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From John Lyons Trainer Keith Hosman

Round Pen First Steps [Downloadable PDF version]
A Downloadable Book

A sample from Day 2:

It won't take long before the horse will begin following your movements about the pen. As your horse begins to get the hang of it, try moving quickly to your right or left. Walk in circles, here, there, and everywhere, asking the horse to move more quickly to keep up with you. This has the effect of solidifying the concept of "look at me no matter where I go" in the horse's mind. Finally, position yourself near the horse, and in such a way, that he'll have to actually take a step forward in order to follow you. To do this, simply toy with the angle at which you approach the horse to see what it takes, what sort of movement from you, to get the horse to actually move forward. More often then not, simply standing at an angle slightly behind his front shoulder will cause him to take a step forward as he moves to face you. This forward motion is a critical step in our efforts to create a partnership. He's beginning to think about being with us, not running away.

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Lyons Training 101

Issue Number: Nineteen
You're Not the Boss of Me!

written by
Keith Hosman, John Lyons Certified Trainer

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Issue Nineteen, Part 1 of 1

I'm Scared of My Horse, Please Help

This article is for people with a horse that "turned into a brat" since they've owned it. It concerns itself with ground manners and the like - it does not deal with riding issues (such as spooky or jiggy horses). It does not specifically address horses that "have always" been bratty. Rather, if your horse has taken a turn for the worse (manners-wise) since you began dealing with it, this is for you.

Would you like to walk out to the barn, have your horse turn to you with a smile and just hang out, friends for life? Well, that's possible, but first...

First the hard medicine: If your horse has developed poor ground manners (pushy, rude, especially dangerous vices such as kicking or biting) since you've been in charge... then you'll only fix it by realizing that you need to make a change yourself. Every contact we have with our horses teaches them something - and your behavior has "trained" him to walk all over you. When the horse came to live with you he saw you as a blank slate. Would you be in charge - or would he? He knows somebody's gotta be. Millions of years of "survival of the fittest" programmed him to believe that there's gotta be a boss. If you're not ready for the post, he'll assume it. But now, six months or years after moving in, the horse looks at you and sees a giant sucker, with the Tootsie Pop wrapper and everything.

But, you say, I don't want to frighten my horse by being too tough. I prize our relationship and want him to learn to trust me. I want to bond and be friends and run through the fields bareback with my hair flowing...

Sucker.

Your horse wants to eat, sleep and poop. "Bonding" has never been high on his list.

You can have a terrific relationship, but it takes respect - and respect must be earned. Begin by realizing that you're the one paying the bills. Your horse is certainly "not the boss of you." You keep your horse, giving him the very best of care, but in return he works for you and has a job to do. He'd be more than happy to sit on the couch in front of the TV, barking out orders for you to bring him pop and sandwiches - but it can't work like that. You have to go to work everyday; your horse has to go to work everyday. Typically horses work an hour or so daily while we slog through traffic before putting in our eight - so our equine friends, even those in full training, have a pretty good deal.

Your horse's job is to turn and face you when you enter the stall, to remain still as you bridle or mount, to carry you down the trail and pick up a trot or lope when asked, to pick up the correct lead - and so on.

But you've heard all this before, haven't you? Your horse is still a pill. Okay, I'll bottom line it: If you read article after article and still your horse remains incorrigible, find a pro. There's plenty of professional horse trainers out there. Trust me, we'd love to have your business. But, you say, I can't afford a trainer. Can you afford the hospital bill for a broken shoulder? And how much is your little finger worth? Keep a bratty horse long enough and you'll lose all ten of those digits. Horses don't wake up one day and realize they've been too hard on you, it's time for a truce. They get worse.

You'll know it's time for a professional if you have certain questions. For instance...

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Lyons Training 101: Issue Nineteen, Part 1
"Ask a Horse Trainer: Scared of My Horse"
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