Natural Horsemanship
| natiresnaturalhorse.com ~ All rights reserved Whether you are searching for a horse for sale, have just purchased your first horse or have owned one for years, natures natural horse offers lots of great horse information, from horse facts, horse and Equestrian product reviews, awesome horse links, to help with natural horsemanship! We strive to offer something for everyone in every equine discipline! |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
The term Natural Horsemanship is one that is heard more
and more today, however it has been in place for
centuries. There is nothing new to the concept, it has just
gained its popularity from some very respectful clinicians
and the high tech advertising we have today. There is
only one meaning to the term, "seaking to the horse in his
own language". Horses are social herd animals, evolved
for social interaction. The horse has a fine tuned
communication system practiced primarily through body
language. Humans can learn to use body language to
communicate with the horse. Horses use ear position,
head position, speed of movement, threatening gestures,
showing teeth and swinging hips, hind leg lifted and many
other gestures to communicate. They are quick to
escalate a behavior if early warnings are not
acknowledged. Similarly, in natural horsemanship, the
handler or trainer uses body language along with other
forms of gentle pressure with increasing escalation to get
the horse to respond. The best motto to stand by is "Ask
as little as possible but as much as necessary" Respect
will follow.
and more today, however it has been in place for
centuries. There is nothing new to the concept, it has just
gained its popularity from some very respectful clinicians
and the high tech advertising we have today. There is
only one meaning to the term, "seaking to the horse in his
own language". Horses are social herd animals, evolved
for social interaction. The horse has a fine tuned
communication system practiced primarily through body
language. Humans can learn to use body language to
communicate with the horse. Horses use ear position,
head position, speed of movement, threatening gestures,
showing teeth and swinging hips, hind leg lifted and many
other gestures to communicate. They are quick to
escalate a behavior if early warnings are not
acknowledged. Similarly, in natural horsemanship, the
handler or trainer uses body language along with other
forms of gentle pressure with increasing escalation to get
the horse to respond. The best motto to stand by is "Ask
as little as possible but as much as necessary" Respect
will follow.
| Speak To The Horse In His Language........ |
Taking the time to learn natural horsemanship will give
you a irreplaceable bond with your horse. There is no
magic in a horse whisperer, he only dazzles everyone,
because he has learned the language and can relate
it fluently. I myself over 40 years alongside the horse
have learned his language and dazzle my onlookers.
Many riding instructors overlook this wonderful
teaching tool, but I feel learning the horses behavior,
social structure and language gives all new horseman
the best foundation they can get. I have watched over
the years with all new horseman, a constant stuggle
you a irreplaceable bond with your horse. There is no
magic in a horse whisperer, he only dazzles everyone,
because he has learned the language and can relate
it fluently. I myself over 40 years alongside the horse
have learned his language and dazzle my onlookers.
Many riding instructors overlook this wonderful
teaching tool, but I feel learning the horses behavior,
social structure and language gives all new horseman
the best foundation they can get. I have watched over
the years with all new horseman, a constant stuggle
for the pecking order in their relationship with their
horse. Horses given an inch will always take two and if
you let them, the will feel superior. The struggle is there
for experienced horseman as well but they can give the horse an inch and stop him before he takes two.
The phrase "if you have a horses feet you have his mind" is so true. The struggle for new horseman or
horseman who cannot feel the horse, is timing. A horse judges you on timing, if you are slow to correct him he
takes advantage of it. It is not just correcting him, it is true timing and the faster you become at it the more
respect the horse gains from you. The best horseman learn to read the horse and correct the horse before
the horse realizes he was going to do it. He views you as the weaker partner if you are slow, and the slower
you are or if you miss it all together he looses respect. Horses are also lazy by nature and always looking for
the easiest route. We seem to always be asking them for more than they want to give. This is especially true
for a horse that does not work consistently or is new to work (youngster). I call them "horses on Welfare".
Some of these horses have fallen into inexperienced hands and allowed to dominate their handler. This
accounts for almost all bad behavior. Barn sour, bucking, rearing, kicking and biting are all things that have
been allowed by the handler. It is not intentional, and it has evolved by the smallest little battles that were lost
to the handler. All these things can be corrected by a horseman that can read the horse, but as soon as the
horse falls back into the hands of the inexperienced he falls right back to his old behavior.
Horses that have worked for a long time are less likely to take advantage of you. If a horse has been with a
handler that reads him and he is respectfull of his handler, he will be easy work with. The longer a horse as
been handled this way the better he is, just as on the other side of the scale, the longer a horse is with a
handler he does not respect the worse he becomes.
horse. Horses given an inch will always take two and if
you let them, the will feel superior. The struggle is there
for experienced horseman as well but they can give the horse an inch and stop him before he takes two.
The phrase "if you have a horses feet you have his mind" is so true. The struggle for new horseman or
horseman who cannot feel the horse, is timing. A horse judges you on timing, if you are slow to correct him he
takes advantage of it. It is not just correcting him, it is true timing and the faster you become at it the more
respect the horse gains from you. The best horseman learn to read the horse and correct the horse before
the horse realizes he was going to do it. He views you as the weaker partner if you are slow, and the slower
you are or if you miss it all together he looses respect. Horses are also lazy by nature and always looking for
the easiest route. We seem to always be asking them for more than they want to give. This is especially true
for a horse that does not work consistently or is new to work (youngster). I call them "horses on Welfare".
Some of these horses have fallen into inexperienced hands and allowed to dominate their handler. This
accounts for almost all bad behavior. Barn sour, bucking, rearing, kicking and biting are all things that have
been allowed by the handler. It is not intentional, and it has evolved by the smallest little battles that were lost
to the handler. All these things can be corrected by a horseman that can read the horse, but as soon as the
horse falls back into the hands of the inexperienced he falls right back to his old behavior.
Horses that have worked for a long time are less likely to take advantage of you. If a horse has been with a
handler that reads him and he is respectfull of his handler, he will be easy work with. The longer a horse as
been handled this way the better he is, just as on the other side of the scale, the longer a horse is with a
handler he does not respect the worse he becomes.
A good example comes from a friend of mine, she is not really a green rider but for the most part still lacks
the feel of the horse. She was riding in the round pen one day and I was cleaning stalls, I heard her fussing
over and over, then a yell for help, she said " my horse stops at the gate every time we pass by and it takes
a swap on his butt to get him moving again". She said "after a few swaps he started kicking out" She said "
I'd sure like to see if you can get him past the gate" Well it was a real classic case the horse was making the
stop before she was correcting it, by that time the horse lost his respect for her. Now he was becoming down
right bratty! It was escalating, kicking out when he was swapped on the butt. Well I climbed on and made a
lap, knowing he was going to stop, I hurried him along before we were even close, he was a bit confused,
but smart enough to know I was a different rider. He didn't have time to hesitate so on he went, the second
lap was the same but I felt less hesitation. As we went on he got better and better. She was up in arms and
said well maybe he was over being stubborn. She climbed back on and made a lap, he immediately
hesitated but went on by because I had just finished giving him a tune up, but she never felt the hesitation
and didn't keep him going and he too felt this. Second lap he stopped before she knew it. It was on again,
he realized it was her and went back to his bad behavior. I told her "its not him it is you, you need to train
yourself" She has been working hard on timing and looking for his sticky spots, she looks for them before he
even creates one. They are doing better but this struggle will be there for a long time, he remembers it well
and is always hoping she will give that inch again.
the feel of the horse. She was riding in the round pen one day and I was cleaning stalls, I heard her fussing
over and over, then a yell for help, she said " my horse stops at the gate every time we pass by and it takes
a swap on his butt to get him moving again". She said "after a few swaps he started kicking out" She said "
I'd sure like to see if you can get him past the gate" Well it was a real classic case the horse was making the
stop before she was correcting it, by that time the horse lost his respect for her. Now he was becoming down
right bratty! It was escalating, kicking out when he was swapped on the butt. Well I climbed on and made a
lap, knowing he was going to stop, I hurried him along before we were even close, he was a bit confused,
but smart enough to know I was a different rider. He didn't have time to hesitate so on he went, the second
lap was the same but I felt less hesitation. As we went on he got better and better. She was up in arms and
said well maybe he was over being stubborn. She climbed back on and made a lap, he immediately
hesitated but went on by because I had just finished giving him a tune up, but she never felt the hesitation
and didn't keep him going and he too felt this. Second lap he stopped before she knew it. It was on again,
he realized it was her and went back to his bad behavior. I told her "its not him it is you, you need to train
yourself" She has been working hard on timing and looking for his sticky spots, she looks for them before he
even creates one. They are doing better but this struggle will be there for a long time, he remembers it well
and is always hoping she will give that inch again.
