People attributed this ability to “whispering” after the sensational 19th century “horse tamer,” John Rarey. Among other things (primarily immobilizing the horse with a leg strap), Rarey would gently blow into a horses nostrils or ears. With this, a myth was born that grew along with the development of natural horsemanship as we know it.

But ask the successful modern day “horse whisperer” her or his secret. The key to success with horses (just as with people) begins with LISTENING.

The effective horse trainer “listens” with every sense available. The more acute the trainer’s awareness, the more accurate the understanding of the horse which emerges. Natural horsemanship is based on using the horse’s nature to make the right thing easy. To understand the horse’s nature, we need to listen.

I once read an insightful forum post by a backyard horseman. In convincing a novice to send a young horse to a professional horse trainer, she pointed out that the pros can see a wreck coming well in advance. They perceive the signs of the impending explosion and can prevent it from happening.

The horse trainer in this scenario is listening to the horse more sensitively and more completely than the novice. The pro can see the look of concern growing in the horses eyes, can hear the speed of the hoofbeats slightly increase, can feel the horse’s tension mounting. The pro can immediately redirect the horse to defuse the situation before it gets worse.

The novice, whose “listening” is still rudimentary, doesn’t notice these details. She continues on. As the horse’s tension and confusion increases, so does the “volume” of his nonverbal communication. If the novice still doesn’t “hear” the horse’s concern, the horse starts “yelling:” bucking, rearing, bolting, kicking. The horse’s training backtracks and someone could get hurt, simply because the human wouldn’t, or couldn’t, listen.

Natural horsemanship and classical dressage training share the tenet of starting in lightness. When you apply an aid, begin with the lightest suggestion, increasing in strength until the horse responds. The horse learns to listen for the whisper of communication, knowing that it will increase to a “shout” if ignored. No one likes to get yelled at.

The effective horse trainer “listens” the same way she “speaks.” Listen for the horse’s lightest whisper.

Horses are generally happy to listen back.

Today was like no other. It had been a knock-down drag-out day full of time-consuming roadblocks and way too many balls in the air. And that was just in the office! Wally was the last horse of the evening after working through a particularly tough trailer loading session with a two year-old.

Wally was matter-of-fact from the get-go. Quiet brilliance. Stood like a rock while I mounted. Warm-up. Focus. Turn on the forehand– rhythmic and accurate. Turn on the haunches–ditto. Up into a round, light trot, every step a lesson in newly-developed power controlled not by the rider’s seat or legs or bit but by the horse’s own understanding and desire. Canter balanced, regular, even on that troublesome lead. All the movements and principles we’ve been developing coming together in a moment almost outside time.

Nothing left but to ride out to join the sunset in the spring blooming woods with deep gratitude for the gifts our horses give us.

I was a little surprised. “Um, no one. I learn what I can from everyone I can and let the horses tell me what works.” It was the director’s turn to be surprised.

I get that question often, in different disguises. “Who is the best? “What system reveals the REAL secrets?” “Who is the true Horse Whisperer?” The answer remains the same. Learn what you can from everyone you can, and let your horses tell you what works.

I have been blessed to ride with some of Pat Parelli’s top professionals. John Lyons’ “Bedtime Reading for the Horse Lover” is my current good-night reading. Skills learned at a long-ago clinic with Buck Brannaman, my barely-started colt, and my advanced show horse come into play every time I step in a round pen or swing into the saddle. Do I recommend them all? Yes! At the exclusion of each other? Absolutely not.

Perhaps Pat Parelli’s kinetic showmanship speak to you. Maybe John Lyons’ loving peace allows you to learn best. I encourage all you horse trainers out there to employ the “shopping cart technique” when it comes to gurus. Take what is useful to you now, leave what doesn’t work on the shelf, and don’t reject a possibility simply because it bears a different brand. On the other hand, don’t stomach something tasteless or harmful to you and your horse simply because it comes from a big-name label.

On the yellow brick road of horse training, many systems lead to Oz.

After some intense dressage training, I take Brego for a breather around the field to let him catch his breath and his thoughts. I ponder thoughts of my own.

We know how to care for horses to keep them at their physical. mental and emotional peak. Too, we know what we need to do to keep our own bodies at the top of their game. We know to eat right, take our vitamins, and drink waaaay more water in the day than we think we need. We know the stretches the chiropractor promises will keep us out of his office, and we know to floss at least once a day after we brush. And that whole 8 hours of sleep a night concept? Sounds divine!

So what of reality? What about those vitamins that long to see the light of day? What of that flossing and those stretches, that take only a few minutes of applied intentionality but yield priceless returns? What good is that knowledge when it festers in forgotten brain-space?

It takes 21 days to form a new habit. Actions spring from habits, lives are shaped through actions. We don’t need New Year’s to commit to transmuting old intentions into new habits.The bargain of the year for eternal youth–or at least vibrant living.

I pulled out my goal sheets from last year. I mentally checked off the “completes” as I read down the list. I was surprised and excited by how many I had achieved, even when I wasn’t thinking about it. That’s part of the power of written goals.

Written goals wield awesome influence . Psychologists and neurologists have proven that the odds of completing a goal increase by 80-90% once you write them down. The ability to look back and literally check them off the list is an added perk. (Yes, I have been known to write down something on my list after I just completed it, just for the satisfaction of checking it off!)

I join a large part of the world in looking forward into 2008, even as I reflect on time passed. What do YOU dream of for you and your horses in this upcoming year? What goals can you set that will change your world when you meet them? This time between-the-years is one of possibility, not of nay-saying. Silence your “yeah-buts” and search your heart for what really matters.

Here are three horse training goals that will really impact my life over the next year:

• Start Princess Muffinhead under saddle in February. She is my first homebred, and is now as big and beautiful a warmblood mare as you could dream of. To take the time with her will be pure enjoyment for her and I. I have no competitive aspirations with her, and I plan to keep her all our lives. This goal has nothing to do with winning or sales. It is all about loving horses, nothing less.
• Take time each week to enjoy the horses with my new husband, and to enjoy his journey as he learns to know horses as they really are. I love being a part of the discovery as peoples’ eyes open to the power, wisdom and endless wonder of horses. It’s even more exciting now that it’s someone so close to me.

• To do something each month for myself that I would do if I were a passionate amateur horse trainer. According to www.dictionary.com, an amateur is “one who has a taste for (something),” from Fr. amateur “lover of,” from O.Fr., from L. amatorem (nom. amator) “lover,” from amatus, pp. of amare “to love.” I’m grateful to be able to make my living with horses, but in the past that has meant doing what brings home the paycheck. I resolve to change that in 2008. Perhaps this means I will take a clinic, or ride in a medieval reenactment (one of my loves), or spiff up Princess Muffinhead for a formalized photo shoot (another love.) I don’t know. I’ll keep you posted!

My goals have to do with enjoyment. For me, horses are the embodiment of joy. As a recovering workaholic, I have let “oughttas” and “shouldas” shoulder out “wannas.” This year I am making that shift back to joy.

What are your goals? When do you plan on achieving them by? (Experts point out that a goal is a dream with a due date!) Most importantly, what will that mean in your life? What is your “why?” What is the juiciness of your goal that will drive you to pursue it regardless of inconvenience, bad weather, or the hundreds of annoying obstacles that will fall across your path?

We’d love to hear from you! Let us know what your goals are and the Natural Horse Training Methods community will support you in achieving them. If you need more goal-setting suggestions and tips for achievement, browse our Guide to Gaining your Goals.

To a healthy, happy and SUCCESSFUL New Year!

Trina has good instincts around the horses. She is a teacher by profession. We were talking about the importance of attitude and approach. “When you’re practicing on your own, allow your horse to be your mirror and your teacher” I explained. “Don’t think, ‘bad horse, you did something wrong.’ Instead, ask ‘what is this horse telling me about how I’m communicating with her? What can I do to be make myself clear?’”

Trina nodded. “That’s how I approach teaching,” she remarked. “I have a lot of students with learning disabilities. I have to put myself in their shoes, try to think how they think and figure out how best to teach them.”

Well spoken, Trina! That attitude will carry you far!

What did you achieve that you hadn’t even set out to? Krista, your goal was to expose Ebony to the shows and together you ended up with an armful of year end awards–even after a last minute change from western to English. You even learned to jump and showed in jumping classes as well!

What did you notice the others achieving? (I’ll make those teenage sisters find good things in each other, no matter what it takes!)

Now, what goals do you want to achieve this winter towards next horse show season? What new skills do you need to master before you move up a division? Laura, you’ll need to learn to lope. Krista, you’ll need to make flying lead changes second nature, and jump harder courses. Kathy, maybe you want to take Tommy in a class in the show.

Now, what do you want to accomplish over the winter that has nothing to do with shows? This is my favorite question! I’ll give you some examples. Laura, you might want to try riding English. Learn to play polocrosse (a personal passion). Ride bareback. Learn to bandage a leg. Play mounted games. Take a family trail ride. Understand basic emergency first aid.

As I rattle a list off the top of my head, Kathy is nodding. “Yes, yes, yes! Keep going, they all sound good!”

So break out your brains and set some goals. Where do you want to be with your horse in the spring? What goals are specific to you? We’d love to hear from you! And if you send us your email address (we never, ever would sell it), we’ll be happy to send you periodic reminders–and help keep you motivated as well!

I’m ready too. Its my responsibility as their trainer and instructor to determine what will work best between shows to help them peak on show day as well as continue improve throughout the horse show season. We target specific goals from show to show. We use natural horse training methods to bring about show ring success, both western and English. We still have fun while the girls’ horsemanship improves in focused areas.

With show season over, open months lie before us. Now, we can play in a wider variety of areas. Now we can really explore the endless world of natural horsemanship without the deadline of the next horse show. Come spring, the girls will be stronger, more knowledgeable and more well-rounded horsewomen as a result.

I call them into the center of the ring. “Your homework for next week is to think about the questions I’m about to ask you, and to write down your answers. Success experts have proven again and again that written goals are reached the majority of the time where unwritten goals usually don’t get met. We’re going to take their word for it! Kathy, even though you don’t show, I want you to do these exercises too.”

(At this point, readers, I invite you to take out a pencil and paper or open a blank document and join in the fun–and the power– of this exercise! Join us in creating powerful changes over the next few months! This is for ANY horseman or horsewoman, not just horse show riders!)