EveryRider

From Green To Great

I guess you could say that bad horse training keeps good horse trainers in business.  I know several trainers that earn their lively hood based entirely on re training poorly trained horses.  The job of re training a horse can be much trickier than doing it right the first time.  The process entails spending a  great deal of time  regaining trust and unlearning bad habits.  However, bad training is not always the root of the problem.  When someone takes a green horse to a trainer and expects to get back a finished horse in 30 or even 60 days they are setting the horse up for failure, and encouraging the trainer to take shortcuts.

I'm not implying that I have never or would never back a horse in that time. In 30 to 60 days I can give you back a horse that rides, and if the horse is nice enough and your not a competitive rider you might just get by. However, laying a solid foundation, or training horses to carry themselves, to collect or to perform well at a competitive level typically takes the average horse around 18 months. 

Taking Short cuts in  training horses is a bit like dieting.  There are plenty of ways to lose weight.  You may even lose a lot of weight fast.  Unfortunately, as many of us learn the hard way there is no magic pill or exercise free way to get in shape, and just because your thinner doesn't necessarily mean your healthy and It certainly doesn't mean its going to last.

Every now and then I get the opportunity to work with a young green horse.  A clean slate with an open mind.  They have no reason to be fearful of people and no real damage to undo.  Such is the case with my latest training project, a three year old Morgan named "Tucker"  He is full of youthful exuberance and curiosity.  He is eager to work and will do just about anything to hear the words good boy.  He is one of those horses with the rare combination of intelligence with great temperament. The best part about working with Tucker is that his owner is not in a big rush.  She knows she has a really nice horse in her hands and wants to bring him  along right, rather than right now.

That is the difference between breaking and training.  I consider Breaking as a sort of one sided conversation.  There is no real communication happening.  The horse is asked to do something it can not understand and then made to go through a series of wrong answers and correction until it stumbles upon the right one.  This often accompanies Force, restraint and correction until the horse finally gives in, gives up or submits.  Breaking horses may condition them to perform certain tasks but there is no real learning going on.  In fact the only thing actually being taught is what not to do.  Most horses will learn to do the "correct" thing eventually if for no other reason then fear of punishment for guessing incorrectly. 

The trainer I learned from used this analogy... "If you grab the handle of a hot pan, it doesn't take you long to realize your mistake. Your body reacts to the stimulus and you let go of the pan. You learned not to pick up a hot pan but since you didn't really have time to process all your options, your learning isn't very complete. Just like the horse getting "gentled", you got a negative education. You learned what not to do, what to be afraid to do. If you had had the time to process the situation, you might have gotten a more positive education and learned the way to pick up a hot pan so you wouldn't get burned"

Tucker has been in training for a couple months.  With the exception of some time off for his disagreement with a metal gate, and a few snow days he has been worked an average of four days a week.  While many trainers would tell you that he should be backed and well on his way by now, Tucker has yet to see a saddle.  He is making great progress and eagerly awaits his training sessions, actually running over to me  when he sees me enter the paddock with his halter and lunge line.  There are no treat rewards he just knows its his turn to play in the arena.

This past weekend I gave his owner a demonstration of all we have been working on in the time he has been in training.  She was elated to see his progress.  For the first time she watched her young horse paying undivided attention to his handler, patiently awaiting then performing every request on command from changing direction, backing up, transitioning between walk, trot and halt with and without a lead line, then doing the same while on a lunge line.  He has now accepted the bridle and surcingle and will hopefully be fully tacked up by weeks end.  He has established a great trust and gained much confidence all while developing the muscle and balance necessary to make a smooth transition into work under saddle.
I realize that training can be very expensive.  I'm not suggesting that its necessary to spend thousands of dollars nor am I implying that you need to send your horse to a trainer for two years.  I do suggest that you set realistic training goals for your horse.  Its also important to educate yourself as much as possible about the techniques your trainer uses.   I am constantly amazed at how many owners want to simply drop the horse off to be "fixed" or trained and have no desire to learn how to maintain what they paid for. Every time you interact with your horse you are training him whether you realize it or not.  Ask your trainer questions, take lessons, learn how to continue the work your trainer began.  There is no secret short cut to turn green into great overnight. That is the beauty and the challenge of working with horses, no matter how many horses you've worked with there will always be more to learn. 

The "Rollkur" Debate

Whether you are a Dressage enthusiast or just an occasional reader of equestrian magazines and message boards, chances are you have heard about €œ"Rollkur"€ 

Rollkur, now officially known as "hyperflexion of the neck," is a training technique used by several dressage riders today, including Athens Gold Medalist Anky van  UphGrunsven.   Hyper flexing of the neck was used in other equestrian disciplines, most notably show jumping, before being adopted by such well-known dressage riders.

In 2005, accusations of abusive training by Van Grunsven appeared in the German horse magazine St. Georg. The accusations were later found unjustified in court. Germany was the world leader in dressage for decades until the Dutch team, including Van Grunsven, won the nations cup in Aachen in 2005. Below I have included video of Anky riding Krack C. 

There is no doubt that Anky is a talented rider and that this is an incredible stallion. However, what is still being debated is how the results were achieved, and at what cost.  Is hyperflexion of the neck acceptable when utilized by a professional trainer?  Is this practice actually harmful to the horse either physically or mentally?                       

The FEI called a meeting of trainers, riders and vets in Lausanne in February of 2006 to discuss the issues arising from the allegations made by the press. The meeting concluded that although potentially damaging in inexperienced hands these methods were acceptable in the hands of experts. "Hyper flexing of the neck" was officially condoned by the recognized regulatory body the FEI.  This declaration seemed to only lead to more questions.  Is the system of judging part of the problem?  Are the results rewarded regardless of the how they were achieved?  Does the end justify the means?

Rollkur teaches the horse to lower its head and round its neck as it works. Working "deep" so that the head is pulled inward. As in the picture to the left, in the extreme, the horse's mouth touches the middle of his chest. This hyper flexed state is held for a length of time, through work at the walk, trot, and canter, including shortening and extension of the gaits. Rollkur is not just longitudinal flexion (nose to chest), but also bending to the rider's toe.  Most riders accomplish the head position by and fixing the hands in a low position until the horse yields its jaw.  This is a response to pressure on the bit.

I discovered an interesting documentation of this method by Dr.Ulrike Thiel which demonstrates the technique through pictures. It is a critical documentation on the Hyper flexion/Rollkur method of riding and training horses. The scenes are taken out of a longer video documentation being published on 3 DVD's which demonstrate the practical use of this method by experienced riders.  The short clips include eye opening visuals and very informative  explanations of the phases of hyper flexion.

I have also included several links to articles on the subject that I found interesting over the past two years since this debate began.  Below is the introduction to the documentation found on youtube.  For the entire series please visit http://www.youtube.com/profile_videos?user=ulrikethiel

Links related to rollkur/Hyperflexion

http://www.sustainabledressage.com/rollkur/index.php

http://www.walterzettl.net/pages/german_stgeorge.html

http://www.eurodressage.com/news/dressage/fei/06-02-workshop.html

http://www.hippocampus-nl.com/s2e.php?content_id=337

http://www.horsemagazine.com/CLINIC/J/NEWSJEF/NewSjef.htm

http://www.myhorsefly.com/read/9

 

Training Your Horse with Shapes and Lines

In a previous post I gave a brief description of the method of ground work in which I learned to train called Heeding.

Heeding is defined as a methodically applied directional pressure used to create a shape.  Read that part again.  My body is the most important tool in my training bag.  Until I really knew how to create a shape with my horse, the majority of my ground work was fruitless.

The horse has two lines of influence.  Heeding uses the lines of influence to indicate the shapes we want our horse to take.  By changing the lines of influence we can ask the horse to walk, trot, stop, back or turn and to do those things in the direction and speed of our choosing. 

The PRIMARY LINE OF INFLUENCE runs the length of the horse along its backbone, straight out the front between its eyes and straight out the back. We're not talking about an actual line but about the horse's perception of things in his environment. Your primary line of influence runs the same direction from your nose through the back of your head.

The SECONDARY LINE OF INFLUENCE runs through the horse's shoulders or yours from side to side. These primary and secondary lines are natural areas of attention for the horse.

Most horses are curious enough that when something new enters their space (stall or paddock) that they will naturally turn to take a look at it. If they don't, you might make a very small noise or gesture in order to get there attention.  By small I mean a small clicking or kissing noise, tapping your hand against your thigh, shaking a lead very quietly.  Then we move our secondary line just a little relative to theirs to put a little pressure on their "space."   

If they still don't turn and give you their attention, we do not make the pressure louder. We just continue the pressure until it becomes annoying enough that the horse decides he's got to have a look.   By annoying I mean similar to when you feel someone staring from car next you at a light, or someone reading over your shoulder.  You don't feel threatened but you feel a silent pressure that is "annoying" enough to look over as if to say "Did you want something?"

When your working with a horse in the round pen, body pressure works the same way. Start walking quietly behind the horse, lining up your primary lines. You obviously want to walk at a SAFE distance, as you are walking behind the horse. If you move left, the horse will turn its head to keep on eye on you. If you move right, the horse will turn its head that direction to keep an eye on what's going on. If the horse looks away from you, again make a little fuss to get his attention back on you.

Once the horse feels this pressure he'll turn and face you to put both eyes on you. This turning to face you is the first understanding. It says that even though you're following like a predator, you are actually safe. At this point I stop following, and stand perfectly still, and avert my eyes (staring him in the eye can be perceived as predatory.)

The next step is to walk directly toward the horse keeping your primary line aligned with his. If the horse says not to come any closer by starting to turn away or showing any sign of nervousness, stop and step back.  The horse shows a level of trust by how close he allows you to approach.

After doing this a few times (sometimes over a few days), the horse will start coming right up to you. When he does, move to the side and face the horse's shoulder. So that primary line on the horse's secondary line (facing the horses shoulder. You're going to use this position as a cue that tells him he's in a safe spot and he can relax. Scratch and groom him to reinforce this cue. As the lessons progress, you want to work both sides and continue building the feeling that whenever you're at his shoulder, he's safe. 

At this point he will most likely begin to follow your lead from the shoulder.  Meaning once you face forward (still parallel to his shoulder) and begin to walk forward, so will he.  Then if you wish to stop, turn and face the shoulder again and he will stop.  This is the beginning of shaping him using the primary and secondary line.  If practiced these beginning steps can evolve into free (without a lead line) lunging, backing, trotting along side you, lateral movements, and on and on. 

One more small word of advice on this exercise.   Just as you are asking the horse to pay attention to you, you must pay close attention to the horse.  It is a common mistake for a handler to miss the first signs that the pressure you are putting on the horse has become too loud. Usually the beginning signs are subtle and get increasingly more obvious but by the time the handler becomes aware that they have crossed the line, the relaxation has already been lost.  Some of the signs to look for are:  Holding their breath, Pinning Ears, a tensed back, neck, or a swishing tail. 

Heeding uses methodical, logical pressures to create a feel of a shape in the horses mind.  By paying close attention to the horse and being consistent in the way we ask our horses to move, they learn not only shapes and direction but trust and understanding. Horses are at ease when they just know what to expect.  Calm and consistent communication.  I don't think their asking too much...

Natural Horsemen and Artificial Aids

I am an advocate of natural horsemanship in that I believe change in the horse industry is long overdue. In the past most horses were used to serve human beings for working purposes, transportation, military, and agriculture. Now, the overwhelming majority of them serve to entertain us. There was horse abuse in the past, as there is horse abuse today, but today for different reasons. People often abused the working horses in the past, because of their lack of understanding and expertise, as many of these people were not horsemen and used horse for work. Now abuse stems less from ignorance, but much more as a result of vanity, greed and the desire to win at all cost. Horses of every breed and in every form of showing can be subject to some sort of abuse, but the abusers don't necessarily represent the whole of the industry. 

So, overall the shift toward gentler methods is a big step in the right direction. Natural Horsemanship is based on the philosophy that any dedicated horse person be the best they can be, but not at the cost of the trust and friendship of their equine partner.

This a great philosophy, and I'm glad it has gained the popularity and respect of horse enthusiasts.  More horse enthusiasts means more job security for people like me, and a kinder breed of enthusiast is obviously good for horses. A lot of the Natural craze today is a result of really good marketing by a few savvy horse people.  I would love to have been the one with the foresight and business sense to market the"Natural Horsemanship" brand in an attractive package with "must have" accessories.  The reinvention of the horsemanship wheel  sold as the alternative to more conventional training was brilliant. However, It did more than make a few horseman famous. It  gave horse owners the courage to question bad trainers, to become advocates, and to seek better ways to communicate with their horses. 

The downside of the way natural horsemanship is packaged and sold is that most programs offer a very limited and superficial understanding of horses and horsemanship. The problem is that while the heart of this "natural movement" is of good intention, there is a division created by implying that "classical", "old-style", "old-fashioned" methods - and, in fact, all methods but their own - are cruel and abusive. The reality is that Natural Horsemanship principles can be incorporated into all work or sport with horses, to help produce a better performance, to help produce a better horse.  It is important that we realize that Natural horsemanship training is a means to an end, not necessarily the end itself.   

I recently spoke with a fellow Meredith Manor graduate who took a job as a Instructor/Rider for a "Natural Horsemanship" barn. When it came time to get horses ready for lesson season she came across a new mare that was given to the school by a boarder who could not pay their debt.  She was to begin riding the mare so she could be used as a lesson horse for the program as well.

The first time she tried to mount the mare, and the horse began to walk away, refusing to stand still.  She decided to work the horse on the ground a little more first, attempting to get the horse relaxed and focused. When she eventually was finally able to mount the mare she asked the horse to walk on.  The mare pinned her ears and again refused.  She remained quiet and relaxed with her hands forward not restricting in anyway, asking again with a little more pressure.  The mare moved forward begrudgingly only to stop at the gate and again refuse to walk on. 

At this point the owner entered the arena and explained that she had been having the same problem with the horse and just to keep after her she would eventually go.  Within a few minutes the mare became increasingly defiant and finally began to rear.  The rider leaned forward opened her hands and tried to send her forward.  At this point it became obvious she had no intention of complying.  She had obviously played and won this game before.

My friend asked the owner if she would mind retrieving the whip she left sitting in the corner.  The owner glared and replied with a harsh tone "We don't beat horses here"  Surprised, she tried to explain the whip was going to be used as a reinforcement of leg to get the horse forward, not as a punishment.  The owner refused and told her to just keep asking, she would "come around".  Again the rider put her leg on and again the horse reared. When she came down this time the horse actually began backing up taking more than ten steps backward before stopping once again.

At this point the owner decided the horse must be sore and rather than creating a big fight that they should just take her back to her stall.  I cannot think of a worse possible way to handle this situation!  Not only did the mare have zero respect for the rider, but now her negative behavior was being reinforced.  So next time she doesn't want to work you better believe she is going to do the same thing or worse.   

There are many people, all well-meaning, and all interested in the kind and sensible treatment of horses, following a particular Ideology or method religiously with no solid foundation of knowledge.  You need to be able to stand back and look at what is actually going on in order to separate the substance from the hype.  Understanding the tools available and how to use them is part of working with horses.  Certainly artificial aids have the potential for misuse but, they can be extremely useful communication tools when used correctly.

“Natural” aids include the legs, the rider’s weight, the hands, and an independent seat. Anything else an “artificial aid.”  For that matter a round pen is an artificial aid.  If you are using the arena wall or the corner to help you shape your horse’s movement from the ground or the saddle, it becomes an “artificial” aid people use to shape their horse’s activity.  Round pens are not cruel and for that matter neither are whips, spurs, or flash nose bands. 

Artificial aids should never be used to punish the horse.  There is a difference between punishing and enforcing.  Enforcement means re-enforcing something the horse already knows, re-minding or re-focusing his attention. That's  different than correcting the horse because he's done something wrong.

A dressage whip should serve as a reminder rather than a punishment.  The rider must be sure that the horse completely understands the request being made  before using a whip or spur to reinforce. For example if the horse does not respond to the rider’s increased leg pressure,  a quick tap of the whip can  be given immediately. If  you repeat a request that the horse understands perfectly well 3 times before telling with the whip you will need twice as much pressure the next time the horse ignores the leg aid.  It is similar to a child pretending not to hear you not responding until you say his entire name.  Until you yell out  "John Michael Smith get down here right now!" does he heed the warning knowing this time your serious.

Whips and spurs are no more abusive than your hands or your seat or your legs. You can use your hands or your legs in an abusive way and you can use a whip or spurs to convey the subtlest communication.  The goal is to use the artificial aid to reinforce the natural aids so that the rider can use the lightest possible aids to communicate with the horse. The problem comes in when artificial aids are misused by people who either don't know or don't care. For instance, if you are not yet rolled in at the thigh, or you do not yet have  good control of your legs then you are not ready for spurs. You shouldn't use spurs to constantly drive your horse forward or to attempt to push him into a leg yield.  Its all a matter of using the tools responsibly.

We might be better off changing the name to "Logical Horsemanship"  or "Responsible Horsemanship" .  Maybe then we wouldn't get so caught up in the term natural.  There is no one perfect recipe for training every horse.  Horses are as individual and distinct is the person training them. Natural Horsemanship advocates that discount every "old school" trainer or every method that we don't understand or agree  with are no different than the horseman who refuses to acknowledge their may be a benefit to utilizing kinder methods.  Learn in as many ways from as many horses, and people as you can, because in the end we learn just as much from the good ones as we learn from the bad. 

Follow The Leader

It is easy to get lost in all the vast sea of opinions in regard to how to best communicate with your horse.  We all want the same result, a horse that is respectful, responsive and a joy to be around.  Partnership training, regardless of the method or style is reliant upon the fact that horses instinctively seek leadership.  It is absolutely essential that you are aware of this instinct, and the nature of the horse you are interacting with. Your success and more importantly your safety rely upon this knowledge.

If you have seen enough movies you may have been lead to believe it is the stallion that leads the herd.  They are protectors, responsible for keeping away intruders and predators.  Stallions “own” the herd, but they are not the leaders.  It is the "Alpha" Mare that provides leadership and security within the herd.  She leads them to food and safety,she disciplines the unruly youngsters; she decides the route of travel when emergency arises.  The alpha mare isn’t necessarily the strongest mare.  Leadership within the herd isn’t as much about physical strength and domination as it is about good decision making.

When a mare has proven herself as the alpha, her herd becomes dependent upon her for survival.  Being disobedient or disrespectful may result in rejection from the herd.  Horses instinctively seek protection from the alpha mare and the safety of the herd.  Being alone in the wild means being venerable to predators.

There is another important role in the herd that is referred to by many natural horsemanship trainers as the passive leader. “Horses Never Lie” a book by Mark Rashid gives insight into passive leadership and how to incorporate this attitude into your training.  He explains that in observing the horses within a herd you will notice that while they definitely respond and seem to respect the "alpha", they don't spend very much time in that particular horse's company. In fact, the majority of horses in a herd will go out of their way to avoid the "alpha".

While the alpha mare is the leader essential to the survival of the herd she is not the only one with ability to lead. There are small bands within established herds, the second in command is the "passive" or "chosen" leader. This horse doesn't try to gain followers, but goes quietly about its business, avoids fights, conserves energy by observing a social situation before taking action, and is consistent in its behavior. These horses end up being followed by a peaceful band that interacts respectfully, going out of their way to be polite and fair with each other.

Now to the point :) We have established the fact that horses need leadership, and we understand the two prominent leadership positions we can assimilate in working with our horses.  So, which one are you?  Which one should you be?  Horses are individuals with personalities as different from one to the other as the humans beside them.

When I was studying to become a trainer, I was broken down and evaluated just as I learned to do to my horses.  I had strengths and weaknesses, personality traits and patterns of habit that could aid or impede my progress.  I am by nature a quiet, compassionate trainer.  I’m not shy or timid, but I’m not necessarily aggressive or assertive either.  In the beginning I didn’t see this as a problem.  I was good at working with nervous horses, frightened horses, the ones that just needed a little patience and compassion.

What’s wrong with just being a passive leader?  Well, nothing in and of it self is wrong with that.  I’m still good with those types of horses.  It will always be easier for me to work with horses that respond to what comes naturally to me.  However, I learned very quickly that while passive leadership has its place, it is not effective in training aggressive, bullies that are persistent in challenging your leadership.  It was only a few weeks before my teachers robbed me of my beloved comfort zone.  They took away my sensitive, timid partners, and replaced them with nasty stallion like geldings, and defiant, sometimes violent mares.

They made me cry, they pushed me into walls, they ran me over, bit me, pinned their ears and scoffed at my “gentle nature” I had to learn to lead before I could expect these horses to follow.  Not every horse is a gentle giant.  I am not suggesting you become an aggressive, dominant brute.  I am suggesting you learn to assert yourself and demand to be acknowledged and respected.  Only when you have earned respect from your horse will she say, “I’m ready to get along, I’m ready to listen, I’m ready to follow".

One of my instructors used to have me role play as “Helga” the 200 pound German matriarch.  I was stoic and firm.  I marched along side my bullies, expecting nothing less than obedience as we walked to the arena.  If they overstepped the line or invaded my space, I walked them ten steps backward.  Teaching the horse and myself, that I was not to be walked on.

Eventually, when you are truly acknowledged as the leader your role can be a more passive one, even with horses that are by nature more aggressive.  The key is being consistent in your expectations, rewards and consequence.  Do not allow disrespect of any kind when dealing with a bully.  DO NOT allow a bully to circle you, DO NOT allow a bully to put his head over yours.  DO NOT brush off nippy behavior.  If a bully senses weakness in their leader, the leadership will be challenged.  Everything you do must remain calm and consistent.  Even when correcting the disobedient horse, be swift to act, steadfast and certain.  Never act out of anger or frustration.

In order to be effective leaders we must be flexible.  Knowing when to assert ourselves and when to be quiet.  Some times we have to be firm before we can be gentle. When you are a fair and just leader, your horse will not resent your authority.  You can shape your horses behavior, teaching it what to do rather than what not to do.  You can apply pressure with your horse trusting release will come when they assume the shape you desire.  It is very rewarding to gain a horses respect, especially when it is a respect born out of trust rather than fear.  Horses are happy when they know what to expect, they want to know their boundaries and expectations.  They want to feel safe and comfortable.  The best thing you can do for your horse and for yourself is to become a leader worthy of following.

 

Heed your Horses

In my studies at Meredith Manor we spent A LOT of time perfecting ground work.  Ground control Precedes Horse Control was drilled into my head time and time again.  Heeding became an essential part of every minute of every day at "Horse School".  Whether it be filling a water bucket, grooming a training baby, walking a horse to its stall, I learned that every move I made had significance to the horse.

So what is Heeding and why do you care?  Heeding is a method of training emphasizing ground work and communication through body language.  Heeding is defined as methodically applied, horse-logical pressures to enable the horse to feel the shape we want him to take. In essence you use your body language to create a feeling in the horse of where you want him to move.  As the horse's understanding increases, the handler can not only change the direction of the horses strides but also their length, speed and cadence.  It is simple to describe but a bit harder to master.  Here are the beginning steps

We start by bringing the horse into a small ring or paddock.  A round pen is not necessary, however a smaller area confines the horse in way that is understandable him. This also minimizes distractions and making it easier to get the horse's attention.

You start out by turning the horse loose in the ring and letting him play.  Do not direct him.  Let him run, trot, kick imaginary horse monsters, buck with exuberance, whatever he wants to do.  At first you do not direct where the horse goes.  Now envision an invisible line from your shoulder to the horses shoulder.   Slowly (NO running or chasing!)  begin to follow your horse slightly behind that line.

Following from a distance behind the shoulder is a small pressure that will encourage your horse to move forward.   The environment  should be relaxed and quiet.  Your goal is to keep his attention while he moves with out any big commotion or noises.  However, you don't want him stopping to eat grass or running to the gate to call for his buddies.  If he does this, or ideally right before you think he will, make a small sound or tap your thigh, whatever gets his attention back to you.

Eventually when the horse has had his fun and lost interest in kicking imaginary horses and running about he will stop and look at you.  When he does this, you stand absolutely still and quiet.  Try to avoid staring him down or anything that could be perceived as predatory.  Just stand, breath and wait.  Ideally he will begin to walk toward you.  If this happens don't rush to catch him.  Wait until he comes up to you, then slowly walk towards his shoulder.  Turn your body to face the horses shoulder.  Reach up slowly and pet the withers or where ever your horse enjoys a good scratch.

Continue  grooming in this relaxed manner for a minute or two keeping your horses attention.  Now turn your shoulders back to forward position, still standing next to the horses shoulder.  Take a step forward and see if the horse will follow. As you move your foot forward he should take a step with you.  Stopping when you stop and going forward when you go forward.   If he doesn't the first time don't be discouraged.  Take him back to his stall and try again tomorrow.   

You can slowly build on and refine these steps to eventually lead, turn, stop, back and stand wherever you decide.  Heeding your horse will improve every aspect of work with your horse on the ground and in the saddle.  Remember that you are always training your horse,whether you know it or not.

 

The Natural Approach to Training

What is Natural Horsemanship anyway?  The answer may depend on who you ask.  The most common definition I could find is training based on communication with the horse.  We have all seen the advertisements on television or in magazines.  Images of seemingly ordinary people accomplishing extraordinary things with horses.  Riding bridleless,  Jumping over obstacles, or simply just walking onto a trailer they  had always refused.

These demonstrations are the very least intriguing and entertaining to watch.  I must admit I was awe struck the first time I saw a horse with his head lowered, mirror imaging every movement made by his trainer.  No halters or lines, no whips or sounds, just the two of them engaged in what looked like a well choreographed dance.  The first time you witness a horse responding in this manner it truly does appear to be magic.

Since the discovery of horse’s usefulness to man, we have sought out more effective ways to bend them to our will.  Many of the traditional methods of training involved forceful, coercive and often inhumane tactics to gain control of the horse through domination.  Though there are many traditional training tactics still being used, I believe the shift towards gentler methods has already begun.  It is not that some of these traditional techniques are ineffective, simply that they are becoming less accepted by the horse owners paying the bill.

The “Natural Horsemanship” movement has gained momentum in the last decade.  Thanks mostly to movies such as “The horse Whisperer” along with a few well known  round pen clinicians popular culture has taken notice. This trend may be fairly new but the art of natural horsemanship is not.

Partnership based training has been around for thousands of years.   From the works of the Greek General Xenophon, who wrote of many of the same principles in 360 B.C.,to the famous horses of the Spanish riding school, to the practices of the California Vaqueros.  While each of these forms of horsemanship in history may have had different tactics to achieve the desired result they also had one commonality, they learned to work with the nature of the horse instead of against it.

As a student of Meredith Manor International Equestrian Centre, I learned a lot about the  methods utilized by "natural horsemanship" trainers as well as theory behind it.  Dr. Ron Meredith the founder and president of the school is another innovator of the horse  training world. He developed a system of training which he calls  “Heeding”.  Heeding uses methodically applied  pressures to create shapes that the horse can understand.  This is a horse communication system that proceeds in small, horse-logical steps that never create fear or antagonism in the horse.

Teaching heeding builds a communication link between yourself and the horse in the horse's language the animal kingdom, humans are predators and horses are prey animals. In order to work with horses, we have to figure out how to bridge that zoological gap. We do this by establishing a pattern, a feeling in the horse, that we are the safest, most comfortable place in the world to be. I hope to shed some light on this particular program in the next few entries.