The Mission of Sierra Horse Halter is to see an end to old and hurtful methods of training, and in turn create a cooperative, and trust building experience both horse and handler can enjoy. We seek to provide each trainer, handler, and rider with the tool to effectively communicate with their horse, ultimately reigniting the ancient bond between human and horse.
Why Does the Sierra Horse Halter Work?
The Sierra Horse Halter utilizes a horse's own physiology and psychological tendencies to create a dialogue between horse and handler. This median of communication is then shared between them allowing the two to share a common understanding. However in order to understand how the Sierra Horse Halter accomplishes this task, one must delve into complex world of equine psychology and instinct.
Horses are naturally prey animals. Thousands of years of instinct has been coded into their DNA, and while we have domesticated them, these instincts still reside within their subconscious mind. Due to these evolutionary traits, when a horse feels pressure of any kind they immediately seek to escape or alleviate this pressure. This is what causes untrained horses to pull back, rear, or behave aggressively.When a horse eventually finds form of escape to this pressure, it will naturally gravitate to this oasis ,whatever it may be. This phenomenon has been coined by trainers as the “relief of pressure” theory. The Sierra Horse Halter utilizes this natural instinct to allow better communication between handler and horse.
When a horse behaves in a dangerous and evasive manner while wearing a conventional halter the entire force and weight of the horse is concentrated on the horse's poll (the sensitive area behind the horse's ears were most conventional halters apply pressure). When this occurs, the horse does not find the relief it is desperately seeking, but instead it confronts pain from pressure being applied to one of the most sensitive parts of its anatomy. However, when a horse pulls back or evades while wearing the Sierra Horse Halter, the story is very different. The halters delicate engineering causes that all pressure from the poll be released immediately and instead it applies equal and opposite pressure to the mid-neck. The mid neck, being one of the horse's least sensitive and resilient body parts, allows for the safe relocation of this pressure.
However, the instant the horse steps forward or ceases to resist he will experience immediate relief of this pressure. Its evolutionary instinct will automatically cause it to realize that any pressure that was being applied came from their own resistance and that the “oasis” or point of relief they were searching for is found with the handler. As a result, horses begin to cooperate and confide in their handlers. This cooperation between engineering and instinct allows the horse to understand that the handler is not intending any harm, and builds the trust between you and your horse.