Post by Casper on Feb 20, 2007 21:54:55 GMT -5
Become a Natural Horseman Part 3: With Free Style Riding
Freestyle Riding: The third savvy in a four-part series about the Four Savvys and how to become a natural with horses through communication, knowledge and psychology rather than force, fear or intimidation.
True horsemen are admired for their ability to ride by the seat of their pants. This is because it's so rare to find someone who can, on the very first ride, allow a horse total freedom.
Most people have to learn how not to freeze up, dig in with their legs or clutch with their hands. As natural predators, we humans need to reprogram our unconscious reactions in order to allow a horse freedom while we're mounted. The best way to learn this is through riding Freestyle. In Freestyle riding, you learn how to guide your horse without contact on his mouth or even using the reins. You learn how your Focus gives you Feel, Then how Focus and Feel gives you Timing. And finally how Focus, Feel and Timing gives you Balance. If you can learn to have a consistently strong Focus, your horse will learn to follow it.
Don't be in a hurry.
Before you ask your horse to get in harmony with you, ask yourself if you can get in harmony with your horse. Can you go where he goes? Slow when he slows? Zig when he zigs and zag when he zags? Until you test yourself, you probably won't realize just how out of harmony you could be.
Become a Natural Horseman by Riding Freestyle
It's a rare thing to find someone who can allow a horse some freedom while mounted, who can ride without trying to cause a horse to go his way - especially for the first time.
True horsemen are admired for their ability to ride by the seat of their pants. I want you to be able to do this, to become part of your horse when you ride. The best way to learn how is by riding Freestyle.
In the last two articles, I talked about the need of becoming good with horses on the ground. You need to develop good ground skills in order to gain the horse's respect and help him understand the things you will ask for later when you get on his back. Freestyle riding is the next step in earning your horse's respect and preparing him for the more concentrated and subtle aspects of riding with Finesse.
By riding Freestyle, you'll gain an independent seat, steady hands and learn to communicate clearly with your body.
So, Fly with Your horse!
Ride by the seat of your pants! It's as much fun for your horse as it is for you.
Freestyle riding develops your independent seat and your horse's self-carriage. He becomes responsible for watching where he is going and balancing his weight with you on his back. You just have to concentrate on balancing your own body and feeling your horse. Getting away from short reins or using a bit for control will teach you how to develop communication and refinement with your horse.
Freestyle riding is done with long reins and no contact on the mouth, saddled or bareback. You can use a snaffle bit, a bosal, a rope halter or a Natural Hackamore. As you advance, Freestyle riding can mean no reins, a string around your horse's neck, or nothing on his head and neck at all. But don't start that way. Begin by understanding the concept of how Freestyle riding can help you quit using the bit for control, and start using it for communication.
Natural Reactions
When prey animals get scared, their first reaction is to run away. But when predators -including people- get scared, they freeze and dig in. These completely different reactions to fear is the reason why so many people get into trouble with their horses.
Have you ever had a cute little house predator sitting on your lap, purring away and then in walks the dog? Choink...into your legs go the claws. If you pay close attention, you'll notice an anatomical connection between a cat's claws and the hole under his tail. The mind gets tight, the hole under the tail gets tight and the claws go in.
Now take a look at the world's largest house predator, the human. Most people ride along like a bump on a log until their horse gets frightened and snorts, jumps sideways or takes off. That causes the human to get tight and all the claws go in -hands clamp onto reins. Legs clamp onto the horse's sides. For the horse, this feels like a mountain lion just jumped on his back.
When a horse gets scared, he has to run. He's programmed by nature to do it. He flees from fear and runs instinctively. It's a survival tactic. As riders, we usually try to make him stand still when he is afraid. We hold him back with the halter or bridle, thus making him more afraid and leaving him no option but to pull back, rear up, or even flip over in a panic.
What we need to do is learn how to allow a horse to drift. Before we try to stop an upset horse, we need to let the lead rope feed out or flow with the horse for a while. We have to allow him to move his feet around until he sorts things out.
This may be easier said than done because most people have to learn how not to freeze up and dig in first. As riders and horsemen, we need to get out of the defensive rut. We need to reprogram our unconscious reactions and learn how to allow our horse some freedom on the ground and while mounted.
Get More Control over Your Emotions
If we can learn to control our fear reactions, stay relaxed and go with the flow, we can help the horse calm down quickly. Ultimately, we could get the horse to where he wouldn't react at all because he would gain confidence, under any circumstance, by the relaxed emotional state of his rider.
There are lots of things you can do to improve your emotional fitness. You can test your fear reactions, without involving your horse, by going on scary carnival rides or bungee jumping.
Try to increase your awareness of your reactions in all circumstances and practice doing the physical opposite of what you feel like doing. That is, breathe out and relax when you are afraid instead of holding your breath and tightening up.
Learn to get more respect and control by exercising your horse mentally, emotionally and physically on the ground first rather than always being on his back. This way, your horse won't be so unpredictable and you will have even more ways to deal with his fears and yours.
Remember you are the one who bought a 1,200-pound prey animal who is really a big chicken without feathers, so, don't expect him to be the brave one.
Focus with Mind, Body and Belly Button
When you put two reins in people's hands, the strangest things happen. Their body language turns off, their eyes stare at the back of the horse's head and they don't even bother to look where they are going. When they drive a car, they don't look at the steering wheel. They look at the road ahead. This tells them where to aim, how much to influence the steering wheel, and where to direct the car. People can drive cars like this everyday, but when it comes to steering a horse, they still want to look at the horse instead of where they are going.
Freestyle riding helps break this limiting pattern quicker than anything else. When riding Freestyle, you have to learn how to guide your horse without contact in his mouth and without constantly holding onto the reins. You have to learn to look where you want to go, to use your body and your belly button power. You can teach your horse how to follow your body just by pointing your eyes and your belly button where you want to go! I teach my students to ride with the reins over their wrists. This physically stops them from grabbing the reins and digging in with their claws and helps them re-program their habits.
One of the most important four-letter words I know is Fo-C-U-S. Focus gives you Feel. Focus and Feel give you Timing. Focus, Feel and Timing give you Balance. So Focus is critical.
Imagine you have eyes on your belly button, shoulders, hips, knees, all your toes and your hands. Focus all of those eyes where you want to go. Use your reins to make corrections only if your horse does not follow your focus. Horses and children are masters at changing your focus, so the secret is to out-focus your horse, out-persist him. Don't let him change the spot you are headed to.
If you can learn to have a consistently strong Focus for your horse to follow, and your horse learns to follow it without argument, it won't be long before your horse really gets in harmony with you. When your horse learns how to follow your body, the bit and reins can be used for refined communication (Finesse) instead of control.
Don't be in too much of a hurry. Work on your Focus, Feel, Timing and Balance to get in harmony with your horse. When your horse is with you, mentally, emotionally and physically, then you'll have something solid to refine. As you learn more about horses, you will find you no longer need artificial and mechanical aids. You'll wonder why you ever thought of subjecting a horse to the type of force these devices inflict.
Develop Yourself as a Horseman
- Learn how to relate, communicate with and teach your horse naturally, without force, fear and mechanical aids.
- Learn how and why you need to prepare your horse on the ground before you ride.
- When mounted, learn to give your horse some freedom while you ride by the seat of your pants.
- When you want to direct or steer your horse, Focus with the eyes all over your body!
- Let go of the reins, which are handicapping your progress. Learn to become more sensitive and get in harmony with your horse's movements.
Terms of Use | email: pnhusa@parelli.com | Intellectual Property Notice
Copyright © 2006 Parelli Natural Horsemanship, Inc All Rights Reserved | Photography Copyright © 2006 Coco All Rights Reserved
Freestyle Riding: The third savvy in a four-part series about the Four Savvys and how to become a natural with horses through communication, knowledge and psychology rather than force, fear or intimidation.
True horsemen are admired for their ability to ride by the seat of their pants. This is because it's so rare to find someone who can, on the very first ride, allow a horse total freedom.
Most people have to learn how not to freeze up, dig in with their legs or clutch with their hands. As natural predators, we humans need to reprogram our unconscious reactions in order to allow a horse freedom while we're mounted. The best way to learn this is through riding Freestyle. In Freestyle riding, you learn how to guide your horse without contact on his mouth or even using the reins. You learn how your Focus gives you Feel, Then how Focus and Feel gives you Timing. And finally how Focus, Feel and Timing gives you Balance. If you can learn to have a consistently strong Focus, your horse will learn to follow it.
Don't be in a hurry.
Before you ask your horse to get in harmony with you, ask yourself if you can get in harmony with your horse. Can you go where he goes? Slow when he slows? Zig when he zigs and zag when he zags? Until you test yourself, you probably won't realize just how out of harmony you could be.
Become a Natural Horseman by Riding Freestyle
It's a rare thing to find someone who can allow a horse some freedom while mounted, who can ride without trying to cause a horse to go his way - especially for the first time.
True horsemen are admired for their ability to ride by the seat of their pants. I want you to be able to do this, to become part of your horse when you ride. The best way to learn how is by riding Freestyle.
In the last two articles, I talked about the need of becoming good with horses on the ground. You need to develop good ground skills in order to gain the horse's respect and help him understand the things you will ask for later when you get on his back. Freestyle riding is the next step in earning your horse's respect and preparing him for the more concentrated and subtle aspects of riding with Finesse.
By riding Freestyle, you'll gain an independent seat, steady hands and learn to communicate clearly with your body.
So, Fly with Your horse!
Ride by the seat of your pants! It's as much fun for your horse as it is for you.
Freestyle riding develops your independent seat and your horse's self-carriage. He becomes responsible for watching where he is going and balancing his weight with you on his back. You just have to concentrate on balancing your own body and feeling your horse. Getting away from short reins or using a bit for control will teach you how to develop communication and refinement with your horse.
Freestyle riding is done with long reins and no contact on the mouth, saddled or bareback. You can use a snaffle bit, a bosal, a rope halter or a Natural Hackamore. As you advance, Freestyle riding can mean no reins, a string around your horse's neck, or nothing on his head and neck at all. But don't start that way. Begin by understanding the concept of how Freestyle riding can help you quit using the bit for control, and start using it for communication.
Natural Reactions
When prey animals get scared, their first reaction is to run away. But when predators -including people- get scared, they freeze and dig in. These completely different reactions to fear is the reason why so many people get into trouble with their horses.
Have you ever had a cute little house predator sitting on your lap, purring away and then in walks the dog? Choink...into your legs go the claws. If you pay close attention, you'll notice an anatomical connection between a cat's claws and the hole under his tail. The mind gets tight, the hole under the tail gets tight and the claws go in.
Now take a look at the world's largest house predator, the human. Most people ride along like a bump on a log until their horse gets frightened and snorts, jumps sideways or takes off. That causes the human to get tight and all the claws go in -hands clamp onto reins. Legs clamp onto the horse's sides. For the horse, this feels like a mountain lion just jumped on his back.
When a horse gets scared, he has to run. He's programmed by nature to do it. He flees from fear and runs instinctively. It's a survival tactic. As riders, we usually try to make him stand still when he is afraid. We hold him back with the halter or bridle, thus making him more afraid and leaving him no option but to pull back, rear up, or even flip over in a panic.
What we need to do is learn how to allow a horse to drift. Before we try to stop an upset horse, we need to let the lead rope feed out or flow with the horse for a while. We have to allow him to move his feet around until he sorts things out.
This may be easier said than done because most people have to learn how not to freeze up and dig in first. As riders and horsemen, we need to get out of the defensive rut. We need to reprogram our unconscious reactions and learn how to allow our horse some freedom on the ground and while mounted.
Get More Control over Your Emotions
If we can learn to control our fear reactions, stay relaxed and go with the flow, we can help the horse calm down quickly. Ultimately, we could get the horse to where he wouldn't react at all because he would gain confidence, under any circumstance, by the relaxed emotional state of his rider.
There are lots of things you can do to improve your emotional fitness. You can test your fear reactions, without involving your horse, by going on scary carnival rides or bungee jumping.
Try to increase your awareness of your reactions in all circumstances and practice doing the physical opposite of what you feel like doing. That is, breathe out and relax when you are afraid instead of holding your breath and tightening up.
Learn to get more respect and control by exercising your horse mentally, emotionally and physically on the ground first rather than always being on his back. This way, your horse won't be so unpredictable and you will have even more ways to deal with his fears and yours.
Remember you are the one who bought a 1,200-pound prey animal who is really a big chicken without feathers, so, don't expect him to be the brave one.
Focus with Mind, Body and Belly Button
When you put two reins in people's hands, the strangest things happen. Their body language turns off, their eyes stare at the back of the horse's head and they don't even bother to look where they are going. When they drive a car, they don't look at the steering wheel. They look at the road ahead. This tells them where to aim, how much to influence the steering wheel, and where to direct the car. People can drive cars like this everyday, but when it comes to steering a horse, they still want to look at the horse instead of where they are going.
Freestyle riding helps break this limiting pattern quicker than anything else. When riding Freestyle, you have to learn how to guide your horse without contact in his mouth and without constantly holding onto the reins. You have to learn to look where you want to go, to use your body and your belly button power. You can teach your horse how to follow your body just by pointing your eyes and your belly button where you want to go! I teach my students to ride with the reins over their wrists. This physically stops them from grabbing the reins and digging in with their claws and helps them re-program their habits.
One of the most important four-letter words I know is Fo-C-U-S. Focus gives you Feel. Focus and Feel give you Timing. Focus, Feel and Timing give you Balance. So Focus is critical.
Imagine you have eyes on your belly button, shoulders, hips, knees, all your toes and your hands. Focus all of those eyes where you want to go. Use your reins to make corrections only if your horse does not follow your focus. Horses and children are masters at changing your focus, so the secret is to out-focus your horse, out-persist him. Don't let him change the spot you are headed to.
If you can learn to have a consistently strong Focus for your horse to follow, and your horse learns to follow it without argument, it won't be long before your horse really gets in harmony with you. When your horse learns how to follow your body, the bit and reins can be used for refined communication (Finesse) instead of control.
Don't be in too much of a hurry. Work on your Focus, Feel, Timing and Balance to get in harmony with your horse. When your horse is with you, mentally, emotionally and physically, then you'll have something solid to refine. As you learn more about horses, you will find you no longer need artificial and mechanical aids. You'll wonder why you ever thought of subjecting a horse to the type of force these devices inflict.
Develop Yourself as a Horseman
- Learn how to relate, communicate with and teach your horse naturally, without force, fear and mechanical aids.
- Learn how and why you need to prepare your horse on the ground before you ride.
- When mounted, learn to give your horse some freedom while you ride by the seat of your pants.
- When you want to direct or steer your horse, Focus with the eyes all over your body!
- Let go of the reins, which are handicapping your progress. Learn to become more sensitive and get in harmony with your horse's movements.
Terms of Use | email: pnhusa@parelli.com | Intellectual Property Notice
Copyright © 2006 Parelli Natural Horsemanship, Inc All Rights Reserved | Photography Copyright © 2006 Coco All Rights Reserved