Training a horse always starts with establishing a base of respect and trust.  

The basic foundation of my C.A.L.M. Training Method consists of six things
if properly taught and learned, will keep both you and your horse safe. 

 By moving forward too fast or skipping steps you risk mentally losing your horse as well has his trust and respect.  Then your all efforts towards becoming his True Partner will be futile.

True Partnership recognizes that horses don't really need us; we are guests in their world.   Very simply, we have two ways of establishing a relationship: we can either barge in and face a wall of resistance, OR establish contact based on respect and two way communication.   The first way is a relationship based on fear.  The second is the C.A.L.M. method of training.  C.A.L.M. stands for the Calm Australian Learning Method, which is based on the principles of respect, trust, communication, and love.  

RESPECT & TRUST

It's impossible to separate respect and trust.   Trust can never be earned without respect, and respect is earned with consistent and effective horse handling.  Your horse will not respect you if you tell him to do something, and then allow him to get away with avoiding or refusing. 

Body position and the knowledge of herd dynamics are important when you're teaching a horse to respect you.  Horses position  themselves either offensively or defensively.  The herd leader can exert control or show authority over the herd by its body position.  The leader of the herd has control of the first the mind, then the body and finally the feet of the horses under her authority.  At first she'll be aggressive, reaching to bite and kick to put the other horses in their social positions.  After she has their respect, she has control.  She doesn't gain control and respect by sweetly asking "her little darlings to pretty please move their behinds out of her way".  Nope.  She TELLS them what they’re to do and then backs it up quickly and consistently if they refuse.

The same goes with our relationships with our horses.  While we certainly don't have to bite or kick to demand respect and exert control over our horses, we do need to learn the difference between offensive and defensive body positions and how to use them.  Learn to be assertive without being harsh.  Once we have our horses' respect, we have control of our horses' minds, bodies and feet!  Learn to drive a horse away and bring him back by changing only your body position.    Your stick and flag are an extension of your arm and allow you to either reward a good job, ask for an action, or insist on compliance, depending upon how it's applied and how much energy you put into the application. 

Be consistent.  Be aware.  If you "doze off" while working with a horse, even one you considers your trusted friend, you will get hurt. 

I talk about "fixing your horse up" to be able to follow through with what you've asked him to do.  Simply, that means that you make it easy for him to do the "right thing", or what you're asking of him, and uncomfortable for him to ignore you.  It also allows your horse to figure things out and to be rewarded for his ability to learn.  It's simple.  It's just us humans that tend to make it complicated.

 THE SIX THINGS I TEACH A HORSE ARE:

Stop
Turn left
Turn right
Back
Stand with with a rider on his back
Carry a saddle

SAFETY:
1. I always teach these skills on the ground BEFORE I think about mounting the horse. 
2. Your horse can quickly and safely learn these six skills. 
3. If you skip any of these steps you put both you and your horse in danger.   

USING A ROUND PEN:
The  round pen provides your horse the allusion of freedom.  This preserves your horse's dignity instead of making him feel like he has lost something.  Round pen work helps your horse feel he's gained you as his trusted friend.  Once your horse trusts you, the mental doors are open and he is receptive to obtaining new knowledge.   With knowledge and training your horse's world opens and his life becomes more  interesting.  It's better to go on trail rides with his "buddies" and have fun than be left behind in a barn.  And you certainly didn't buy a horse so you can park him in a stall while your "buddies" head out to have fun on the trails.

COMMUNICATION

Since horses aren't capable of learning to talk we have to learn to think like a horse and to talk like a horse.  Horses are intelligent and sensitive animals.   A human who isn't thinking like a horse may consider their horse dumb, but it's really about the human’s communication skills and not the intelligence of their horse!

Horses are prey animals and all of their actions and reactions are for one reason- survival.  Horses are "spooky" because it's safer for them in the wild to run away than to stick around and see if they're going to be eaten.  We've domesticated the horse, but the survival instinct is still there.

When you learn to think like a horse, you look at all of your actions from a horse's point of view.  If you quickly reach out to a horse's face they pop up their head and pull back.  How do they know you're not going to claw their eyes out?  Be slow.   Be patient.  Think C.A.L.M.

Here's a simple example of communicating like a horse:

To say "hello" to a horse in a horse's language close your hand before you come up to him, then let him smell it.   Leave the approach to him.   Remember, he startles easily.  Don't wave like you would to another human!   Your horse will take that as a threatening gesture.  Be slow.  Think C.A.L.M. and the rest will eventually happen.

Horse's brains are different from ours.  Since each eye is controlled by the corresponding side of the horse's brain, you must repeat all actions and training on both sides of your horse.  His left brain and right brain don't communicate with each other.  That's why you can spend five or ten minutes convincing your horse that a piece of plastic stuck in a tree will not kill him to pass and when you come back the other way he acts like he has never learned about plastic before.  He hasn't , at least not on that side of his brain!  Don't get mad because you think he's being stupid or stubborn.  He’s just being a horse.  It's up to you to learn horse language if you want to communicate with your horse.

LOVE

You may not want to hear this, but our horses don't love us.   They respect us.  They look to us for protection and companionship.  They nicker when they see us because we're a member of their herd or we supply them food or water.  But, they don't love us.  Horses work on instinct and don't  experience human emotions.  Love is a human emotion. 

If we are True Partners with our horses, they respect us.  Respect, in this case, isn't an emotion.  It's based on instinct, herd dynamics, and survival.    And, just like in a herd, it's earned.   Be your horse's True Partner by earning his respect, controlling his mind, body, and feet, and keeping both you and him safe.  It will make him feel secure.

I don't feed my horses from my hand.  To do so encourages your horse to nip or bite, or to invade your space looking for a snack   If you must give your horse a treat, put it in with his food.

Likewise, I don't smack my horse for a job well done.  A gentle rub is more soothing, rewarding, and loving than a smack on the neck or shoulder.  You don't smack your horse, you say?   Horses don't "pat" each other.  They rub.  Do the same if your want your horse to understand that they've done a good job and that you love them.  Just remember that it's about the love and passion you have about horses and your horse in particular.   For all horses including your horse, it's all about food, shelter, and the safety of your companionship.   By domesticating your horse your have become his herd.

Show your horse love by setting him up to succeed.

Don't give your horse more than he can chew on; quit on a good note.  If you reward the good and ignore the bad he'll never know he failed. 

For me, love for my horses is about the passion I feel for these noble animals and the passion I feel about teaching everyone I can reach to keep their horses and themselves safe.    Our horses are totally dependent upon us.  It's completely up to us to protect them.    My goal is to teach as many people as possible to be safe with their horses.  My C.A.L.M. method provides the foundations for a lifetime of success and enjoyment.  I can provide the mental and physical tools, but it's up to you to pick them up and make a go of it. 

I hope this has given you an idea of what True Partnership  and my C.A.L.M. method of training are about.  It's a combination of good sense and learning to read horses and I'll be happy to share with you, what ever it takes to keep you and your horse safe.

Do you have questions about True Partnership and C.A.L.M.?   Would you like to schedule a clinic or bring your horse for training at my True Partnership Training Facility?   

Drop me an e-mail or give me a call at 765-729-1217.
 I'll get back to you as soon as I can.   

Hope you have a g'day, mates! 
I'm looking forward to teaching you to be your horse's True Partner!

TJ