Zen Horse

Training Tip of the Week:
By Clinton Anderson

Never forget that horses have the quickest reaction time of any domesticated animal.

If a horse gets frightened, and you’re in the wrong place at the wrong time, things could get ugly in a hurry. More people get hurt every year by broke, quiet horses than they do by wild horses because people take them for granted and take more risks around them. I always tell my Apprentices, “If you treat every horse like a wild mustang, you’ll never get hurt.” Get in the habit of practicing safety around all horses so that you’ll never get caught off guard. Many people will get into the habit of being lazy around their horse, where they won’t always stand at a 45-degree angle or keep their hand up by the horse’s eye as they desensitize him. Then one day their neighbor asks them to come over to work with a new horse they just got. So they’ll go and start throwing the leadrope at this new horse and wonder why he runs straight over the top of them. Never assume a horse is safe. Always make him prove it to you.

Happy Safe Trails,

Danna