Training Tips

QUESTION: Hi Sylvia, I'm a French lady in the U.K. and wish I were next to your farm in America! I have been doing Natural Horsemanship with my 4-year-old gelding, reading through your web site each time we get stuck! But we are now having a little issue again that I can't find the answer to in your Q&A. My horse is bending his head to the side for the one-rein stop, but once there, he needs to put his mouth on something, which is either my foot, the stirrup or the girth! We have had an issue with biting on the ground, which I've solved with the shhh and dominant mare stance, but I don't know what to do there in saddle. I obviously want him to be happy at that one-rein stop "safety zone" place, and relaxed, so I can't really shhh at him or he will bring his head back straight, but I can't sacrifice my feet either! Any idea to help us? Many thanks for your help.

REPLY: I've worked with a couple of horses with this problem, so I know exactly what you are talking about. It's usually the overly-mouthy horses who try to do this. What you need to do is set up there a "black and white zone." White zone is when he's doing the right thing, bringing the head over to the side and allowing you to stroke/bond/love on him there and no negative pressure is applied to him, only positive. Black zone is when he's crossed out of the white zone and tries to put his mouth on your leg or foot or tack there when his head is yielded over to the side. When he steps into the black zone there, and tries to nip or bite your leg or foot or tack, very quickly "shhh" him and at the same time bump his chin with your foot in a way that shows he is not allowed to put his mouth on you there. Horses can separate this out, don't worry. Just be consistent with a shh sound and bumping his mouth away, even while asking him to keep his head over. Be as insistent as needed and do this every time he tries to nip there. He'll quickly realize where the "line" is drawn as to what he's allowed to do with his head over and what he's not. Horses absolutely know when they are nipping or biting and they know when they are being told they are not allowed to do that. So work on that for a few sessions and he'll let go of putting his mouth on you there.