EXERCISES TO BUILD CONFIDENCE: TARP WORK, PART 2

In my previous blog post, we looked at some confidence building exercises you can do with a helper dragging a tarp. Once the horse is comfortable with your helper dragging the tarp behind him, you will move to the next step: taking control of the tarp yourself and dragging it without a helper. When I have control of the tarp, I will walk straight lines and also make turns and circles around the tarp. When circling around the tarp, the tarp stays to the inside, well away from the horse, and the rope does not touch him.  

Exercises to Build Confidence: Tarp Work, Part 1

While the Four Intentions work we looked at in my last blog post helps a horse learn to remain calm under pressure, we can take that development even further with other exercises that build the horse’s confidence to the point where he moves beyond calm and...