Natural horsemanship has become very popular in the last few years, with Pat Parelli's name at the top of the list of trainers using this method. He has his own unique program in place for horse owners to follow, or to at least take into consideration when working with their horses. One of the great things about natural horsemanship is that you can use the methods on your young horse that has not yet been worked with, or on an older horse that you would like to help.
Parelli makes getting started relatively easy. He has taken the first steps and made them into games that you can ?play' involving your horse. Parelli uses language and communication that he says is used by horses to establish friendship and leadership. The order of the games is important so you should follow them through from beginning to end. All you will need for the games is your horse, a hope halter and a long lead rope.
The Friendly Game is the first game. This game proves you are a friend to the horse and can be trusted. You should start quietly and with smooth movements at first, especially if your horse is nervous. Run your hands all over your horse and then move on to using the lead rope. After your horse accepts the lead rope, you can add things like plastic bags, blankets or anything you have handy.
The second game is called the Porcupine Game. This game teaches your horse to move away from pressure and not lean into it. Use your fingers to apply pressure, starting with gentle pressure and moving to stronger pressure if the horse does not respond. He will learn that if he moves away from the pressure, the release is his reward.
The Driving Game is the third game. This will teach your horse to move away from implied pressure. You will not actually touch him, but will suggest for him to move with your gestures. Start out at close range and work your way away from your horse. You can start by asking your horse to move his head. Ask him first by pushing your hands towards him, but not touching him. If he does not move, gently tap him and then use stronger pressure until he responds. As soon as you get a response, stop and pat him.
The fourth game is the Yo-Yo Game. This game will help you get your horse moving backwards as well as forward, without having to pull on the lead rope for either direction. You face your horse and get his full attention focused on you. Leave the lead rope loose and start wiggling your index finger. At first your horse will not move so take the next step and move your whole arm along with your finger. This will make the rope start moving which should get your horse to back up. Eventually, your horse should move back with you only having to wiggle your finger.
The Circle Game is the fifth game and may look like lunging. In this game you will send your horse around in a circle, he will maintain the gait and direction until you ask him to stop. He should face you and swing his hindquarters away from you. Start by pointing your arm and lead rope in the direction you want your horse to go. You may have to encourage him at first by swinging the lead rope towards his hindquarters with your other hand. Once he is moving, keep your feet still. When you want him to stop, gently pull on the lead rope and have him face you waiting on your next command.
The sixth game is called the Sideways Game. This will involve things you learned from the Porcupine Game. You should use light pressure on your horse's shoulder and hindquarters to get him to move sideways. Move the shoulder a little, and then even him up by moving the hindquarters.
The seventh and last game is called the Squeeze Game. Since horses are claustrophobic by nature, this may not come easy to some, but it will help your horse learn to calmly move through tight spaces without panicking. Start with a gap between you and a fence, wall or barrel. Send your horse through by pointing the lead rope with your arm outstretched. Once your horse can move through this gap, make the gap smaller and smaller until your horse is just able to go through without touching anything. This game is great for helping your horse load into a trailer.
These games can be done by anyone on any horse and will help open a line of communication between horse and rider. You will see that these games not only help to handle your horse on the ground, but he will also seem more calm and attentive under saddle.
If you have anything to do with horses, or know someone who does, chances are you've heard the term "natural horsemanship". To some it's the latest and greatest method of horse training. Others see it as meaningless hype built up by the marketing efforts of well known ?natural horseman'. Still others view natural horsemanship as the way back to the roots of ?original' horse training. Whether your particular view of natural horsemanship is one of the three mentioned above, some combination thereof, or not even close to what I've described, there's no denying it ? natural horsemanship is here to stay? at least until the next ?new' thing comes along.
If You Can't Beat ?Em, Join ?Em
There is never going to be a single best way to train a horse. Why? Because each trainer and each horse has its own unique personality and its own unique life experiences. To put horse training into a black and white book of exact instructions will never work. Ask any training question, from how to pick up a hoof to how to perform a complicated dressage maneuver the answer will be the same: it depends. Since the logic behind natural horsemanship is using the horse's natural instincts and tendencies to train them to do what you ask, the answer will change for each different horse. So, let's give natural horsemanship a chance and see if even the biggest critics can find some good in it. No hype, no hoopla, no cheesy lingo; just a broad discussion on the premise behind this ?new' phenomenon.
Learn to "Speak" Horse
As humans, we have the distinct advantage over horses in that we have the ability to learn different languages. And it isn't all verbal ? think of sign language for the hearing impaired and Braille for the sight impaired. If we think about our ability to communicate beyond the spoken word we can begin to imagine the possibilities of learning to communicate with another species in their language. Since horses don't have the ability to learn to speak our language, our only choice is to learn theirs in order to achieve the highest level of communication possible.
While you'll often hear them whiney or nicker to each other, horses generally use non-verbal methods of communicating with each other. In other words, they use body language. Being prey animals, horses are ultra-sensitive to the world around them. They have to be or they would be extinct by now. They feel things as small as a fly landing on their hip; they see the slightest flicker of movement in the distance; they sense pressure coming from a change in body language by another horse or human around them. The good news is horses are very sensitive and we can use this in natural horse training. The bad new is also that horses are that sensitive and the inexperienced trainer can get in trouble in a hurry without having any idea what went wrong.
How to Learn the Language
There are countless books, DVD's, videos, clinics, expos and demonstrations that can tell you the presenter's method of learning how to communicate with horses naturally. As with learning any new skill, you'll serve yourself best to get your information from multiple sources, sort out what to take with you and what to leave behind, and then put it all together in a manner that makes sense for you. But, one of the best ways to learn the horse language, which also happens to be the most economical and convenient, is to watch them in a herd environment. Grab a bucket or your favorite lawn chair; take it out to the pasture and just watch. Here are some things to look for:
? Tail Swishing: When is it to shoo off a fly and when does it mean something to another horse? ? Ears: Are they back, alert or floppy? When they change position what happens in the herd? ? Moving Among the Herd: Which horse moves and which horse moves out of the way? How little does it take for one horse to move another horse out its space? ? Nipping & Biting: Is it play or fighting? ? Individual Horses: Which horse is lying down? Which horse leads the herd to the next grazing spot? Which horse brings up the rear?
All these seemingly insignificant movements and gestures make up the language of the horse and allow them to live and play and communicate with one another. Discover and learn the movements and signals horses use and you can start "moving" in a language they will understand.
Natural Horsemanship Makes Sense
If we can agree that the premise behind natural horsemanship is to enhance our ability to communicate more effectively with the horse, in the horse's language, then doesn't it make sense that natural horsemanship is the correct approach to use? That depends. I've already discussed the sensitive nature of horses. That sensitivity means they can be easily intimidated and threatened into doing what you ask. There are also countless devices and gadgets that can force a horse into a position you want without having to spend the time to learn to ask for what you want in horse language. And there's a learning curve involved. If what you are doing right now is working for you, why spend the time learning another way? Three reasons:
1. Humans have the ability to feel empathy. Put yourself in your horse's shoes. Or better yet, get a job in a country where you don't speak the language and see how it feels to be asked to perform when you don't understand the question. How does it feel to be shoved around, yelled at from a frustrated boss, and unable to do what is being asked of you? This could be how your horse is feeling every time you take him out of the pasture.
2. In the long term, it's easier and faster to accomplish your goals. Think of when you first learned to ride a bicycle. For a while, I'm sure it would have been a lot faster and easier to get from point A to point B by just walking. But, you kept at it and pretty soon you were flying where ever you wanted to go in quick time. The same thing is true with natural horse training. The first horse you attempt this new methodology with will probably be pretty slow going. But, once you develop the skills to communicate with the horse in a language he understands, what once took you weeks to accomplish will soon be achieved in days.
3. Lastly, and most importantly, is safety. If you learn to communicate on your horse's level, if you truly become a partner with him, you will learn to anticipate his reactions and you will know when, and what to do, if things go wrong. Horses are living, breathing creatures with minds and ideas all of their own. There is no ?broke' horse. At any time, your faithful trail partner could decide to react in a completely unexpected manner. Gaining just the smallest insight into your horses psyche can only improve your chances of surviving the incident, keeping you ? and your horse ? safer.
It's Your Call
I admit it ? I'm a natural horsemanship student and I'm proud of it. I'm even more proud of what I've been able to accomplish with my horses because of it. Yes, I do get weary of the ?hype' surrounding natural horsemanship, but never the premise behind it, or the results from it. So, if you can't see yourself ?jumping on the bandwagon' that's ok. You can learn and live natural horsemanship just sitting in your lawn chair in the pasture. I only hope you'll take the time to give it some thought before you discount the principles as merely marketing ploys to sell products. And no, you don't have to tell anyone you ?converted'.
Both Ron Petracek & Stacey Christiansen are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Ron Petracek has sinced written about articles on various topics from Pets, Horse Racing and Airplanes. Equine Internet resources available at Large network of equine related produc. Ron Petracek's top article generates over 74000 views. to your Favourites.
Stacey Christiansen has sinced written about articles on various topics from Recreation and Sports, Pets and Recreation and Sports. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Stacey Christiansen runs a natural horse boarding and learning center in Delhi, Iowa. Her web site provides articles and resources from training tips to technical help about setting up your own horse website. Sign up for her newsletter. Stacey Christiansen's top article generates over 2900 views. to your Favourites.