Horses have many traits; cheerful, dashing, strong, curious, gentle, and reliable. Plus, horses are affectionate and loyal-once you bond with a horse, it will be your friend forever. However, building a relationship like this requires dedication and effort. You must take the time to care for the horse and show that you are someone the horse can trust. Once you gain his trust, the horse will become your true friend. This article can help you get started.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Introducing Yourself
Step 1. Wait for the horse to come to you
When you meet a horse for the first time, you must give him the space and time he needs to adapt to your presence. Don't go straight to the horse, start patting it and pet it or just ride it. It will take your horse some time to understand that you are not a threat before he begins to trust and see you as his friend and leader. You can start this process by:
- Spend time with the horse in the stable, in the arena, or in the meadow. Take a chair and sit with him, or walk slowly-don't get too close-to get him used to your presence. He will begin to follow your movements with his eyes and head and watch you curiously.
- Do it every day, without forcing the horse to interact with you. When the time comes, he will walk up to you of his own accord and will begin to take a closer look at you. Let him smell you, nuzzle, and lick you. Don't try to touch it just yet.
- Once trust has been established, the horse will walk toward you as you approach it, neigh when greeting you, or begin to follow your movements. That's when you know the horse will be your friend!
Step 2. Talk to the horse
An important way to familiarize yourself with a horse is to get him used to your voice. Talk about the weather, stock prices, food recipes you want to try-everything! As long as you use a calming, confident voice, the horse will enjoy listening to it.
- Some people even like to read stories to their horses. This is perfect at night in winter (when the sky is dark and the ground is too slippery for riding). Take a chair in the stable and read a book. Try a few different genres and styles to see if your horse prefers children's stories or classic literary novels.
- Several others sang in front of their horses. This can be a great way to familiarize yourself with your horse while grooming or taking him for a walk. Again, use a soft voice. Don't sing death metal songs.
Step 3. Move slowly
Horses are naturally very protective of their private areas, so try to identify the horse's body language before approaching it. If your horse jerks or moves away when you reach out to touch it, it's a sign that you're moving too fast. Instead of approaching the horse from the front, approach the horse from the side, and touch the horse's back or shoulder rather than its face.
- Try moving toward the horse one step at a time, before reaching out to touch it. Place your hands on the shoulders and back of the horse. Just do it for a few seconds, then stop touching it and step back. This is an action that will not make the horse feel threatened and will make the horse feel safe.
- Most horses have a "point" they like on the highest part of the horse's back (whiters), which is at the base of the horse's hair between the shoulder blades. A slight scratch at this point can calm the horse instantly.
- People who are not familiar with horses usually touch the horse's face or nose, but this is actually wrong. A horse's nose is very sensitive and is a private part of it. The horse's nose can only be touched when the horse allows it.
Step 4. Breathe into the horse's nostrils
If you've ever seen how horses interact with each other, you'll notice that horses interact with each other by kissing and exhaling through their nostrils. This allows them to recognize each other's scent.
- You can do the same thing by exhaling through the horse's nostrils to greet him.
- If you've smoked peppermint candy before, he'll like you even more!
Step 5. Give a snack
As you know, horses love treats. Therefore, being a treat provider is a great way to get closer to your new friends from all kinds of horses.
- Snacks like raisins, sugar cubes, apple slices, carrots, sunflower seeds, block hay, and peppermint are some of the horse's favorite treats, but you can experiment with different foods to find out what your horse likes.
- Don't give your horse treats too often because the horse's health is your priority. Snacks should only be given as a reward for good behavior after training and treatment. Make sure the horse does not have health problems that can cause an adverse reaction if given certain types of food.
- Don't keep snacks in your pocket or hand treats. The horse will hook your pocket and hand with a delicious treat so it starts biting your hand or heading your pocket later. Don't support this kind of behavior; put the treats in the tray or bucket.
Step 6. Be patient
The amount of time it takes to make friends with each type of horse will vary. This depends on the horse's age, the treatment it received from its previous owner, and the horse's personality.
- Horses that are young and well cared for will quickly make friends with their new owners. The horse will trust its new owner for only a few weeks.
- Older horses that were not properly cared for before will take longer to adapt to new people and the horse's trust must be gained slowly over months, even years.
- It's important to be patient with the horse and don't force him to do something he doesn't want to do. Like human friendship, friendship with a horse takes time to develop. However, once trust is built, you will have friends for the rest of your life.
Part 2 of 3: Handling Horses
Step 1. Perform some basic maintenance
You should do some basic maintenance on your horse before attempting to ride it. This will make you a leader and teach the horse to obey your orders, while encouraging him to trust you.
- Start by taking the horse for a walk, just as you would a dog. Use a leash and lead your horse for a bit of adventure, take a walk under the trees, through the water or across the bridge beside it. This will put you in the horse's comfort zone.
- Always walk beside the horse, not in front of it, do not drag or pull the neck rope. Walk beside the horse's head and place your hand on its shoulder while stroking and talking the whole way. Pretend you're holding hands with the horse!
Step 2. Be a leader
Horses are herding animals and like to obey their leaders. Once you gain the horse's trust and establish yourself as a leader, it will follow you everywhere.
- Train the horse to turn left and right, stop, and back away when it feels slight movement in the collar and reins.
- Training your horse to respond to such commands when walking with your horse will give you a huge advantage when trying to ride.
Step 3. Be firm and consistent
Try to be firm and consistent in handling your horse. Just because you want to get the horse to like you, doesn't mean you have to let it be when it misbehaves. If he bites, give him a firm pat on the shoulder to show that his behavior is not good. If he does something wrong, make him do it again until it is right.
- However, it is very important to understand the difference between a horse that is misbehaving and a horse that is confused or frightened. Don't expect the horse to perform an untrained action, or to respond to a command against its will.
- Make sure you're fair and consistent in the horse training process-use the same commands, without variations. Horses are animals that have to get used to and they will only respond to recognized commands.
Step 4. Try to read the horse's body language
Like any good relationship, befriending a horse requires communication. Horses are not animals that like to "talk", except for Mr. Ed (a horse who can talk to his owner on an American TV show), so discussing it with a horse is not a smart choice. Therefore, you have to rely on body language.
- Learn how to read the horse's facial expressions and gestures, but do so quietly. This will help you interpret the horse's feelings, and may also keep you out of harm's way when the horse is frightened or angry.
- For example, if the horse's ears are pointing forward, it means the horse is paying attention and interested in what is happening, if the ears are wide to the side, he is relaxing or sleeping, and if the ears are pointing back, it means he is angry or scared.. Other parts of the horse's body to pay attention to are the tail, muzzle, eyes and feet.
Step 5. Loosen the reins
Once you are able to ride the horse, the reins should be attached to the horse until it can sense which way you want it to go. You don't have to pull the reins hard or whip them violently with your heels, they should be able to respond to slight movement of the reins or changes in your sitting position. You must think of yourself as a mystical centaur; half human, half horse.
- This process can take some time, as the horse has to learn to read your commands and you have to be able to read the horse's body language. This requires patience, perseverance, and of course, you have to ride a lot. You can't get along with the horse if you only ride once a week.
- Take the time and try to get along with your horse and you will enjoy the results.
Part 3 of 3: Caring for Horses
Step 1. Wipe and scratch the spots that the horse cannot reach
Grooming or grooming is an important bonding activity, as it shows that you are not just riding and making the horse work. You also spend time with the horse and make him happy.
Start by combing the horse thoroughly with an iron brush. Make sure you're combing the body parts that he can't reach on his own, such as his chest and stomach
Step 2. Bathe with warm water
When it's time to give your horse a bath, make it a fun activity for your horse by bathing him in warm water-not too hot or too cold.
- Apply the horse shampoo all over its body with a soft sponge, but make sure you rinse it thoroughly after shampooing to avoid irritation of the horse.
- Remove excess water using a sweat scraper.
Step 3. Lift the leg
Horses' feet are very sensitive, so by letting you lift their paws, the horse shows a high level of trust in you. Let him get used to your touch by stroking his front paws, from the thigh to the fetlock (cannon bone extending from the knee). If he is startled, stop and start over from above.
- After he lets you touch his fetlock, massage the foot a few inches above the fetlock with your thumb and forefinger. This is a hint for the horse to lift its leg.
- After he lets you lift his paw, check to see if the tread is still attached and that there is no dirt stuck to the sole of his paw. Slowly lower his legs and reward him with a loving pat on the head.
Step 4. Learn some basic horse massage techniques
Massaging your horse is a great way to calm him down and instill confidence. By massaging all the tense and tight muscles, you will also ease the pain and tension, which will improve the horse's performance.
- Learn how to recognize your horse's muscles, and to be able to identify which areas need massage. Gradually, he will learn to enjoy your massage and point out which parts of the body need massage.
- Sometimes a mouth massage will suffice, but at times, you should massage her entire body to stretch her thigh or shoulder muscles.
Step 5. Try aromatherapy
Essential oils (which are made especially for horses) can relax and relax your horse while you are grooming them.
- Apply a few drops of the oil of your choice under the nostrils and around the muzzle. The horse will gladly obey all your orders.
- As an added bonus, essential oils can also be used as insect repellents that can be used on adventures in the dry season.
Tips
- Spend time with your horse and love him.
- Remove the saddle and harness. These objects can make the horse feel uncomfortable. By releasing it, the horse will feel like it has been released from the weight on its vertebrae.
