Thursday, April 9, 2009

Clicker Training Horse Body Parts


Icelandic Horses can learn names of body parts. In this video, the Icelandic Horse is being taught "ear" and the request to "put your ear in my hand".

For more information, see the Icelandic Horses Connection, use the search box at the bottom to search clicker training.

Sunday, April 5, 2009

Giving Up Control of Your Icelandic Horse


Does Your Horse Need to be Micro-Managed?

Some riders ride with constant contact on the horse's mouth, and heavy contact on the reins. What does this say about the rider? and about the horse?

If a horse *needs* constant and / or heavy contact, perhaps he's not very bright? perhaps he needs to be micro-managed? Or is it simply a matter of not being allowed to use his brain.

My horse rides on a loose rein, bitless, no noseband. She is VERY smart! She does not need to be micro-managed.

Sometimes the horse has to be "allowed" to be smart; the rider needs to give up the bit, noseband, and constant / heavy contact on the reins.

Does giving up the bit, noseband, and constant contact make the rider nervous? does it feel like the rider is giving up control?

Check out a different paradigm: Horse-Human Attraction

More information at the Icelandic Horse Connection