Post by Casper on Feb 20, 2007 21:56:36 GMT -5
Become a Natural Horseman Part 1: With On Line Logic
On Line Logic: The first 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.
Rather than using human logic, a true Horseman approaches a horse with an attitude and communication techniques that make perfect sense to the horse. A horseman understands horse psychology, how horses think and behave, and is able to use this knowledge for relating to and developing a horse.
This deep understanding of horse psychology is what I simply call Savvy. There are four areas in which to gain savvy to become a horseman. Two are on the ground (On Line and At Liberty) and the other two are in the saddle (Freestyle Riding and concentrated riding called Finesse). Learning the first Savvy - On Line Logic creates a language for communication and a broad base of skills for you and your horse. This is the first step for building a horseman's foundation.
Many people feel that because they can ride well, or because they have been around horses all their lives, they must be horsemen. What they often don't realize is that a horseman Savvys, or deeply understands, horses in any situation, both on their backs and on the ground. This is something that all horse people should aspire to achieve no matter what their sport or specialty may be. Understanding a horse to this level makes it more fun and much safer for both you and your horse no matter what you do or where you are.
One of the most common things I hear, year after year, is how people are able to win any competition they enter if they can get their horses in a trailer to get to it. Some other typical problems I hear about are: The horse won't go into the show ring any more. The horse needs a stronger bit to control him. The horse won't stand still while being mounted. The horse pulls back when he is tied. The horse drags people around with the lead rope. The horse won't go anymore. The horse won't stop anymore. The horse jigs and spooks at everything on the trail. And, the horse won't stand still for clipping, shoeing and grooming.
These people spend hundreds of hours riding and mastering their sport without ever spending some time trying to understand the horse himself. The curious part to me is that they don't think there is anything wrong with this. They just put up with the "horse's problems" unless the problems become too big to put up with. Then they get rid of the horse for another one or they quit riding because they get too frustrated to continue.
Becoming a horseman means you take the time to understand horse psychology and use it for relating to and developing a horse. The dominant or 'alpha' horse is the most effective horse trainer ever born. So rather than using people logic, a true horseman approaches horses with the same attitude and communication techniques as another horse.
To become a horseman, there are four areas in which to gain Savvy. Two of these are on the ground and two are in the saddle. They are On Line, At Liberty, Freestyle and Finesse (concentrated riding). Each of these Savvys is a study in itself, something I develop in my students one level at a time.
The First Savvy: On Line Logic
Most horse lessons start and end on the horse's back.Without ground skills, there's a large part of the puzzle missing. This missing piece is the main cause of frustration, injury and the predominant cause for attaining only mediocre results. Horses make monkeys out of people on the ground. They're more clever, faster and stronger. You have to prove to horses that they are wrong about you on the ground in order to gain their respect.
To communicate effectively with horses, you need to learn how to think differently. You need to become a master of lateral thinking as opposed to direct thinking. Lateral thinking means you understand how to get a horse to do something by asking in-directly. Horses are prey animals. They make a living out-smarting predators like us humans. They can read us like a book, see what we want and do exactly the opposite at exactly the right time. This is how the horse has survived extinction. It's one of nature's designs.
Predators, including humans, are motivated by praise, recognition and material rewards. These motivators are useless with prey animals like horses because horses are concerned mostly about comfort. They just want to be safe and comfortable.
If you can prove to your horse that he is safe no matter what, then you can use comfort and discomfort to motivate him.
I have identified and developed Seven Games based on prey animal logic. They are the same games that horses play with each other to establish a pecking order. By becoming good at these Seven Games, you will be able to establish a relationship between you and your horse based on a friendship, trust and dominance. The games are first played On Line, starting on a 12-foot line then increasing to 22 and 45-foot lines as you increase your skill and develop more respect from your horse. I call this On Line Logic because I use lines of communication, not just lead ropes.
Think Calmer, Smarter, Braver and More Athletic
Everything you do with your horse has to be a game. If you approach a situation with this attitude, it will keep you from getting frustrated, keep your horse interested longer, help you have fun with your horse, make progress faster and help develop your emotional fitness against getting mean or mad. Remember this is a program of development not just something you do by remote control when you go to ride your horse. If you spend time getting to know these Seven Games, you'll become more conscious of how they influence everything you do with your horse from catching him to the most advanced maneuvers. Your entire relationship will become more pleasurable than you ever thought possible.
The Seven Games
#1 The Friendly Game
This is about proving to your horse that you wouldn't hurt him even if you could. Rather than just petting him and going quietly about him, you need to expose him to situations that scare him so you can prove that those situations are not going to hurt him.
You should be able to rub him all over, toss ropes around his legs, over his back and head, even skip around him. This is about desensitizing your horse to 'scary' movements, objects and situations. The secret is to offer the 'scary thing' with some rhythm, a smile on your face and relaxed body language. You need to keep going, with rhythm, until the horse realizes there is nothing to worry about and becomes able to stand still. As you gain more knowledge and experience, you'll develop 1000 ways to play this game.
Many horses, even though they've been ridden for years, have never had the chance to get acquainted with their saddle. You can play the Friendly Game with the saddle and pads by lightly tossing them on and off until the horse feels confident and can stand completely still to be saddled.
There are two things that are extremely important here. One is to allow the horse to move, to drift around a bit while he is getting over being afraid. You just need to keep him facing you with some slack in the rope until he decides he can keep his feet still. Second is to stress the importance of using rhythm. Offering anything to the horse with rhythm gives him confidence because he learns to anticipate what is coming. This game should always be played first, and in between each of the other six games. Every time you play it with him, you reassure your horse and keep the balance between friendship and dominance.
#2 The Porcupine Game
Horses have an innate behavior called opposition reflex. It is the instinct to push through pressure and is what kicks into gear when they feel trapped. When they feel unsure, mentally, emotionally or physically, they want to push on whatever pressure they can feel, which may be the halter, the bit, the cinch or your leg.
This is why horses pull back and have trouble in small spaces like trailers. They are naturally claustrophobic, so the opposition reflex comes out as a strategy of survival.
The Porcupine Game is about teaching your horse to yield, or move away from pressure. People tend to want to use pokey, jabbing movements, but it is a steady pressure that causes a horse to learn about his responsibility to move off pressure and find his own comfort.
Be warned! Horses are black belts at these games! These are the tactics they use on each other to decide who is boss. They will, of course, challenge you to see who gives up first. Set yourself up to be as dependable as a fence post. This means that your legs are planted so the instant your horse moves, he gains relief from the steady pressure. The pressure should not follow him!
You may need something like a spur or dull rock in your hand if your horse is especially pushy and unyielding. Remember, start softly and build the pressure slowly and steadily until your horse moves. As soon as he yields, release the pressure and rub the spot you pressed on. Once he understands what you want, you'll be amazed at how light he can become.
Using The Porcupine Game (steady pressure),can you move your horse forwards, backwards, sideways, right and left, front end, back end, head down and up? You should be able to move him using moderate and even pressure with your fingertips. Your horse should stay with you, not escape from your finger pressure and stop when you rub those same spots.
#3 The Driving Game
Horses play The Driving Game with each other all the time. They give a hard look, lay back their ears, switch their tails or lift a hind leg to say, "If you don't move, you're going to run into my teeth or my hoof!"
This game comes after The Porcupine Game because the horse needs to learn to move from your physical pressure before he learns to move from your mental pressure. You are developing the language of suggestion. The horse learns that if he doesn't yield to your suggestion, then he runs into the physical pressure of a swinging rope, stick or your hand as a consequence. The game is getting your horse to move without touching him. But if he doesn't move you will touch him until he does.
There's a distinct difference here that a horse really understands. If you hit a horse with harsh intentions, he'll blame you, lose trust or even fight back. Horses do not understand punishment. They only understand negative consequences. The big difference is that negative consequences happen instantly and there are no harsh emotions involved. If you are suggesting that the horse move and he doesn't, then he runs into the same physical object that was suggesting he move away, he learns that he should get out of the way faster. It is his responsibility. He won't blame you and he'll move away faster the second or third time.
One of the worst things you can do is lie to your horse by suggesting, with a physical backup coming, then not follow through. Your horse will have your number in no time, know that you're not going to follow through and disrespect you even more for it. He knows if you don't really mean to make him move around, then he must still be the leader. Your horse needs to know his leader doesn't lie. You must be as fair and just as a dominant horse would be.
To play The Driving Game, see if you can send your horse backward by shaking your hands at him as if you were flicking water. Move his front end by pointing towards his eye. Move his hindquarters so he'll face you by swinging the end of your rope at his hindquarters, even let it swat him if you need to follow through. Be very careful to stay out of kicking range. Use the rope to swat him while you stand near his shoulder. When he faces you, rub his head to help him understand he did the right thing. Play this game over and over until all you have to do is look at your horse's hindquarter like you want it to move and he will face you.
#4 The Yo-Yo Game
This game is about learning to send your horse backwards and forwards on a straight line. It may not start out straight, but that is what you're striving for. Some horses come to you easily but will act like they could no sooner back up than fly. Others will back up in a hurry, but you will have to drag them back to you. Consider the back up a Yo and coming back to you a Yo. The Yo-Yo Game gets them in balance.
To play The Yo-Yo Game, wiggle your rope to cause your horse to go backwards. Start soft, then build the wiggle until the whole halter is shaking and the horse gets uncomfortable enough to move his feet. If your horse even tries to step backward to find relief, shut down the wiggle immediately and let him know he did the right thing.
Start soft again, build until he takes a step back then quit. Repeat until he understands what you are asking for. Ask for just a step or two, then two or more, until you can get him all the way to the end of your rope.
Now, invite him back in. Comb the rope with loose hands, rhythmically. Gradually grip a little firmer until your horse steps forward. As soon as he does, open your hands and start over softly with loose hands. Keep going backwards and forwards, until it only takes a little wiggle to get him to move backwards and not much more than a smile with loose hands to get him to come back to you.
#5 The Circling Game
Most people think this looks like lungeing, but The Circling Game is much more. It's mental exercise as much as physical because the horse learns that it is his responsibility to maintain the gait and direction you asked for until told otherwise.
To play The Circling Game, you start with your horse's nose facing you. Use your Driving Game skills to send the horse's nose away from you in the direction you want him to go. While the nose is headed in the direction you want, at the gait you want, just allow him to do his job. Don't help him by using a whip or turning your body around with him or holding your arm up the whole time. Then, when you're ready, bring back the nose so it faces you again. As you bring back the nose, you can get your horse straight by using the Driving Game to push his hindquarters away.
The big secret is that when your horse is doing what you want, leave him alone! When he quits doing what you want, do something about it. Every time he changes gait or tries to change direction, bring him in and send him out again. He'll learn that staying out on the circle is where his comfort is.
Think of a two-lap minimum and a four-lap maximum. If he can do two laps without help, this shows respect and responsibility. After four laps a horse starts to get bored. If you want to ask for more than four laps incorporate some obstacles, do it on uneven ground or try different rope lengths. Don't forget to think of it from the horse's point of view. Keep it interesting for him.
#6 The Sideways Game
The better your horse goes backwards and sideways, the better he'll do everything else. Sideways not only helps a horse get more physically athletic, it helps him calm down emotionally and start using his mental abilities to learn. Horses have a very hard time staying upset when they are going sideways.
To play The Sideways Game in the early stages you will need a fence. The fence will help your horse not go forwards while he figures out whatyou want. A 12-foot line and Carrot Stick are ideal to start with. Sideways is nothing more than using The Driving Game (or The Porcupine Game) to send your horse's nose, then his hindquarters, then his nose, then hindquarters, nose, hindquarters, and so on down the fence. Soon, your horse will get the picture and starts moving his nose and hindquarters at the same time to go sideways.
Make sure you don't pull his head back towards you if he tips his nose away. If you feel like his head is going too far, that probably means his hindquarters need to be chased to catch up. Keep practicing until you get sideways, left and right, equal and smooth. Horses are often easier on one side than the other.
#7 The Squeeze Game
Being claustrophobic, horses hate narrow or confined spaces. This game helps your horse become brave in such situations. He learns he doesn't need to panic and rush through 'tight' situations.
To play The Squeeze Game, set yourself up near a wall or fence. Stand about 12 feet away and ask your horse to pass between you and the fence. With some horses this may even be too squeezy at first, so be prepared to move farther away if necessary. Gradually, as your horse gains confidence going through the space, you can reduce the distance until it's just a three-foot space like a trailer opening.
Make sure you offer your horse comfort on the other side of the small space by letting the line feed out to the very end as he passes through. Once through the space, turn your horse and invite him back through the other way. Get to where you can control whether it's at a walk, trot or canter. Once it's solid near a fence, find out if you can you send him into the trailer rather than lead him in?
How Long Do You Play?
Try to allow the time to play until you feel you have harmony with your horse on the ground. Your horse should be responding pretty well to the game or games you were playing, calm and attentive to you when you are ready to quit. This may take two minutes or it may take two hours. I promise though, no matter how long it takes, if you'll take the time to teach your horse in the beginning, it will pay off all the way down the road.
The Seven Games expose resistance in your horse. You may get some responses you never expected. They also cure problems as you get better at them because these games are the key to calmer, smarter, braver and more athletic horses. They create a language of communication and a base of skills on which anything you want to do with your horse can be built.
A horseman takes the time to develop his horse - no short cuts - no artificial devices. Mechanical aids are not natural and represent an attitude of force. As you begin to understand horses more and more, their psychology and relationship strategies, you'll find the answers to your problems by working on yourself to become a natural horseman.
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
On Line Logic: The first 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.
Rather than using human logic, a true Horseman approaches a horse with an attitude and communication techniques that make perfect sense to the horse. A horseman understands horse psychology, how horses think and behave, and is able to use this knowledge for relating to and developing a horse.
This deep understanding of horse psychology is what I simply call Savvy. There are four areas in which to gain savvy to become a horseman. Two are on the ground (On Line and At Liberty) and the other two are in the saddle (Freestyle Riding and concentrated riding called Finesse). Learning the first Savvy - On Line Logic creates a language for communication and a broad base of skills for you and your horse. This is the first step for building a horseman's foundation.
Many people feel that because they can ride well, or because they have been around horses all their lives, they must be horsemen. What they often don't realize is that a horseman Savvys, or deeply understands, horses in any situation, both on their backs and on the ground. This is something that all horse people should aspire to achieve no matter what their sport or specialty may be. Understanding a horse to this level makes it more fun and much safer for both you and your horse no matter what you do or where you are.
One of the most common things I hear, year after year, is how people are able to win any competition they enter if they can get their horses in a trailer to get to it. Some other typical problems I hear about are: The horse won't go into the show ring any more. The horse needs a stronger bit to control him. The horse won't stand still while being mounted. The horse pulls back when he is tied. The horse drags people around with the lead rope. The horse won't go anymore. The horse won't stop anymore. The horse jigs and spooks at everything on the trail. And, the horse won't stand still for clipping, shoeing and grooming.
These people spend hundreds of hours riding and mastering their sport without ever spending some time trying to understand the horse himself. The curious part to me is that they don't think there is anything wrong with this. They just put up with the "horse's problems" unless the problems become too big to put up with. Then they get rid of the horse for another one or they quit riding because they get too frustrated to continue.
Becoming a horseman means you take the time to understand horse psychology and use it for relating to and developing a horse. The dominant or 'alpha' horse is the most effective horse trainer ever born. So rather than using people logic, a true horseman approaches horses with the same attitude and communication techniques as another horse.
To become a horseman, there are four areas in which to gain Savvy. Two of these are on the ground and two are in the saddle. They are On Line, At Liberty, Freestyle and Finesse (concentrated riding). Each of these Savvys is a study in itself, something I develop in my students one level at a time.
The First Savvy: On Line Logic
Most horse lessons start and end on the horse's back.Without ground skills, there's a large part of the puzzle missing. This missing piece is the main cause of frustration, injury and the predominant cause for attaining only mediocre results. Horses make monkeys out of people on the ground. They're more clever, faster and stronger. You have to prove to horses that they are wrong about you on the ground in order to gain their respect.
To communicate effectively with horses, you need to learn how to think differently. You need to become a master of lateral thinking as opposed to direct thinking. Lateral thinking means you understand how to get a horse to do something by asking in-directly. Horses are prey animals. They make a living out-smarting predators like us humans. They can read us like a book, see what we want and do exactly the opposite at exactly the right time. This is how the horse has survived extinction. It's one of nature's designs.
Predators, including humans, are motivated by praise, recognition and material rewards. These motivators are useless with prey animals like horses because horses are concerned mostly about comfort. They just want to be safe and comfortable.
If you can prove to your horse that he is safe no matter what, then you can use comfort and discomfort to motivate him.
I have identified and developed Seven Games based on prey animal logic. They are the same games that horses play with each other to establish a pecking order. By becoming good at these Seven Games, you will be able to establish a relationship between you and your horse based on a friendship, trust and dominance. The games are first played On Line, starting on a 12-foot line then increasing to 22 and 45-foot lines as you increase your skill and develop more respect from your horse. I call this On Line Logic because I use lines of communication, not just lead ropes.
Think Calmer, Smarter, Braver and More Athletic
Everything you do with your horse has to be a game. If you approach a situation with this attitude, it will keep you from getting frustrated, keep your horse interested longer, help you have fun with your horse, make progress faster and help develop your emotional fitness against getting mean or mad. Remember this is a program of development not just something you do by remote control when you go to ride your horse. If you spend time getting to know these Seven Games, you'll become more conscious of how they influence everything you do with your horse from catching him to the most advanced maneuvers. Your entire relationship will become more pleasurable than you ever thought possible.
The Seven Games
#1 The Friendly Game
This is about proving to your horse that you wouldn't hurt him even if you could. Rather than just petting him and going quietly about him, you need to expose him to situations that scare him so you can prove that those situations are not going to hurt him.
You should be able to rub him all over, toss ropes around his legs, over his back and head, even skip around him. This is about desensitizing your horse to 'scary' movements, objects and situations. The secret is to offer the 'scary thing' with some rhythm, a smile on your face and relaxed body language. You need to keep going, with rhythm, until the horse realizes there is nothing to worry about and becomes able to stand still. As you gain more knowledge and experience, you'll develop 1000 ways to play this game.
Many horses, even though they've been ridden for years, have never had the chance to get acquainted with their saddle. You can play the Friendly Game with the saddle and pads by lightly tossing them on and off until the horse feels confident and can stand completely still to be saddled.
There are two things that are extremely important here. One is to allow the horse to move, to drift around a bit while he is getting over being afraid. You just need to keep him facing you with some slack in the rope until he decides he can keep his feet still. Second is to stress the importance of using rhythm. Offering anything to the horse with rhythm gives him confidence because he learns to anticipate what is coming. This game should always be played first, and in between each of the other six games. Every time you play it with him, you reassure your horse and keep the balance between friendship and dominance.
#2 The Porcupine Game
Horses have an innate behavior called opposition reflex. It is the instinct to push through pressure and is what kicks into gear when they feel trapped. When they feel unsure, mentally, emotionally or physically, they want to push on whatever pressure they can feel, which may be the halter, the bit, the cinch or your leg.
This is why horses pull back and have trouble in small spaces like trailers. They are naturally claustrophobic, so the opposition reflex comes out as a strategy of survival.
The Porcupine Game is about teaching your horse to yield, or move away from pressure. People tend to want to use pokey, jabbing movements, but it is a steady pressure that causes a horse to learn about his responsibility to move off pressure and find his own comfort.
Be warned! Horses are black belts at these games! These are the tactics they use on each other to decide who is boss. They will, of course, challenge you to see who gives up first. Set yourself up to be as dependable as a fence post. This means that your legs are planted so the instant your horse moves, he gains relief from the steady pressure. The pressure should not follow him!
You may need something like a spur or dull rock in your hand if your horse is especially pushy and unyielding. Remember, start softly and build the pressure slowly and steadily until your horse moves. As soon as he yields, release the pressure and rub the spot you pressed on. Once he understands what you want, you'll be amazed at how light he can become.
Using The Porcupine Game (steady pressure),can you move your horse forwards, backwards, sideways, right and left, front end, back end, head down and up? You should be able to move him using moderate and even pressure with your fingertips. Your horse should stay with you, not escape from your finger pressure and stop when you rub those same spots.
#3 The Driving Game
Horses play The Driving Game with each other all the time. They give a hard look, lay back their ears, switch their tails or lift a hind leg to say, "If you don't move, you're going to run into my teeth or my hoof!"
This game comes after The Porcupine Game because the horse needs to learn to move from your physical pressure before he learns to move from your mental pressure. You are developing the language of suggestion. The horse learns that if he doesn't yield to your suggestion, then he runs into the physical pressure of a swinging rope, stick or your hand as a consequence. The game is getting your horse to move without touching him. But if he doesn't move you will touch him until he does.
There's a distinct difference here that a horse really understands. If you hit a horse with harsh intentions, he'll blame you, lose trust or even fight back. Horses do not understand punishment. They only understand negative consequences. The big difference is that negative consequences happen instantly and there are no harsh emotions involved. If you are suggesting that the horse move and he doesn't, then he runs into the same physical object that was suggesting he move away, he learns that he should get out of the way faster. It is his responsibility. He won't blame you and he'll move away faster the second or third time.
One of the worst things you can do is lie to your horse by suggesting, with a physical backup coming, then not follow through. Your horse will have your number in no time, know that you're not going to follow through and disrespect you even more for it. He knows if you don't really mean to make him move around, then he must still be the leader. Your horse needs to know his leader doesn't lie. You must be as fair and just as a dominant horse would be.
To play The Driving Game, see if you can send your horse backward by shaking your hands at him as if you were flicking water. Move his front end by pointing towards his eye. Move his hindquarters so he'll face you by swinging the end of your rope at his hindquarters, even let it swat him if you need to follow through. Be very careful to stay out of kicking range. Use the rope to swat him while you stand near his shoulder. When he faces you, rub his head to help him understand he did the right thing. Play this game over and over until all you have to do is look at your horse's hindquarter like you want it to move and he will face you.
#4 The Yo-Yo Game
This game is about learning to send your horse backwards and forwards on a straight line. It may not start out straight, but that is what you're striving for. Some horses come to you easily but will act like they could no sooner back up than fly. Others will back up in a hurry, but you will have to drag them back to you. Consider the back up a Yo and coming back to you a Yo. The Yo-Yo Game gets them in balance.
To play The Yo-Yo Game, wiggle your rope to cause your horse to go backwards. Start soft, then build the wiggle until the whole halter is shaking and the horse gets uncomfortable enough to move his feet. If your horse even tries to step backward to find relief, shut down the wiggle immediately and let him know he did the right thing.
Start soft again, build until he takes a step back then quit. Repeat until he understands what you are asking for. Ask for just a step or two, then two or more, until you can get him all the way to the end of your rope.
Now, invite him back in. Comb the rope with loose hands, rhythmically. Gradually grip a little firmer until your horse steps forward. As soon as he does, open your hands and start over softly with loose hands. Keep going backwards and forwards, until it only takes a little wiggle to get him to move backwards and not much more than a smile with loose hands to get him to come back to you.
#5 The Circling Game
Most people think this looks like lungeing, but The Circling Game is much more. It's mental exercise as much as physical because the horse learns that it is his responsibility to maintain the gait and direction you asked for until told otherwise.
To play The Circling Game, you start with your horse's nose facing you. Use your Driving Game skills to send the horse's nose away from you in the direction you want him to go. While the nose is headed in the direction you want, at the gait you want, just allow him to do his job. Don't help him by using a whip or turning your body around with him or holding your arm up the whole time. Then, when you're ready, bring back the nose so it faces you again. As you bring back the nose, you can get your horse straight by using the Driving Game to push his hindquarters away.
The big secret is that when your horse is doing what you want, leave him alone! When he quits doing what you want, do something about it. Every time he changes gait or tries to change direction, bring him in and send him out again. He'll learn that staying out on the circle is where his comfort is.
Think of a two-lap minimum and a four-lap maximum. If he can do two laps without help, this shows respect and responsibility. After four laps a horse starts to get bored. If you want to ask for more than four laps incorporate some obstacles, do it on uneven ground or try different rope lengths. Don't forget to think of it from the horse's point of view. Keep it interesting for him.
#6 The Sideways Game
The better your horse goes backwards and sideways, the better he'll do everything else. Sideways not only helps a horse get more physically athletic, it helps him calm down emotionally and start using his mental abilities to learn. Horses have a very hard time staying upset when they are going sideways.
To play The Sideways Game in the early stages you will need a fence. The fence will help your horse not go forwards while he figures out whatyou want. A 12-foot line and Carrot Stick are ideal to start with. Sideways is nothing more than using The Driving Game (or The Porcupine Game) to send your horse's nose, then his hindquarters, then his nose, then hindquarters, nose, hindquarters, and so on down the fence. Soon, your horse will get the picture and starts moving his nose and hindquarters at the same time to go sideways.
Make sure you don't pull his head back towards you if he tips his nose away. If you feel like his head is going too far, that probably means his hindquarters need to be chased to catch up. Keep practicing until you get sideways, left and right, equal and smooth. Horses are often easier on one side than the other.
#7 The Squeeze Game
Being claustrophobic, horses hate narrow or confined spaces. This game helps your horse become brave in such situations. He learns he doesn't need to panic and rush through 'tight' situations.
To play The Squeeze Game, set yourself up near a wall or fence. Stand about 12 feet away and ask your horse to pass between you and the fence. With some horses this may even be too squeezy at first, so be prepared to move farther away if necessary. Gradually, as your horse gains confidence going through the space, you can reduce the distance until it's just a three-foot space like a trailer opening.
Make sure you offer your horse comfort on the other side of the small space by letting the line feed out to the very end as he passes through. Once through the space, turn your horse and invite him back through the other way. Get to where you can control whether it's at a walk, trot or canter. Once it's solid near a fence, find out if you can you send him into the trailer rather than lead him in?
How Long Do You Play?
Try to allow the time to play until you feel you have harmony with your horse on the ground. Your horse should be responding pretty well to the game or games you were playing, calm and attentive to you when you are ready to quit. This may take two minutes or it may take two hours. I promise though, no matter how long it takes, if you'll take the time to teach your horse in the beginning, it will pay off all the way down the road.
The Seven Games expose resistance in your horse. You may get some responses you never expected. They also cure problems as you get better at them because these games are the key to calmer, smarter, braver and more athletic horses. They create a language of communication and a base of skills on which anything you want to do with your horse can be built.
A horseman takes the time to develop his horse - no short cuts - no artificial devices. Mechanical aids are not natural and represent an attitude of force. As you begin to understand horses more and more, their psychology and relationship strategies, you'll find the answers to your problems by working on yourself to become a natural horseman.
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