Here are some top ways you can improve that relationship.

You know you want it.

Because “it” will improve all areas of your riding. And by “it” i mean your relationship.

With your horse.

For those of  you who have “people” to do that for you, you may want to take hold of the reins and start building the trust and 2 way communication with your horse.

Because, you know what?

It

Will

Help

You.

It may not actually make you a better rider, but it will provide those nuances that only friends and family can understand or interpret.

Grooming

Horses are herd animals and social grooming is part of the communication and bonding process. If you watch horses you will see that horses like and need physical touch. 

When horses groom each other they help one another by reaching those hard to scratch places. The “you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours”.

And horses quite literally do that.

Patting your horse is great but horses much prefer a “rub” or scratch.

A good grooming prior to riding not only gets the horses coat a much needed cleaning it is part of a horse’s daily routine of communication.

They are, after all social creatures. If they could they would be posting TikTok stories of their own.

And

If your horse is in individual turnout that social interaction has been removed. So, a one-on-one session is good for your horse on many levels.

In the whole scheme of things how often do you actually touch your horse in a POSITIVE way.

There is…

• Pre ride routine – patting, standing at the mounting block
• During ride routine – patting, (and negative ways) kicking with the leg, tap of the whip
• After ride routine – bathing and grooming.

So adding a little more grooming to the mix is a great way to spend time with your horse as a herd member and establish a bond with one another.

And by grooming I don’t mean flicking the brush over the horse. I mean an actual grooming session. You know the kind.

The kind where you have more dirt on you than the floor and the horse has a sparkling coat and the fur is soft and flat.
Related – Horse Grooming Tips

Stretches

Easy right?

Who doesn’t like to stretch. If you are not sure what to do take a look at this article from VIPSVet.net http://vipsvet.net/equine-stretching/ that outlines some important facts about how to do horse stretches.

These simple carrot stretches give you an opportunity to be with your horse and do some non-riding training with your horse. 

It is also a great opportunity to establish some routine movements and understand which ones are easiest for your horse. 

After doing some simple carrot stretches you can see which side your horse is stiffer on. That is which side can your horse reach better/worse on. Your horse should be able to reach both sides equally. If one side is more difficult then it is time to check your tack, yourself or your horse.

Hands on Touch

A massage is something we usually hire someone else to do. 

But

YOU can do this instead!

A little goes a long way and actually handling your horse will educate your fingers and your eye what to feel and notice with your horse.

If you are unsure or would like to have a professional equine massage person massage your horse great. But after, ask the masseuse to give you a few guidelines so you can educate yourself to notice what to look for and how to gently massage your horse.

The hands on approach is also important when “feeling” your horse’s legs. An educated eye will help you to understand what is “normal” for your horse and what is “unusual”. 

If you don’t know what to feel for when your horse’s legs are “normal” then how are you supposed to feel what is not normal?

Related – https://thistleridgestables.com/horse-partnership/

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