Post by Casper on Feb 20, 2007 21:55:43 GMT -5
Become a Natural Horseman Part 2: With No Strings Attached
Teaching Your Horse at Liberty:
The second 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.
Liberty Means Freedom.
In horsemanship, At Liberty is the art of communicating with and directing your horse, without lines. When a horse is free, he has a choice about how he responds. His respect and trust, or lack of it, become easy to see. Liberty skills teach you to become better at your body language with horses. You begin communicating with them in a language they understand becoming the dominant horse or alpha of their herd. If more people knew how to relate to their horse as a dominant horse would, there would be a lot more happy horses and happy people. The secret lies in understanding horse psychology and having an attitude of justice.
I had a woman once tell me that she never had a problem trailer loading her horse. I asked her if she could send her dog into her pickup truck from where she was standing. "Sure," she replied. I then asked her if she could send her horse into the trailer from where she was standing, too. "Oh, no," came her shocked reply. Although that might not look like a problem, that told me the woman had not challenged herself and her horse to greater levels of communication. There was a problem. It was a communication and leadership problem that the woman was not even aware of.I believe that if you have a horse, you have a responsibility to understand how he thinks, to become a better horseman for the horse's sake. Learning to be effective with horses on the ground, as well as learning natural riding principles, prevents the communication problems that cause frustration and injury.
In becoming good with horses on the ground, you need to develop equine relationship skills in two areas - On Line (with a lead rope) and At Liberty (no halter, lead rope or strings attached).
Learning to play At Liberty creates a special rapport with your horse. There is more fun and variety while you build a mental connection that is stronger than any lead rope.
Stronger Than a Lead Rope
Liberty means freedom, no involuntary servitude. When a horse is free of all restraints, he has a choice about how he responds to you. In this context, Liberty is the art of communicating with and directing your horse without lines. It begins in an enclosed area such as a round corral and builds to where you can control your horse in a big open pasture while he is completely free to run away.
Usually, a horse wants to be with other horses more than he wants to be with people. Domesticated horses have come to depend on man for food and water, but this does not necessarily mean that they want to be friends, or are willingly doing what people want. A horse might be friendly if you offer bits of food or just want to pet him a little. But show him a halter or bridle and it's a different story.
To build a horse's respect and be able to play At Liberty, our horses must perceive us as the alpha or most dominant member of their herds. Horses don't question the alpha horse's suggestions because they respect him for being a friend; being fair and being firm enough to move the other horses at his will. They trust his decisions and quickly obey his demands from wherever he is. The secret to becoming a horseman lies in understanding horse psychology and maintaining an attitude of justice. Never be firmer than another horse and never be gentler than a three-year-old child. This is where the attitude of justice makes all he difference between being aggressive and assertive
As you learn how to be your horse's alpha, your horse will enjoy you more. You will become more provocative, interesting and stimulating for him How many horses do you think have fun going around and around in an arena? If your horse is recreation for you, think about how you can become recreation for him, mentally, emotionally and physically.
Have You Ever Had a Horse Look You in the Eye?
Most people never think about this because it is something they learned not to expect. I want you to start noticing how often horses avoid looking at people - predators - in the eye with both of their eyes.
Horses are motivated by comfort. You can teach your horse to do what you want, including paying attention to you, by causing him to be uncomfortable when he's not doing the right thing and giving him comfort when he is.
Discomfort does not mean punishment. It means discomfort. We all know that a fly can cause a great deal of discomfort without being painful. When your horse does what you want, communicate this to him instantly by giving him comfort. Comfort usually means stopping whatever you were doing that made him uncomfortable. The better your timing, the quicker your results.
When people become angry at their horses, it's usually due to a lack of understanding and frustration at not getting the results they want. Instead of blaming the horse for things not going right, learn how to get his attention, and respect so he understands what you want and is willing to give you the response you want.
To influence your horse At Liberty, you must be able to get his respect and full attention with eye contact. It's like having a conversation with another person. If you want to make sure you are understood, you look at each other in the eye while you communicate.
Beginning at Liberty
The first step is to teach your horse to pay attention to you. There is a simple exercise you can do that will facilitate this. You will a small corral, your Carrot Stick and a plastic bag. Make a flag by looping the plastic bag through the end of your Carrot Stick. Be sure you open the bottom of the bag so it does not fill with air.
Bring your horse into the corral, remove the halter and turn him loose. Watch what he does. He'll probably walk away from you and start looking for his friends. Go to the middle of the corral and begin to shake the flag. Of course, the plastic will rustle, sounding like a predator sneaking up on him. He won't even think. He'll just run. Nature has programmed this reaction in the horse to help the species survive. Unfortunately, it's the kind of reaction that causes problems in the human environment.
The hardest part, for you, will be to continue shaking the flag until the horse calms down. Although your horse will be scared, this is not your purpose. By continuing to shake the flag you will desensitize him and teach him to think his way through his fears, and then to look to you for direction.
Your horse will begin to realize that the flag is not life threatening. He will begin to slow down, turn his ear toward you and then look at you and the flag. The instant he looks at you, quit shaking the flag, relax and smile at your horse. Do not go to him.
At first, the horse will not realize what he's done. Give him a moment to gather his thoughts and watch his body language. A horse that is starting to think will blink, raise and lower his head and lick his lips.
As soon as your horse decides to walk, trot or run off again, start shaking the flag. Keep shaking and shaking and shaking until he looks at you again. As soon as he does, quit shaking the flag. By doing this, you are teaching your horse that he is the one responsible for stopping the flag. All he has to do is stop running around and look at you. A few repetitions and your horse will think, "Oh, I get it. I can train my human to stop shaking that thing just by looking at him."
Remember to give your horse time to realize what he has accomplished, and that he has found comfort through his own actions. Also, take the time to shake the flag until he realizes that he's still alive and there is nothing to be afraid of.
What Kind of Round Corral Is Best?
I would recommend a round corral rather than a yard that has corners. I like a diameter of 40 to 60 with a rail high enough to discourage jumping out, but not blocking the horse's view.
Sloped sides are not a good idea because they can cause a horse to climb the walls by playing tricks on his visual calibration. If you build a round corral, make sure the bottom two feet are built up to keep the sand in and that the rails are spaced wide enough so that a horse can't trap his leg.
I once asked Tom Dorrance what the best material was for building a round corral. To my surprise he answered, "Chicken wire. That way a cowboy would have to be polite enough in his communication not to drive his horse through it."
This is a wise answer with a philosophical truth. It's the principle rather than the fact that counts.
While touring, I use a battery-operated, electrical tape fence, the temporary kind you erect for grazing your horse. I make a circular pen out of it for my horses to stay in overnight, then the next day it can be used as a round pen. This pen is great for demonstrations because it seems like there is no barrier between the audience and the activity.
This kind of pen solves a lot of problems for people who do not have their own round corral. However, make sure of two things before using it.
1. That the horse understands and respects this fence
2. That you try it inside of another fenced area first in case your horse goes through it. Also, I would not recommend this for starting wild horses.
You could even start playing with your horse on a 22-foot line first to help him get used to it. I usually don't charge the fence when playing in it, and my horses don't challenge it because they understand not to touch it.
Build In the Communication
Once your horse is not afraid, you can begin to communicate. Build in a communication signal to ask your horse to face you. For example, you could smooch, whistle or call his name.
Start by using your signal and follow it by shaking your flag. As soon as he faces you, quit the flag. Keep repeating until he looks when you signal and the flag is no longer needed. Part of being effective is trusting that your horse will respond, but being ready to correct him if he doesn't. Consistency is the best teacher.
Horse are brilliant at knowing what happens before what happens happens. Your horse will begin to realize that shortly after the signal things get uncomfortable, so he will look to you to avoid the consequences.
Most of the time people have really neutral look around horses. They don't really look mean or friendly. This neutral look makes it very hard for horses to read the situation. Liberty skills teach you to become better at your body language. You learn to exaggerate your body language to begin communicating with horses in a way they understand.
Apart from the exercise I just outlined, there are numerous things you can do with your horse At Liberty. There are exercises or tasks you can do to help him become more athletic. Teach him to have snappy departures, graceful transitions, back up, side pass, jump, go through narrow spaces, stop, slide stop, spin and do flying lead changes. Once you learn how to create that strong, special rapport with no strings attached you can offer that to every horse you meet.
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
Teaching Your Horse at Liberty:
The second 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.
Liberty Means Freedom.
In horsemanship, At Liberty is the art of communicating with and directing your horse, without lines. When a horse is free, he has a choice about how he responds. His respect and trust, or lack of it, become easy to see. Liberty skills teach you to become better at your body language with horses. You begin communicating with them in a language they understand becoming the dominant horse or alpha of their herd. If more people knew how to relate to their horse as a dominant horse would, there would be a lot more happy horses and happy people. The secret lies in understanding horse psychology and having an attitude of justice.
I had a woman once tell me that she never had a problem trailer loading her horse. I asked her if she could send her dog into her pickup truck from where she was standing. "Sure," she replied. I then asked her if she could send her horse into the trailer from where she was standing, too. "Oh, no," came her shocked reply. Although that might not look like a problem, that told me the woman had not challenged herself and her horse to greater levels of communication. There was a problem. It was a communication and leadership problem that the woman was not even aware of.I believe that if you have a horse, you have a responsibility to understand how he thinks, to become a better horseman for the horse's sake. Learning to be effective with horses on the ground, as well as learning natural riding principles, prevents the communication problems that cause frustration and injury.
In becoming good with horses on the ground, you need to develop equine relationship skills in two areas - On Line (with a lead rope) and At Liberty (no halter, lead rope or strings attached).
Learning to play At Liberty creates a special rapport with your horse. There is more fun and variety while you build a mental connection that is stronger than any lead rope.
Stronger Than a Lead Rope
Liberty means freedom, no involuntary servitude. When a horse is free of all restraints, he has a choice about how he responds to you. In this context, Liberty is the art of communicating with and directing your horse without lines. It begins in an enclosed area such as a round corral and builds to where you can control your horse in a big open pasture while he is completely free to run away.
Usually, a horse wants to be with other horses more than he wants to be with people. Domesticated horses have come to depend on man for food and water, but this does not necessarily mean that they want to be friends, or are willingly doing what people want. A horse might be friendly if you offer bits of food or just want to pet him a little. But show him a halter or bridle and it's a different story.
To build a horse's respect and be able to play At Liberty, our horses must perceive us as the alpha or most dominant member of their herds. Horses don't question the alpha horse's suggestions because they respect him for being a friend; being fair and being firm enough to move the other horses at his will. They trust his decisions and quickly obey his demands from wherever he is. The secret to becoming a horseman lies in understanding horse psychology and maintaining an attitude of justice. Never be firmer than another horse and never be gentler than a three-year-old child. This is where the attitude of justice makes all he difference between being aggressive and assertive
As you learn how to be your horse's alpha, your horse will enjoy you more. You will become more provocative, interesting and stimulating for him How many horses do you think have fun going around and around in an arena? If your horse is recreation for you, think about how you can become recreation for him, mentally, emotionally and physically.
Have You Ever Had a Horse Look You in the Eye?
Most people never think about this because it is something they learned not to expect. I want you to start noticing how often horses avoid looking at people - predators - in the eye with both of their eyes.
Horses are motivated by comfort. You can teach your horse to do what you want, including paying attention to you, by causing him to be uncomfortable when he's not doing the right thing and giving him comfort when he is.
Discomfort does not mean punishment. It means discomfort. We all know that a fly can cause a great deal of discomfort without being painful. When your horse does what you want, communicate this to him instantly by giving him comfort. Comfort usually means stopping whatever you were doing that made him uncomfortable. The better your timing, the quicker your results.
When people become angry at their horses, it's usually due to a lack of understanding and frustration at not getting the results they want. Instead of blaming the horse for things not going right, learn how to get his attention, and respect so he understands what you want and is willing to give you the response you want.
To influence your horse At Liberty, you must be able to get his respect and full attention with eye contact. It's like having a conversation with another person. If you want to make sure you are understood, you look at each other in the eye while you communicate.
Beginning at Liberty
The first step is to teach your horse to pay attention to you. There is a simple exercise you can do that will facilitate this. You will a small corral, your Carrot Stick and a plastic bag. Make a flag by looping the plastic bag through the end of your Carrot Stick. Be sure you open the bottom of the bag so it does not fill with air.
Bring your horse into the corral, remove the halter and turn him loose. Watch what he does. He'll probably walk away from you and start looking for his friends. Go to the middle of the corral and begin to shake the flag. Of course, the plastic will rustle, sounding like a predator sneaking up on him. He won't even think. He'll just run. Nature has programmed this reaction in the horse to help the species survive. Unfortunately, it's the kind of reaction that causes problems in the human environment.
The hardest part, for you, will be to continue shaking the flag until the horse calms down. Although your horse will be scared, this is not your purpose. By continuing to shake the flag you will desensitize him and teach him to think his way through his fears, and then to look to you for direction.
Your horse will begin to realize that the flag is not life threatening. He will begin to slow down, turn his ear toward you and then look at you and the flag. The instant he looks at you, quit shaking the flag, relax and smile at your horse. Do not go to him.
At first, the horse will not realize what he's done. Give him a moment to gather his thoughts and watch his body language. A horse that is starting to think will blink, raise and lower his head and lick his lips.
As soon as your horse decides to walk, trot or run off again, start shaking the flag. Keep shaking and shaking and shaking until he looks at you again. As soon as he does, quit shaking the flag. By doing this, you are teaching your horse that he is the one responsible for stopping the flag. All he has to do is stop running around and look at you. A few repetitions and your horse will think, "Oh, I get it. I can train my human to stop shaking that thing just by looking at him."
Remember to give your horse time to realize what he has accomplished, and that he has found comfort through his own actions. Also, take the time to shake the flag until he realizes that he's still alive and there is nothing to be afraid of.
What Kind of Round Corral Is Best?
I would recommend a round corral rather than a yard that has corners. I like a diameter of 40 to 60 with a rail high enough to discourage jumping out, but not blocking the horse's view.
Sloped sides are not a good idea because they can cause a horse to climb the walls by playing tricks on his visual calibration. If you build a round corral, make sure the bottom two feet are built up to keep the sand in and that the rails are spaced wide enough so that a horse can't trap his leg.
I once asked Tom Dorrance what the best material was for building a round corral. To my surprise he answered, "Chicken wire. That way a cowboy would have to be polite enough in his communication not to drive his horse through it."
This is a wise answer with a philosophical truth. It's the principle rather than the fact that counts.
While touring, I use a battery-operated, electrical tape fence, the temporary kind you erect for grazing your horse. I make a circular pen out of it for my horses to stay in overnight, then the next day it can be used as a round pen. This pen is great for demonstrations because it seems like there is no barrier between the audience and the activity.
This kind of pen solves a lot of problems for people who do not have their own round corral. However, make sure of two things before using it.
1. That the horse understands and respects this fence
2. That you try it inside of another fenced area first in case your horse goes through it. Also, I would not recommend this for starting wild horses.
You could even start playing with your horse on a 22-foot line first to help him get used to it. I usually don't charge the fence when playing in it, and my horses don't challenge it because they understand not to touch it.
Build In the Communication
Once your horse is not afraid, you can begin to communicate. Build in a communication signal to ask your horse to face you. For example, you could smooch, whistle or call his name.
Start by using your signal and follow it by shaking your flag. As soon as he faces you, quit the flag. Keep repeating until he looks when you signal and the flag is no longer needed. Part of being effective is trusting that your horse will respond, but being ready to correct him if he doesn't. Consistency is the best teacher.
Horse are brilliant at knowing what happens before what happens happens. Your horse will begin to realize that shortly after the signal things get uncomfortable, so he will look to you to avoid the consequences.
Most of the time people have really neutral look around horses. They don't really look mean or friendly. This neutral look makes it very hard for horses to read the situation. Liberty skills teach you to become better at your body language. You learn to exaggerate your body language to begin communicating with horses in a way they understand.
Apart from the exercise I just outlined, there are numerous things you can do with your horse At Liberty. There are exercises or tasks you can do to help him become more athletic. Teach him to have snappy departures, graceful transitions, back up, side pass, jump, go through narrow spaces, stop, slide stop, spin and do flying lead changes. Once you learn how to create that strong, special rapport with no strings attached you can offer that to every horse you meet.
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