From Force to Friendship

Many years ago when I first got my horse, Jena, I ran into an issue with hoof handling. Prior to being in my care, she had very minimal situations in which her feet were handled so she was very weary of this increased attention to her feet. 

I decided to contact a trainer who had given me riding lessons on a horse that I had previously shareboarded. Little did I know, my decision would lead to the first time an equine professional would hit my horse. 

At one point in the training session, my horse became very uncomfortable about the situation and threatened to kick. 

What did the trainer do? She hit my horse! 

I remember my jaw dropping, my eyes got wide, and my body tensed. I was very surprised and stunned. Never did I think that a professional, especially a trainer, would act like that towards their client, my horse child. But I was very young and didn’t say anything- I didn’t know what to say. 

After being in the horse world  longer, I found out that trainers and other professionals lashing out at our horses was unfortunately not uncommon. I felt hurt that the trainer would go after my horse that I loved so much. It felt so wrong to me. I wanted to protect my horse from harm yet was expected to put her in situations where she would be struck for communicating her feelings. It made me feel uncomfortable and uneasy, but at the time, I didn’t know there was any other way of training. 

Later, I was relieved to learn there was a different way! I felt safe when I discovered positive reinforcement training. I learned that we didn’t have to punish our horses and instead we could train them in a way that focused on reinforcing desired behaviors,  which DID align with my beliefs and values as a horse owner. I learned that I could train in a more compassionate and ethical way. One that prioritizes the well being and happiness of my horse. 

Today I am a proud positive reinforcement based trainer. I advocate that every horse should be treated with kindness, understanding, and respect in both training sessions and in everyday life. By embracing positive reinforcement training, we can build stronger, more fulfilling relationships with our horses and create a brighter future for equestrianism as a whole. It is time to leave behind outdated methods of training and embrace the new era of partnership, cooperation, and friendship with our equine companions.