Your horse will not sit still on the sleepers or when tied to the trailer at the horse show. It moves from side to side, side to side and from its feet frantically damaging its hooves, shoes and the stable floor. Instead of being able to enjoy a quiet moment of bonding with him, she rushes through the grooming and saddling routine. The following 8 tips will help you solve this common horse training problem. You can help your horse to be relaxed, calm and enjoy his time while on the leash.

1. Focus on alleviating the underlying cause rather than the behavior itself. Like flying animals, horses become stressed when their ability to flee is compromised. The behavior your horse displays on the sleepers is simply an expression of the anxiety he feels. To change behavior, you need to address his anxiety and help him feel comfortable being tied down.

2. Commit to taking the time and doing the work to help your horse. Training takes time and consistency. You cannot achieve behavior change by rushing or being impatient. Set a time specifically to work with your horse on this issue.

3. Change your body shape to change the way you think. Horses that are busy when tethered have an unbalanced build: scissor legs, high head, inverted back. This frame keeps adrenaline pumping into your bloodstream by keeping your stress and anxiety level high, and therefore your need to move. Your horse needs you to show him that he can stand straight, square and level.

4. Help him find his balance. Your horse simply won’t be able to sit still until he finds his balance. Balance comes from straightness, being square, and having a level neck. Your job then is to keep correcting your position until you find that balance and maintain it on your own.

5. Righteousness comes first. Being straight means that the horse’s spine is aligned from nose to tail. He will find and feel this straightness when the rear left lines up directly behind the front left and the rear right lines up directly behind the front right. Ask your horse to stand up straight by pushing the corresponding hip or shoulder to align them. As soon as your horse moves away from your push, stop pushing. You will have to move from side to side while maintaining contact with the halter or head. As you move around your head, bend your hips close to your head.

6. Let four squares. When a horse’s legs are cut off, it is mentally ready to fly. When the feet are four squares, it is as if you are standing in a box, balanced and parked. Being square means that the front legs are straight with each other and the back legs are straight with each other. As you work to correct your horse’s straightness, you may find that it begins to square on its own. If not, you can encourage him to stand up by asking him to step back or forward. To back up, push the front of the shoulder of the leg you want to move. To encourage him to take a step forward, tap his flank gently. You may have to ask to come and go several times before your horse finds a gang.

7. Be sensible. A relaxed horse stands with the neck level so that the nape is the same height as the withers. You can encourage your horse to lower his head and level his neck by gently moving his head laterally (side to side) with slight downward pressure. This is called “flexing.” Make sure you are not being forceful by pulling or pushing the head. Think of this more like a rhythmic massage that loosens the back of your neck. You can do this with your hands on the halter while standing in front of your horse (one hand on each side of the halter at the point where the cheek piece connects with the noseband) or by cupping the bridge of your nose at one hand as you stand next to him. If your horse tries to lift his head or turn it to the left or right, use your hand or hands in the same place to block his effort. Remember that you are not forcing your horse into this posture, but you are encouraging it to stay there long enough to realize how good it feels.

8. Avoid being at the end of your rope. Whether you wear cross ties or a single tie, make sure the tie is long enough to allow the horse to comfortably lower its head and level the neck without creating tension on the tie. With just one tie, make sure you have enough room to keep your face from getting stuck against the wall or the side of the trailer. With cross ties, encourage your horse to stand so that the halter’s cheeks are aligned with the posts that the cross ties are attached to. Always place the cross flanges on the lower ring of the cheek, as this allows more freedom to lower the head.

This training process will take some time, but it is worth the effort. Both you and your horse will benefit as you can enjoy grooming and saddling time together and have quiet time to rest and relax between classes at horse shows.

To see a short video demonstrating how to do this, go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5As-VcubRWI.