist. This replicates the movement a boss horse makes with its head and neck when a lower horse comes up too quickly from behind. If the colt's nose was near enough I made sure that my fist would connect, no special movement, just the consequence of running into my swinging arm. After a few weeks of practice I could lead him from any position SO LONG I KEPT MY FULL ATTENTION ON HIM. The minute my attention wandered he would try one of his old tricks, usually trying to nip my back or starting to run off where HE wanted to go.

This went on for several months (and one move) until he got developed enough to geld. Six weeks after the operation he turned into the sweetest most obedient horse you could wish for, and he was very easy to train. When he was 15 months old it took me just three short sessions, working alone, to teach him how to lunge. Unfortunately shortly thereafter he got kicked in the elbow by a mare, causing a green stick fracture. Then after the fracture healed I had to give him physical therapy since the tendons in his hurt let had contracted, stretching his hurt leg out more and more, and even though it hurt him often he never, never made any move to attack me. Since I was several months pregnant I really appreciated his cooperation!

When I was grooming him and he made any aggressive move I would stand up and scold him with a harsh, growly voice, and if he was being particularly bratty I would shake my finger at him, right in his face during the scolding. I yanked the lead rope only for the most serious offenses. Of course every time he was good and obeyed me, I told him he was a good boy in a very soft, caressing voice. After a while he decided he preferred being talked to in a soft voice and started behaving.

I kept all training sessions short. If I was teaching him something new I stopped the training session immediately when he did what I wanted, even if we had just been working a few minutes. When he was with me I reacted IMMEDIATELY when he did ANYTHING that did not fit my definition of good horsie manners. The very few times I hit him I would also yell loud, once was usually enough. I really can't tell you how I decided how strict or harsh I should be with every instance of misbehavior, I just know that I developed the ability to be as harsh as necessary. At no time did the colt show fear when he saw me, he was always easy to catch, and he always let me handle him all over. Persistence and consistency are what you need to teach good horsie manners, and a grim determination that the horse WILL BEHAVE.

Lately Debbie, my teacher, taught me one of her techniques, and the one time I used it I got my point across. She looks at the horse right in the eye (just one eye, from the side), glaring angrily, and scolds the horse in a sharp voice. No arm movements, no jerking, hitting or other violence, just a really mad Debbie standing there giving the horse a good scolding. Usually the horse's eyes soften, they say "sorry, I'll be good" and Debbie goes on with her training. I am not as formidable as Debbie is, the one time I tried it I added the shaking finger to the glaring eyes and harsh scolding. I don't foresee having to do much more than this in the near future.

Horses move quickly. The best time to correct a disobedience is when the horse decides to misbehave, or as soon after that moment as you can, preferable before the horse lifts a hoof off the ground or moves his head much. If you miss this magic moment, if the disobedience is one moving away from you and you are near the end of the leadrope, try to keep your body in a position to the side near the end of the lead rope just in front of his shoulder, this gives you some leverage. Pull strongly on the lead rope when the front leg nearest you is in the air, then soften, repeat as needed. You may have to move fast to stay where you can use leverage, and bending your knees can help your stability alot. If the horse is crowding you remember your magic elbow, if you put your hand on your hip and keep your elbow out the horse won't be able to move your much. If you give a disciplinary push hold your arm in front of you, sort of lock your elbow, bend your fingers, and push your knuckles into the horse's muscle (not bone!) with your weight behind your arm, then soften and repeat as necessary.

Will these methods work with all misbehaving horses? NO. This is why people pay professionals to train their horses. Are these the most effective ways of correcting a horse? Probably not. Do they work for me? YES. Until another horse decides to show me that I don't know anything at all.

Have a great ride.