Communication is a vital part of life. It is so important that we couldn't live (together) with out it. The same holds true about our relationship with horses, only they are so big that we certainly couldn't get them to do our bidding without opening some lines of communication. Fortunately for us, horses are docile creatures that are forgiving of our sometimes awkward attempts at transmitting our wishes.

There are essentially two different ways you can communicate with your horse; through body language (which translates into hands, seat and legs while riding) and with your voice. The key to effectively using these forms of communication comes down to two things; consistency and clarity. It is important that you cue your horse the same way every time and it is equally as important that you know which cue to use to get the desired response.

Being consistent is fairly straightforward but is certainly easier said than done. It takes conscious thought to do things the same way every time but it is a crucial step to effectively communicating with your horse. It is this consistency that allows the horse to understand the meaning of the specific cue you are giving him. Clarity is the same way, you have to be sure that you know how to ask your horse for the desired response and then you have to follow through to make sure the horse understands and complies.

Using the command 'whoa' is a good example of how to be consistent and clear, and one that everybody who rides uses. In addition to meaning 'stop now', a lot of people say 'whoa' when they want their horse to slow down, but not actually stop. Whoa should mean nothing but stop, period. Otherwise how can your horse tell if you really mean stop this time or just slow down? Whoa means whoa, be consistent and be clear. When you want your horse to slow down you should use another word such as the gait you desire, say 'trot' or say 'walk' or if you just want to slow down at the same gait then say 'easy'.

Taking the command 'whoa' a step further, we use body language to ask the horse to stop whether we are on the ground or in the saddle. When on the ground with your horse, he should be watching and paying attention to you - when your body stops, his body stops. If you stop and he takes a couple of extra steps, maybe even bumps into you, then you need to work on opening those lines of communication. You need to turn up the volume a little and help him to understand (or clarify) that it is his job to watch you and respect your space.

Body language is equally important when you are mounted and want your horse to stop. To ask him to stop you should sit down deep in the saddle, put your feet out in front of you (as you would in a braking car) then pick up on the reins until you feel his mouth and say 'whoa', letting him run into the bit more than you are pulling back. If the horse doesn't come right to a stop then the chance are you weren't clear enough in your communication. Make sure you say 'whoa' so he can hear it and if you have to, pull harder on the bit so there is no question in his mind that you want him to stop NOW, not just slow down.

With a little practice and discipline you will find that you can improve the level of communication with your horse and get even more out of your relationship. 'Whoa' is a great place to start because safety is at stake, we don't want to be on the ground with or on top of a horse that does not understand the word. Since we have domesticated horses we have become responsible for them and are obligated to work at keeping the lines of communication open.

One final thought on communicating with horses is that 'horse time' and 'people time' are two completely different things. Horses' don't have cell phones, busy schedules and a lot of competition for their time. Then again, that is one of the reasons so many people are drawn to them, they take us back to a simpler time - if only for a short while.