Listening to the Horse with Warwick Schiller

have suggested she just slip her hand under his jaw and move his head back in front of himself before walking down his side but I wanted to experiment. I took the lead rope from her and went to walk down beside him. He turned his head and blocked me. Instead of doing anything more I stopped and stepped back as soon as he tried to block me out. I then stood still and waited for him to process what had happened. In all honesty I didnt fully realize what I had just told him but he knew what had happened. Instead of correcting the behavior I acknowledged his tension by releasing pressure stepping backward. I tried again with the same result. He was beginning to realize that I was listening rather than demanding something of him. Initially it took him a little while to process
This advanceandretreat went on for about 15 to 20 minutes until eventually he didnt block me out when I went down that side. I could then disengage his hind end walk back to the front and then back down his side with no worries. He seemed to be fine now so I handed him back to his owner and said Let him stand there for a while dont ask for anything.
About 15 minutes later as I was helping another clinic participant I heard a collective gasp from all the spectators. I turned around to see the mustang had buckled at the knees and dropped to his belly. He was fast asleep snorting little dust clouds in the sand. He then had a roll got up shook off the dirt buckled at the knees again and went back to sleep. I asked his owner if that was normal behavior for him. She said shed had him

for six years and had only seen him lay down once and on that occasion as soon as he saw her he jumped straight up. He continued to sleep for an hour and a half. When it was time for the afternoon group to come in we woke him up and he went back to his stall.
The next day when the morning group entered the arena his owner asked what I thought she should do. I suggested she stand with him and see what happens. After 15 minutes he laid down and went to sleep sleeping for four hours until