Training Tip: What’s the Rush?

If you notice that your horse is in a hurry as you’re heading back home, do plenty of transitions with him to get his mind on you. When you do get back to the barn, put his feet to work. Spend ten minutes trotting and cantering him around the barn or in a nearby arena. Do lots of changes of direction to get him using the thinking side of his brain. Then unsaddle him and tie him up for a couple of hours to let him think about the lesson. The last thing you want to do when you get back to the barn, especially with a horse that’s already in a hurry to get back, is unsaddle him straightaway and put him back in his stall. Make him think that as soon as he gets back to the barn there’s just more work waiting for him. Horses never run fast to where they know they’re going to have to work.