| If you' re the first person to place a saddle onto the | | | | to it than that, as horses can react to a trainer's |
| back of a horse that's never worn anything but its | | | | efforts by kicking or biting. Breakers must love the |
| birthday suit—and wants to keep it that | | | | animals enough to act humanely even under the |
| way—you'd better know what you're doing. Like | | | | worst circumstances. Too many horses suffer at the |
| people, horses are complex creatures that can be | | | | hands of trainers who regard violence as the fast |
| compliant, stubborn, gentle, rough, calm, and nervous, | | | | and easy way to control behavior, and the sale of |
| sometimes all in the same day. Their unpredictable | | | | items such as wire bits and barbed spurs is a sad |
| moods are affected by many factors, including | | | | reminder that cruel practices continue. If you invest |
| seasonal changes and weather conditions, just as | | | | the necessary time and effort into horse training, you |
| ours are. These are just some of the reasons why | | | | will enjoy a productive working relationship with a |
| horse breaking or training, also known as starting or | | | | happy, healthy horse. Your reward will be those times |
| gentling, is such a challenging career for horse lovers. | | | | when you can almost hear the mental click as the |
| | | | | horse realizes what it's supposed to do and then |
| Horse breakers prepare a horse for whatever | | | | does it. |
| activities its owner wants to be performed. At its | | | | |
| most basic level, horse breaking turns wild foals into | | | | If you're interested in building this strong bond with a |
| domesticated horses that are willing to wear saddles, | | | | horse, put yourself in as many learning situations as |
| carry people, and obey commands. Breakers also | | | | you can. Volunteer or apprentice at a training facility |
| train horses for harness races, thoroughbred races, | | | | and utilize the available educational resources. |
| rodeo performances, work activities, sports | | | | Licensing and qualification requirements vary from |
| competitions, and many other equine purposes. | | | | place to place, but gain as much hands-on experience |
| Although horse breakers usually work on young | | | | or formal credentials as you can, whether in the form |
| horses that have never been trained before, the flip | | | | of an academic degree from an equine school or |
| side of this job involves re-training horses to correct | | | | certification from a training program. Attend clinics |
| undesirable or inappropriate behaviors. | | | | and courses sponsored by successful horse trainers, |
| | | | | and use the experience not only for learning but also |
| To succeed at these tasks, a horse breaker relies on | | | | for networking with prominent people in the field. |
| traits that are important to any educator in a | | | | Most importantly, learn from the horses themselves. |
| teaching context, including sensitivity, | | | | If you have the passion, patience, and persistence, |
| communicativeness, and patience. But there's more | | | | horses will teach you what you need to know. |