TECHNIQUES FOR HANDLING THE DIFFICULT HORSE


Stop and praise the horse again. You may even back the horse out a few steps. Then back in. Show the horse that the stocks aren’t scary. Show the horse that praise and comfort come with every step. This process can take some time but pays great dividends in the end. “One Step Horsemanship” is applicable to all


forms and levels of equine education. The concept is applicable to many uses whether it is picking up a hoof, leading into an exam stock, or trotting out for a lameness exam. It is based on one step, nothing more, only one step, and then another. And then another. It is about your relationship with the horse. It is about your own personal learning curve and your own relationship with life. It is all about taking one good step, then feeling good about it. Then doing it again… Pull, hold (patience-wait), release (reward and praise).


3. The Difficult Horse


The philosophy and use of “One Step Horsemanship” is useful in all phases of veterinary practice, every day. It requires observation, patience, and under- standing of the horse, not merely as an object of our livelihood, but rather recognition of the horse as an individual who benefits from our respect. It is the basis of all good horse handling. The difficult horse you occasionally meet has a


reason for being obstinate. The horse may not un- derstand what you are asking, or he may be fearful from previous experiences, or he may be reacting to his innate instinct of fight or flight for survival. The horse will usually present somewhere within the spectrum of being very dominant or being ex- tremely fearful (of which both extremes can be very dangerous). There are many ways for you to handle each type of horse. Your action will be determined by your interpretation of the horse and the handler. Difficult horses may be presented to you by the


owner, a groom, a trainer, or anyone else assigned to the job. The handler may be very good, or may not have the horsemanship skills to cope with that par- ticular horse, or may not be mentally engaged with the handling of the horse. The handlers them- selves may be fearful. They can often hide their fear by acting overly dominant of the horse. Obser- vation and assessment of the handler is important. It will determine how you approach and examine the horse.


Knowing that the horse is very skilled and capable


of reading your actions, it is helpful to pay close attention to how you move around the horse. In- stead of the usual veterinary time-conserving style of going directly to the horse, giving an injection, and quickly walking away, it may be more respectful and helpful to first introduce yourself to the horse. By slowly approaching and stopping a few feet


from the horse and waiting for recognition by the horse you become less threatening. Once the horse’s attention is on you, introduce yourself by


534 2014  Vol. 60  AAEP PROCEEDINGS


extending your hand, giving the horse time to smell and touch you. Often, touching or softly rubbing the horse’s forehead is a welcome and effective ac- tion of introduction. Before any examination of the horse it is best to


have both his mental and physical attention. The horse must be present. If the horse is mentally off in the distance looking for his buddies or focused on a nearby barn cat, he is probably not thinking of you. Take the time to refocus the horse onto you so that he is aware of what you are doing. This prevents any surprises. It is also very helpful to have the horse standing squarely and balanced on all four feet, if possible (it’s especially important when at- tempting to pick up a foot.)


4. Vaccinations


Now, suppose you are asked to vaccinate a horse who you’ve been told doesn’t like vets. The horse presents with his head held high and slightly tilted away from you, his eyes “showing some white,” and so tense and tight it looks like if you “pricked” him with a needle, he’d explode. His whole body feels like a rock. What is your approach? A method that is useful when dealing with this


type of high-headed mentally distracted dominant- type horse begins with your own personal self-con- fidence, calmness, skills, and determination. It’s usually best if you handle the horse by your-


self so the horse has only you to contend with. Taking extra time for the introduction and mental focusing of the horse is the initial step. This is frequently best obtained by merely first stroking and rubbing the shoulder and neck and then, if possible, later progressing to his cheek and face. This may take some time and patience from you. Calming and trust is exhibited when the horse al- lows you this intimacy. A slight sigh or licking of lips indicates some degree of mental refocusing. While softly but firmly holding the halter’s left cheek-piece with your left hand, begin massaging the horse’s neck with your right hand, initially on the right poll, then over to the left. Continue down the neck, softly asking the horse to flex his head down and towards you, arching his neck around the point of contact of your right hand. When asking the horse to flex avoid a constant


pull from your left hand, but rather use an ask-and- release technique; ask for a little flex, then allow the horse to straighten slightly, then ask for a little more flex, then again give it back to him. Continue this until the horse has relaxed throughout his neck and lowered his head. Typically, the horse’s body will also relax when his neck relaxes. This minor exercise seems to achieve several ob- jectives. By first taking hold of the left cheek-piece you have obtained a direct contact with the horse and you have gained better control of his head and are better able to move with the horse if necessary. You are standing just in front of the left shoulder and inside the arc of his body, which is typically a


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