The Guru of Horsemanship...

I don't know where folks would be these days without the internet to get all the answers to their horse questions. "My horse just blinked at me with its head up and turned to the left...what does it mean??" "My horse just turned its butt to me and walked away...what is it trying to communicate?" "My horse ignores me...pins its ears...won't let me catch it...backs into me with its hind quarters...runs to the far end of my (5 acre) ranch when I step out of the house...paws at me...bites me...bucks when I try to put the saddle on..." And the list goes on.     

My goodness, what does the guru (the internet) of all horsemanship say about this behavior?? The answers will floor you with their complete and utter vacuous-ness! (That's what I do all day...work horses and make up words to express my thoughts! )     

Stupid horse question gets published on a social media site and suddenly everyone is a Ray Hunt specialist and professional horse trainer. The most common answer is; "Your horse is fearful (most likely from an abusive past relationship with a trainer) or your horse is in pain." 

Ok. Here's the hard truth of what your horse is really communicating and I am sure Ray Hunt would tell you the same, only maybe he'd be kinder. I don't know. Your horse doesn't like you a whole lot. You are confusing it with your lack of clear direction. It doesn't understand you with your pocket full of treats and your carrot stick or flag. Your bucket of grain and too-direct energy. It doesn't trust you with your emotions all out there for the whole world to see...your uneasiness and doubt worn on your sleeve. Your bad day at work walking with you into it's pasture or pen.      

If you really want to connect with your horse get off the internet, find a real live horse trainer who is actually making a living at it, and go pick their brain. You would be surprised to find out what they tell you. It's hardly ever a conversation about the baggage your horse is carrying...your horse is usually the one relationship in your life that lives in the 'now' not the 'then'. It doesn't take a DVD or a pod caste or lengthy conversation with a thousand faceless, unproven cyber-trainers to figure out what your horse's actions mean. Horses are pretty honest animals, their actions are mostly reactions to us, and can usually be taken at face value. The problem lies in the fact that sometimes the truth makes uncomfortable demands on us. It's easier to turn to the internet and get the answers that deflect the responsibility from human to horse.