Almost every day someone contacts me about a " problem horse." Often such
letters come from someone who had been warned by someone else about ridding
themselves of " that dangerous horse" or something similarly worded.
The links shown to the right are to letters from people who have had baffling horse
problems that they (and everyone they know), simply could not solve.
Do you have a similar horse problem? Look over the latest list of recent
horse problem letters and select any one of them to see if there's a
solution to your own horse training problem!
Several decades of working with innumerable problem horses has given me a wealth of experience that I am delighted to share with horse owners. It is for this very reason that I created a " Problem Solving Series" of videos to provide answers to the most vexing of horse training problems. Still, phone and email consulting consume a good part of my day. Throughout this growing list of horse problem letters you may well find the answers to your most difficult challenge if not, let me hear from you and I'll do my best to help you out!
Remember: Make the right thing easy and comfortable for the horse. Conversely, you must make the wrong thing difficult and perhaps even uncomfortable. Most importantly, have your plan and " ammunition" ready. You must react immediately when the unwanted behavior surfaces. If the horse hits the " brick wall" several times, he'll probably stop trying. Above all, be fair!
In the Spirit of the Horse,
Frank Bell
 Letters Of The Month: APRIL 2008
Hi Frank,
Wanted to touch base briefly. Was asked to help out a 20-year-old Arab mare, "going to pasture." I was supposed to adjust (chiropractically) the horse, which I did a bit. But then I went through the first six steps. I then taught the horse's rider (18-year-old girl) step 7 & coached her. She really enjoyed it. When I was done, she said, "But she's head shy & doesn't like her head touched; but she sure likes you!" I had no idea of her issues when I was bonding with her! What a system.
Also, & I know I'm preaching to the choir here, but I was thinking about the difference between your approach & nearly everyone else in the "natural" movement. It occurred to me "bonding" is each horse's real "first" contact with the mare (through the licking, etc.). No wonder they respond, as opposed to their first encounter in training usually being "driven"/punished (as in most other systems). I know we need to lead, but, still, I really think bonding first makes a huge difference. I just never thought about the birth/mare thing. What do you think?
Barb & I hope to attend the Muncie clinic Fri. nite & Saturday.
Happy trails...
Joe
Hi Frank,
Just in case your ears were burning want you to know we have been thinking of you and speaking kindly of you a lot lately.
I am now doing Animals as Natural Therapy full time, am officially giving up my teaching nursing position this month.
It is really a marvelous thing to watch lives change and healing happen.
We have a marvelous therapist working with us and it is great.
But we have a horse instructor Roz Anderson and it turns out she was at the first clinic of yours I ever went to some long time ago, whenever your first Florida training was, the clinic was right before that.
Anyway she and I often talk of you and how much we like your ways ...as opposed to all the big showy cowboy types.
Just want you to know we are using your massage, relationships with horses and loving you all the time for teaching us.
Thanks for being you!
Sonja
Sonja Wingard, Executive Director
Animals as Natural Therapy
Subject: Bonding and Bushfire
Dear Mr Bell,
Following your recent clinic in Perth, Western Australia, I have spent a lot of time petting and bonding with my Thoroughbred mare. Yesterday, my house was smack in the path of an approaching bushfire and I had to evacuate my house and property. In the recent past I have had a lot of trouble getting this mare on the float. Yesterday, with the help of some wonderful neighbours Sarah went almost straight on the float, on the side of the road with cars and helicopters everywhere.
I took her to my mum's back yard which is very small and suburban. When I stayed with her, she was really relaxed, even resting a hind leg. She whickered when I went towards her and came to me to have her ears rubbed. When I left her she became upset. The time that I have spent earning this horse's trust has paid off a million times If I had not spent this time, the potential was there for me to lose my horse. Thankfully, house, property and all animals were all spared.
Regards
Helen Todd
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 Horse Training Video Packages
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Video and Audio Library
Complete 12 Video Library plus audio book. This comprehensive, money-saving collection provides you with an in-depth video library for achieving total success with your horse the Gentle Solutions way!
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" Problem Solving Series - Plus" Horse Training Videos
Six problem solving videos including
Discover the Horse You Never Knew,
Spooking & Shying,
Trailer Loading,
Solving 7 Common Horse Problems,
Mounting the Difficult Horse,
Water & Bridge Crossing,
Pocketcard.
Our Problem Solving Series Plus will help you address many of the typical issues we all face with our horses using Frank Bell's
Gentle Solutions.
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Additional training tools:
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