Discipleship is the way we learn from those we follow and teach those following us. Discipleship with Horses, also known as Christian Horse Training (CHT), is an approach introduced by former world and national champion trainer and breeder Lynn Baber in her Gospel Horse Series book Discipleship with Horses. In it she presents how “discipleship with horses describes, teaches, and shares how the same principles of your journey of joy with Jesus Christ can be used to offer leadership to a horse to bring it into delightful and confident fellowship with you, a worthy master”, and that “Gospel messages are the foundation of CHT”.

CHT recognizes that the secret of success can be simplicity and commitment when one understands how a transformative relationship with a horse and the transformative relationship with God follow similar paths. As such, CHT places relationship above every other goal, and CHT concepts are taught using gospel parables, epistles, and behaviors modeled by Christ Himself.

CHT focuses on each individual horse and human in a way that is independent of and yet compatible with and complementary to pretty much any other discipline, philosophy, or doctrine of horsemanship, such as Natural Horsemanship, Classical Dressage, clicker training, etc. In other words, CHT is not another horse training method or discipline among the many, but rather additional equipping (“training”) from a Gospel perspective. CHT involves transformative, equine-assisted, Biblical discipleship-driven activities and experiences that help build and enhance faith, trust, empathy, compassion, confidence, communication, leadership, and more. Also, in CHT, the main reason to spend time with your horse is love, while equine-assisted learning (EAL) activities, training for a particular discipline, or using a particular horsemanship method, if any, is simply something you do together!

CHT also uses the experience and truth of life lived with horses to introduce Jesus Christ to non-Christians. In fact, there are trainers who had never seriously considered the gospel message who were stunned to discover that the promises, authority, dedication, sacrifice, passion, forgiveness, childlike simplicity, and foundations of leading a horse to faith (and trust) in a worthy leader are all written in God’s Word.

CHT strives to have relationships with horses mirror the Biblical relationships Christians are called to have with Jesus Christ and each other, and vice versa. In doing so, CHT brings clarity with our horses as well as introduces and vividly demonstrates the relatable power and truth of God’s Word. Horses respond wonderfully to the simple and practical application of God’s grace, mercy, and faithfulness!

CHT solves problems and overcomes challenges by building faith. How? CHT is the process of creating a transformative relationship between human and horse that produces faith strong enough to overcome fear and mirrors the journey the Christian shares with Jesus Christ. The ultimate example of a transformative relationship is becoming a new creation in Christ through saving faith. Taking the gift of transformative relationship with Christ, as experienced through discipleship, and replicating it in earthly form with one’s horse is the basis for Discipleship with Horses. Such relationship is demonstrated through perpetual loving commitment with one’s horse, much like Christ’s perpetual loving commitment to His followers (disciples).

CHT has the potential to help transform a horse’s nature from prey animal to one of confidence and faith through a transformational relationship with a worthy human leader. In CHT, we open our heart, mind, and spirit to both the humility and authority of Jesus Christ and extend that balance to success with our horse. CHT also makes promises to horses in a way that they can understand, as Jesus does with us. CHT offers worthy leadership to every horse by applying a Scriptural foundation and the principles and practices experienced in each person’s own walk with Jesus Christ. The way you care for your horse(s) testifies to the state of your relationship with God!

Simply put, here is the CHT “formula” for successfully relating to and engaging with horses:

1. Foundational Requirements for Relationship
   • Show Up
   • Focus
   • Offer Obedience
2. CHT Basic Commands
   • Come
   • Follow
   • Go
   • Yield
3. Steps to Leadership Success
   • Ask a simple Yes/No question. PRECISELY verbalize/define the correct answer before asking.
   • Did the horse answer Yes or No?
   • If Yes, QUIT.
   • If No, why? Is the horse Unable or Unwilling?
   • Make Able, Motivate, or Move On