There are two different view points regarding the training of a horse in equine horse training. There are some people who believes that a trainer must show his authority to the animal by being aggressive and powerful like a lion. On the other hand, another school of thought insists that it is best to train your horse with lots of patience and compassion. Both schools of thought are two extremes. The middle path is needed in equine horse training. As a trainer, you must be strong like a lion and gentle like a lamb.
Passionate horse lovers will completely agree that using vulgarity in taming a horse is a total no-no. There’s no need for intimidation or ill-treatment to make a horse obey according to natural horsemanship. A person who is being followed by his subordinates naturally because they have trust in him and not by force is a successful leader as opposed to the one who has the people following him because of fear. You can use force subtly just to ensure order rather than using full force at all times. Make your horse respect you rather than fear you and you could be a successful leader for your horse. Never ever mix fear with respect.
If your horse has respect for you he would be comfortable yet attentive with you around automatically without your striking the whip. The horse could perfectly understand that his misbehavior would not please you and you might need to discipline him if ever. Your horse will have confidence in your judgement and he would completely depend on you to save him in case there’s danger.
If a horse is ruled in fear, he would only follow instructions because he is afraid of what might happen to him if he won’t. The horse would become confused, disoriented, and panicky in the process if the fear will continue. He would understand your reactions of anger but would not have the orientation to understand what action of his evoked the anger in you. As a result he would not know what not to do to avoid getting you angry.
Let the horse know and understand that you are the leader and there’s no need for you to keep exercising your command. Once the horse has understood it shall obey and very rarely should you find the need to be forceful. It is better to show your strength through your techniques and confidence rather than doing it with force. In case of danger, horses could rely on their instincts. Using irresponsible force on horse would push the horse to its limits and might cause him to run away once it sees an opportunity.
For successful equine horse training treat your horse with respect. They are very perceptive animals and can be trained easily by developing a bond of respect and confidence. Do not tolerate misbehavior too, as the horse would keep repeating it if allowed. Adopt the role of the lion and lamb accordingly and you would successfully manage to train your horse.