Are you a horse trainer?

by Elaine Polny
(Palgrave, Ontario, Canada)

I have met many horse owners who think they are not a trainer, but the truth is, everyone who interacts with a horse "is a trainer" whether they know it or not!

At this point I would also prefer to use the term "teacher" rather than "trainer". It is more relevant and indicates a flow of information back and forth rather than one way. It's also very prudent of us to be aware that the horse cannot be responsible for the learning process or be expected to just know. If we define what a great teacher wants, it's to have the student "learn". If a student doesn't learn, then who do we look to for the reason? That's right, the teacher! That is why I feel it necessary for the responsibility to learn or make changes, must come from the human and not the horse.

Every horse is trying to interpret what a person is trying to ask, taking from their experiences they have learned to date. Since every person's experiences and body languages are different too, that's why the same horse will react differently to different people and riders. Each time there is an interaction something is learned from the horse, the catch is, will it will be a behavior wanted or unwanted? This becomes more evident when a person buys a new horse and slowly they start changing. Often its complaints like the horse didn't do this before. This is also the reason that to just train someone's horse for them and hand them back isn't very effective without the owner learning along with the horse's education.

Does this mean that everyone needs to learn how to teach a horse from the very beginning stages where the horse has never had a rider on them? Not at all, because that does take a lot more experience and savvy. But once you have a horse agreeable to be ridden, everyone needs to participate in learning how a horse thinks, reacts and learns. In this case knowledge is not only power but also safety.


The best way to become a good horse trainer is to be a better listener than a talker! Just as being a good communicator with people, the person who listens will have a better understanding about the conversation. Always asking a question and waiting patiently for a response.

So when people come to me my goal is not to make them just a good rider (that’s the easy part), they quickly realize I am helping them to become a great "teacher". It's not only more satisfying for the horse but also the human!

Don't be overwhelmed about learning something new and don't shy away from information that at first feels different or strange. If humanity didn't learn daily, then we would still be living in caves! :0) Embrace learning, knowing that you will positively impact others to a better life for horses and the humans that interact with them!

And since every Teacher gives their students further directions for learning! Here's your homework! :0) Study the pages within this website paying particular attention to understanding the methodologies regarding positive and negative reinforcement. This is the doorway to the horse's heart!

And then when someone asks you, "Are you a horse trainer?" Your reply with be, "Yes, but really I am a horse Teacher!". :0)

And what's a common gift to give to teachers and horses? They both like getting apples! :0)

Elaine Polny
Horses by Nature