How to Gentle a Horse

Be patient - it will pay off

Gentling a horse - incredibly hard and incredibly satisfying.

Things You'll Need

• Previous horse experience
• Halter and various tack
• Lots and lots of time and patience

Instructions

Gentling - the right way to train

1. Having a wild horse on your hands is no picnic. Perhaps it is an adopted mustang. Perhaps it is a young horse with little to no handling. Whatever the reason, you have an equine who does not know, or care to know, people. It is up to you to make a good citizen out of her. How do you do it? You take the time... no matter how much you need... to do it right. That is the first lesson. Do not be rushed. For the first month of your time with your new horse, do nothing other than feed her and make her comfortable. Do not attempt to halter or catch her. Do not attempt to do anything other than get her to relax around you. It is best if you have her up in a smaller paddock or pen, and that she will be by herself. This will make her want to socialize with someone. Horses are herd animals, and she will miss the company of her buddies.

2. Make feeding time your special time. Soon, your horse will be waiting for you when you come. Spend time each day standing close to her while she eats, and talking softly to her. If she allows you to touch her, do so, but watch that she does not take this as an insult while she is eating. Touch her on her neck, near her shoulder. This is how horses say hello to each other. If she reaches her nose to you, breathe lightly into her nostrils. Eventually, she should relax when you are near and you will be able to scratch her on her withers and her back. Be prepared for her to step away, and let her if she wants to. At this point all you are trying to do is gain her trust. Do not press the issue. The first contact should last no more than five minutes, then turn around and walk out. You must always be in control of the situation. You choose when to leave, do not let the horse decide for you.

3. Winning the horse's trust is the hard part, and you must next work on being able to get your hands all over her. If she has learned to like your attentions, which she should have if you have spent enough time with her, then she will soon not object to nearly anything you do with your hands on her. At this point, you should be able to halter her with very little trouble. Be sure and take the halter on and off several times, then take it off and walk out. You are done for that day. Each step should be like this. From haltering, to tying, to grooming, everything. Do not rush. Patience will be your best tool and it will ALWAYS work. On some horses it just takes longer than others.

4. Gentling is a lifelong process. With each step in the training process, you must reestablish that original trust you worked so hard to attain. If a horse gets angry or frightened, beating it or screaming at it will only worsen a bad situation. Just like with children, if a horse is misbehaving to the point it has driven you off your rocker, tie up the animal and walk away. Do not come back until you can control yourself. You can undo a great deal of your training by acting out in anger. Especially with a wild horse. They do not forget.

5. Having a gentle horse is having one that sees humans as friends and partners. It has learned that humans are the source of all things good, and that even if they ask strange and difficult things for it to do, it will be safe and in the end will be rewarded. This is a gentle horse, and a success for the trainer.