What is our horses feedback when we ask to halter him? We should never sneak up with the halter in fear he may walk away, always be clear in what you are about to ask of him and if he does walk away thats feedback and we need to stop and think about what it means.
When you approach your horse with a halter, does he come to meet you half way? Or does he look at you and turn away to think about moving away from you or even just continue to graze?
When you go to halter your horse do you greet him with your hand and then offer him a scratch and love? Or do you just flick on the halter before you greet him kindly?
When we show our horse the halter does he look interested in what we might be doing after we halter them? Or does he turn his head away and focus his ears back on you as if to say " I'm not sure , i dont find enjoyment from that thing".
When you hold out the halter do you first kindly hold the long piece over his poll and offer him the nose part of the halter? Or do you shove on the nose part first and then awkwardly flick over the poll piece to tie it up? When you hold out the halter does the horse offer to place his nose into the nose part? Or does he move and jerk his head around?
Once you have haltered your horse does he look intently at you to see what you will both be doing today? A walk or trail perhaps, a brush and a play, off to find some nice grass to eat? Or does he pull away from you and/or look dull?
These are only a few things we should be asking ourselves when we halter our horses.
We should be looking at everything that might be his feedback.
38 Love Thy Horse Magazine