THIS IS GOLD!

Some Ideas For “Doing The Opposite”


Go get your horse and take him grazing.
Go and don’t get your horse. Give him a treat and hang
around and scratch him for a while. Do you know his
favorite itchy spots?
Go pet and scratch another horse!
Chase him around the pasture then go sit down and
ignore him. Read a book.
Play with him before you saddle him.
Hold a cookie with the bit and see how long it takes him
to put both in his mouth. Do it every time until he starts
looking forward to the bridle coming his way. Then start
giving him the cookie after he takes the bit.
Go to the arena and unsaddle him, scratch him, play
“Sniff This, Sniff That” (Level 2 Program).
Get him some toys and interesting conversation pieces:
a big green ball to sniff, follow or push around, a pedestal /
stump to stand on, a Frisbee to put his foot on.
Plant treats in strategic places, in corners of the arena,
on a barrel here and there, at different spots around your
riding areas. Pretty soon he’ll feel your focus on going
somewhere to be really positive and become amazingly
willing.
Underwork him. If he doesn’t want to go forward, sit
there and pet him, give him a cookie or four. If he wants
to keep changing gait, ask for it before he does it and pet
him. Walk and trot slower than he wants to. Pretty soon
he’ll offer to do more.
Think about new things to teach him on the ground…
anything, especially if there’s praise or a treat for him.
Take trail rides…even if you don’t have trails, think
about going somewhere around the property, through the
barn, to the arena and out again, or to delicious grazing
patches. Left brain horses are stimulated by new things,
they’re curious. When you stimulate their curiosity, they
become more willing to go.