WHAT IS MEANT BY DESENSITIZING A HORSE
Desensitizing is a very broad term and is not understood the same by all horsemen.
To most horsemen a horse is desensitized when it accepts a rider and normal surroundings without shying or freaking out.
But what if the “desensitized” horse unexpectedly finds himself in a situation which is not within his comfort zone, and an eight year old girl is on its back? What if a sudden noise or flapping canvas appears on the scene?
If I am to describe a desensitized horse in the shortest possible way, I would take a war horse as an example. NO noise and NO sudden strange sight upset a war horse. “Sudden” noises and “unexpected” objects are the norm for a war horse.
So, what is the secret behind the war horse? How did they become that way, and why did they become that way?
The answer can be found by realizing ONE fact first: NO horse can freak out continuously for hours on end – not to noise, nor to the sight of strange, scary objects, nor by touch. What makes war horses is a continuous EXPOSURE to EXTREME sights and sounds. Think about it: if a war horse is being exposed to EXTREME sights and sounds at say 6 a.m., and those sights and sounds don’t let up until 9 a.m., is any horse capable of still freaking out at that time?
THE ENTIRE PROCEDURE OF DESENSITIZING IS EXPLAINED IN THE VERY COMPLETE HORSEMANSHIP MANUAL, SMART HORSE.
You can order a copy on http://www.greenhorsetrainingbook.org/order/