Hey Sal - I do Parelli Natural horsemanship - I have been around horses for about 5 years and have learned so many things..so many.
Training:
The first thing to know when you are introducing ANYTHING NEW to a horse is some horse phycology.
"APPROACH and RETREAT" is the best thing for a horse...and US BY THE WAY.
ANYTHING I do with them I have to look at it in THEIR EYES....knowing that they are CLAUSTROPHOBICS - PANICAHOLICS - and their inate charateristi is to FLY FROM FEAR (RUN) and then turn and reaccess the danger.
Knowing this they need YOU to be a good leader. So many times we "WORK" with a horse instead of "PLAY" with a horse.
A horse needs "SAFETY" - "LEADERSHIP" - "COMFORT" - "FOOD".
To be a good leader we need to know this up front. They don't know the mailbox isn't going to KILL THEM....we do but they don't.
So many times I see ppl FORCE a horse to do something...anyone can force a horse, but what if you could make your idea his idea....hmmm
What if he would learn something and do it willingly. That's what I do as best I can...sometimes I screw up but that's learning.
Here's something to consider.....WHAT IF - you were afraid of heights. I come along and say "hey what's the big deal" and I go and stand near the edge of a cliff.....you see me as your leader and you slowly creep up to the edge and look over....you breath a HUGE SIGH of relief that you didn't DIE...and JUST WHEN you are getting comfortable I.....
PUSH YOU OFF THE CLIFF.....well that's what many people do with horses.
Horses will do just about anything if you JUST let them have the time to get CURIOUS and BRAVE instead of PUSHING them.
Take a tarp for instance.....we know it won't hurt them right.....but they don't and it makes alot of noise.
So if we TIE THE UP (which is common) or hold the lead rope REAL TIGHT AND SHORT...and just walk up to them with the tarp and start flinging it around...chances are they are going to PULL BACK and maybe hurt themselves or kick at you.
But in either case they are AFRAID.
BUT WHAT IF.....you had a LONG LEADROPE and had someone drag a tarp in front and away from you and your horse and you had your horse behind you leading him...
NOW YOU AS HIS LEADER.....were between him and the SCARY TARP. Then get the person to stop and you stop.....slowly as your horse gets more confident you shorten the lead rope - never more that ten feet though, but if he gets scared you let him drift a bit (don't hold him close) - 12 feet plus - I use a 22' leadrope for this kinda stuff.
Then have the person just drop the tarp and you walk by it (don't even look at the tarp as the leader you need to be CONFIDENT).....chances are the horse will go to the side of you that is opposite the tarp...that's ok.
Then you stop and if he wants to go investigate the tarp great if not..then I would stand on the tarp and let him circle me at a walk - 2 times max. Then turn him the other way and do this until the tarp is not a worry.
It's fun.....I do everything but let him get to the tarp - I PLAY THE GAME OF - "YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED NEAR THE TARP". In no time he wants to see what it is..REALLY - his curiosity comes up and so will his confidence.
I do the same with guns.....start off at a distance with someone shooting a 22 say...we get closer and everytime he is a bit worried we retreat.....when he relaxes we get closer...keep repeating this until he relaxes...."hind leg cocked - head low - yawning - blowing out (the sound they do if we blow out between our lips - are all signs of him coming off adreniline.
When he is fine with that...start the same process with a shotgun or rifle at a distance.
They say you can shoot a gun off ANY horse.....ONCE.
I do the same with the bow as the tarp thing...
I would encourage anyone wanting to really become a horseman to take the Pat Parelli home study course.....IT"S WAY MORE THAN RIDING.
Jer Bear
Topic: HORSEARCHERY / PICS (Read 2927 times)
