Instructions
Handle your horse with confidence and assertiveness. The most dominant horses in the herd do not get the other horses to respect them by standing by meekly as they are run over on the way to the feed bucket. Make your horse listen to you and do what you want it to. If necessary, correct misbehavior with a harsh word or yell and quick action. For example, if the horse wants to knock you over with its head, say "no" loudly and tug on the lead rope or halter while physically pushing the horse away from you. Make the horse back up several steps and keep him out of your personal space.
Herd your horse. Herding is a natural process that occurs when the dominant horse (you, in this case) tells the submissive horse where to go. You can "herd" your horse in a round pen by directing its movements using a lunge whip/large stick and your body language. By telling the horse to go right, left stop and go, you are herding it. This only works if you stick with it long enough to make the horse listen, so be sure to complete the exercise with success and not give up prematurely.
Make your horse obey you consistently. Your horse will not respect you if you frequently allow it to do what it wants with no regard to what you are telling it to do. Some riders have a tendency to allow "harmless" acts of disrespect, but this is a bad habit to get into because it opens the doors for more respect issues.
For example, if you are leading or riding your horse and it tries to stop and graze at random, it is not respecting you. Stop the horse from grazing and keep it focused on the activity you want it to participate in. Horses will test their owners and riders, so it is necessary to be prepared and consistent when they do.
Avoid unnecessary aggression. There is a difference between a horse that respects you and a horse that is afraid of you. There is no need to beat a horse or overwork it to the point of exhaustion in the name of respect. Sometimes it may be necessary to give a horse a quick pop on the shoulder with a riding crop or lead rope, but do not hit the horse with your hands and do not be aggressive towards the horse.
How to Gain a Horse's Respect
Gaining a horse's respect is essential to developing a long-lasting and mutually beneficial partnership with the animal. Horses are herd animals that will respect the person who establishes dominance over them. It is best to establish a consistent and dominant relationship with your horse from the beginning, but even a timid horse owner can learn how to gain their horse's respect and develop a comfortable relationship with the horse.