Are you filling your horse's emotional needs?

We talk a lot in the human world about filling our cups but do you know how to fill your horses emotional cup?

Every time we work our horses we are creating stress.

That stress can either influence them positively and help them grow and develop or it can influence them negatively and they can develop stress associated vices like crib biting or behavioural issues associated with fear and frustration. 

The way that we structure our training sessions should work to create just the right amount of stress that allows them to grow and develop their cognitive skills, emotional range and physical skills. We can do this by giving our horses a tool to connect back in with us to let us know if we are creating too much stress.

When we open this pathway to communication our horses start licking.... a lot!!! And I often find they need a good licking session before we get started to connect and fill their cup and to break up the training session as we go.

Often if they are pushed to the far end of their stress management skills this licking becomes nipping. The nipping is them asking us to back off and be more respectful of the pressure of our asks. 

Having this conversation with our horses empowers them to have more control in the training session over what is done to them which builds mutual trust and respect and in turn improves true willingness instead of submission. 

Breaking News: Nipping isn't necessarily naughty...

Did you know that nipping is a way your horse can be seeking to connect with you?

While we are looking for more subtle cues, your horse nipping at you can be their efforts to get your attention and focus on them because they want you to be with them and present. Our nippers commonly are the larrikin type, confident and mischievous and they are enticing us to play back. (Ie does it sometimes feel like a game to your horse when they nip and you smack?)

Another time our horses nip at us is when they are trying to communicate something. An example of this is when we rug them and they are having problems with the rug fit, girthing them if they have ulcers or the saddle/girth is uncomfortable, nipping at us when we try to pick their hooves up because they have a sore back etc.

Big problem is, we are taught that nipping is naughty and we should stop it. But it is how our horses fill their emotional cup and how they communicate.

Rather than reprimanding the action, why not teach them to lick instead?

Learn how to turn nippers into lickers by joining our Training Trainability membership - just $45AUD/month until June 19th.