Discussions

(Caution, graphic material might bother some readers)

This has been an important topic, in both my instructional program, as well as, my training program. I have reasons for why I teach the “WHOA”  the way I do, with the energy I do. Allow me to explain, through two situations that I have been in.

The first incident dates back to when I was fourteen years old. I was working with a four year old Thoroughbred, off the track, who was learning to transition into a “riding” horse. Nicky was a that big beautiful bay’s name. On October ninth, nineteen eighty-four, at about 5:00 p.m., I was riding Nicky in an indoor arena. There was a group lesson, of children in the seven to nine year old range, using the end of the arena by the entrance. I greeted them and I settled in to work at the far end of the arena. I was working on some bending, and body control, which needed a lot of very clear leg cues. For this work, I would cross my stirrups over the withers, so that I have complete contact to the horse’s sides. Basically, by crossing the stirrups, I was taking them out of use.

I was busy doing what I was doing, and the class was busy doing their thing. Well, a gentleman, who owned a “white” grey Arabian, loved to hand walk his horse everywhere. This particular day, he decided, that the wooded area, just outside the arena, looked like fun. Being October, the leaves were on the ground, therefore, able to create quite a rustle with the movement. This arena also had windows on the long sides of the walls, to offer natural lighting and perhaps scenery.

Well, as I was focusing on what I was doing with Nicky, this fellow came rustling in the leaves, with his Arabian, and suddenly appeared in one of the windows. OH BOY!!!  Nicky spooked and bolted. I had no “WHOA” installed, nor did I have any belief system, in place, as to what importance should placed on such a life saving cue, so we RAN!

Nicky had a condition, in his hind end, that left him, at times, with his legs in the wrong position to be balanced. As we galloped toward the corner, his legs were incorrectly balanced and he went down, with me still on him. It was lucky for me that I actually didn’t have my feet in the stirrups, because as we went down, my toe got caught in the ground and bent backward, severing my foot, so that it could fold back to the back of my knee. All but an eighth of an inch of my Achilles tendon was completely severed.

A long hospital stay and a very long recovery, with NO promise to even walk again, gave me plenty of time to replay the accident over and over and to figure out what I could have done. Well, if that horse knew the word “WHOA” and if it was taught or applied in the tone of voice one would use in a “panic situation” I just might have been able to get that horse to stop.

SO FAST FORWARD

Since my accident, I have incorporated installing a very strong “WHOA” on every horse I train and work with. I try to have people use a tone of voice that has panic in it, like you're watching your horse about to step in a deep sink hole and all you can do is yell “WHOA”. It needs to be said in a barking, boss like, panic like, “OMG stop, you're gonna get hurt” way.

By teaching horses to respond to a panic tone, as if it was a normal tone, you can avoid projecting “panic” associated with this cue. Therefore, if you are ever in the unfortunate situation of riding a runaway, your natural panic won’t sound odd, and your horse will respond as if there was no real panic.

Does this actually work? Indeed it does. Here it the second scary situation I was in, but this time “WHOA” was apart of my program and already installed.

Back in two thousand seven, I was on a newly started Arabian, named Stiltz. He was fairly level headed, but he was an Arabian, with a bit of a fractious personality.

One day, I was done working with him and decided to “ride” him back to the barn from the arena. So, knowing we were done, just casually walking back to the barn, I was allowing him to walk on a loose rein. Something spooked Stiltz and he leapt forward, at which time the kind of quick contact with the bit, which he was still new to, scared him even more. So, he “took the bit in his teeth” (we’ve all heard that saying) and RAN!!!

There were tiny decorative pine trees in my path, that lined the driveway. Stiltz tore off running and took the tops off of two of those little trees, before it clicked, in my head, to strongly say “WHOA”, so I did. One adrenaline charged “WHOA” barked out of my mouth, and Stiltz stopped in his tracks. He didn’t take another step!!!

Ever since that day, I tell people… “WHOA” means “WHOA”! It doesn’t mean slow down. It doesn't mean half halt!

 

“WHOA” means “WHOA”… it can save your life one day!”

Working with a Nervous Horse

Today I would like to discuss Working with a Nervous Horse. There are times that we have to ask our horses to do things that might make them EXTREMELY uncomfortable, anxious, fearful, and nervous. Unfortunately, some things cannot be just avoided, like trailering, crossing a stream on a trail, passing something new even. So, what do we do to help them work out the nerves?

BE AWARE… WATCH… WAIT

In order to help your horse though a tough experience, you must first need to KNOW that something is indeed tough for your horse. BE AWARE of your horse’s signs that he is unconfident about his ability to work through something scary on his own. Know what your horse’s eyes look like, ears look like, body shape looks like. Noticing tail height and breathing are so important… And that is just to name a few.

BE AWARE of your horse!

WATCH… Watch for brace in your horse. Is he rocked way back behind his knees, with “run backward” on his mind, did he suddenly shrink or GROW? Are his knees LOCKED OUT? Are his eyes starey (not blinking)? Are his ears stiff like the cardboard tube a roll of paper towels comes on? Is his tail raised HIGH or clamped down? Is his body longer or shorter, like a spring compressed or stretched way out?

What do you do when you see all these OBVIOUS signs, that your horse is begging you to hold their hand? Do you PUSH them through their threshold? Do you get mad, because he is holding up the group from continuing along the trail? Do you avoid the situation and NEVER revisit it? Do you show things to him, and “decide” for yourself, when he is over it?

What if I told you that your horse NEVER spooks out of nowhere? What if I told you that your horse told you minutes or even hours, before he spooked, that he couldn't work through something alone?

YOUR HORSE TOLD YOU!

So, here are a few ways to HELP your horse. First, BE AWARE, know WHAT your horse is afraid of. Open your eyes and take in your surroundings and SEE the problem. Once you have identified the problem, figure out a plan. Figure out a plan that can be successful. Figure out a plan that will keep you BOTH safe! BE AWARE that horses will RUN from fear. Horses will LET us push them past their thresholds, but often not without a possible dangerous reaction. KNOW where to be when introducing something scary, so that you are in the safest possible position. Know when to back off and let your horse breathe. Knowing how to approach and retreat in an effective and productive way. KNOW the IMPORTANCE of “approach and retreat” is to your horse.

Once you have a plan, stick to your plan, unless you have chosen an unsafe position to be in. What I mean really is, “don’t quit your horse”. If you set out to help them through something, plan to stay until you have done just that. “Don’t quit your horse” because your arm is tired, you don’t care anymore, it’s taking too long, your riding partner isn’t a true horseman and left you. “Don’t quit your horse”, because next time it will be WORSE! Horses don't process things like we do… if it didn’t kill us, it likely wasn’t so dangerous. We might be able to rationalize something that easily, BUT horses don't think like that. Horses think… “it didn’t get me THIS time, phew! I’ll be darned if I give it another chance to get me though.”

Just because you can get your horse to pass something, that he told you is scary, doesn’t mean, not even for a second, that he is over it. Likely, if you didn’t take the proper time and care of your horse’s emotional state, great anxiety about that exact object or situation will build beyond your comprehension. Then next time, it is a WAY bigger deal. it is WAY harder to get past and in term WAY MORE DANGEROUS!

How do you know when your horse is OVER something scary? WAIT…. Wait until your horse can pass, cross or touch it without squirting by it, without brace in his body, when he doesn’t jump within his own skin. WAIT… until he can let it touch him without concern or “escape”. WAIT… until his stride is slow and confident, but not braced. WAIT… until their steps have rhythm and don't start out cautious and choppy then as the object gets behind them their stride gets fast and long!

WAIT

Be a true partner for your horse! Be patient… just because it doesn't make a lick of sense to you, that he is scared, just accept and understand that he is! HELP your horse! So much trust in your leadership is built in these moments. The more you help your horse and believe your horse when he tells you that something is scary, the more he will trust you with his emotional state and well being. The more you help your horse, the more he will trust you with his life! Horses that believe that you LISTEN to them, are horses that will walk through FIRE for you!  

NOT

CORRECTING IS TEACHING TOO!

When we think of training our horses, we think of a carefully planned out session. We think of getting out equipment and tools of the trade, to have a formal “training session’. What we don't think of is how undesired daily behaviors are “taught”. For example: pushiness, running you over at the gate or stall entrance, ripping their own head out of the halter before you even get to freeing the first ear. How about the prancing or jigging horse? How about the starving, can’t walk another step without becoming a lawn dart? You know, that horse who dives for the golden blade of grass and no amount of tug-o-war strength can free his mouth from the ground? 

Did you know that by just “dealing” with your horse, and not guiding him to be more respectful, you are indeed “teaching” him that those undesired, annoying and even dangerous behaviors are acceptable. By allowing your horse to drag you around while you hand graze him, you are teaching him that THAT is perfectly fine behavior. When you allow your horse to jig and prance beside you, as you escort him to and from places, you are “teaching” him that THAT is how he is supposed to dance between places. When you allow your horse to rip his head out of the halter, before you are even near done freeing his ears, you are “teaching” him that you NEED his help removing the halter. When you don't demand your horse stand politely at a gate or stall entrance to be haltered and then given the password, you “teach” him that it is perfectly acceptable to run you over like a freight train. When you accept that your horse cannot pass that perfect patch of grass without yanking your arm out of the socket, you “teach” him that he doesn't have to “ask” your permission to stop.

Now, if your horse lives in your backyard, and you never plan to go away or fall ill, where you would ever need the help from another person, then perhaps it is just fine that your horse has been taught to not have respect. However, if your horse lives in a boarding facility or you are the world traveler, planning to enlist the assistance of others to care for and “handle” your horse, you might want to consider this… First and foremost, your horse’s lack of education is not only disrespectful, it can most certainly be dangerous. YOU might know that your horse will yank his head from you when you try to remove his halter and already be in a dead run before it slips off his nose, but what about the young helper at the farm? YOU might know your horse charges through gates and stall doors, but what about the young horseman just looking to lend a hand at the farm? YOU might expect a little nibble if your horse thinks you have a treat, but what about the person just standing outside your stall door not aware that they need to “beware”?

It is so valuable for not only the safety of others and yourself, but the mental comfort of your horse to have an education. Good manners taught, and consistently enforced, will make for a much safer and harmonious environment. Horses try things with DESIRE as their driving force. They desire the halter is removed, so that they can go join their pasture buddy. They desire that they get to go through an opening of a gate or stall to get to the food they know awaits them. They desire the grass here there and everywhere that they can drag you to. They desire the treats that usually promise to be in your right front pocket. We cannot change their “desire”, however, we can manage the ways in which they achieve their desires. If we educate our horses to "ask permission", if we educate our horses to wait for signals of understood approval, if we make sure that all rules make sense and are consistently enforced, we will…believe it or not, have a very happy well rounded confident partner. This partner will not only be a pleasure to be around, but will be safe for others to be around also.

NO ROOM FOR DISCUSSION

All too often we allow our horses to change our plans. We want to go right and they TELL us that they want to go left. Since there are times that the NEED to go right isn’t so great, we agree with our horse and let going left be OK.  Well, think about what that teaches… That teaches your horse that there is always room for discussion. That you just might agree with your 1000 pound buddy and take their suggestion to do things different than you had planned. One valuable thing to know…

YOU ARE ALWAYS TEACHING!

You are always teaching, whether it is a good or bad habit, you are always teaching. BUT, what you might not realize, it is YOU that you are teaching your horse about. See, if you interact with your horse in an “open for discussion” way, you have taught your horse that everything is up for debate, open for discussion and never Black and White. One of the most valuable training rules my mother didn’t know she taught me is…

DOGS DON’T UNDERSTAND SOMETIMES!!!

Now, of course, when she taught me this very valuable rule, she was telling me to NOT invite my dog up on the couch, when USUALLY she would not be allowed. “Kirsten, Dogs don’t understand sometimes. If you want her to respect you, you need to teach her, on Wednesday, the same rule she knows Thursday thru Tuesday!

I went on to train dogs, as I got older, with that very value strongly in play. The reason I quit training dogs for other people, back in the 90s, is because I couldn’t seem to teach, that most important rule, to the PEOPLE!

Well guess what? Horses don’t understand sometimes either! Even children learn that there is room for discussion when “sometimes” is so often applied. I’m not saying that we want to squash independent thought, not at all. I am, however, wanting my children, and fur children, to believe, that when I set out to follow a plan and I ask for their participation, I want my plan followed through with concrete flowing delivery. If I point my horse at jump number three on a course of eight, I want my horse to say OK!  Not slam on the brakes right in front to that jump and say… (while looking at me brushing the arena dust off) “Are you sure? I’m not sure I want to go along with this plan. What are my options?”  As scary and sometimes funny that scene can be, I’m not interested in my horse deciding to hold court in the middle of the arena!

My horses know that they are “working” once I hold up their line and ask them to walk with me. They KNOW where to walk by my side and to stop or even speed up as I ask. They do not drag me around, nudging their nose in the air to give an ever so rude tug on me, to tell me where THEY’VE decided we are going. They do not, so cleverly get the rope along their body, having me talk to the tail. They know that they have complete control in that position, DO YOU?

Did you know that if a horse can get themselves positioned to where the rope lays along side their body, positioning you at the hind quarters, they only have to turn their nose to the opposite side and you are helpless? Your horse knows! This happens when things are open for discussion… You allow your horse to hand graze this way. You allow your horse to practice power positions without your knowledge. Horses are so cool! Seriously, I think they are amazing. See, while you are chatting with your friend in person or even on the phone, you have no idea that your horse has changed the sign on the door to “Under New Management’. Before you know it, the grass, that you so thoughtfully picked out, is 500 yards away. Because you allow this, you allow “sometimes” into your relationship.

Try this… I allow my horses to hand graze… thirty seconds here, ask them to pick their head up, lead them to another, thoughtfully picked out spot, and then allow them to graze some more. This is what horses in a herd do. Watch that higher ranked horse do this to the lower guy. The higher ranked player who seemed to be enjoying his grazing spot, decides, what seems to be out of nowhere, that the piece of real estate, that the low man found, looks so much better than what the higher guy found, so… he kicks him out and moves him along. The games never end, not even when it looks like they’re just grazing about. If I consider myself a leader, I even graze my horses like a leader would. They still get to graze, the time spent is WAY more interactive and valuable, and the sign on the door NEVER gets replaced with “Under New Management”!  

Ever wonder why your horse only comes part of the way to the gate? Ever believe they WANT to come, but their feet seem to just get stuck about 10 feet from the gate? Ever get clipped on and feel your horse try to rush out of the gate? Ever get bumped out of the way or even stepped on? Where is the herd when you try to take out your horse? Where does your horse rank in the pecking order?

Please get your horses out of the field or paddock with herd dynamics in mind. When horses want to come in and crowd the gate.... the dominant or "leader" owns that gate. Others can show bravery to stand strong there too, but truly ONE owns the gate. If that one is NOT your horse, you have to recognize the respect having to be shown by your horse to the leader. When the leader guards the gate, he/she can be quite aggressive to any lower members looking to encroach.

When we go out to get our horses, we have one thing in mind... to "get" our horse. We don't recognize that our horse is not making it all the way to the gate out respect for the leader not out of disrespect to us. Then after we reluctantly lock the gate behind us, walk up to our horse to clip on, we don't recognize "fear" in their eyes.

See, you are now telling the low man, they have to walk through a tough gang of mean bullies and to "suck it up". Well, this is not only hard for the horse to do, they get VERY scared. So as soon as you open the gate, they bolt out, bumping into you, or even knocking you over. Your horse isn't doing this to disrespect you, but to get out of the way of being bit or kicked.

It is your job as the leader of "your" herd of two, to now protect your horse. Recognize who is the owner of the gate, the next in command and so on, so that you can be prepared to defend your herd member. If you show your horse that you take your job seriously to protect him/her from the bullies, he/she can and will start to feel safe enough to walk quietly through the gate. If, however, you just clip on, drag your horse through the angry mob, not noticing the nipping and aggression towards him/her, your horse will likely go into self preservation mode and do whatever it takes to get through that gate untouched. If that means bumping into you, stepping on your foot or even knocking you down, that is what they will do.

Knowing the dynamic of your horse's herd is so important. Spend an afternoon, watching and just observing the interaction of all the horses. Learn who is the boss, who is his friend and see if you can figure out the chain of command. Where does your horse rank? You might see now why getting your horse can be so hard for you..... it's hard for him too!

BLANKET SEASON

Now that we are entering “Blanket Season” it occurred to me that people don’t realize that your current herd might spend a few minutes “reintroducing themselves” to the NEW guy! That’s right, for a few minutes your horses will not know who that fancy bluecoated horse is.

They could set chase, prance over with arched necks, squeal or kick even. So, PLEASE keep in mind, when putting your horses out for the first time this year with a blanket on, that your horse might be greeted by his herd mates differently than usual. So if you know that your horse would normally greet a new horse with aggression, or you are putting your horse in a herd where one or several horses are known to be aggressive to a NEW horse, please please be careful to not get in the middle of that meeting!

On another side of that “NEW horse” coin… Some seasoned horses learn over the years that something connected to the first blanketing causes their herd mates to get a brief case of dementia. They actually KNOW that they look different and will be chased, buffed up at or even kicked. So, with that being said, please please be careful when unsnapping their lead ropes or removing their halters, that they might have “RUN” on their mind.

 

Scissoring a horses mouth???

I have found much of the work I do conflicts with "normal" trainers. I don't feel over powering and "showing them who's boss" is exactly the best approach. I find that developing a language that is understood and respected works MUCH better. It is so tough for me to watch other "trainers" use these over bearing techniques.

One technique that is particularly disturbing to me is the scissoring of a horses mouth. What, might I ask, is the real teaching goal here? They pull hard to the left, then hard to the right, sometimes leaning back in the saddle for the real "pull" leverage. Is this some illogical way to get a horse to "give" to the bit?

Let me explain how horses learn. Horses main goal in their interaction with one another, or us, is to maintain comfort and safety. They are more than happy to comply with our requests if there is comfort and safety in the end. To teach a yield, or a give, there has to be an answer to find. Apply pressure, wait, let the horse "find the answer" and it's reward is the release. If there is no release they keep looking for the release or right answer. Over and over a horse can give to the scissoring, find the right answer, but there is NO release. They tuck their head to the right rein only to get caught in the mouth with the left. Who invented this technique and why are people so blind to see they are not giving the animal any way to be right?

Most commonly..... (and I suggest you take a moment to look for this when you see this technique be applied).... the horse will, tuck and "give" but because they did not get a release, they keep looking for the right answer. The next attempt to find the answer is the lean on the "trainer's" hands or throw their head up. To the "trainer" the horse is being defiant and now gets after them. By now the "trainer" is getting stronger in the mouth so the horse hollows out his back trying to escape the pressure. They even starts to look for the answer in their feet and start stuttering with their feet, not sure to go or stop. This again causes the "trainer" to get after them and now the kicking, spurring and whipping begins.

I have watch one of these "trainers" do this technique to four horses. Each and EVERY one had the exact same reaction, each was confused, frustrated and getting MAD! Horses either "give" to pressure or 'lean" on pressure, those are the two options.... if you don't tell them they are right when they give, they then try option number two and lean. Both answers they come up with have no release so they hollow out their backs in a form of escape. They stall out their feet because they try to find the answer as if this rein abuse is supposed to talk to the feet. That answer is met with MORE abuse. There is nothing but abuse in this technique. These "trainers" climb on these young horses with NO language, because ground work is apparently over rated, and DEMAND head position and obedience without any understanding. Then when met with confusion, turned resistance, the more obvious abuse begins. I am sickened by the so called "normal" ways of training horses!

Can you recognize the difference between a fearful reaction and disobedience?

I am wondering if people really know how to read horses at all. Can you tell the difference between a horse reacting in fear verses a horse acting out in disobedience?

The other day I watched a young lady riding a horse who, obvious to me, had issues with change. There were some real changes made recently to the area where the horse was being ridden. This horse was clearly feeling some fear about this change. Even my horses wanted to look, digest and be allowed to get over the change.

This horse's fear and anxiety built with each pass of this area, to the point of an explosion. The horse bucked... Now, horses buck for two reasons, well three, if you count just feeling good in turnout. One reason is fear, it's a knee-jerk reaction to fear and feeling trapped or without escape. The second reason horses buck is from pain. OK, this horse was not likely in pain, it was his fear of the change that cause this animal to buck.

Riders don't see....or feel the signs and just walk right into trouble. The first time this horse shied, cocked an ear, tilted his head, bowed his body out from the area, the rider should have brought attention to the situation, not just push him to "deal" with it. Horses don't just deal with things and when gone unaddressed their anxiety builds, especially when they don't know or trust the rider.

What do you think the reaction was? The horse bucked and the rider started hitting the horses with a crop. She "got after" him. So, am I the only one that sees this as a bad thing? The horse is scared so we get mad at him. I'm glad my horses live in a much more understanding and tolerant world than that.

The next thing that was done, was some of the objects were moved, assuming, now, the fear was recognized. Instead of dealing with it, they just moved stuff.... avoidaholic behavior.

Now, this horse was afraid, was beat for being afraid and still never digested that there is NO danger. The rider, supposed leader, has made the horse WRONG for being afraid, proceeding to damage any trust the horse might have had in the human. Then wanted to jump the horse right where the issue was. Does anyone else see a potential accident waiting to happen?

Why is it, we have services to protect our children from being abused, yet an arena full of people doesn't see anything wrong with "getting after" a horse for being scared? You hit a horse out of anger, frustration or most commonly, your own fear.... you are abusing that animal!

GIVE YOUR HORSE A VOICE

Here at POSITIVE WAY, we want you to come with the plan to give your horse a voice.  I do not wish to be the only voice heard in a partnership.  A partnership consists of two or more parties.  Each party has a right to have a voice, a right to be heard, a right to have wants and desires, and a right to their own opinion!

In my stable, you can open any horse's stall door or walk out to their pastures and have a conversation with a horse.  One solid example would be my horse's request to be touched, interacted with or more specifically, scratched.  Each and every horse here has been give the right to have THEIR OWN voice.  I could have "trained" them all to do a "trick" the same exact way as another horse was taught...or let them choose their own way to ASK, let them have their own voice.

I have one pony, Matias, who will give you a kiss, and that is his request to be scratched on the chest.  I have another horse, Katie, who will give you her hoof, and that is her way to ask you to scratch her "armpit". I have another, Tyson, that will tap you on the shoulder with his chin... he is asking to be scratched on the belly. Then I have the biggest VOICE in the barn, Ritz...he will stand in front of you take his whole head over your shoulder, lower his chin to the small of your back and PULL you in to his chest like a big ole' bear hug...that is his request for a wither scratch.  They have a voice, they have an opinion. If you scratch Tyson on the chest, he will back away...re-approach and ask again. He will approach and retreat until you HEAR his request to be scratched on the belly!

Let your horse have his OWN voice!

We; as riders, handlers, owners and caregivers, have a whole vocabulary of cues we use with horses and expect them to understand and respond.  Why can't our horses have their own cues too?  They have wants, needs and desires... don't they have a right to be heard?

Partner or sport utility vehicle?

There are many types of horse enthusiasts. You have those that wouldn't go to the barn if their horse was unable to be ridden and those who wouldn't miss a visit even having never had that first ride. You have the "sport" riders...... You have the "pleasure" riders.... and you have those that fall somewhere in between......

I have found that some horse people do not even know the first thing about the mount that they ask to perform for them and some spend hours just grooming them for the bond. I am intrigued by why some never take the time to bond with the animal and some wouldn't give up that special relationship for the world. Where does the love of the animal go, when "sport" becomes the goal?

How to Remove a Halter Safely

Creating a Polite Horse Is Simple

OK, so who has that horse that anticipates having his halter removed? Who has the horse that pulls his own head out of the halter, often before you freed both ears? Who has the dangerous horse, where you almost expects to be hit by his head or run over after he pulls his head out of his restraints? 

Let me help you fix your problem, which mind you ISN’T just YOUR problem. The people who are expected to handle your horse, also deal with these issues. Let’s get your horse using good manners and as a result, becomes a happier and safer equine partner.

It is so incredibly simple to change a rude, impatient and even dangerous horse into a polite and compliant partner. Today we will focus on the removing the halter issue.

ADD A STEP!!!

Add a step. Yep it is that simple. If your horse learns that you unsnap the clip, you reach up and pull one ear out, then the other, then drop it off his nose…he will KNOW when he is free, by the process, by the steps. I say, add a step. If he doesn’t believe you are done taking his halter off until you do one more thing, one thing that provides you with the opportunity to have complete control to “release” him, then he won’t try to speed up the process by “helping” you! 

So… add a step!

This is how all my horses, and any horse that comes to visit my barn, have their halters removed. When they are being asked to stand for the halter removal, they are asked to precent the left cheek. This is done by politely turning their head to offer me a direct connection with the snap. Yes they can learn HOW a halter is removed. Then I unclip the snap, I place my left hand on the nose band across the top of their nose. Then I remove the left ear and then the right, never removing my left hand from the nose band. That way I still technically have not finished removing the halter. Then I place my right hand in the right side of the horse’s face and lay my open hand on his cheek. Still never having removed my left hand from holding the halter “ON” his nose. Then, in complete control, I have both hands on the horse’s face and “I” can dictate when he is release. I wait until the anxious horse relaxes, where he isn't trying to pull away, push, walk forward or back up. When the horse softens and accepts my level of authority, then and only then do I say, “OK” and that’s when I lower the nose band off the horse’s nose, in a petting like way, and step back, releasing him.

What all that does, is adds a step to the process. Now your horse learns that he needs to anticipate politeness, calmness and relaxation BEFORE he is released. Believe it or not, it is really THAT easy to change even the most pushy, rude dangerous, horse into a respectful and polite partner.