Description
..A bookchock-full of answers to horse-behavior questions that will change your horse’slife for the better.. .Horseswant partners they trust. Meeting their need for security makes them moretuned-in, calmer, and more reliable. In her engaging book, highlyillustrated with professional color photographs, certified riding instructorLynn Acton, MS, shows you how, with practical step-by-stepinstructions. You’ll see that progress can be surprisingly fast withmethods that are gentle, time-tested, backed by science, and that makeintuitive sense to your horse. .Discoverhow to earn trust and make training more efficient by engaging horses’ innateintelligence, maintaining clear two-way communication, and considering theirpoint of view. This leadership approach has been used successfully forcenturies by people of all backgrounds and skill levels on horses at all levelsof training. Acton refers to this relationship as ProtectorLeadership because you are the horse’s protector. In these pages, she combinesextensive horse experience and an academic background in social dynamics within-depth research. She interprets and cites the scientific findings thatexplain why Protector Leadership works, and offers valuable insights intoequine psychology while exposing myths that are sources of problems. Plus, Acton includes “Things to Try” at the end of each chapter–fun andeasy-to-implement exercises that help you engage your horse as a thinkingpartner .Throughout, the narrative includes stories of Acton’s progress with her own horses, including mistakes and hindsight, and especially the transformation of thebook’s “cover girl” Brandy from a dangerous throwaway to a happy, reliable partner. Clear, detailed photographs show the subtle body language ofhorses and people, and illustrate critical interactions that make a realdifference in our relationships, communication, and training. .Theseare a few of the concrete skills you will learn: .- Earn trust starting the moment you meet a horse. .- Recognize “misbehavior” that actually means your horse isthinking like a partner. .- Turn pressure into clear communication instead of stress. .- Use Positive Reinforcement for better learning, behavior, andreliability. .- Turn anxiety and spooks into confidence building situations. .- Discourage unwanted behavior without punishment. .- Allow your horse appropriate choices and freedom. .As your bond strengthens, you can enjoy watching yourhorse’s true personality blossom. A thoughtful, progressive book forriders of all disciplines and students of the horse of all experiencelevels. .
