You can try to get a pony to adjust to your own social sensibilities, and you will fail. You can make attempts to adjust yourself to the horse’s own in-built social senses, and you will succeed.

I have earlier discussed horse herd patterns: the leader of the pack could not always be the strongest horse. The strongest horse is the one which takes charge in emergencies. The leader keeps social decorum intact.

Equine social structures have developed from the need for herd protection and preservation. The structure suggests that all horses are equal and so the actions of one can have repercussions on all. It also suggests that all are responsible for protection of each member, as can be seen when members of the herd encircle a foaling mare to permit her free space and protect her when she at peak vulnerability.

You work to get yourself accepted inside this structure. You will get nowhere if you attempt to break this structure, not necessarily physically, but from the perspective of equine perception.

Consistency of procedure is also key to acceptance. Just consider the straightforward, regular act of cleaning your horse’s feet: you will do better if you always stick to the same sequence for the four feet. Gentleness, of course, is a definite prerequisite, since horses are sensitive to touch and its intended messages.

Sometimes, it is up to you to make the first move. As a stranger to you, a horse isn’t going to come up and ask to be ridden, or to be trained. You take the initiative. Horses are curious, and they may also be sneaky in a manner of speaking. Your pony will test you, initially with light instances of insubordination. If you don’t pay attention to these instances, you pay the penalty. You get no respect. If you put your foot down and make it clear you’ll put up with no nonsense, you’ll do better. Horses can be gracious losers, and your pony is willing to live with the undeniable fact that his attempts to defeat you failed.

Consider one thing, though: you’ll never really get a horse’s esteem if you resort to physical punishments for transgressions.

When you handle him right, he will actually go the other way, accepting you as the superior. But that recognition incorporates its own load of responsibility. When you establish your domination over a pony, you are accepting responsibility for his health and well-being, for his security and contentment. Once a horse accepts you as the chief, he expects you to resolve all of his problems. That’s his herd instincts kicking in.

Rearing a pony is not different from rearing kids at home. Give them what they desire inside reasonable limitations, but confirm they know their place, ensure they know who runs the show. Reward them for doing things right, and punish them for doing things wrong. Remember: punishment is not always a physical act. Getting your kid or your pony to do something over and over again until she or he gets it right is in itself a form of punishment.

Horses are Heather Toms passion and she enjoys sharing her extensive knowledge through her 100s of articles with other horse lovers, like all things about country supply