Teaching in the Way of the Horse: Training Creatively Outside the Box

by Paul Dufresne

Would you like to have your horse:
· reach deeper levels of relaxation and release the tension in the topline?
· improve body control and balance?
· achieve a smaller base of support to power out of into collected movements?
· gain confidence in your leadership and be more courageous?

I have found a good way to accomplish all of these with the use of a prop such as a box. To get the most out of this, we really have to think outside of it. What is there that is more than just a horse climbing on a box?

To many of you this may just appear to be another trick, but it can be so much more. Below, I will explain how it can be used safely and how it can improve your relationship and your horse’s performance. As far as equipment goes, a good halter, leadline, and 3.5-4 foot whip come in real handy. These are all extensions of the leader and must be used as such. For the purpose of this article we will use a box approximately 4 feet square by 8 to10 inches high.

Approaching the Box
The handler should have the horse’s respect and attention; if not, this lesson will let you know where you stand. The horse should understand yielding to pressure in all directions. Having some relaxation cues established, like a head down cue, is also helpful. Now, if you have the horse at the box, ask it to move forward with gentle, steady pressure on the leadline and draw it forward. Then reach with your whip toward the lower hind leg and tap gently but firmly until the horse makes an attempt to move forward, toward or onto the box. As long as the horse makes an attempt, even unweighting a leg and "thinking forward," I would reward the horse with a "good!" (a clicker could be used here as well--I prefer using my voice).

At this point, I will calmly walk away from the obstacle and go for a short little walk, then move on to some other exercise or come back to the box and repeat again. If I keep focusing on the box and driving the horse forward, assisting with light forward pressure on the halter, the horse will attempt to start putting weight on the box. It may paw it, bang it, or put weight on it and back off. Some horses may want to walk up onto it. As soon as the horse makes a bigger attempt than the previous attempt, I acknowledge the try, reward the horse by backing it up slowly, and walk away in a calm, relaxed manner.

If a horse is absolutely terrified, as soon as it tries I would say "good" and offer a tiny piece of horse crunch. When horses start to understand that there is something in it for them, they often change their attitude about trying. Many horses are reasonably confident, so I won’t use a treat unless the horse is stuck.

As soon as the horse gets a pretty good idea of what I am asking, I will acknowledge that with the word "good," and then reward with a rub, especially the first time the horse puts two feet on the box. If I allow the horse to rest on the box with two feet, it usually starts to look around, enjoying the view from up there. I like to have the horse back off under control before it has the desire to leave on its own. Note that I specifically said back off, as this is the more difficult way to get off the box.

Horses often want to step up on the box, then run off of it. I try to discourage this by building it up a step at a time, repeating each part: first one foot, then back, then two and so forth, always backing out of it. When the horse starts to expect this and is calm and balanced backing up, I might ask the horse to step down forward, first with one foot, and then back up onto the box and back down off of it. If the horse is concerned and wants to panic forward, I don't force it to stay, but slow its forward progress and then immediately come back to the box and mount it again. Remember: only reward what you want, otherwise you will reinforce what you don’t want.

As the horse gets more comfortable with this, allow it to stand on the box with two feet, then four, for some time while petting it all over. If you use a whip, you should also use the whip to show affection--it is an extension of you. When you attach friendly language to your tool(s) the horse will perceive it as part of you.

Courage on the Box
The horse that overcomes a challenge that had it concerned or fearful will then go into a deeper state of relaxation. Usually, the head starts to drop with signs of licking. On top of the box, the horse is on a smaller space, reducing its base of support. This rounds and releases the topline and gets the horse's legs underneath it just by doing the task. This becomes a great stretching position, particularly if you were to ask the horse to then get on an even smaller box or to move only the hind feet further forward (building one little try at a time). You will need to halt the horse’s forward progress with your leadline in a low position. Alternatively, you could lift it up, elevating the base of the neck. With that you can ask the horse to get its back legs under itself, then by releasing as it attempts to do so, you allow the horse to feel good.


You can develop this to the point where the horse has the entire topline stretched from head to tail. As this is accomplished, the horse becomes very relaxed. When the horse feels good it is less likely to get anxious, thus it is in a much more courageous frame of mind.

In doing this exercise, there are some obvious physiological changes happening. Without getting into the technical aspect, we are inducing or facilitating a state of relaxation that the horse can’t help but participate in.

You can teach a horse to do all kinds of things on the box--from simply standing still to doing high school maneuvers. You can also have tiers of boxes going to higher and higher boxes, smaller tops, combinations, and even trailering. In trying to use your imagination, you will exercise and improve your leadership skills. Your horse will learn to trust you even if you ask it to do challenging things. Physically, your horse will develop better balance, more body awareness, flexibility, and most importantly, it will learn to relax the whole topline and become ready for the strong engagement of the ring of muscles.

Horses like to hang out with leaders that show them how to feel good by considering their feelings and helping them find the ability and courage to execute challenges positively. When training for courage, we become that leader and teach them in "The way of the horse."