How do I get my horse to listen to me?

Question:
How do I get my horse to listen to me?

Answer:
The answer is, literally, in their ears!

Plan Of Action:

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f you're asking this question I'm assuming that you have done a lot of the necessary groundwork already and something is just not translating between the ground to under saddle.

Step One:
If your horse responds to you really well on the ground during groundwork, but ignores you under saddle, the first step is to get their attention on you, the rider, while riding. We will use their ears as measurement tools to guage the level of attention they're paying to you.

Since I don't know you personally, or know your horse's background, I'm just going to suggest a generic starting point to begin with. I'm going to assume that your horse can walk in circles in both directions calmly. Just pick a direction to start with and make a medium size circle at a walk. As you're walking in your circle I want you to pay close attention to your horse's body language, focusing specifically on their ears. Ideally, one of their ears will be pointing back towards you at all times. This means that they are listening to you and focusing on you while eagerly waiting for your next cue. If they're looking around at anything else they're not being very respectful or listening to you very well.

Step Two:
If their ears are pricked forward or if they seem to be looking around for a reason to spook, you can get their attention back on you by taking them in very small circles. Continue watching their ears as they spin and as soon as one ear focuses on you by pointing backwards toward you, simply release the reins and all of the pressure and allow your horse to relax and stand completely still. Please remember to always give them a rest and a pet when they achieve the desired result.

Step Three:
Be sure to repeat this exercise going in both directions focusing on their ears and letting them relax when one ear is pointing toward you, while making them work harder and spin briskly in smaller circles when they focus on anything else. Remember to make a tight circle as soon as both ears are pricked forward.

What If?
If this technique doesn't improve your horse's listening skills, there may be other gaps in their training. You may need to have someone lunge you while you're riding initially to help bridge the gap between groundwork and control under saddle. Another activity that's helpful to gain confidence and control under saddle is the Corkscrew exercise. All of these activities are best used in tandem with each other.

Want More?
You can find other helpful guides and gain access to my comprehensive horsemanship program that covers all of this and more in my Online EquiComfort Horsemanship Course.

https://www.equineinsights.us.com/en/course-detail/equicomfort/36353/