RFDTV Horse Training
It was brought to my attention recently that there are many people “training” horses and calling themselves professionals on a resume full of RFDTV Horse Training viewing. Don’t get me wrong, I think all horse owners should learn as much as they can about their equine partners, however, when it comes to training we need to realize that just because we can watch someone on TV does not make that person the final authority on the subject or that we are a professional because we watch them.
People have been training horses for thousands of years. They have also been getting hurt and even killed by horses all those years as well. There is nothing completely new to this profession. It all has been done somewhere by someone and not all methods work 100% of the time on 100% of the horses. I have argued the point, but years of success are on my side when I say there are lessons that do. It is those methods that do not work 100% of the time on 100% of the horses need examination. Just because it is on TV does not mean it works or is even safe for the average horse owner to do.
RFDTV Horse Training
The rules I follow and that work in evaluating any training strategy are: 1) I cannot get hurt 2) The horse cannot get hurt and 3) the horse must be calmer at the end of the lesson than when it started. If any of these rules can be easily broken, I look at the lesson and see if changes made will make the lesson safe. If not, I abandon the lesson. Horses have taught me that they are big, powerful, and at times unpredictable animals. I need to respect that and keep my safety a priority at all times no matter what any “professional” may say.
Another important aspect to keep in mind is whether the lesson gives me better control of the horse and if it builds respect in the horse for me. I do not care how fast and easy the horse can move his hip or if he can bring his head to my knee when I am sitting on his back, if he crowds, nibbles, nips, pushes, or pulls me when I am leading him or whenever I am around him, the horse does not respect my space or me. There is so little taught on the common sense level in the attempt to woo people into buying products that it makes it hard for people to see decipher the good, the bad, and the ugly.
When leading your horse do you have a way to move his shoulders away from you? Can you ask him to calm down or soften to you without taking his head all the way back to his side? It takes a lot more than yielding hips to get a soft, responsive and respecting partner. This is why it is important to be critical of any training technique and not assume that because they have a spot on TV their lessons are the end all. Keep yourself safe, keep your horse safe, and use your common sense. If something doesn’t seem right, most likely it isn’t.
In my training manual I give you 6 easy lessons that will not only teach your horse what you expect of him while you are around him, it will give you the tools to build a relationship of respect and trust between you and your horse.
