A trainer in Kentucky told me something that changed how I handle nervous horses

I was shoeing a young thoroughbred at a farm near Lexington last fall, and the horse was really jumpy. The trainer, an older guy named Hank, watched me for a minute and then said, 'You're holding your breath when you pick up his foot. He can feel that tension.' I had no idea I was doing it. I started focusing on my own breathing, and the horse settled right down. Has anyone else had a simple tip like that make a big difference?

2 comments

2 Comments

betty_scott1814d ago

My own breathing is a mess, so I'm lucky my horse just thinks I'm dramatic.

nancys9014d ago

Honestly that's how most of my relationships work too. We all just accept each other's weird little glitches and call it personality. It's a pretty good system when you think about it.