Now that you know how to communicate with your horse, it is time to take action. The first step is to learn how to correctly approach the horse and then teach the horse to stand still through both physical and verbal communication. Later we will learn how our horses communicate to us when we are grooming them.

One thing that any person that deals with horses will tell you is that "horses are unpredictable." Take this saying to heart. I've personally had many well trusted school horses act out of their nature many times. This surprises you when it happens, but it does happen. Always be both cautious and alert when working with horses.

There are two places that you will approach your horse-in a field or in his stall. In the field, you must approach your horse while talking softly to it to let it know you are there (Smith-Thomas 102). You should always approach a horse at an angle and then stand at the shoulder of the horse. This is because horses do have a three degree section of blindness behind them and are easily "spooked" if they do not see you approach them (Smith-Thomas 102).

If your horse is in a stall, talk to him and make sure he knows you are there. Never approach a stalled horse that has not turned to acknowledge your presence. This is a very bad idea-he may be startled and kick or bite. Once you are positive the horse knows of your presence, you can run your hand along his body and up to his head (so he knows exactly where you are) and then slip a halter over his head.

*Hint* If the horse is particularly stubborn about being haltered, try using a bucket of grain or oats to get his cooperation.

Once you can successfully capture and halter the horse, you can work on teaching the horse to stand still. Many people do not realize how important this quality is. The horse will eventually have to stand still while you mount, for a vet, or for a farrier, so it is important to start teaching the horse as soon as possible to stand still.

The first thing to recognize in teaching a horse to stand still is that horses do not stand still in the wild (Tellington-Jones 55). Thus when communicating with your horse to get him to stand still he might get nervous because it is unnatural and not instinctive to him. You must be very clear in what you are asking the horse to do, and only focus on his standing still.

It is best to work in an enclosed area when first teaching a horse to stand still. This way he is more confined and less motivated to move around. Tie the lead rope which is attached to the halter he is wearing to something sturdy (not anything sharp! Especially not to a barbed wire fence, I've heard of many accidents happening this way.) If your horse is particularly hard to handle, use a lead rope with a chain on the end of it and weave the chain across the horse's nose and through his halter (Tellington-Jones 55).

If the horse gets nervous and shuffles around make sure you stay at his shoulder and move with him (Tellington-Jones 55). This way you will not get hurt. Talk quietly to the horse to calm him down (verbal communication), and stroke his shoulder to comfort him (physical communication) (Tellington-Jones 55). If the horse kicks out it is important to ignore this action because you are teaching him to stand still and if you reprimand him for kicking out, he may get confused (Hunt).

Once calm, if the horse moves from where you want him to stand, patiently move him back to the exact place he was, and in a firm, confident voice say "STAND" (Tellington-Jones 56). This way, you are communicating through both physical and verbal means, and since they will be repeated, the horse learns to watch out for both types of signals. Above all, be patient! Not all horses learn at the same rate. A horse can tell if you get frustrated….stay calm and consistent.

If you have tried this technique of communication and your horse doesn't respond, there is another way to communicate. If he has the chain across his nose, you can do a quick "pull and release" on the chain (not hard!) and say "STAND" (Tellington-Jones 56). Both of these methods work in teaching a horse to stand still, and they are even more effective if you can anticipate him moving and prevent it before it happens.

After the horse knows how to stand still in an enclosed environment with you at his shoulder, practice moving around him and making him stand still. Then move on to letting him stand while on a very loose lead. On a loose lead, make sure you do not tug on the lead or turn away from the horse because this will give him mixed signals (Harris 277). Be patient, you may have to work on this for a long time, and it may seem like the horse digresses when you introduce a new factor such as trying this in an open area. Consistency, repetition, and clear communication are the keys to successful training.