Over and over again I have seen people start at the wrong point in working with horses; I don't know if that person feels that they know enough to start further on down the program or if they just don't really understand how to approach the entire project correctly.
Either way they have started at a point that allows for many little problems to show up and develop into larger problems.
Starting at the right point allows for a progression that has to follow a given set of rules that are already set in the mind of the horse.
The answer is quite simple, start at the beginning.
Be able to allow yourself to invest the time that will give you the end results that you are looking for.
Besides, this is not who is in charge, or even who knows what; but it is about learning and then beginning to work as a team.
Some of these problems that are created may seem very trivial to us, but what we are attempting to do here is to think like the horse, react like the horse and create a relationship with each horse that we come in contact with.
Most of these problems start out as simple acts that we give no thought to, like feeding from the hand or standing in the wrong place.
What these problems do is to reinforce the fact that you are not really capable of handling the position within the herd that you are striving for.
To be able to occupy a position of trust and being the one that the horse will turn to in time of need you have to be given the respect of the horse that you are dealing with.
Simple and thoughtless actions lead to the horse being disrespectful of you, initially it will be little things that happen and over time, they will become much larger problems until you are having problems getting the horse to show any form of respect towards you and allow you to lead.
Horses are like most living creatures and respond well to praise and touch that shows that you care.
Feeding from the hand instills that you are nothing more than a hay feeder or gain bucket and they will do what is ever necessary to satisfy their hunger, including walking over the top of you to satisfy that natural urge.
It is never the item that you are feeding the horse; it is the fact that you have allowed them to progress past that invisible line that was created through respect.
I have heard some people refer to this as invading your area, I do allow horses into my area, but they do so only when I say so, never when they want to come barging in and knock me over.
So, knowing that it is never what you feed, it has to be the how of the feeding.
The horse will enjoy what you have to give to them; you just need to do it in a manner that allows the trust and respect to be retained.
Try taking the bucket that you are feeding them from and place it on the ground, let them eat from it this way, you have shown them that they will be rewarded for good behavior and at the same time retained your position within the relationship.
Many people are willing to accept the little problems, but when you stand back and take a good hard look, you will realize that the horse is able to accept that not following the rules will allow them to also start to do other things that they should not do.
That is how little problems become bigger problems and most of the problems that are started on the ground will relate to even bigger problems once you get on their back.
Remember, trust and respect are the main points that you are trying to get the horse to relate to you and if you are allowing little things to go unnoticed then the horse starts to lose trust and respect in the same amounts.
What starts out as a drip becomes a trickle, then that becomes a steady flow until you have a massive surge and there is almost no way to stop the flow of disrespect.
This all comes down to the acceptance of responsibility.
Since the position that you are seeking in the relationship demands certain actions from you, there has to be an ability to accept and enforce the guidelines that come with that position.
Again, it is trust and respect, not force or demands.