No horse can fool you when they lack confidence, whether they’re approaching a jump they’re scared of, crossing a tarp they have no idea how to cross, or being led down a path that’s unfamiliar to them. Since horses have natural flight instincts, they usually try to avoid anything even hinting at danger, which is why they aren’t very confident in many situations.It is true that some horses are more confident than others. If your horse lacks confidence, here are four tips and tricks that you can do to help them achieve it
Confidence In Your Horse Depends On You
The most effective way to help your horse be more confident is to be more confident yourself. If you are lacking confidence when riding, your horse will sense it through your body language. The horse can easily sense when you tense and relax your muscles. If you are tense, your horse is tense, while if you are relaxed, your horse is relaxed.
Put Your Horse In Similar Situations
Putting your horse in similar situations will help you teach him to be confident in a particular situation. You can practice by taking your horse on trails and introducing various paths to your horse if he lacks confidence on trail rides. Repeating the exercise will allow them to become familiar with the situation and more confident.
Invest in Your Horse’s Trust
In order for your horse to be more confident, you have to build trust with him. Horses follow leaders, and they look to you for leadership. The most effective way to build a trusting relationship with your horse is to spend time with him. It is easier for the horse to cooperate in any situation if trust is established with the handler.
Prepare Your Horse for Scary Things
Prepare your horse by introducing them to and making them comfortable with scary things and foreign sounds. A horse is a flight animal, so unsure situations will naturally cause them to flee. As you prepare them, they understand that these scary objects aren’t threatening and they do not have to flee. You can help your horse become more confident by eliminating its fear of certain things.
Whenever you are training your horse, don’t move on to the next step until your horse has shown confidence at your current level. The key to teaching your horse confidence is patience, and it shouldn’t be forgotten when dealing with anything related to horse training. The horse training services at Comly Sport Horses in Texas can help you and your horse increase your confidence level. We’ve been teaching hunter jumper lessons in Texas and its surrounding areas for many years.