It's funny. I never really noticed that all four horses I've owned had the same problem... they were highly excitable and were prone to run off with me.
All I could think was, "Why do I keep choosing this type of horse?"
I know, now, that it was no accident. My horses were trying to teach me something - if only I could be humble enough to listen. I finally did, and here is my story about learning to take responsibility.
At nearly every demonstration I have given, the question inevitably arises, "Why do horses pull back?" Almost everyone involved with horses has had to deal with this at one time or another.
Not only is it frightening, often it ends up with damage... to the horse, the equipment, the handler or the thing to which the horse is tied.
Understanding Their Psychology
First of all, let‟s look at the natural horse and try to see things from his perspective. Horses are prey animals, which means they are hunted as food by predators who sneak up on them, trap and kill them.
The old horsemen know. The really good ones do. Most of them have given up saying much, because they see how hopeless it is. But I haven't run out of energy, yet. It's like this: not a single horse on this planet has a problem. Not one. But what a lot of them do have is a people problem.
All of planet earth has a people problem. And Natural Horsemanship, at its very best, is a place to address this people problem.
When asked what I'd do if a horse bit me, I often reply, "I'd say 'dang' and I rub my arm. Then I get smarter."
This is not normal. Most people cannot believe it. "You mean ... you wouldn't smack him for it?!"
The normal way to react to being bitten is punishment. Most people strike back and hit the horse on the nose. Not only does this not solve the problem (horses are still biting years later), it usually turns it into a big game for the horse. The game now is to be able to bite and then dodge the swinging arm coming back at him ... it's great fun!!
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