I Disagree With These Horse Trainers (& So Should You)

Well said! Thais was beautifully done. You tackled this controversial topic with reason, common sense and grace; I agree with this content wholeheartedly. I loved your example of horses interacting together in a natural setting. I believe that we as handlers/ riders/ trainers should set ( and enforce ) clear boundaries in an authoritative ,yet gentle manner. Good video thanks for sharing your honest opinion.

As someone else said, shifting from 'respect' to 'boundaries' is totally a game changer for me! And the same goes for the idea of a 'servant leader.' I knew someone had to lead, and I knew it needed to be me, but some deep seated beliefs about leadership, who's in charge, and what they do with that power really throw me for a loop when I'm with horses... and I am the one in charge! The idea of a servant leader really resonates with me, and I am going to take that with me into the new year and my time with horses. Thank you!

Yesss 100%!! They know respect but also know what is expected of them based on body language. We are usually the ones who don't ask for respect in the right ways hehe. Thank you for sharing your knowledge, I love your videos!!

Excellent video! Horses understand respect far better than we humans do.

Originally saw a video by you and didn’t think I’d watch more, but I did and found them super helpful. New video quality looks sick!

great video. And so important for non-equestrians who watch that boundaries are very important and how they are taught even more important. great use of the word boundary.

When one is dialed in to a horse there can be mutual trust and respect.

The very first part of the video, the horse is 'acting up' as some would say, because of the person holding the lead line so close to the chin. A major rookie mistake. And a indicator that the person does not understand the basics of horse communication.

I defiantly disagree with the "horses don't have emotions/respect". the horse that I ride is a mare and she is very independent. for a while she didn't respect me at all, but after a while we have developed a bond. respect has nothing to do with fear, it has everything to do with love and never giving up. :) thx for the video!!

I love this video. Thank you

I cringe when people use the term respect for horse behavior without defining how they are using it. Being taught to be safe around people and to yield to the requests of their handlers as well as seeing their handlers as good decision-makers that will keep them safe, sure, horses can do that; BUT there is no evidence the the equine brain is capable of the abstract concept of respect and when people start leaning into that view of a horse not respecting them they can unfairly blame the horse for behaviors the human is responsible for modifying. I very much dislike when falsely anthropomorphizing nonhuman animals shifts the onus for poor/harmful behavior to the animal instead of on the humans that chose to put that animal in a human environment and who are the ones who have the cognitive abilities to make (or seek out those with the skills to make) the behavior fitting the environment they put the animal in (within reason for what is appropriate for the species/breed/individual). Also for the people who use the marketing of desirable sounding words to distract from the actual methods they employ 😡

I find it easier to communicate that a horse is under stimulus control, has been taught how to behave safely around humans, and has a good rapport with its handlers without using the r-word. But for those who want to use "respect," if they are explaining what it does and does NOT mean for horses in this marketplace of ideas where attention currencies are stretched thin, go for it!

I definitely favored other videos over yours, Equine Helper, because of how much you use "respect" but I'm glad you made this video because it seems that you use it more inline with how I understand horses; I look forward to checking out your library as a resource to recommend to horse newbies in my life :)

this is such a good video. so many people think that getting a horse to respect you in training means bullying them into dominance. just because a horse needs to respect you does not mean that they have to obey you out of fear- who wants that anyways

Can i have some advice please? My horse hates the halter every time she sees it she pins her ears back and walks away or even runs away. It's really hard to catch her and sometimes what i use is food to bring her in so i could catch her. She is very easy to catch in a small space but if she is in a big pasture she won't let me catch her. And every time i get on her she starts to walk and she won't stay still and she never listens to me if i ask her to go somewhere. One time she reared up with me on our ride. Please tell me what do I do?

I think dominance is the wrong word. A horse needs to trust you before staying within boundaries wich with dominance is not gonna happen.

Well said.👍

❤

ya Jamie doesn't care about boundaries ( my mare) lol

Yes! There is so much woo woo and spirituality seeping into horse training. It's great to see someone who sticks to facts and science.

❤thank you!
I have been following you and you teach clearly, with care and you always say “good boy “ so cute. I be been practicing along side you .
Doing better with Doodles now!
How do I find the respect on line class?

I hate the word respect. I HATE IT SO MUCH it is a word that invokes ire and loathing for me. I grew up around the military and the sheer attitude of giving blind respect makes me mad.

I will never demand respect from any of my animals, I will have boundaries and limits but never respect.

I also hate natural horsemanship for the same reason. You are not a horse you are a human and your horse should interact with you as such. I am small, they can't play with me like they can a horse for example but we can say play tug with a rope they just can't bite and jump and me.

Every living being likes for things to be clear, confusion is a punisher for most creature because it leads to frustration and nobody likes to be frustrated but I don't think manners/boundaries equate to blind respect. If someone harms my horse I welcome her to forget those manners and give them what for.

Thank you very much ♥️♥️♥️👏👏👏

Yes, love, pacience and trust is the most important. Don't know if you know "raleigh link", she hate horseabuse and makes many videos about people who do bad things to and with horses. There are plenty of examples from horseabuse. For example "gemma caballo caballo" while he tells that he's a respectfull horsetrainer and he gives clinics and lessons how to educate a horse, but he is hitting the horse with a rope or whip, because thehorse don't do what he wants. That all make me very sad.
I follow many horsechannels in the netherlands and also in 6 diferent languages over the world, and in the netherlands i see almost never abuse situations. In countrys like india and arabe there is many horseabuse. Also in the states, the big lick , and mexico, with charro, dancing horse cruelty, you can find many abuse. How they make their tail upstairs and their hoofs and ligaments almost broken and heavy weight on the hoofs. Terrible.😰😭
That are people who even don't can take care of a dog.

100% Agree with you on the 'servant leader' --- this approach works SO MUCH better.

I was so concerned this was going to be a video that I wholeheartedly disagreed with, and would be another attempt to try to break everything I understand about horses. Social media has really destroyed my understanding of "right" and "wrong" with horses, or even just the thought that there are nany correct way of doing things. Instead you have made an incredibly down to earth video that not only supports what many horse owners experience, but debunks the myths of what so many people on social media tout. Thank you so much!

I once heard that respect in horses means they respond appropriately to pressure by yielding softly. And trust means yielding without fear.

I can't help but notice that a lot of this is also usable in parenthood..😅

Well said

That was a really good video. Respect doesn't mean domineering and over-powering, I agree it is boundaries. Respect is earned! Thanks for another helpful vid!!! :)

When a horse is calm and relaxed mabe atreat that's when they can learn . Horse can't learn but wrong when there in flight or fight❤ love your thought an ideology. If you can get a horse to like an trust you ,an train a horse without him knowing it your way ahead of the game sure liked your video great insight. Have a great day ❤❤❤❤😊😊😊😊😊

I am surprised that people even question the agenda .Now you earned a black bell

You're 100% correct. People who "break" a horse down or flood them are CLUELESS. Thank you for doing this video I hope some folks (ahem) pay attention to it!

do you have any courses on how to train a miniature horse as a guide animal for somebody who is blind?

( in my opinion) Hitting a horse is okay if it’s done lightly cause there biting you. But no Matter what never hit a rescue that was beaten

Horses do not have the cognitive ability to understand the abstract meaning of respect. That part of their brain is not developed like it is in humans. They don't know what respect means, anymore than an 18 month old toddler does. Horses simply react to their environment. From our point of view we teach the horse boundaries, but this is not "respect" from their point of view. They are simply reacting to the training. The word is used incorrectly. Years ago, you never heard anyone refer to a horse in the terms of "respect". It is something fairly new. Not only that, when you say a horse is showing "disrespect", or being "disrespectful", it sounds like he is doing something intentionally wrong or bad that he needs to be punished for when in reality, he is simply being a horse that needs more or better training. Teaching the boundaries, yes, I like that part. Labeling the horse as disrespectful, not so much.

Have you ever seen Klaus Ferdinand Hempfling One of the most amazing horse people? Please look him up. He works with stallions that are dangerous and establishes a peaceful respect. No violence. Uses body language to invite the horse to join him. Plus this was established quickly. There is also Barry Hook who also believes in no pain but respect. His main interest is in driving and he only uses a rubber bit. With a very light rein connection. Again no violence as that does not help build trust Please check both out.

I am quite surprised all this even needs to be said, then again, maybe now that we think we know enough it's difficult to go back to when we really knew nothing. Anyway, I find it hard to believe that any adults involved with horses would need to interchange "respect" with "boundaries". As a matter of fact, English being the original language and american English being a diformity of the language, I could understand how you might need that flip in usa. Actually both words mean quite different things. "Boundary" is the set limit up to which to tolerate, while respect is the recognition of the boundary. Perhaps some people have no idea that to train horses means to have YOUR will be done as opposed to theirs. Sorry if some people feel hurt, but training can go from slight discomfort to absolute torture, there are all sorts of horse people out there and not all will understand what the aim is. For a start, watch horses at liberty. There is a hierarchy, ALWAYS, yet it is not set "for life", in my herd (at one point 2...4...6) some have risen above the immediately superior horse, sometimes change comes with growing from colt to adult, other times it's an actual fight and not just bravado that sets the pecking order. A superior horse will never move for an inferior horse. You need to read and react to the signs of a horse feeling full of himself and ready to have his will be done. Always display calmness and natural confidence with firmness, you will keep your position. In my view "love" is not an emotion to "use" while training horses. You have it there in you all the time, so it's there already. What you need to "use" is a balanced temperament, patience, firmness and justice. Horses, like just about all the mammals around us will react to your energy or feelings at that very moment, so be conscious of how you feel. There are 3 points you must follow and in the necessary order. 1st there must be a hierarchy, you can not be below your horses when training them, so you move their feet and guide their speed and direction of movements, sorry you don't ask them, you tell them. 2nd you must show respect and expect respect...the recognition of the boundaries...you will cause no uncalled-for harshness/pain and hence will neither expect nor accept any. 3rd display all the bonding actions you want (I never kiss any horses...but that's just me). pet, pat, kiss, rub...but do not HUMANISE them, they are not human babies they are not your friends, family or buddies, they are horses, yours or others' but horses, not humans. Many people have problems dominating their horses (I really don't care if anybody doesn't like the word, but that is the word I mean, check a dic.) because they start off showing all the cuddly BS, kisses and soft baby talk, the horse obviously reads the tone and the emotion, knows there is no firmness to start with, no boundaries, no leadership (leaders give calm but firm direction and protection, always, that's why we give them our will and follow them) hence will have no respect for us, when instead hierarchy should be first. Then we are surprised that he wants to walk through the gate first, or on the dry ground between the puddles, making you get out the way for him, or just doesn't want to obey you, yes I said obey....then when he bites you or even kicks you it will be too late. You don't need to beat a horse to dominate him, when you act on his will, he does what you tell him. While you cause him no pain, but rather discomfort, when opposing you, he will prefer whatever does not bother him. When teaching new stuff, just leave him alone when he has started to do what you say, then repeat, till he is able to do the whole exercise. He will learn and bend his will to yours, hence you will dominate him. Thank you for posting, for your efforts and dedication.

The problem with the dominance theory is even if it existed why would it apply to us. We aren’t horses and horses know that. Horses don’t treat us the same way they treat eachother so we have a different relationship with them. There is no alpha.

Respect is such a broad term that it's not useful. It's even harder to define than honour.

I firmly believe that the quality of political leadership in the west plummeted after it stopped being necessary for politicians to ride horses.

This is so true. Horses show respect by choosing to work with you. To be honest, you never really have control over a horse because you can't control an 800-2,000 pound animal and make them do something they don't want to do.

Equine Helper is incredibly skilled at understanding and communicating horse behavior. I don't like that she is trying to sell me something in every video.

I remember in the old Days when all the men would say you have to show them who's boss. And they didn't want mean it in a bad way, it meant have confidence and they will respect you better.

yea

Slow down! You're putting out a lot of information, give us a second to absorb it.

I have had over my lifetime, seven horses. I love animals and have always had an easy relationship with them. My horses always really liked me and we're happy to do what I wanted. I never tried to force them to do anything and I always tried to work within their comfort level. It was not a problem to be thought out, it was a pleasure to interact with them. I do not understand what all this talk about control is all about. If a horse trust you and enjoys working with you the horse will try it's very best to accomplish whatever you want to do and it will love the activity and when it understands the goal it will try to accomplish what you want.

Several of my horses were supposedly problem horses that I bought at a low price. A humane bit, soft hands and kind ,reasonable handling made an almost instant diference. One of them became my best horse ever. He was just about the perfect horse. None of them were problems with me. It was not even a conscious effort. Treat your horse with kind leadership and pay attention to its feelings and thoughts and wellfare, give it work to do, do not let it stand in a stall for days.