I’ve been around a lot of sensitive and jumpy horses in my life. As prey animals, this isn’t unusual. But that doesn’t mean there’s no way for a horse to ever trust you. After a lot of experimenting, reading, and watching, I've begun to understand the aspects of a horse’s trust: Touch- Horses respond to touch, but a horse has 10 times the sensitivity that we do. A pat may feel more like a slap to them. What I’ve noticed is the horse’s response to full body touch, massaging of the fingers, also called t-touch, and rubbing or scratching in those hard to reach sweet spots. Relationship- The bond between horse and rider is built on leadership, but a leadership the horse will respect. One of the most common methods of leadership development starts from the ground, not the saddle (see section on round penning). Understanding- It’s vital for a trusting relationship that we understand how a horse thinks. Like said previously, horses are prey animals, and their reaction to threat is either fight or flight. To them, your a predator. It’s your job to show your horse you’re no threat. Serenity- Patience is key. Your horse picks up on your emotions, and grows impatient, angry, or afraid every time you do. Training- A horse isn’t going to understand everything you want him to do right away. But if he trusts you, he’ll be willing to learn.
T-touch circles: I’m using them on this gelding before medicating him for colic.
My sister, with a 30 year old gelding after riding. This is a good demonstration of physical touch; nothing special about it.
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