You Cant Fool A Horse

By Jeffrey Rolo
copyright 2004 AlphaHorse

In the dating world many men and women put their potential partners to a "dog test," whereby they introduce their date to their dog and see how the dog reacts to the stranger. If the dog reacts badly towards their date then a red flag is waved, whereas if the dog accepts the stranger instantly the opposite holds true. While many people look upon this test in a tongue-in-cheek manner, many dog owners actually do take it seriously. As they probably should!

Many animals, including horses, possess an uncanny ability to detect emotion as well as the inner nature of an individual. Whereas you may be able to slap a forced smile on your face and hide powerful negative emotions such as stress or anger from fellow humans, you won't find it as easy to fool a horse! In fact I consider horses to be natural truth detectors due to their ability to read a person's emotional state as well as their sincerity when it comes to a love for equines.

If one of my naturally friendly horses takes an instant dislike to someone out of the blue, 9 times out of 10 I'm going to respect my equine partner's instincts. Horses generally do not possess vendettas or have reason to target anyone for no real reason ? they tend to call them as they see them. If a horse usually takes a liking to visitors but holds a sudden aversion to one in particular, clearly the horse sees or detects something that I may not have initially caught.

When a horse enjoys your company, you'll know it. When a horse trusts you, you'll know it. And when a horse actually dislikes you, he will make sure you know it. I often state that the world would be a much better place if people were as brutally honest as horses. But I digress?

A proficient horseman at work should be cool, calm and collected, three essential qualities to maximize the productivity of a training session as well as create an all-around positive aura over human-horse interactions. Keep in mind that you are the horse's leader, and as such the horse will take his cues from you. If you are agitated the horse will recognize something is wrong and either feel you are angry with him or you are annoyed with something else he cannot detect but probably should be also be concerned about. The horse will not be able to focus on the lesson or your requests well at all, nor will he be able to draw strength from you when he becomes concerned about a foreign object or behavioral request.

It is essential that you try not to visit or work with your horse when you are in a negative frame of mind since these undesirable emotions will disturb your equine partner. Try to take a few minutes, or even hours if necessary, to collect your emotions and clear your mind of life's daily irritants.

When we see a loved one is feeling down, it often puts a damper on our day too since negativity tends to breed negativity. The same will happen with your horse, so do not underestimate your horse's ability to detect your feelings.

Visit http://www.alphahorse.com/horse-training.html to view more articles about horse training.

Jeffrey Rolo, owner of AlphaHorse and an experienced horse trainer and breeder, is the author of the above article. You will find many other informational articles dealing with horse training and care as well as games and other horse fun on his website: http://www.alphahorse.com

---

Are Exotic Cats a Threat to Public Safety? Why Exotic Pets Are Not Dangerous

I would like to address some of the statements I... Read More

How To Keep Your Cat Happy and Healthy - Playtime for Kitty

While dogs tend to get lots of exercise, cats are... Read More

How to Litter Train a Cat

For most cat owners, training their cat to use the... Read More

With Understanding Comes Success

One of the reasons I strongly encourage horse owners to... Read More

The One-Minute Horse Training Manager

If your life is so busy you literally only have... Read More

Housebreaking Dogs and Puppies - A Step by Step Guide to Potty Training Your Dog or Puppy

If you're reading this I think it's safe to assume... Read More

The 7 Stages of Puppy Development

Let's take a look at the different stages, but before... Read More

How To Get Your Horse To Obey You and Look To You For Instruction

In the animal kingdom there is a pecking order. Richard... Read More

5 Tips For Feeding A Happy, Healthy Dog

Do you really know all there is to know about... Read More

Does Your Dog Dig?

Dear Fellow Dog Lover,I assume you love your dog, or... Read More

Tips that May Help Your Arthritic Dog

Arthritis refers to inflammation or swelling in a joint. The... Read More

Scottish Terrier Rescue - For the Love of Scotties

Purebred dogs of all breeds can be found in shelters,... Read More

?Sit Up? Buddy: Training Your Dog To Sit Like You

The trick of "sitting up" is easily taught to small... Read More

Breed Success in Your Puppy Search

The numbers will make any pet lover blanch with disgust,... Read More

Six Dog Training Tips to Modify Negative Behavior

Almost every dog owner will have to use some sort... Read More

Fur Isnt Such a Good Sunscreen

You might think the most important bit of dog health... Read More

Preparing for Your New Pet

Getting a new pet can be a lot of fun.... Read More

A Guide to Bird Cage Covers

As much as you love the sound of your new... Read More

The Joy Of Having Puppies!

One of the greatest thrills for a little boy or... Read More

Healthy Diet for Your Parrot

Is your bird a seed only eater? Did you know... Read More

What You Should Know About Your Puppy And Play Biting

The main ways a puppy will play with another dog... Read More

What Dog Owners Need To Know About Dog Crate Training

Why should you use the dog crate training method?Is the... Read More

Dog Clicker Training

Dog clicker training is so much fun for both dogs... Read More

How To Use Leading Your Horse To Get Control And Response

I've been around many people who try to lead a... Read More

Dog Training Collars -- Proper Selection Leads To Training Success

The proper selection of a training collar can have a... Read More