The key to CONFIDENCE…

Confidence is a word I hear a lot as a primarily “natural horsemanship” trainer, and lack of confidence is the primary reason a lot of people seek my expertise. Lack of confidence, lack of understanding, and fear are the top reasons a horse will act outside of the box we place on “well schooled” horses.  But there’s a really simple fix for curing your horse’s confidence issue!

A quote many years ago that is still burned into my brain plays on repeat daily as I work horses throughout the week. 

 “NEVER knock 

the curiosity out of a young horse”

I honestly don’t remember who I heard it from first, but time and time again it fixed many “problems” that have arisen when I remember what the key to confidence actually is. The reason it’s the key to confidence is because curiosity is the opposite of fear.  Whether your horse is 4 or 14 or 24, they all need to stay curious.  And a little tip, Curiosity is the top ingredient for trailer loading with excellence. 

So next time your horse stops to sniff something, or paw at a tarp, or look at a weird looking trailer or sniff a plant in the show ring while schooling, let your horse be curious, allow them to investigate.  Showing is VERY different from training, and we need to allow our horses to express their curiosity with their “hands” like we would allow a toddler to explore the dirt, rocks, rivers and streams of their world.  Allow your horse to explore too.

Cheers,

Katrina