Training the Wood Temperament Horse

The Wood horse is born bold and willful. The Wood horse is not only competitive but he wants to dominate his opponent. He is the horse that plays the roughest with other horses. When the young Wood horse is turned out with older horses he will often get multiple kick and bite injuries as his pasture mates attempt to discipline him. He is not one to back down and take no for an answer.

Unlike other horse temperaments, you may not want to stay focused too long on a solid foundation. The Wood horse will learn best within the context of a challenging job. Perfect his stopping and turning skills by following a cow or negotiating a jump course. The Wood horse gets bored very easily so be sure and take him to new places and teach him new things on a regular basis. You never want to fight with a Wood horse but be prepared to stand your ground when differences of opinion occur. The Wood horse does not enjoy working harder than needed so make extra work a consequence of bad behavior. Let the Wood horse learn patience by standing tied to an overhead tree branch where he can stay occupied watching other horses work.

Once you have found an event for your Wood horse to excel in you must resist training him too hard. The Wood horse who loves his job will work even when he is tired or injured. The Wood horse is naturally strong so work sessions should focus on creating flexibility and endurance. Avoid arena work when possible and get your Wood horse out on the trails or working cows to keep his mind engaged. If you have to work in an arena then set up obstacles such as bridges, logs to drag, big balls to push on etc. Keep the lessons fun and challenging.