3. While still on the ground, to change it up a bit (sometimes our horses get bored or irritated of doing the same thing right?), hold your object out in front of you and walk side by side with your horse. This is to give your horse the idea that he is chasing the scary object. It gives them a sense of control; that now they have the power going after the scary object.

4. Once you feel comfortable enough to jump on, a little hack that I used was a traffic cone to hold my stick in place. I’d place it in the middle of the round pen and just ride around it. When I thought I was ready, I rode up to the flag and grabbed it out of the cone. Here is where you also want to use the pressure and release method. Bring the flag down the sides of your horse, when they flinch and move, gently raise the flag up. Keep repeating this method.

5. After a few tries, your horse might feel comfortable picking up his speed and riding around the area. Don’t let this fool you into thinking he’ll be ok with the flag flapping in the wind! It gets me every time! But here’s the trick….

Be LOUDER than the flag. If your horse hears you singing loud or making fun noises, they’ll forget all about it! Good luck and stay safe!

Desensitizing your horses to scary things is essential when it comes to caring for and riding your horses. Making sure that they are aware that they won’t be abducted by a murderous plastic bag on the side of the trail or a suspicious twig that wasn’t there yesterday, can make your ride much safer and ensure both you and your horse get back to the barn in one piece.

Although in order to join our drill team your horse does not need to be desensitized to a flag, I’d like to share with you my favorite tips on how to get your horse comfortable with you holding one while riding. It’s never a bad thing to get a head start!

1. Start off with something simple and cheap that you don’t mind being ripped apart. Get a table cloth and tie it TIGHT in your horses stall to just leave there for weeks on end. Remember to ensure it won’t go anywhere. If that happens you’ll risk your horse getting hurt. After you see your horse is comfortable eating around it and not flinching, it might be a good time to start.

2. Take into consideration your surroundings. Move into a round pen where there’s plenty of room for you to get out of the way if need be. Do not do this in a stall. Not knowing how your horse will react just yet, attempt the pressure and release method on the ground. I use this method for pretty much everything (in the saddle, loading in the trailer). Consider the pressure the object in your hand. When your horse gives pressure (tries to move away), take away the object. Repeat this as many times needed until your horse gives what you want. That can either be WAY less of a flinch or no flinch at all. You know your horse more than anything and you know what progress looks like. If you’re content with his reaction, move to another area in the arena. Moving to another spot is almost like a reward. A much deserved reset, I would say.