How to Let Your Horse Say "No" Without Ruining Your Training

Have you always thought that allowing your horse to say “no” to you would slow your training, or even completely destroy your efforts?
This is a common belief that I debunk in this episode of the Mystic Experiment!
If you’re wondering, “how on earth could I allow my horse to say “no,” while still keeping my horse engaged and advancing?!? And why would I want to let my horse say no anyways?”
Then this episode is for you!
In this episode of the Compassionate Cowgirl, you will learn...
+The revolutionary “A to B Method,” and how that will keep your horse engaged
+ The redirection technique, used after your horse tells you “no”
+ Why your horse can never truly say “Yes!” until she knows she can say “No” + The REAL reason why your horse doesn’t seem motivated by food
+ How you can put your relationship before results in your training
Free PDF download, "8 Shaping Guidelines": www.mustangmaddy.com/the-comp...
Do you want to learn from me?
I have wrapped up my entire life’s work (and heart’s offering to the world) into my signature online course & educational system: The Horse-Human Connection Academy (HCA).
We typically open enrollment to HCA twice per year. Take a look at what HCA is all about, and sign up for the early enrollment list at this link: www.mustangmaddy.com/the-hca/
When you join the early enrollment list, you will have the opportunity to enroll in HCA several days before we open up to the public, giving you the best chance at securing your spot in the academy. You will also receive valuable trainings from me, delivered right to your inbox! You are not obligated to purchase anything when you sign up for the early enrollment list.
We look forward to welcoming you into our Herd!
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Previous Mystic Experiment episodes
Episode #1
• Working with an "Untra... O
Episode #2
• How to connect with a ...
Episode #3 h​ttps:// • How to get unstuck wit...

[@laurierussell4067]

Yah...letting your horse say No is a whole big messy issue for a lot of people BECAUSE of the way we were taught to "show em whose boss", "don't let them get away with that" "they need to respect you" I lived that growing up. I didn't want to show them who is boss, I wanted a better way. I am SO Happy to finally have a better way thanks to you and your techniques, your continuously learning and sharing that knowledge with us. You ROCK! I have decided that I will no longer care if others don't think "my way is right". My horse my rules and I will train them the way I see fit. My ego and I have come to terms with each other. I have gotten very good at acknowledging it, and then telling it to buzz off I have and can do better things!! LOL! When ever someone tells me that I am "letting my horse get away with stuff", I just smile and nod then say...well good thing MY horse isn't yours. Thank you again Maddy. You are changing the horse training world for the better, and helping us people, the care takers of our horses change for the better also.

[@danamarkley3731]

Yes! I find it difficult at times to allow my horse to say “No”. I hear my voice as well as others telling myself that I’m not enough. I do not know enough, I’m not confident enough, and I will never be able to be successful at this. The advice of others comes into my head. If you let him get away with that, you need to be the boss, you’re going to get hurt allowing him to be disrespectful, and you’re not confident enough to do this on your own. It’s ironic that these thoughts have been coming up when I attempt to master the lay down on cue. I’ve come to realize it’s not about me. It’s about my horse, his comfort, and breaking things down so he can understand. On the days when I’m really struggling, I draw on inspiration from those who share in the membership. It’s such a great group of like- minded people who support each other!

[@danakleppinger3493]

Yes! I find it very difficult to allow the horse to say "no." The story I tell myself on repeat..."you don't know what you are doing," "if you were better at giving cues, the horse would know what to do." It is generally easier for me to accept the horse saying "no" if there aren't other riders around me. I no longer believe in the idea that the horse has to respect you, but it is a phrase that I hear often. If other people are watching me, I worry about their judgment, and then I feel guilty because I'm not putting the relationship with the horse first.

[@dianaalfaro4850]

I really feel you on this one! I don't think you have to judge yourself for it though, like Maddy says with Zeus there were many factors around for him to give that response. On my case the horse I'm working with is quite insecure, but he shows it on a very dominant and aggressive behaviour, one of his quirks is bucking you off when you're on him, and he have many good reasons to do so that I am aware off, but the owners don't want to accept it, and they think I'm allowing the horse to dominate me, and they belive I should ride the horse as often as I can so he can get used to it, but I know by his response that it does chip into the trust I'm building with him because of someone else's judgment...

[@angellalee5501]

"you can't even get your zebra to lay down how awful!" I laughed so hard! Great video!

[@jmdumo1568]

Same ! So funny

[@brittanynicolelally3814]

I’m a young trainer and yes, letting horses say no at times can still feel hard. For me it is tied with my self worth. The fear of others saying I’m not good enough at what I do. I am learning to let that go, and through letting it go I’m learning to show others why we shouldn’t tie our self worth to the performance of that animal that day. Every individual deserves to express emotion; our horses aren’t machines as they’re often expected to be throughout our industry. But even still… at times it’s HARD.

[@barbarak538]

I didn't let my horse say no last week and I am so sorry. I forced him to do something when he was really scared and shut down. Now I'm afraid I've set our relationship back, and that wasn't something I wanted at all. My ego and fear got in the way. There was lightning and I wanted him to go past a scary flag to get to the paddock, where he could get to shelter. He refused and I made him go past the flag, but at what cost? Trust was lost. He whirled and ran, knocking me down but I kept pressuring him until he went past the flag. I wasn't hurt but it could've been very dangerous. Our relationship is my number one priority, not getting him to do something he is afraid of. At the time, I convinced myself I was doing it for his own safety but upon reflection, I realized it was frustration and ego driving me. It set me back in training and achieved nothing positive.

[@zenergizedequine]

Yes, I had been criticized pretty harshly from horse folks when I welcomed the "no", it hurt my heart, I wanted to hide... But when I was with the horses, our relationship was far greater than that of those horse folks. I remain faithful & confident within our connection. The quality is so great, I will take the criticism & laughter all day...I won't sacrifice these beautiful beings for human praise ❤

[@rossmeg07]

I really respect the concept of allowing your horse to say no but have found it difficult when I’ve primarily been doing a lot of negative reinforcement style training. In my head I’m thinking “ok he’s not responding to the cue and I don’t want to force him (due to experiences from his past he shuts down very quickly) but at the same time I can’t stop now otherwise I’ll be reinforcing the wrong behaviour”. I’m new to positive reinforcement but am really loving it for this reason. There’s less pressure that I put on myself and on him to respond to what I’m asking if he doesn’t feel able to in that moment.

[@kaylashultz5628]

I know some trainers who say the reason why horsemanship is so satisfying for them is because it gives them a sense of control. They are able to tell a 1200 lb animal what to do and controls the power beneath them. I also have guests who come to me and want to run a horse around a round pen purely because it gives them a sense of control and therefore, self worth. I think this is really sad and just doesn't sit well with me. If I know they have this motive then we don't work in the round pen AT ALL!!! Freeing the horse of restrictions and giving them the space to say NO is so important!! Even if it triggers our "rejection" buttons (or anything else we may struggle with), at the end of the day, love adjusts to the needs of the other. Coercion or force or manipulation or giving ultimatums IS NOT LOVE!!! And isn't it beautiful how taking the way of love is always more effective in the end:) Keeping in mind that love can also set boundaries, be assertive or firm, and refuse to enable. I SO appreciate the "relationship over results" philosophy

[@katelynstuck7680]

Getting a "no" from my horse is hard for me, not because I don't like the idea of letting her say no, but because it feels in the moment like she doesn't trust me enough or is distracted. I like the idea of the "true yes" because it's always been so important to me that the horse have a choice in being with me, or participating in training - no force. These positive reinforcement techniques have been stretching my brain, making me think harder and open my mind to new possibilities and ideas. Maddy, your DVD of Amira's training was an absolute breakthrough for me and my horse - I went from giving up over and over and nearly selling my horse because I believed I couldn't get through to her, to discovering what is possible through knowledge and patience. When I bought my mare she wouldn't stand for mounting, would squeal and kick out while riding, and spook at everything - literally. Now, she is the most amazing, relaxed, trusting liberty horse/trail horse/anything-you-could-want horse that amazes me regularly. We are still trying to conquer one or two things, but as I've begun to incorporate positive reinforcement techniques, I've seen huge progress!! Maddy, I like how you never let yourself get stuck in one method of training, thinking it's the end-all and be-all, but are always open to growing and changing and learning in order to better your program and yourself.

[@lizarutherford2477]

What a wonderful response. I think you are fabulous for not giving up on your horse, but accepting the horse could teach you so much.

[@cathytogeretz4135]

Yes, having a horse saying no seems to reflect on my lack of connection! Thank you for showing me another way to look at things

[@laurapannewitz8718]

I find it really hard to let my horse say no if others are there. I think they are going to judge my ability and find me lacking. Like you say, there are ways to 'make' a horse do a lot of things, so if they say no, it must mean you are weak and don't know what you are doing. This is what makes me not want to be on display with my horses. On my own if they say no I look at what i did and whether I made that happen or whether it is just a choice they made in that moment. Thank you Maddy!

[@CInzerillo]

It's very hard to accept my filly saying no, because I take it as rejection, as not being good enough, and as failing her. It has been a very mentally and emotionally exhaustive journey with her since she became mine in January 2020. I am going to apply the A and B level behaviors and see if I can keep her engaged.

[@janagannaway9223]

My fear in letting my horse say no would be “are they going to start telling me no more and more because they know they have a choice?”

[@lizarutherford2477]

Awwww I really get that. It maybe bc we ascribe human characteristics to horses, when our horses are pure and have no hidden agendas...unlike us humans. IME, and Ive been doing R+ training for a while, the learner actually becomes more and more cooperative bc they have agency and autonomy. They know they can control their outcomes, and that isxa hugely powerful reinforcer for them! Think about a time where you have been coerced into doing something you didnt want to do, bc you were scared, or felt unwell, say. How did you feel about the person coercing you? What effort would you expend? Probably felt v resentful and did the bare minimum? But if you acknowledged those feelings to the person asking of you, and they reined right back on their demands, next time you'd probably be more prepared to engage with whatever. Warwick Schiller talks about horses cooperating more when "they feel seen; they feel heard; they feel felt and are getting gotten" . Ive probably muellered that quote, but the essence is that the horse feels more safe n secure, bc they know you know. They see you see what they are communicating. It's quite a leap into the unknown to allow your horse to say no, but you will be rewarded so much by the horse in listening to their feedback. I feel theyre actually telling us we need to sloooooow down when they say no. They are giving us a perceived "hard time" bc they are HAVING a hard time. Why would you not want to address that? It'd maybe manifest itself waaaay further down the line. So IME it's better to allow the horse to give their opinion then, and address their concerns. The journey is the fascinating part....not necessarily the destination. Enjoy your journey ❤

[@cashewbutter943]

Very rarely does a horse say no just because they don’t want to do what you’re asking them. If they’re saying no it’s more likely them saying, “no, I am scared,” or, “no, I don’t understand what you’re asking me to do”

[@googleuser25]

The comparison with the study on the children's test really made me understand better, thank you so so much

[@janeeveritt-walker4958]

I feel like I am coming to the party late! Lol! This was such a good learning session and I love the way that you are exploring the activity with the horse but also acknowledging the human experience in this context! So helpful!!!

[@angeliquehofacre3886]

I am very new to the horse world and just bought an ottb. The only thing I have going for me is that my stupid human trick is that I am good at training animals. My mom had a reptile store my whole life and yes we trained our reptiles. So I was naturally letting my ottb say no, after all you have to let a monitor lizard say “no”. I also own a halfway house for women recovering from addiction and if they are not saying “yes” to recovery, it’s not going to work for them anyway. I was told I was going to spoil her and that I can’t let her have her way etc. i chose my relationship with her first! I watch your channel because this is me only expressed! Thank you thank you thank you. I will grow so much more with more conscious effort in what and why I do what I do. 🙏

[@laurenleesarlya561]

Some days I can easily allow my horse to say NO, but some days it is difficult. I find it depends on my level of self-care and my mental status. So being in a good self-aware, cup is full place means easily able to go with a NO...

[@Kit32991]

This is pretty insane. Yesterday I stopped watcthing this episode just before tea time, and today I finished watching it in the afternoon. So in the morning I was working my horse Shadow and a few lessons before I tought him the sideways towards which he finally understood; today i was asking him to do the sideways towards over a bar (which he had already done) but with a block to make the pole a little higher, so it had some width at the end, and he kept saying NO (he was doing it but kept going forward either before the block or after and coming into me) I wasn't really listening because he had done it before. I finally listend to my mom and him and took that block away, he was still going forward but it was getting better. I stopped on a good note without the block because I knew that after getting irrated with him, and me, that if I asked for more we would probably be back to where we were before and getting more frustrated. So now after wathcing this episode, I'm gonna really pay more attention to when my horse says NO instead of trying to get the result but the relashinship taking a hit. Luckily he is very forgiving and we ended the session on putting the saddle on him for the first time (He's 4 years old, and I had previously sat on his back bare back, put the surcingle on, a lot of small steps so it would be no big deal, and all those small steps payed off) I was so proud of him and the progress we've made together from when he was 18 months and "wild" (not wild in the sence of being dangerous but just not handled, and only saw a human when the herd had to change field). Quick story there at the end sorry lol, love your work and I'd love to meet you one day. Ps: Hope this comment made sense, and wasn't to rambly

[@jbradley512]

Very helpful video! Love the idea of being relationship oriented vs goal oriented! I often get stuck in the "I know I can make them do it" frame of mind. It is hard to let go. I was always taught that if I let the horse "win", I'd never be able to get them to do anything. I will definitely make use of this technique! Thanks!

[@MustangMaddy]

YES Jennifer, I can so relate to this! It is incredibly hard to let go of the outcome, especially with our conditioning in the horse training world! So glad that this is helpful for you

[@MC2MakingConnections]

Thank you for teaching us the A to B technique. Wow! That is REALLY going to help me a lot with my training. I feel helpless when my horse says "No, I just don't feel like doing that right now", and then they mozie away. I would just think, well, he doesn't want to do it, and I would just go and try something else. But I never felt satisfied that I was doing the right thing. Now I understand how to deal with the NO and help turn it eventually to a YES. So thank you so much.

[@rosemarycross6686]

Yes yes yes....its all about feeling a failure...linked to fear I think. I'm finding this whole series so so valuable I cant tell you. I'm 71 and so enjoying learning...thank you maddy. Ps. I have 12 miniature shetland ponies.

[@aleander03]

I find allowing them to say no in public is so much harder to accept then in private. I love your explanation of self evaluation following your experience. I am learning more and more to just go with what I feel is best and less and less with what others direct as being the WAY to do it. Although I am often criticized by my peers for placing emotional emphasis towards my horses training, I try to stay true to what I believe solidifies our relationship. What may be easiest to do for my horse physically, might be emotionally most difficult and that is equally as important as physical. I learned this recently and believe it to be honest and valuable way of perceiving training techniques. I enjoy your videos thank you so much for sharing. Anita Leander

[@likaangel8302]

Thank you for being so transparent 👍😊 You are truly amazing 👏❤

[@info6856]

I love that you show us the 'not so perfect' parts too!

[@jerowe20]

Great lesson for all Not just horse people

[@amydillonequestrian9716]

This is definitely hard for me. I am a very type A person and achievement is huge for me so when my horses say no, I feel like I’ve failed to accomplish the thing.

[@AlmaVidaHorseRanch]

I really enjoyed watching this video! I'm amazed how many people admitted that it's hard to allow their horse to say "no". I thought I was the only one ;) I can tell that when I start allowing my mare to say no, it's going to be a game-changer. It's amazing how the work we do on ourselves directly reflect on the work we do with our horses. Thank you for sharing

[@passionatehorsemanship3334]

It has been really hard for me to let my horse say no. It's a pride and ego thing and feeling like they are disobeying me. When now, thanks to you I have other options to try instead of forcing them I can now allow them to say no. Thank you so much

[@cecewatson4066]

I see so many similarities between Mystic and Buffy - and this series has been so helpful for me! Thank you again Maddy for all of the time and effort you put into sharing your knowledge with us! I've just started working on fly spray with Buffy. She has a ton of anxiety around water and fly spray, so it's been very slow going. But between the start button and the redirection technique, we're making some huge progress. Letting her say "no" has been a huge challenge for me, but the results have been so rewarding. And I know that I'm changing myself in the process. It goes so much deeper than just "horse training". Thank you for helping me realize this over the past couple of years! ❤❤

[@MustangMaddy]

Cece, I am so glad this is resonating deeply for you, and that you are seeing such improvements with Buffy using these techniques

[@rachelpeters4902]

Hi maddy I met you at the Denver horse expo 2019 and I loved everything you did it was very inspiring and also I do have trouble letting the horse say no I feel like I do push it to far sometimes I'm not a horse trainer yet I'm only 12 but that's what I want to do so I'm gathering up info and you have really helped me I work at a therapeutic riding center and I help them train the horses for therapy and so part of training them is desensitizing them to "scary objects" you have helped so much thanks!

[@rikki-lee2835]

I very much want to learn how to let my horse say no. He is very introverted, left brained and completely deaf. He does enjoy being with me most of the time but shuts down very quickly. I haven't let him say no yet because I feel I'll get nothing done ever :( which is more a reflection on me than him that I need to overcome.

[@carolbader8416]

Thank you for all your time and help

[@kimberlyloveless8581]

This is such a wonderful video and concept and so well explained. I really have not ever considered whether or not the horse can say yes or no, but just considered it all part of the training process. As you point out, using only -R, you keep going until the horse gives even the smallest glimmer of the correct answer. The way this is broken down makes it very easy to see, understand and implement. I cannot think of any other thing that would build trust between a horse and human than allowing them to have a say, based on their level of comfort, in what is being asked. Well done.

[@MustangMaddy]

Wow Kimberly, thank you so much for this feedback! I am so grateful that this has been informative and is making sense! Love your new revelations

[@mustanghannah]

Great video!!!! Very helpful!!!!

[@MustangMaddy]

Thank you Hannah!!! I am so glad this was impactful for you

[@TheAsiaspirit]

In answer to your question, I am sure I equate some stuff with my lack of information, I am sure that I don't come across clear enough in some cases. In other cases I feel more confident because I see the horse thinking and relaxing. If I am not clear I know that the horse won't be able to read my intent and I don't blame myself per say I just go back to the information which you provide in a way I can understand and then relay to my horse. I can't wait to get started and if you can send or direct me to the link that will start me out on your "Retraining steps"? I will be glad to sign up?

[@astranger8u]

I think that I just had a moment now walking my mare and new colt. I had to drag him (not literally but pressure him far more than I would have liked to). My mare is still not as tolerant as can be with him yet and he was weary of her. I felt stuck between a rock and my mare walking on to the lower pasture. Next time I will walk with him alone and bring the target. I feel like a failure when these things happen.

[@mirandajohnson9559]

This episode is gold for me and Wyatt. He's a sweet, but willful burro so he is very comfortable with saying no. I knew it would be different with him versus a horse in terms of how he processes things, but it's definitely been frustrating at times when he says no. It throws me off. Sometimes I can find ways around it and sometimes I just don't know how to proceed without sending him the wrong message. He has always done better when given more choices. It seems like he feels "trapped" when I get "task tunnel vision" and then is more likely to say no. This video gives me some more tools to use so we can redirect our efforts, both of us can stay on track, and we can maintain a productive and respectful relationship. Thanks Maddy!!!

[@jenniemorel5400]

You are amazing. I love the work you're doing with horses. You inspire me to be a better rider and owner.

[@cfaulconer996]

Thank you so much!!! Your techniques are really helping me build a better relationship with my horse!

[@juliecox8694]

Love all your training advice! Will use on my mustang Amber!

[@MustangMaddy]

Thank you Julie! I am thrilled that this is helpful for you!

[@bethvallieres964]

Absolutely!! Recently, I've been struggling SO much with this, because I have directly tied my self worth to my accomplishments and what people think of me. And the stories that write themselves in my head are pretty awful. Interestingly enough, I rarely allow myself to say no, I am such a people pleaser. Because of this, I'm realizing that a true yes is so much more rewarding, so much more important, and I have let my relationship with the horse suffer so that my ego and self worth doesn't.

[@cheyennemason4193]

Yes! Exactly like you, if a training session doesn't go well and we have to end I get very upset like what are you do you don't know horses at all and you'll never get her to listen to you she hates you now. And its hard for me to be able to bounce back from that.

[@patdavis1851]

This was a very timely video for me. My horse Grace has been trying to walk away when I go to pick up her back feet. She will walk to a cone. Now I know what that was all about! I will take it slower with her and go back to easy things when she gets stressed. I am glad you mention these techniques for horses with aggression, because she gets aggressive when I put on pressure. Allowing her to say no has been difficult for me, because with her aggression, I feel like I am giving in to my fear of her, and maybe making her more dominant. But that has not been the case. She is getting sweeter, little by little. I post videos on my FB page, and lots of my friends, and their friends, watch them and are following our progress. Which really makes it hard to admit to all the steps back I have had to take with her in order to get steps forward. I get lots of suggestions from people who have never even had a horse. 3 of my friends who have clicker trained dogs have made good suggestions to me -- like the one you made about put the relationship first, and the rewards are worth the extra time. I really, really appreciate you!

[@MustangMaddy]

Wow Pat! Thank you so much for sharing this story. How EXCITING that your horse is blossoming with the clicker training! It is hard to stand alone in the horse training industry and use such alternative methods, you are incredibly courageous for going on this journey! So excited for your aha moments and compassion for your horse

[@farthernorther]

Just now saw this Maddy and you surely get the Brilliante Award for the day with your tea time. First, even the pros , get the no's. and the stories we make up and say !! Love your perspective on the saying no. Thank you Cindy

[@Julie-jv6pp]

Loved this video, as I have all of them so far. I’ve inadvertently allowed my horses to say no at times-basically letting them say no because the situation was getting frustrating for the horse as well as me and I was done pushing so just let it all go for the moment. So as it turns out, that was the correct response on my part, though I didn’t understand the concept behind deliberately allowing them to say no if they want to say no. I’ll be working on implementing A to B and also being okay with them saying no. I agree with some other commenters that doing it in private is easier/less stressful than in front of other people. But I really do prefer to have the relationship over the results, even if it takes longer. Following your methods has really been opening my eyes to having a different, more positive relationship overall with my horses-having them be less creatures that are there for my use, and more creatures who are true companions and friends. I like the latter relationship much better!

[@normagaunce9630]

Yes it's hard to let my horse say no. It is ego. Thank you Maddy ❤

[@sidpodvorec6183]

Thank you Maddy for continuing the Mystic Series. I have continued to study your technique and how you continue to introduce issues that you have an explain them so fluently. I always struggle with getting the training method down and run into issues with training and wind up with standing in the pen with my mare going, "now what?" I am looking forward to more of this because my goal is to get out of the "now what?" situations. Thank you for explaining in such detail of the what, how and why.

[@MustangMaddy]

Sid, I am so happy that this has been helpful for you!!! This is why I do what I do

[@ginaburton1491]

This approach makes so much sense. How do I keep an optional approach when I need to load him in a trailer and he is not in the mood to go in?

[@reneei885]

I have a horse that can worry and get a bit reactive when I ask him to do certain things in our Liberty training. I love the A to B technique! I have actually, unknowingly, been doing that with my horse because I noticed when he started to worry that just going back to something he felt confident in doing would calm him down and bring his confidence back. Thank you for sharing these wonderful videos and your knowledge. I love learning from them❤🐴

[@MustangMaddy]

Aah love this Renee! So cool that you had the same findings in your training as well

[@the-natural-hand-horsemanship]

Oh my goodness you live in an amazing place, wow wow wow

[@alirainwater786]

Thank You Maddy this is a very informative episode for me, perfect timing. I have a BLM mare who has been out to pasture for the last several months, I have had her about 1 year and she has been gentled and started under saddle. I have just started getting her back onto my work load. She has become more resistant to haltering, hoof trimming, trailer loading etc. Lot's of " No's " going on. I wouldn't say I completely felt like a failure but there has been tons of frustration on my part which definitely has created tension in the relationship. She is such a cool horse and I've been feeling like I'm ruining things between us.I am enjoying watching your process with Mystic and am excited to start playing with these concepts with her. I also will be starting the gentling process soon with a gelding for a TIP Challenge in November, so I'm excited to see how I can apply these concepts to the first touch and first haltering with a complete fresh slate.

[@MustangMaddy]

Love this Ali! I am so happy that this has been helpful for you! I can't wait to hear about how things go with your mustang

[@mp3michael]

Wonderful. Especially actually observing the interactions and the NOs. It is ego bruising to get a 'no' because i interpret it as defiance. What i try to remind myself is that the animal is just overwhelmed. It's not a FU. The animal just has some growing to do. I've trained donkeys and horses and donkeys you must allow Nos otherwise you risk a mega fight and donkeys have a stubbornness that horses don't usually have. You're winning me over to positive reinforcement although all the baby steps and A-B seems to take a huge amount of time which is daunting.

[@MustangMaddy]

Yes Michael! It takes so much self awareness and development to be able to let your horse say no without taking it personally. Love your realizations here! I can definitely relate, it is daunting to look at the amount of time and steps it takes to build such a strong foundation. I like to see it like building a house... If you don't take the time to build a strong foundation, the house could fall apart and need rebuilt all over again!

[@johannaw.6735]

So interesting, awesome work! I like how calm and confident you are:D Do you recommend using positive reinforcement for every horse or do you differentiate what fits more to the horse? I'm asking because I learned to work a lot with negative reinforcement the last years, because I work with a quite dominant horse which also tries to attack humans if he feels insecure. So I am a little unsure about letting him saying no when it comes to back up or something because in the past there were situations when I asked for back up and as answer he ran forward into me. That didn't happen for a long time now but nevertheless I try to be really consequent that he does the exercise correctly. How would you deal with an exercise the horse does not really like but where it might be dangerous if it does not work?

[@d.l.bamlett4393]

Hi Maddy love your baby step horse communication! I only have a corral with sand and the rest a very large pasture hes used to escaping into. Should i introduce his feed in the same area so i dont end up walking all over the place?

[@passionatehorsemanship3334]

The download link is not working 😞

[@BillZaspel]

Is there a point in the evolution of training, as you advance that targets change levels? Specifically, would the cones become a C and the halter become a B if the saddle becomes the primary object as an A? Also, I notice your use of verbal enforcement to encourage Mystic when she's on a correct response path toward the correct target. Am I correct is the secondary verbal enforcement? Final thought: I'm always wondering about the balance of the relationship I have between my horse and myself and what the costs are for the associated training. I worry about stressing that relationship too much in the early part of building connection and I'm very careful. Answering the question of the day, very late to the game here, but I was once classified during a professional performance review by my supervisor as "results oriented" and your comment really rings true of my type A personality. It's tough for me to relinquish that part of my control oriented personality. But I'm working on changing myself as well as enhancing my Horse/Human relationship. Thanx

[@dianasumrall370]

I cant get this link to actually download . Free PDF download, "8 Shaping Guidelines":

[@serenamastrosavas5378]

That would be my fear also that if I allowed my horse to say no that he would always say no.

[@andreabenfell5580]

Hi, I am from NZ. I have a rescue off track 4yr gelding.He is disrespectful ,mouthy and is not taking much notice of me.He is not fearful of things ,more likely to want to play with whatever it is. He seems to want to be around me,just a bit too close.lol. I need to find a way forward with him ,but dont know where to start. Can you help me find a starting point?

[@mikeburton1703]

how are you clicking?

[@ldebrobander]

How do you establish a leadership role with a horse by allowing them to control the sessions? Sincere question because I just purchased a new horse and I want to train him right. Thank you! 💝

[@ellentraquair3974]

Jetequitheory has just posted a fantastic video about establishing leadership and how it isnt backed by science. I really reccomend!

[@ellentraquair3974]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/kGWkc5eQoc6Jhbc here is the link

[@fondnessknocks]

I have a question- I don’t have my own horse, I’m more of a beginner rider, and I only ride lesson horses who have been trained with -R. I’ve been told to yank their faces and kick kick kick, but I really try to keep a light hand and be mindful of release of pressure... and I try to sneakily use scratches as reinforcement vs yanking... and not push the horse when it is clear to me they’re not going to do what I asked. Obviously as a beginner I might just not be asking correctly for the trot or canter.. but after watching this, I wonder if I’m going about it wrong since the horses were trained -R. Maybe I am reinforcing them to say no? Is there anything I can do that’s more +R for these lesson horses, when they’re not my horses? Or is it something they’d have to learn first?

[@mschuurm52]

I've been in a similar situation in the past! First off, if your trainer is telling you those things, then you really need to find a different trainer! My heart breaks for lesson horses such as this because it seems they have become very dull and shut down. There could also be health, wellness and discomfort issues that need to be addressed. Horses seem so big and strong but in reality can be quite fragile. However, since this isn't your horse, it's beyond your control. If you continue to book lesson time on this horse then you could be contributing to the issue for this animal. Secondly, since they aren't your horses, it isn't wise to use R+. As a beginner, your timing probably isn't where it needs to be yet so finding some practice drills to help with timing your release will go a long way. In that regard, it's also difficult to get your timing right if you are struggling or trying to develop your own posture, balance and softness of aids. Try to find a lesson horse that you don't need to manage as much so you can focus on your equitation.

[@shadyrocks6316]

What treats/rewards do you all use for the positive reinforcement?

[@lizarutherford2477]

Hi Shady, I use scratches or hay pellets. With my mustang who needed to take icky medicine, I played around with carrot, molasses licks and hay pellets. Hay pellets are usually fine. You can also reinforce with favourite behaviours. I would highly recommend doing MMs course as ttraining calmness around food and being in treat receiving mode is essential. Some v motivated horses can become over aroused and dangerous if the training isnt set up correctly. Maddys courses are fabulous. These videos give a superb taster.

[@cowgirl9768]

What do you do if you are just starting to teach them to target so you don’t have a cue they know really well for a B level behavior but they are shutting down and becoming disinterested?

[@ellentraquair3974]

I would heighten the value of reward and reward smaller attempts. This should increase interest.

[@coragreer4426]

Make the reward better and definitely get a que

[@kimberlyditlefsen2018]

do you still read comments??

[@user-ju3bt9io2k]

Yes!! I’m getting better! However….I have a lot to learn and a long row to hoe!! You’re teaching an old dog new tricks’k