Listen to and communicate with your horse-successfully

"This is a book for everyone who has ever looked at the constantly increasing list of methods and systems marketed as 'horsemanship' and wondered which of the many possible approaches would be most suitable for a particular behavior problem. Gincy Bucklin has distilled her many years of experience with horses and riders into a very useful, step-by-step, hands-on book. Bucklin's writing is smooth and easy to read, and no matter where you open this book, you'll find that her deep respect and affection for both equines and humans shines through."
-Dr. Jessica Jahiel, author of Riding for the Rest of Us

"Gincy Bucklin uses her decades-long experience with horses to answer that most frequently asked question: 'Why did my horse do that?' And she comes up with creative solutions that weave together traditional horse handling with the best of modern horse training, including my own personal favorite, clicker training."
-Alexandra Kurland, author of Clicker Training for Your Horse and The Click That Teaches video lesson series

It takes time for a horse to learn everything we want him to know. If we don't make our intentions clear to him in ways that he can understand, or if we don't listen to what he wants, problems may result. Featuring easy-to-follow, step-by-step advice, What Your Horse Wants You to Know reveals how to communicate effectively with your horse to create an atmosphere of mutual cooperation.

What Your Horse Wants You to Know focuses on improving your horse's behavior on the ground, so you can develop relationship and communications skills without the more challenging problems that arise once you're on his back.
* Use your entire body to communicate with your horse
* Show your horse that you respect his needs and feelings
* Be patient and consistent with your horse while having fun
* Understand your horse's fears and overcome them
* Respond appropriately to physiological or nutritional problems
* Use praise to make your horse feel confident and successful

Acknowledgments.

Preface.

Introduction: What You Need to Know to Help Your Horse.

Bathing: Afraid of the Hose.

Biting People.

Blankets: Fear of Blanketing.

Bridling: Fusses About His Ears.

Bridling: Raises or Throws Head When Removing.

Bridling: Won’t Open His Mouth.

Clipping, Resistance To.

Cold Weather Behavior.

Doctoring: Applying Eye Ointments.

Doctoring: Drenching.

Doctoring: Fear of Shots.

Doctoring: Soaking a Leg or a Foot.

Doctoring: Treating Wounds.

Ear-Shyness, Overcoming.

Feeding Problems: Bolting His Grain.

Feeding Problems: Making Noise While Waiting.

Feeding Problems: Picky Eater.

Feeding Problems: Throwing Grain Out of the Manger.

Feet, Refusing to Hold Up.

Feet, Refusing to Pick Up.

Feet: Refusing to Stand for the Farrier.

Gates, Problems With Arena.

Grazing in Hand Problems.

Grooming, Fussing or Fidgeting During.

Haltering, Resistance To.

Head-Shyness, Overcoming.

Kicking at Other Horses.

Kicking at People.

Leading, Breaking Away While.

Leading, Running Over Handler While.

Leading, Rushing Ahead While.

Leading, Spooking While.

Leading: Won’t Go When Asked.

Leg Wraps, Fussing About.

Longeing: Horse Won’t Start.

Longeing, Pulling Away While.

Longeing: Turning to Face You.

Mane Pulling, Resistance To.

Mounting, Moving During.

Nipping.

Panicking Against Crossties.

Panicking: Stepping on the Lead Rope or Reins.

Panicking When Caught in Something.

Panicking When Left Alone.

Pawing: Dangerous Striking.

Pawing for Treats.

Pawing From Nervousness.

Pawing: Mild Striking.

Personal Space: Bumping, Stepping on or Walking Into You.

Personal Space: Head Swinging.

Personal Space: Mugging for Treats.

Rearing as a Game.

Rearing When Being Led.

Saddling, Moving During.

Saddling: Problems While Being Cinched or Girthed Up.

Spooking at Familiar Objects.

Stall Problems: Breaking Out.

Stall Problems: Crowding.

Stall Problems: Fear of Doorways.

Stall Problems: Getting Cast.

Stall Problems: Kicking the Stall.

Stall Problems: Manure on the Wall, in the Manger or in the Water Bucket.

Stall Problems: Playing With the Water.

Stall Problems: Souring Ears or Charging the Bars.

Stall Problems: Turning the Tail to the Door.

Stall Problems: Walking and Weaving.

Stall Problems: Windsucking or Cribbing.

Trailering: Loading.

Trailering: Loading When You Can’t Do It Right.

Trailering: Pawing or Kicking While Underway.

Trailering: Scrambling.

Turnout, Breaking Away During.

Turnout: Bullying Other Horses.

Turnout: Charging.

Turnout: Chewing Wood.

Turnout: Refusing to Be Caught.

Tying: Chewing on the Rope.

Tying: Won’t Tie.

Afterword.

Appendix A: Resources.

Appendix B: Illustrated Glossary.

Index.