Dealing with a Herd Bound or Mentally Distracted Horse (also helps spooky horses!)

We often see horses that are mentally stuck to other horses, only feeling safe and at ease if they are with their buddies. This can become a very challenging situation for people, especially if we don’t recognize that such a horse is showing us that we need to help him learn how to center himself and calm his mind. When we can do this, the horse soon comes to feel that he is as safe or even safer with us than he is with his friends, and herd-bound issues disappear. The same principles apply to a horse that tends to spook easily, as that is often a result of the horse feeling the need to be hyper-aware of the environment because they don't feel safe.
In this video, I work with a young mare in the Yukon who was troubled being by herself. At first, her mind was not with me at all, as she was entirely focused on her friends outside the round pen. I will talk you through how I handle this kind of horse and build the base to center the horse’s mind, using with a simple approach that creates connections and brings calm to the horse quite quickly.
If you would like to learn more about my Relational Horsemanship approach, come on over to JoshNichol.com and look around.

[@blkgryphon]

"Any time you feel like you have to fight with a horse, it's because you're trying to take something you didn't earn." That just nails it, Josh. Thank you!

[@JoshNicholAHorsemansPursuit]

Sure can change your thinking!!

[@lukethedrifter4622]

It is nice to see that training is finally becoming more intuitive as well it should. The counterintuitiveness of the last 2 decades needed to end.

[@JoshNicholAHorsemansPursuit]

Glad you found the approach helpful!

[@thewhitemare]

'Put the brain and body back together.' Love it!♡

[@JoshNicholAHorsemansPursuit]

So important!

[@blkgryphon]

I was just watching Clinton Anderson's video on the same subject -- your approach is so different, and so obviously effective without all the forced movement. Very cool!

[@JoshNicholAHorsemansPursuit]

Glad you found it helpful!

[@hannahyoder900]

Great video, Josh! This is horsemanship. Emulating what we want them to be.

[@JoshNicholAHorsemansPursuit]

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@jackipass8814]

Incredibly helpful Josh. Thank you!

[@JoshNicholAHorsemansPursuit]

Glad it was helpful!

[@wtf9987]

That was great!

[@JoshNicholAHorsemansPursuit]

Glad you liked it!

[@truthinaction]

Great video ! I am learning a lot. I learned quite a bit more from this video about moving the horse when it is distracted. I have been in a pasture with a horse and a mule at the same time. I don't have the luxury of the one at a time thing at the moment BUT the horse is really interested and likes me a lot. We are, however, working on who the boss is, respecting space, etc. Today I had his full attention and he even followed me around the pasture quite easily ; no harness, rope, whip, or anything -> well I did have baby carrots in a fanny pack BUT he didn't get them EVERY time we came to a stop lol He loves the petting as well but he is pushy. I did finally pick up a stick and just back him up to get him out of my space some and that helped..... we are both learning ! I am happy I found your channel !

[@JoshNicholAHorsemansPursuit]

Great to hear! I'm glad you found my work helpful!

[@MrKayakmr]

Outstanding Video…..Thank You!😃

[@JoshNicholAHorsemansPursuit]

I'm glad you liked it!

[@jenniferwood-outhwaite5199]

this is great stuff

[@JoshNicholAHorsemansPursuit]

I'm glad you enjoyed watching it! I hope it has helped you on your horse journey!

[@MaxNafeHorsemanship]

When I started watching this one, I had to run outside and check to see if it was the same horse that was boarded here, but no. Very similar colour and young.

[@JoshNicholAHorsemansPursuit]

Haha!

[@schvenn69]

WOW! That is awesome, and applies to humans as well I must say. Well done young man.

[@blkgryphon]

So much of what Josh teaches applies to people as well as horses!

[@JoshNicholAHorsemansPursuit]

Thank you! Glad you are enjoying it!

[@kathykellison4421]

Holy Moly, I just lucked into finding you... awesome, awesome... if you have to fight for it , you did not earn it.. right on... I have an OTTB... tell you what, he has held me accountable every single day for that very truth and I am grateful,, because I am learning more than I ever did from other horses that just go along Any chance you do phone consults? I am in California ... so it would be a little bit of haul to get to you

[@JoshNicholAHorsemansPursuit]

Hello Kathy! Glad you are enjoying my channel! I would encourage you to check out my fb group and the website for more information about some of the learning options that I offer. Would love to help you out! www.joshnichol.com

[@terriedwards1770]

Excellent 👍👍

[@JoshNicholAHorsemansPursuit]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@farthernorther]

good stuff

[@JoshNicholAHorsemansPursuit]

Thank you!

[@rosalindpaterson2043]

very intelligent

[@JoshNicholAHorsemansPursuit]

Thank you!

[@747fa]

Not bad but I wonder, given say the situation whereupon the horse suddenly sees what it perceives as a potential threat (predator), if he would have the same control? The unexpected is almost always the "culprit" when dealing with young, nervous or spooky horses.

[@JoshNicholAHorsemansPursuit]

Great point, with this being the first time I had every handled this mare I'm pretty sure she would have struggled but in my experience, once they feel more relaxed their responses are much smaller as they begin to think about the pressure differently.

[@blkgryphon]

What I have seen, as a student of Josh's for many years, is that his ways of helping horses learn to think through pressure, rather than just react to it, transfer to everything you do with them. I have a mustang, for example, who is very sensitive and tends to worry easily. Now, however, when something new/scary happens, he will often actually "soften" (relax in both body and mind) without me even asking him to, as he has learned that this makes pressures less threatening to him. He feels he has a way to control things, rather than needing to panic. This is one of the ways in which Josh's approach is truly unique. He works to empower the horse and build their confidence, both in themselves and in us, and the results of that are profoundly rewarding.

[@MaxNafeHorsemanship]

747Fan, I am about to find out. I do things much the same and am currently working with a worried/herd bound horse that has been dumping riders (including three trainers and her owner) for 20 years.

[@susanfcurry]

I've got an aggressive male. How to deal with that?? I'm talking he's not easy to walk. Easy to ride only!

[@JoshNicholAHorsemansPursuit]

DO your best to break things down into small pieces that build understanding between the both you. Take your time and don't get into a fight with him. He isn't trying to be bad, most of the time they just don't understand what you want and feel defensive if that gets them in trouble.

[@lauramautz6325]

I don't have a pen that small. how would you do this on a lunge line or in a large arena

[@blkgryphon]

The work is exactly the same -- you just do what you can to go with the horse and not let the line get tight, as it is not about the circle -- it is about the mind.

[@JoshNicholAHorsemansPursuit]

Great question Laura, I will make a video to demonstrate how I would do this. Stay tuned!

[@blkgryphon]

Hey Laura, Josh has another video where he shows how he works on a line, but I believe he is also planning to make a new one showing how this would go with a horse that doesn't know any of this work. Here is the video he already has: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qmLWo5eemLmsjac

[@MaxNafeHorsemanship]

@@JoshNicholAHorsemansPursuit Since few people have a round pen, and not many even have access to one, I won't do any videos in the round pen. Good horsemanship is for the real world.

[@JoshNicholAHorsemansPursuit]

@@MaxNafeHorsemanship I think there is a time and place for everything. This video may not speak specifically to those that do not have a round pen but this concept can be done on the line. The key is to let your release be on their thought and not there physical body. My hope is that from this a new thought would emerge and more connections would be built. Clinics often restrict the space somewhat so we use what we can to teach the concepts and hope people will gain the ability to use the ideas in everyday life.