Description

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A book
chock-full of answers to horse-behavior questions that will change your horse's
life for the better.

Horses
want partners they trust. Meeting their need for security makes them more
tuned-in, calmer, and more reliable. In her engaging book, highly
illustrated with professional color photographs, certified riding instructor
Lynn Acton, MS, shows you how, with practical step-by-step
instructions. You'll see that progress can be surprisingly fast with
methods that are gentle, time-tested, backed by science, and that make
intuitive sense to your horse.

Discover
how to earn trust and make training more efficient by engaging horses' innate
intelligence, maintaining clear two-way communication, and considering their
point of view. This leadership approach has been used successfully for
centuries by people of all backgrounds and skill levels on horses at all levels
of training. Acton refers to this relationship as Protector
Leadership because you are the horse's protector. In these pages, she combines
extensive horse experience and an academic background in social dynamics with
in-depth research. She interprets and cites the scientific findings that
explain why Protector Leadership works, and offers valuable insights into
equine psychology while exposing myths that are sources of problems. Plus,
Acton includes "Things to Try" at the end of each chapter--fun and
easy-to-implement exercises that help you engage your horse as a thinking
partner

Throughout,
the narrative includes stories of Acton's progress with her own horses,
including mistakes and hindsight, and especially the transformation of the
book's "cover girl" Brandy from a dangerous throwaway to a happy,
reliable partner. Clear, detailed photographs show the subtle body language of
horses and people, and illustrate critical interactions that make a real
difference in our relationships, communication, and training.

These
are a few of the concrete skills you will learn:

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Earn trust starting the moment you meet a horse.

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Recognize "misbehavior" that actually means your horse is
thinking like a partner.

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Turn pressure into clear communication instead of stress.

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Use Positive Reinforcement for better learning, behavior, and
reliability.

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Turn anxiety and spooks into confidence building situations.

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Discourage unwanted behavior without punishment.

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Allow your horse appropriate choices and freedom.

As your bond strengthens, you can enjoy watching your
horse's true personality blossom. A thoughtful, progressive book for
riders of all disciplines and students of the horse of all experience
levels.

About the Author

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Lynn Acton, M.S. has a diverse equestrian and academic background that helps her understand horses, relationships, and leadership from an interdisciplinary point of view. Her degrees in sociology and systems science have contributed to her understanding of research studies, the social dynamics of horses, their interactions with people, and how the interconnected parts of complex social systems fit together. After spending time working on a Thoroughbred breeding farm and later retraining off-track Thoroughbreds, Acton became certified by the Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) to teach both English and Western riding and started a therapeutic riding program for at-risk youth. She currently competes in Horse Agility and Equagility (ridden agility). She and her husband live in Berkshire, New York.