My breathing trick for when a horse is fidgety

I had a colt last month that would not stop shifting during a trim. My own nerves were making it worse, so I tried focusing on my breath. I breathe in slow, count to three, then let it out. It helps me stay steady and the horse often chills out too. Simple thing, but it changed how I handle those days.

3 comments

3 Comments

maxl933d ago

Oh man, that is so real. I had a super spooky horse last spring that would feed off my own tension in a heartbeat. I started doing almost the same thing, but I would pretend to breathe out slowly through my feet into the ground. It sounds silly, but forcing that long exhale made my whole body unlock. The change in his posture was instant, like he finally had a solid spot to stand on because I was solid. That focus on your own breath is everything when they get fidgety.

amy_kelly3d ago

Actually @maxl93, i find focusing on dropping my heels works better than the feet thing.

xenas163d ago

Yeah, I'll sometimes pair the slow breath with keeping my voice low and steady too. It gives the horse another calm signal to tune into, beyond just your body. It's like @amy_kelly focusing on her heels, just using a different part of you to ground everything.