Approaching a horse correctly is the first step to gaining
it's trust. Walk slowly from the side toward the
shoulder, never approach a horse head on. Don't look
directly at the horse for a horse may interpret you as a
stalking predator.
Horses have a blind spot right in front of their nose due to
the position of their eyes on either side of their head.
Approaching from the shoulder is less intimidating for a
horse and allows them to see you clearly without a blind
spot.
Horses have a strong prey animal response. In the wild,
horses were stalked by predators and their defense was
to run from danger.
Predators approached from the rear or from the nose of the
horse - the two blind spots in a horse's field of vision.
Moving at a horse from a side position will be more
comfortable for the horse than going straight at the nose
like a predatory animal.
Once you have approached the horse at the shoulder, hold out
your fist slightly and allow the horse to smell you. Don't
reach for the muzzle (nose), but wait for the horse to turn
and smell you.
Horses will interact with you if given the chance and time
to investigate the situation. These simple mannerisms will
gain a horse's trust.
The best place to touch a horse is the shoulder area.
Horses are naturally shy about the head, reaching for a
horse's forehead or muzzle after entering their space, may
trigger their prey animal flight instincts.
Touch the shoulder area in a rhythmic, massaging motion.
Horses do not appreciate being patted like a dog. The off
and on pressures of patting translate to an attack type
encounter. Keep your pressure constant and moving.
Once your horse is comfortable with your touch, begin to
move to other areas of the horse's body slowly. This will
build trust so that the horse knows you will not harm it.
The relationship you are building now is your foundation
for riding.
You want to be able to touch the horse anywhere on it's
body. The veterinarian and farrier will need to touch the
horse to treat it and keep it healthy. Teach your horse
that it's not going to get hurt by touch, or that it's even
pleasurable, and your horse will starting seeking you.
By watching a horse's body for alarm signals, you will know
if the horse is anxious.
Signs that your horse is alarmed include: the eyes getting
large and round, ears pinned back, the feet moving and the
head up high. If your horse does these things, it is not
comfortable with what is happening. In this situation, it is
your responsibility to remove the cause of the anxiety.
If you cannot relieve the horse's anxiety it will try to flee
the situation as its defense.
Reading your horse for signs of relaxation and comfort is
also useful.
Signs that your horse is comfortable include: chewing and
licking, blinking the eyes and big sighs. If you are
touching your horse and see your horse do these things, it
means they are relaxed.
Horsemanship is a partnership. Learn to read your
horse's body language and gain it's trust before you
saddle up and you'll enjoy years of riding with a good friend.
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