How to Get a Horse to Trust You

In this video, I cover everything you need to know to get a horse to trust you!

Hi there! 👋 I'm Carmella. I’ve been obsessed with horses for as long as I can remember, and I make videos about all things horse training, horseback riding, and living an equestrian lifestyle. New videos are uploaded EVERY WEEK so subscribe now for more horse videos.

P.S. Did you know you can’t monetize a YouTube channel until you reach 1,000 subscribers?! Help me feed my horses by subscribing today!
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[PatriciaMcGee]

Such a helpful video! I’m a 58 yr old that just bought a 20 yr old Tennessee Walker. I’m an animal lover and in less than 2 weeks, we have really bonded! He loves when I snuggle his head and kiss him. Such a sweet boy! Only rode him once (waiting for tack), but going tomorrow for a private lesson. We’re just 2 old folks learning about each other together. I think he’s going to teach me how to ride him! Now if I could just master mounting! I’m SO out of shape! 🤦🏻‍♀️💪🏽🐎

[kenna_c]

After my gelding passed away, I bought a new mare as my main riding horse . Of course 3 days later a huge snow storm had to come through and destroy our barn and fence. So i had to board my 2 mares (new mare and retired mare) in those 2 months they were boarded, I was able to gain massive trust with the new mare because she knew I would be there every single day at 5:00 pm to feed and groom her. And once she moved back home, it was the easiest transition i have ever seen a horse have. and i think that is owed to the fact that i made sure i was her constant, no matter how much she moved around (at just 11 i was her 7th home, everyone gave up on her) she knew i would always be there. And all those people who gave up on her, were so wrong. Because just one year later, she is now a hell of a barrel horse. DONT GIVE UP

[cindyhuff]

I love that you focused on the importance of undemanding time with your horse. I have had my mare for 10 years, and our journey together has been challenging and uplifting. Balancing undemanding time with ground work and riding was the key to unlocking her curiosity, trust, affection and respect.

Great video!!!!

[TravisVincil]

I have ptsd. I had a opportunity to volunteer to work with horses recently and it changed something in me. I never imagined i would shovel shit for free but i found a peace in it. That opportunity is gone. Watching you videos at least helps me hold on to that peace in a way, I truly thank you for that.

[MaryZeti]

My daughter just started taking riding lessons and we have found this channel very informative and encouraging. Really like these videos, we've subscribed! :)

[catherinekato]

thank you so much this is sooo helful because i just started leasing a new horse X

[DAWGnROADIE]

Great video.
I found that the pasture horses I care for respond to their “special time”. Just one on one brushing, removing burrs from their tail and main, talking. They get to where they look forward to their time. I do this each morning and evening after breakfast and dinner. This is a good time to check for damage or injuries like hood splits etc.
I also like to just sit on the bench near them and watch the sunset. We all seem to enjoy that quality time.

[kellyperez]

I am currently struggling with trust and respect with my horse. It's gotten worse since I broke my ankle in Dec from a fall while mounting (she bolted while I was mounting - didnt know my saddle tree had broken and was causing her pain). I cant wait to get to the barn tomorrow and do groundwork! I never realized how important groundwork was. I am a fairly new horse owner

[mmisosouppp]

Ahhh so when I wanted my horse Millie to trust me more I would go in the roundpen and let her graze and I was told: pick grass with her. I was like ‘what’🤠. My instructor was like “you heard me, get down on the floor near her and pick the grass”. I was like ‘uhhh okay’.

What I came to learn though is that this is just how horses learn to trust eachother so buy mimicking her eating and pretending to eat with her we were building trust. She was actually circling me quite a bit until she got bored and went to the edge of the roundpen for the longer grass. Ahhh I love that horse. She thinks with her stomach and I love that about her.

[LucherMengedoht]

Just my opinion, my horse is amazing. If another horse is giving me trouble, he comes and runs the horse to the barn and looks to me for appraisal. One day, he did this out of the blue when I was having trouble out of a young mare and has done it ever since I praised him for the action. Note: My horse does not do the groundwork. My horse is desensitized to new things often. He is calm and looks to me for advice in almost every situation. My horse and I accomplished this relationship by spending time together. When I first got him, he was already ten years old. He had been broke and ridden but not for several years. There was some slight abuse also. I would go every day and brush him, talk to him, and just sit in the barn with him to do my homework. At first, he was jumpy with new sounds or quick movements but soon learned that I was only there to love him and hitch a ride. So, my opinion and advice are to gain your horse's trust, respect, and companionship, you MUST spend time with them. Learn how they communicate with you and allow them to learn the same from you. Be patient and always stay calm. Every horse is different, just like humans. You have to build a bond by getting to know each other. Horses do not dislike people, they just need time to learn that they can like you. BTW, they are amazing for making a bad mood good. Your videos are so helpful and I hope you continue to make them.

[ReformedTryHard]

I had Cruz at a full service barn for the first two months, then moved him to a place where he has a huge pasture but I feed and clean up after him myself. We’ve been there four months now and it’s made a huge, positive difference in our relationship!

[donnahentschel]

I love your videos. This summer while it's been so hot I have walked my horse daily and I do feel like we have a better bond and she respects me more. I enjoy this time as much as riding. She actually meets me at the gate and lowers her head for the halter.

[joyavanessen]

I'm so greatful for your videos. When I was a young child my older sister worked at a horse farm with mostly retired race horses with behavioral issues. These are the only horses I have ever been around. Most have never seen a child . Anyway I was conditioned to fear them. And now as an adult I still do. I understand those horses are not the norm and want to overcome this conditioning so I figured start over like I haven't been taught anything. But this hasn't stopped the anxiety I feel around them yet. I figure learning to read there body language will help alot. So I'm so very thankful you make these.

[abowling]

I always loved talking to horses, telling them how special they are, asking for their help and understanding……many’s the time I would ask them how they’re feeling and love being close.

[lizhadley]

I think I have a pretty close, trusting relationship with my gelding Diesel. We sometimes have to work on the respect factor, but he definitely knows I'm his mom and caretaker. He knows the sound of my car when I drive up the driveway of his boarding farm. I can call out the window to him and he whinnies in response. He generally will come to his run-in shed when I call him. One time he was waaay out in his field, and I called, and he came cantering through the field to me. I've also trained him to go around his run-in shed to meet me at the gate (it helps to have a food/treat motivated horse).

Part of our trust-building came from really listening and paying attention to him. Sometimes he gets fidgety in the cross-ties. Rather than disciplining him, I try to figure out what's making him fidget: a fly on his belly, an itch on his hind leg, needing to pee (he only pees in the grass), etc. Like you said, you have to spend time with your horse, not just riding, but bonding time. If they associate you only with work, they won't trust you as much.

[bea.hildebrandt]

My favourite horse at the barn (I take lessons) was (apparently) hit by a few girls one or two years ago. Before that (I wouldn’t know I didn’t know him back then) he was very nice and social but now he’ll try to bite or walk away as soon as you get close to him. He’s really a great horse and he’s so nice most of the time, but when I put the bridle on to brush or tack him up, he tries to bite. He (most of the time) hates being pet on his face, it could be bc that’s where the girls hit him. I love him and I don’t want him to be scared and unhappy.

[bipolarbear]

Your tutorial videos are just great. I’m learning so much from you and Warwick Schiller. I don’t own a horse, but I’ve managed to unofficially buddy-up with a beautiful bay mare 🐴 . I don’t know her name or the owners, but she’s out there in a paddock with her boyfriend (maybe gelded but I don’t know). They were a pair until someone added another mare. I’m going to call her Shirley, because she surely is good for my soul. I just have to go to the fence line and she’ll saunter across to greet me. She’s very communicative and gentle. I guess I’m more interesting than the boring paddock 24/7. I give her a good rub and scratch. I massage her face and pull her ears a little. Scratch behind the ears, forehead rub. Cup her muzzle and nose gently and on occasion give her a carrot 🥕 or apple 🍎 . Weird thing is, she can’t seem to hold and manipulate the apple in her mouth. She always drops it as if she can’t hold it in her mouth. Maybe her teeth aren’t sharp enough. Carrots are cheaper and are easy to feed her. I always make sure her paddock partners 🐎 get their fair share of carrots 🥕 and apples 🍎. Can’t leave them out. They’ve also become more interested since they seem to know Shirley trusts me. The other horses are more sociable now. You can even detect some jealousy from the other horses from their body language. They definitely have words with one another. Shirley is definitely a softie.

[MirjanAcademy]

Your posts are the best on youtube, you don't know how much you helped me.. I am a green rider, I am following all your instructions.. it is helping me tremendously.. Thank you

[Bryn.Thunder]

There was this one grey mare named Cloud at the stable that I volunteer at and when I would open the gait and latch it she would always come walking or troting up to me she was always the first pony to come up and say hi to me and I would say hi to her and start walking through the paddock to say hi to my other pony friend Glory and Cloud would always be right at my side or right behind me following me to where Glory was. One of my favorite memories of Cloud was when my brothers were at the barn with me and we were all hanging out in the paddock Glory and I were at the hay box and Cloud and my brothers were at the corner of the paddock looking for stuff in the dirt so the boys were on their heals and Cloud was right in between and every time one of the boys picked up their finging Cloud would sniff it as if to "approve" it was adorable to see how the three of them got a long really well.

Note: I let my brothers do that because I trusted cloud enough because cloud had such a calm nature and she was super curious and adventurous so I had no problem with them doing that

[aliciabing]

1. Spend time with your horse: brushing, petting their face, graze and hang out, leading, play in the ring, talking to them, feeding.
2. Groundwork: spend time "face to face, " establishes you as leader, teach pressure/release.
3. Being assertive: gently, fairly, consistently asking for what you want.
4. Work on Desensitizing.
5. Be aware of your emotions: be calm.