Franklin Levinson's
Horse Help Center
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Love, Trust & Horses
I have been reading about you and I think you’re amazing. I have taken your advice and I am currently working with a Morgan that's a year old. She is starting to trust me I feel being this is my first experience with a young horse. I pet her and love her and brush her, and have been teaching her how to lead. Yesterday she showed me affection for the first time and it was such a wonderful feeling that I have never felt before. I am not experienced with training a horse but I do know how to love so that's what I am doing with her. I want to earn her trust, that's the most important thing to me. Anyway I was wondering if you could offer some advice, I would love to know if there is more I can do to make her know I love her and want to be her friend.
Thank for your time, Sally Faircloth
Hi Sally,
Actually, the more you do with her, the bigger your relationship will grow. The more successful and appropriate your leadership and communication is with her the more she will come to you. You do not have to touch her a lot. Give her a verbal "Good Girl" in a soothing and confident tone. Don't over do it. Give praise when it is earned. Most of the time we over input our horses. Even the affection we want to give is usually over done so as to de-sensitize the horse to our touches. Become as horse like as you possibility can. Stop being so human with your horse. Be the great parent/herd leader. Be the benevolent, knowledgeable, compassionate and confident leader the horse is always looking for. Your horse will love you for it. Trusting it is safe is paramount for the horse. The more you can help a horse to trust it is safe with you, the more it wants to be right there beside you. Consistency is extremely important. Be the great parent, the super Mom. These are some of the things you can do to get your horse to love you more and for it to know you love him. Take a look at the essay I wrote on 'Trust' that is on the website. Let me know your thoughts. I would love to hear them. Thank you for your question.
Sincerely, Franklin