When you think about how a horse learns new skills, a few things probably come to mind: Perhaps you imagine hours spent with a riding instructor in a stable. Or maybe you imagine a young horse galloping madly around a field while you stand nearby, desperately trying not to get trampled. Either way, it probably doesn’t come across as very positive! But in fact, farriers know that all too well: Horses are very stubborn, independent creatures who don’t like to be told what to do. They take joy in surprising their owners with out-of-the-blue tricks and skills that are often impossible to replicate. How can you make sure that your future equines don’t fall into this kind of category? Here are some tips on how you can help your horse learn new skills more quickly and efficiently than ever before.
Give them the right environment
First and foremost, you need to make sure that your horse has the right environment to learn new skills. You can’t expect them to pick up skills in a barn that isn’t designed for it. If they’re kept in a normal riding arena, they’ll pick up skills far more quickly than if they’re kept in an indoor ring. If you can, try to avoid keeping them in a small, indoor riding arena where they can’t see anything outside. Horses are naturally curious creatures who love to explore and will quickly learn to jump from a window if given the chance.
Practice, practice, practice
Next, you need to make sure that you’re regularly practicing the skills that you want your horse to learn. If you want your horse to learn how to jump, for example, you need to jump with them regularly so that they can see what they’re trying to achieve. If they know that you’re always jumping, they’ll begin to associate jumping with good things and will jump whenever they see you preparing to jump.
Use the right aids
Finally, you need to make sure that you’re using the right aids to help your horse learn new skills. If you want your horse to jump, for example, you need to make sure that they’re relaxed and balanced. If your horse is tense, unbalanced, and has a poor attention span, they’re unlikely to be able to jump for even a few seconds. If you want your horse to jump, you need to make sure that they’re relaxed and that they have plenty of time to think about what they’re trying to do. If you’re in a rush to get to the jumping arena, your horse will be stressed and will be unlikely to be able to jump.
Teach him while he’s young
If you’re thinking about buying a young horse that you want to train to jump, you might be worried about how to do it and whether or not they’ll be able to learn new skills. However, if you’re able to find out exactly what you’re looking for and whether or not it’s actually possible to learn new skills from a young horse, you can save yourself a lot of stress and effort. If your horse is too young to jump, for example, you need to make sure that you’re able to teach him how to do so and that he’s not stressed out by the process. If he is, he’ll never learn.
Conclusion
Jumping is one of the most challenging skills that a horse can learn, and it’s not uncommon for even the most experienced farriers to struggle with it. However, with the right approach, you can make it happen far more quickly and easily than you might expect. If you want to learn how to jump, start by making sure that your horse has the right environment to learn new skills. Then, regularly practice your skills with your horse. Finally, use the right aids to help your horse learn new skills.