Many folks say that traditional methods of horse training (i.e. bit, bridle and spurs) are the best methods for training a horse. Other folks swear on a stalk of Bibles that to really train a horse you should focus on horse whispering. For those of you that don’t know, horse whispering became popularized because of the movie The Horse Whisperer with Paul Newman. It is a touching tale about a man who seemingly whispers to horses to get them to do as he asks.
The short answer between these two is actually a matter of time. While horse whispering is extremely non-invasive, it takes time to cultivate a relationship with horse and still see you as the dominant one in his or her herd. After all, you are trying to speak the horse’s language, and this is not an easy feat when you don’t have a mane and tail!
Bit and bridle techniques are superior when speed is on the line. While some may be abusive with these techniques, skilled trainers know the difference between training and torture. Just because these techniques can be used to cause pain in a horse, doesn’t mean they should. Quite often after a short period of time you can train a horse to move at just the touch of a reign; and after a while that bond does grow.
So which is the best technique? It all depends on the rider, how comfortable they are, and how much time you have.
7 responses so far ↓
1 Suzie // Aug 8, 2007 at 8:12 pm
I agree - time is the most important thing when training a horse. I’ve had my three year old since she was a yearling and I am really reaping the rewards of spendingso much time with her. I’m blogging my progress now, and it’s going well so far.
2 Jodi // Feb 7, 2008 at 7:15 am
I was a very competitive child and junior show jumper and won lots of showing and equitation classes too. Natural horsemanship was not around in South Africa 20years ago. I have been a devotee for the past 6 years and cringe when I remember jumping the same fence 8 times in a lesson,when my horse and I saw a great distance and he did it perfectly the first time. The human animal just cant say enough when it feels so good. Happily my new horse is reaping the benefit of my desire to be a better rider and he is by far the most well balanced, well schooled and easiest horse I have ever owned. Horsemanship Australia is the module I follow it deals with flexion earlier and you dont spend years trying to learn horse speech. My friend Patsy Devine teaches the same format and regulaly hosts clinic’s with Debbie and Mark Rodney from Australia. The cowboy aspect of it worried me a little, im not knocking it, [but cowboys in Africa just look wrong]I soon realised that a big strong thoroughbred happily working with no discomfort would offer himself so willingly and accelerate his learning that it more than made up for the few days initially spent on the ground. It also allows pregnant women or those afraid to ride an option of a continued relationship with there horse. Horses are also mentally stimulated so they dont get ‘fresh’.
Ijust love that we have options.
JODI
3 Jason // Mar 6, 2008 at 2:40 pm
Alot of people opt for the quick aproach to training horses and ends up being devistating for the horse. Pure sick. Education, Education, Education. Thnx Jason
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5 Anastasia // Mar 22, 2008 at 1:20 pm
The movie “The Horse Whisperer,” from a gorgeously written book by Nicholas Evans, starred Robert Redford–not Paul Newman.
Having said that, your post is thought provoking. After years of training with traditional methods that took me to very high levels of competition, I have come to believe that, as with politics, to get the best in the training of horses, one must maintain an open mind and gain insight from all factions. In other words, true horsemanship requires insight from natural horsemanship, dressage, reining, Western pleasure, jumping, and equitation.
Being open to new ideas while retaining the best of traditional methods is, in my view, the best way to go.
6 EquineFacts.net // May 6, 2008 at 12:07 pm
Horse whispering is becoming a somewhat lost art. You rarely see it used well atleast in my part of the world. I am fortunate enough to live in a place with an abundance of horses in the middle of SC.
I still see more and more people trying to train their horses so quick it actually hurts the horses. That is a sad thing.
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