Are You Making Your Horse More Anxious? 

One of my favorite quotes from Mark Rashid who is also a big martial arts guy: "Horsemanship is the art of mastering our own movements, thoughts, emotions and behaviors. Not The horses."

"we tend to think about the things we dont want to happen rather than the things we do want to happen" what a great quote

i will walk from now on on all four and eat grass just to get therapie from this guy.

I love the path Warwick Schiller has shared with us. He has become the Equine Zen Master :)

It's really cool to hear from a guy who not only understands horse anxiety but human anxiety as well. I'm learning how to train horses at school, and it's been especially hard for me because I already have pretty bad anxiety. A lot of times my babies will spook or react to me stiffening my body or jumping out of the way because I think they're going to freak out. Right out of high school I worked grooming someone's polo ponies and got yelled at by the owner because I had somehow soured his horses by being so anxious. I love working with horses and it's not something I'm willing to give up, but I'm trying to work on my own anxiety for their sake and mine. I don't know of any other horse people who deal with this but I'd love to hear from anyone who has overcome or minimized their anxiety while working with horses. Trying to figure it out myself but it's hard.

I was taught by my first instructor to always hold the rope about 4 inches from the halter and make sure the horse keeps his head down. Horse moved his head to look at something. Yank. Horse turns his head because a car starts. Yank. That’s how I was taught so I didn’t know better. My next instructor. Put a stop to it right away. The horse I rode for lessons would rear and pitch a fit if I put pressure on his halter for no reason. I remember one day he got a bit looky at a gate because the chain securing it was a bit loose and I yanked on his lead (because that was a was used to doing) and he pitched a fit. Rearing and bucking and screaming. The second I let go of the lead it’s like a switch flipped. Calm and collected. This horse was trained a certain way and the type of personality that would let you know when you were wrong. He was the perfect horse to teach me how to properly handle horses.

Horses are super Teachers. Energies, Awareness, InnerSelf, Breathing, Heart rate Intention that leads to Actions (instead of reactions from emotions)... It's the '' A-B-C'' and the ''1-2-3'' of communication. Thank you Sir

It's a very similar situation with dogs. People say they're dog pulls them down the street when they go for a walk. I watch what they do with the leash and it's held very tight and the more the owner pulls back, the more the dog pulls forward (opposition reflex). Then, when the owner perceives something is coming up that might negatively affect the dog, they wrap the leash around their hand and hold even tighter. So, the dog is already tense and nervous and they haven't even seen anything yet. Hard to get people to let up on the leash, and also not talk to the dog too much. Like horses, dogs don't communicate as much vocally as they do with energy and body language.

My horse hadn’t been ridden in close to 5 years. Recently I started working with her again. Before I found your channel. She’s a great little Arab mare. I needed exercise so for about a month I would just take her out for walks like a dog just to get her off the farm. She would snort and blow at the neighbors cows, tire tracks in the sand road and puddles. When I let the rope hang loose she ended up circling me for about the first half mile. Didn’t try to get loose from me but would was just driving me nuts with what I felt was something she shouldn’t be doing. When I tightened up with that arm out to the right she was almost on top of me. I’ve had my aw-haw moment from watching this. After the first half mile I just let her do circles by the time we got back to the farm she was better and was even walking on the tractor tire tracks. My farrier offered to do the first ride. It was like she hadn’t forgotten a thing. He asked if I was sure she hadn’t been ridden in that length of time. I rode her that day after he did. She did great. He had to go and didn’t want to leave until I was off of her. He advised to “not ride too long” I assured him I would be fine. I didn’t listen. It was so good to be back up there again. I stayed in the pasture and rode for an hour+. Decided to take her out to the front pasture. Long story short..out of nowhere she started crow hopping. I fell off managed to hang on to one rein so she didn’t get away. I was not injured just ego bruised. After the spill I was PO’d when I got to my feet I lunged her around me in both directions until my own adrenaline came down. As I was leading her back up to the house to find something to use as a mounting block, I knew I had to get back up there and then or I might chicken out forever. Found a chair got back on. Rode for about 15 minutes and all was fine. Had a conversation with her told her if she took care of me I’d take care of her and if she ever did that again she was dog food. That was 3 weeks ago. I found your channel. I’ve been saddling her and working her in the round pen (from the ground only). Now I said all that to say I want to get back on but it’s cold. I’m making excuses or is it wisdom? She’s a great little horse and of course I was smiling when I made the dog food comment to her. She will out live me as I’m and old woman that roles when I hit the ground and refuses to stay down. I thank you for your wisdom and you’re sharing it. Looking for other people to ride with but all my riding freinds have quit or went and died on me

Warwick Schiller is such a great teacher! Nobody ever explained How my actions affect the horse and Why it affects the horse, in such an organized thought out way.

A funny thing about a horse...the more you try to stop them from moving their feet, the more they need to move their feet. And, the more you allow them to move their feet, the more likely they are to not need to move their feet. It's counterintuitive, but true. Food for thought. ;)

I have horses since 30 years. This is one of the best videos about interacting with a horse I ever saw.

It's the same with dogs on a leash.

Thank you-I've had some success with relaxation while leading recently after years of "fighting", and I'm really enjoying it. Yesterday, I experienced a moment where while leading my horse somewhere, instead of "looking" to see where he was, I had shifted to "feeling", through the rope and ground vibrations. Really powerful!

Leading .it is one of the things that ought to be rethought and rethaught in all equine schools.firstly we have to be able to admit that our believe of being able to control the Horse by holding him tight is a myth.

These videos have helped train ME so much. I have a very sensitive TB that two years ago he had so many rabbits it was an effort to get him from the pasture to the barn safely and I realize now that I wasn’t even aware I was adding to his tension. Now I’m able to quickly get him back down when he becomes stressed about something because he trusts me and knows that I know! #journeyon20

interesting what you say about looking where you want to go - I discovered years ago that I could make my spooky horse spook by focusing on a point in the hedge or something, but then also I could stop him spooking by noticing what he was looking at and then making a point of looking elsewhere. He's an anxious one by nature but my behaviour has a big impact on his!

🖤🤎❤️🧡💛🤍🐎 5:53 Look where you want to go, not where you don’t want to go. Our tendency is to think about all you don’t want to happen instead of what you do want! So to work around horses you have to learn to control your thoughts, energy, and physical body language. These are the most important words you can integrate into every aspect of your life! This applies to everything! Getting out of a skid in a car on a slippery surface, getting out of a difficult situation in a relationship, having clear images in your mind for animals to see and understand better, and on and on 1:02 Horses are silent communicators. The horse is really reading our energy all the time, just as it does in a herd to receive messages of alert to danger!! Great description! 1:52 If a horse can’t make pressure go away, it makes them anxious. (holding the lead rope shirt and tight is pressure, looking directly at a horses face are esp eyes is pressure, facing the horse with one’s body can also be pressure… so many things) 2:12 You have to understand that you don’t control the horse! You have to control you. And when you control yourself, then the horse can figure out how to control itself…. from your body language! 2:40 A horses sense of security comes from the sense of awareness of the herd… and humans etc. (A prey animal has to be aware of everything going on around them in order to live to the next day!)

I love that control your thoughts and your energy… it’s the same for teaching kids too!

I have been that person - fearful that a strong, frisky horse will pull me about, and unconsciously making the horse more anxious, more dangerous. I am so grateful to Warwick for sharing his equine wisdom journey. His more recent posts are full of a deep understanding of equines, and are so inspiring. Cheers so much Mr Schiller!

Thank you !

Just what I needed today!

So well explained!

Good advice!

Great video 👍 we all needed that

Incredible advice! Thanks mate!

Great explanation!

Excellent content!

A video I really needed! Thank you Warwick☺️

Brilliant Warwick. Thank you so much.

That was great advice. Thanks for this video.

Awesome information. Thanks

So good!!!!thank you...as always a lot to think of

Thank you so much for the information.

I love this so much. It makes sense with most other species, too, including us. It can get super annoying and frustrating to always have some person hanging onto you like you might just disappear without that constant contact. In fact, it makes most of us want to disappear! How much more so it must be for horses having their heads being kept tightly constrained...

Great video. Thanks warwich

Totally agree about horses reading your energy! They can pick up on your anxiety through the driving lines.

There you go 👍🏼

Great explanations and advice. I love the calm manner with the horses.

This man is brilliant

Thank you. That stuff drives me nuts!!

I've tried so hard to work on myself with this. My poor mare tries so hard and when I relax, she does too. But staying relaxed has been a constant struggle for me for YEARS. I honestly don't know how to get over that. I'm sending her away to a family that will be better to her, and I can only hope that when she returns, I will be better for her. She's my baby ❤️

Excellent video!!👏👏 Although I've de-transitioned in later yrs to anti bits, spurs, tie downs etc, I greatly enjoy your channel. The heart & respect you have for horse's is what I love about you the most. Thank you for showing people how to become better. I've been watching Rick/Think Like A Horse for a handful of yrs which ironically enough, around 2yrs ago one of your videos was in my recommends. I hate most "Horsemanship" channel's but figured I'd take a peek. So glad I did!! About time I comment my thanks & gratitude for what you do. Cheers from Canada!

Warwick! this is a great video!

Thanks for making this so clear well spoken and easy to understand. You are a pro like no other at teaching and making difficult things easy to understand, especially when you explain it, and show us by doing it and your videos. Thank you always.👌

Thank you Warwick - I have a friend that can really use this video today 😁❤ I will be passing it along 👍

I love the kind way he trains horses. I don’t ride my rescue horse but have learned so much from him on just how to understand my horses feelings.

Yes..i am

Keep up the good work, you are a gifted educator.

Lucas, love you man! As War is saying. It goes back to the herd instinct of the horse. It will never be outdated 👍🏻Love you dude 👌😎

A good reminder get that other hand off that lead rope when leading Thanks!

Trying so hard not to be afraid... My horse is new... 10 yr old Appaloosa Morgan... Gelding. My dentist said he has scar tissue on the inside of his mouth from bit trauma. He bites the vet, he kicked a girl in his stall... So what confidence I DID have is pretty much gone.. He certainly feels MY nervousness..... Won't walk forward when I ask... No trust... Again, trying NOT to be high energy and understanding that it's ME creating most of our problems.... Not him.. Lol. Learning every single day!! Thanks for this!

Great points. Just like the response a horse gives by a humans touch. I have a nervous nellie Draft mare, when she's really uptight I take a deep breath, exhale "energy" and place my hand on her shoulder or neck with a calming touch and softly tell her she's ok and it hasn't failed me yet. They really do pick up and react to our energy as Warwick stated

If I ever get to work with horses, this is probably where I'm going to run into problems. At the same time, it's something that the horse can help, or teach me...you know, the whole mirror thing 😏 It's kind of why I really want to work with them. Thank you for this video! ❤️🌵☀️⛈️🌈☮️🐎

This is so very helpful. I just got a wonderful black Arabian. He’ll come to my barn soon and I want a smooth transition and not make him more nervous. He’s such a calm horse and I dont want to ruin that.

The word is empathic. Horses will know you better than you at times.

Nope. Can help you if you are. Any level. Any genre. Any breed. Thanks. Keep up the good work.

So eventhough my mare is usually quite good, now that shes had to stay in her stable for over a month for medical reasons and finally going for that first walk again ive got to say it was intense. But in the end, i have to say the same things still work :)

Best info ever. Thank you dude.

Das erinnert mich an Hunde mit Leinenaggression. Entferne den Besitzer mit seinem Dauerzug: Hund = nicht mehr aggressiv. Dauerspannung verursacht selten Gutes. Wir Menschen wollen unbewusst ständig Kontrolle (Da eines der menschlichen Grundbedürfnisse) Danke für dieses Video, es ist soo gut erklärt!

Yes This👏

Lol I had to read the comments on this one, hilarious! I have heard the "my horse hates men" bit on occasion, but with one when I saw how said man interacted with the horse I could understand why. I also saw 2 horses that didn't trust people come to trust me (brand new to horses) over people who had been around horses their entire life. Just treat others how you would want to be treated, and add animals in there too. (Not saying it would stop a lion from eating you though so, you know, use sense. ;)

I found something similar when I first began trail riding. I was always looking for something that might make my mare spook or try to avoid. Yup, she nearly always did. It was a few years later when I began to realise that if I didn't look at these potential spooks then neither did she. She had been picking up on my stress. Trail riding began to be so much more fun. It was also about then that I realised I didn't have a hope in hell of controlling my mare by holding the lead under her chin and it was so much easier to give her more lead.

Thank you for the valuable information and logical analysis.I like your flag .If you can tell me from where please?

I totally agree!!!-can’t go to horse events because of exactly your topic-eventing and people showing-to me if you cannot lead a horse behind or beside you with the line draped over your arm-I already have written you off as totally useless to the horse and I have no interest in anything except to show the person and teach them-which in the horse world is almost never going to happen-yup fear!!-people do not give the horse credit for recognizing the “Leader”-problem is these people are not horse leaders-most probably never will be-it is all attitude to communicate on the horse’s level-people just don’t get it-I have trained many people to be successful horse people-but it is a drop in the bucket-the only problem with horses are the one needing to lead them!!-people have to work out their own issues first before they try being a leader-and the biggest culprit is large barns with military style “coaches and trainers’-at least that is what they lead people to believe--funny thing is-why do race tracks, dressage barns-call on lowly self taught cowboy gentlers to break and train many of their best horses?-too bad the handlers and riders were not taught this art as well-not magic-just communication, understanding, proper assessing of the horses mind, body and needs to perform as a horse but putting their life in our hands!!

I wish they taught this to people you see on tv leading racehorses around the paddock. They all seem to literally hang on like Warwick describes here, and you see the horses getting more and more fractious. Yes, I know they are highly strung, but doesn’t that make them even more sensitive to that tense energy?

"Your thoughts control your energy control your physical movements." But my energy goes up in response to my horse, the thoughts come later. And different thoughts also don't make me feel better or calm me down.

Warwick what do you think of pull and release method? I let them go to the end of lead then do a quick pull and release and they come back to me no pressure out there pull and release, I do this method with most things I want to correct. Your principals have helped me think about what I’m doing, like you said you can have a thousand methods . Just wanted your thoughts on this….. 🇦🇺👍

Hi from Australia, I have a very anxious mare that i have had about 15 months. We have a close bond, but have a lot of issues under saddle with her spooking and getting really scared. While I have a great support source around me, we have discovered she has been used as a bronc. Therefore she is very unsafe to ride, are there any videos that would help with getting her safe to ride over time?🐎

I want my horse to stand still with the lead rope on the ground when cleaning the hooves but he just moves around... how can I fix it?

I would say the majority are

Hi Warwick! I have a quick question for you. I'm working on getting my horse "hooked on." I can get her attention on me and she'll follow, but she has a habit of sucking back and back until eventually she's walking 10 or 12 feet behind. Any tips?? Thank you!

My pony will follow me without the rope, she will play with me, run along side. But.... when the rope is on she will not move, unless it is from her stable to the field. The rope is always slack, I don't pull or shout. Usually someone has to gently push her from behind and she gradually moves. l've only had her three months, she was a rescue, and is fine to hack in company, infact she leads. Im wondering if she has a mistrust of being lead by humans in the past, but how to get over it now? any suggestions ?

Being completely calm and connected to my arab mare appears to not be enough anymore. She is very anxious in the paddock with the other horses and refuses to be lead away from them so I can focus on just her and me. How in the world can I correct this behavior? When she is in the round pen, she is calm, cuddly and warm but anywhere else and she tries to uphold her lead mare status with the other horses and disrespects me. How can I correct this?

Often you see horses led by the reins(English class) that are still on the neck of the horse.

Where do I get your flags from please?

🤯🤯🤯

The more I learn about horses, the more I think they're the hippies of the animal kingdom.

What do you do when your leading with slack and they take off abd whirl around and kick

From one of your other videos on anxious horses, I tried moving the lead rope as you showed, leave slack and walk in opposite direction. That actually worked the first time. I'm really excited about that and want to try again today. But I'm pretty sure the most common reason for the fear is getting our foot stepped on. That is my fear as have had it happen and my toes did get broken. What I notice when I watch you is that you never look at the horse unless you have to. Not sure how you can do that either. Your toes never get stepped on.

I love how the captioning translated your pronunciation of herd as hood. Works, huh?

So Nice 💘💘💘💘💘💘

Dogs are the same

herd

I'm genuinely curious how horses react to humans with covered faces.

I'm looking forward to all of the English riders who will comment with their refutes of this common sense, justifications, and excuses for why they lead horses this way lol. I struggle with this myself, but at least I know why and I actively question it. Most riders don't, and most instructors will shut people down if they question the method of leading under the chin.

ROFLMAO! Your accent is fooling the caption generator! Horses in "hood" situations?

Why are people wearing masks OUTSIDE, STANDING 20 FEET APART FROM EACH OTHER??!! Really??