The Horse Problem

Almost every girl who grew up dreaming of horses has wished for a bond like that seen between Alex and The Black in Walter Farley's The Black Stallion. We wish for a horse that loves us as much as we love them, for a deep and inseparable level of communication that only you and your horse understand. However, as one grows older, this dream grows more distant as reality sets in.

Your horse, as beautiful as he may be, simply doesn't love you.

You struggle with controlling him, he only comes to you if you have a treat. He bites...kicks...and runs away; hates being ridden, spooks away from your friends, and only nickers when it's time to be fed.

Somewhere along the way, you stare out the window at your horse as he grazes in the field and ask yourself, "what went wrong?" That bond you once dreamed of has vanished behind an ever-thickening cloud of disappointment. And you feel like giving up, selling the horse, and forgetting your equine dreams.

This is where I was at a month ago. I was so close to giving up. I avoided my horse because I was upset that no matter how hard I seemed to try, I couldn't get the results I wanted.

It was at this point when I stumbled across a trainer by the name of Klaus Ferdinand Hempfling. Videos showed his unique and amazing interaction with his horses, and once again, I was hungry to gain this type of relationship with my own horse. I asked myself, "if other people can do it, why can't I?"  Determined, I bought Hempfling's book called Dancing with Horses.

I read it and started applying what I learned to my work with my horse. Slowly and consistently, I've been gaining positive responses and already feel like my horse understands me so much better.

What changed? Well, besides rethinking the entire way I was once acting around my horse, I came to realize one simple thing. When working with horses, you can't just set your mind on a single goal and charge right at it. You're almost doomed for disappointments, setbacks, and frustration.

I learned to simply accept that with my horse, the journey is the reward.

Through a system of body language, I have been able to get my horse to respond and work with me in ways I only dreamed of a few months ago. Yes, I still have days when he doesn't do what I want, but instead of growing frustrated, I've had to learn to be patient and simply work it out. Not through more lunging, or stronger bits, or long rides. Just by simply saying to my horse through my body language that "this is what I mean, please follow my lead."

When you slow down and simply see as the time you spend with your horse as being a reward in itself, you start to see things in an entirely different light. So take your time and slow down, be patient, and establish clear communication. Once you and your horse learn to respect and communicate with each other, anything is possible.

© Copyright Charity K, 2013