Are you nervous that when you lead your horse he’s going to pull, step on you or even nip at you? Does your horse run you over or walk past you when you stop? Build your leadership every time you lead. Don’t simply throw on a halter and walk from place to place. Give your horse a job while you walk by using transitions. Walk a few steps and stop. Your horse should stop, too! If he doesn’t, back him up then let him stand for seven seconds. Start again, a few more steps and stop. He’ll catch on quickly that he needs to pay attention to you. Eventually, you can increase the level of difficulty — walk forward, stop, back up, walk forward, back up quickly, then walk forward quickly enough to cause your horse to trot, then stop. You want your horse to respond immediately and match your pace. See if you can get him to take a single step and no more. Getting your horse to pay attention to you every moment will keep your safe.
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