December/January 20112 - Page 21
Continued
A
well mannered horse that has been educated and is aware of
what is expected of it, is not only a pleasure to take out, but
is also a safer animal to handle in any situation. However, it
is a commitment by handlers and riders, as they need to invest time
in the training of a horse at home to ensure it becomes a pleasure
to handle when ridden out or shown in-hand. Those well behaved
horses that can be seen standing attentively and appearing to show
themselves effortlessly - the ones that all the other handlers drool over
and quietly think, "Aren't those handlers lucky," are usually the result
of consistent work and preparation prior to the event. Horses, being
herd animals, need to have a definite leader they both respect and trust
- this role should be filled by their handler or rider and it is their job to
instil confidence in the horse.
Respect on the ground is an important aspect of achieving a well
trained, well mannered horse, no matter what its age. If a ridden career
had been planned, yet this horse shows no respect on the ground, then
it is quite probable that it will not show respect once it has a rider on its
back. While reference is made to the `young` horse throughout this article,
this is a general term and the information and exercises may be applied to
any horse that requires handling.