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.

4 comments

4 Comments

maxl931mo 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_kelly1mo ago

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

patriciarivera1mo ago

My friend Sarah had a mare that would spin at every plastic bag. She started counting her breaths out loud, like "one Mississippi, two Mississippi," real slow. It forced her shoulders down and her seat to settle. I told her about @amy_kelly's heel trick too, and she said mixing the breath count with really pushing her heels down was what finally worked. The mare went from a coiled spring to just chewing on the bit within a few rides.

xenas161mo 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.