I was having a discussion with my natural horsemanship mentor, Linda Hoover, and she made a comment that really caught my attention. She said that in order to get a horse to think the thought you want them to you have to get them to let go of the thought he has.

Very interesting. How many times have I argued with a horse about doing something when he either ignored me or got belligerent. I got to thinking about how would be the best way to change a thought for each different horse temperament. For a Fire horse temperament, I would look to find some way to give praise. Fire horses love to please you so if they are unfocused then doing something they do well will get them back with you.

Earth horses love food so it makes sense that if they are not paying attention then a small food treat would get them right on board. The Metal horse temperament is job oriented and all business. If this type horse is ignoring you then step up and show your authority by directing their movement in a specific way. Be clear in your direction and fair.

The Water horse temperament is fearful so when they become distracted they will be prone to spook. Make sure with this type horse you do not have any fear yourself. Reassure the water horse that all is fine and if possible remove them from the distracting influence until you have their full attention then reintroduce the influence in a controlled setting.

The Wood horse temperament is competitive and easily bored so he is almost always looking for a distraction and will pick any thought but yours. The best way to handle this is to keep him challenged with new tasks and activities. Although tempting, fighting with a Wood horse will not change his thought. With a Wood horse you have to redirect his thinking to something he finds interesting. Staying ahead of a Wood horse temperament can a full time job.

Next time you find yourself in the same old discussion with one of your horses, think what could you do to get them on the same thought as yours. Remember you have to get them off their thought first. Check out my Horse Harmony Book and Five Element ebook to get more hints on the thought processes of different horse temperaments. Madalyn

Owl having his own thoughts