You’re ready to start working with your horse. Now find out how to teach him effectively with these horse training tips.

1. Don’t let the horse dictate speed in the round-pen

Round-pen training is a great way to establish leadership, but we need to make the decisions. Don’t let him decide how fast to go-you decide.

2. Let horse rest

Rest is a reward for a working horse. When he does what you ask, let him rest.

3. Look for communication signs

Part of becoming a leader for your horse is recognizing signs he’s communicating with you. These can include a head down, looking at you with both eyes, licking of the lips.

4. Make everything your idea

When he does something you don’t like, turn it around and make it your idea so that he sees you as the leader. An example: if you’re trying to him while he’s loose in the pasture and he decides to run off, don’t try to corral him or stop him. Let him move off. But make it your idea by pushing him. Put pressure to make him run off even faster.

5. Use body language for leadership

Think about horses in the wild. The stallion and alpha mare don’t have treats, buckets or grain or use crops or whips to try and get the other horses to do their bidding. They use body language and energy to direct the herd. Do the same with your equine.

6. They learn from the release

Apply pressure to request movement and then reward with release at the right moment.

7. Teach him to be light

When you begin teaching a new movement, you may have to apply a lot of pressure to get what you’re asking. But with practice, the response will get better-at that point begin asking with less and less physical pressure until you can just use energy. But, you want to use energy and contact, because you will use contact when riding.

8. Drop the head and flex during all groundwork training

Dropping the head helps put the horse in a relaxed state. Flexing helps him become light in response to the reins and teaches the one-rein emergency stop. Flex both sides at every opportunity.

9. Work both sides of the animal

Remember, a horse has two sides. We need to practice each exercise on the right as well as the left.

10. Don’t let him dictate where he wants to be

Tell him where to go and don’t try to compensate for him positioning himself where he wants to be. The leader of the herd tells the other horses where they should be and you’re the leader of the herd.

Visit Eric’s video page for more information about horse training tips.