It is perhaps the biggest challenge that faces anyone who loves horses – what is the best way to train a horse? Is one method superior to another? Do I need a professional trainer? Is there such a thing as a horse that cannot be trained?

The answers to these questions basically boil down to two words: it depends.

Training horses is an ongoing process. It’s not something that you do for few months when they’re foals and then forget about for the rest of their lives. A horse needs a particular type of attention when it’s young – halter training, for example – but will need a whole other kind when it enters equine adolescence.

And even at those various stages, different horses are going to have different needs. If you want a horse that’s going to drive a carriage, then you’re going to have to do a different kind of training (plus buy different horse equipment) than if you are planning to do highly competitive dressage.

Your horse’s breed will also factor into this. Some – quarter horses, say – are well-known for their mild temperaments, the way they take to their human companions. That can’t be said for other breeds.

In other words, there is no such thing as a one size fits all approach to horse training.

Does this mean that you need to bring a professional horse trainer on board? You might. If you can find someone that comes highly recommended – talk to friends and equestrians whose judgment your trust – the results can be fantastic. Often you can bring someone in for a basic consultation. They’ll watch your horse and watch you work with your horse and then make some suggestions on how the two of you might improve your working relationship.

And really, that’s the key. If you think of training as a working relationship – in which both you and your horse have needs and objectives – then you are far more likely to actually get positive results in terms of equine skills and behavior.