Post by Calaminty Jane on May 8, 2014 8:14:16 GMT -5
The Biggest Breakthrough in Communication Between Horse and Rider
-by Linda Parelli
A horse has every right to give you trouble if he doesn’t know you well enough, or objects to the way you treat him. Don’t just get on him! First establish a relationship. You need connection, understanding, and acceptance from your horse. You need a language through which you can communicate and be understood.
Before you ever get on a horse’s back, you should get to know him. The myth that has lead so many of us to just saddle up and get on is what gets so many people into trouble.
It is your responsibility to become your horse’s leader and teach him to become calmer, smarter, braver, more athletic, to trust your judgment, try whatever you ask him without resistance, yield to and from pressure, negotiate obstacles, go sideways and back up with ease.
The Seven Games will help you to do this, and it will also serve as a diagnostic system to help you find holes in your horse’s development, to know why they are there and how to fix them.
Every single thing you do with your horse is one or a combination of The Seven Games. If you can become skilled at all seven, so good that even your horse is impressed, there will be no limit to what you can do or learn to do with a horse given the time, the attitude, and the pathway.
I’ve given each game a number because it’s important at first that you play them in order when you’re learning and teaching them to your horse. The first three games are “principle” games. They are like the alphabet.
The Seven Games is one of the biggest breakthroughs when it comes to teaching communication between horses and people. It is a systematic approach based on the same games that horses use to establish friendship and dominance. The horse that consistently “wins” all seven games becomes alpha. We need to learn how to become our horse’s alpha using the same strategies as horses do, rather than through force, aggression and intimidation. Horses are natural followers. They look for natural leaders. Under good leadership they lose their fear, become calmer, more confident and responsive.
The Friendly Game #1
Picture
This game convinces your horse that you will not act like a predator and that you are friendly and can be trusted. You need to gain his confidence and be able to touch him with a friendly “feel” everywhere on his body. Any areas he is defensive about tell you if he is suspicious of you. By using approach and retreat you can progress to where you have permission to touch every inch of every zone without forcing him to endure it, to where he actually enjoys it. You can then advance to using ropes, sticks, flags, coats, (anything you can think of) to help him become braver, more confident and less skeptical.
Keys: smile; rhythm; approach and retreat; desensitization.
The Porcupine Game #2
Picture
This is how you teach a horse to follow a feel and move away from pressure applied with your fingertips or the Carrot Stick. This game prepares him to understand how to respond to communicative feel (or pressure) from the rein, the bit, the leg, etc.
This pressure is applied with a steady feel (not intermittent poking) and steadily increasing intensity until the horse responds, at which time the pressure is instantly released. It is applied in Four Phases, each phase getting progressively stronger. Releasing only when the horse responds. In this way, it’s the release that teaches the horse he made the right move. Reward the slightest try with instant release, rubbing (as in the Friendly Game), and a smile.
Keys: concentrated look; steady pressure; four phases.
The Driving Game #3
Picture
This game teaches the horse to respond by following a suggestion, where he moves without you touching him. It can be effected at increasingly longer distances as you advance through the program. Again, four phases are important, with no change in rhythm, and as soon as the horse responds, you relax and smile. It’s kind of like "constructive spooking," but your horse must not be afraid. Learn to drive your horse in all directions using the Zones.
Keys: Concentrated look; rhythm; four phases.
The next four games are the “purpose” games. Now that you have established the “alphabet” games you can combine them to form “words“ and “sentences” to have a language.
The Yo-Yo Game #4
Picture
By wiggling the 12’ Line, send the horse backwards away from you. Then bring him forwards toward you in a straight line by combing the rope. There are four phases and “hinges” that come into play when being effective in this game (more in this in your Partnership Pocket Guide lessons).
Play the Yo-Yo slowly at first, on flat ground. As it gets better, get more provocative and play it on uneven ground, at a faster pace, over a pole or log, or on a longer rope.
This is how you teach a horse not to run over you when leading him and develop suspension and self carriage in his movement. It will also help to counter balance forward-aholics, improve your stop, and develop a slide stop.
Keys: straightness; responsiveness; imagination.
The Circling Game #5
Picture
Do not confuse The Circling Game#5 with longeing! Longeing sends a horse around and around, in endless circles and is totally mindless. The Circling Game#5, on the other hand, stimulates the horse mentally, emotionally and physically, and teaches him to stay connected to you. It keeps a softness in the line between you and works more mental connection as well as developing a positive pattern or performance pattern of curves and circles. There are three parts to this game: the Send, the Allow, and the Bring Back. After you send you horse out onto the circle, relax and leave him alone. Smile and pass the rope around your back giving the horse the opportunity to take responsibility for maintaining motion on the circle. Do not fall into the trap of clucking him along, as this creates a dulled out attitude.
Do a minimum of two laps and a maximum of four, otherwise your horse will get physically fitter, but his mind will go to pot. I use all of The Seven Games to get a horse physically, mentally and emotionally fit.
Disengagement of the hindquarters is very important. It’s what you do when you bring him back (stopping him out on the circle is not done until the Harmony program. You need your horse to think about coming to you at this point). It is how you teach a horse control – mentally, emotionally and physically.
Keys: Three parts: Send, Allow, Bring Back; Four Phases; responsibility for the horse.
The Sideways Game #6
Picture
Note this is sideways, not side pass. It is about teaching the horse to go sideways equally to the right and left, with ease. Teaching your horse to athletically move himself sideways is important for several reasons: for developing suspension, for lead changes and spins, and as a counter balance for “forward-aholic” horses (like ex-race horses!) Start slow and right, use a fence or rail to prevent forward movement. (You’ll learn how to do this without a fence in the Harmony program.)
Keys: long rope; Zone 1 and Zone 4; Four Phases.
Visit Parelli Connect for more educational articles and videos designed to inspire, empower and educate horse owners of all levels.
The Squeeze Game #7
Picture
Horses by nature are claustrophobic. They are afraid of any small or tight spaces because this spells disaster for prey animals. The Squeeze Game#7 teaches your horse to become braver and calmer, to squeeze through narrow spots without concern. Start with a large gap and as your horse gets more confident, make the space smaller and smaller until it is just three feet wide, like the bay of a horse trailer.
You can use the principle of The Squeeze Game#7 to teach the horse to jump, go into trailers, wash bays, racing barriers, roping boxes, bucking chutes, help him get over cinchiness…
Keys: walk backwards; start with a large space; Four Phases; practical challenges
and applications.
-by Linda Parelli
A horse has every right to give you trouble if he doesn’t know you well enough, or objects to the way you treat him. Don’t just get on him! First establish a relationship. You need connection, understanding, and acceptance from your horse. You need a language through which you can communicate and be understood.
Before you ever get on a horse’s back, you should get to know him. The myth that has lead so many of us to just saddle up and get on is what gets so many people into trouble.
It is your responsibility to become your horse’s leader and teach him to become calmer, smarter, braver, more athletic, to trust your judgment, try whatever you ask him without resistance, yield to and from pressure, negotiate obstacles, go sideways and back up with ease.
The Seven Games will help you to do this, and it will also serve as a diagnostic system to help you find holes in your horse’s development, to know why they are there and how to fix them.
Every single thing you do with your horse is one or a combination of The Seven Games. If you can become skilled at all seven, so good that even your horse is impressed, there will be no limit to what you can do or learn to do with a horse given the time, the attitude, and the pathway.
I’ve given each game a number because it’s important at first that you play them in order when you’re learning and teaching them to your horse. The first three games are “principle” games. They are like the alphabet.
The Seven Games is one of the biggest breakthroughs when it comes to teaching communication between horses and people. It is a systematic approach based on the same games that horses use to establish friendship and dominance. The horse that consistently “wins” all seven games becomes alpha. We need to learn how to become our horse’s alpha using the same strategies as horses do, rather than through force, aggression and intimidation. Horses are natural followers. They look for natural leaders. Under good leadership they lose their fear, become calmer, more confident and responsive.
The Friendly Game #1
Picture
This game convinces your horse that you will not act like a predator and that you are friendly and can be trusted. You need to gain his confidence and be able to touch him with a friendly “feel” everywhere on his body. Any areas he is defensive about tell you if he is suspicious of you. By using approach and retreat you can progress to where you have permission to touch every inch of every zone without forcing him to endure it, to where he actually enjoys it. You can then advance to using ropes, sticks, flags, coats, (anything you can think of) to help him become braver, more confident and less skeptical.
Keys: smile; rhythm; approach and retreat; desensitization.
The Porcupine Game #2
Picture
This is how you teach a horse to follow a feel and move away from pressure applied with your fingertips or the Carrot Stick. This game prepares him to understand how to respond to communicative feel (or pressure) from the rein, the bit, the leg, etc.
This pressure is applied with a steady feel (not intermittent poking) and steadily increasing intensity until the horse responds, at which time the pressure is instantly released. It is applied in Four Phases, each phase getting progressively stronger. Releasing only when the horse responds. In this way, it’s the release that teaches the horse he made the right move. Reward the slightest try with instant release, rubbing (as in the Friendly Game), and a smile.
Keys: concentrated look; steady pressure; four phases.
The Driving Game #3
Picture
This game teaches the horse to respond by following a suggestion, where he moves without you touching him. It can be effected at increasingly longer distances as you advance through the program. Again, four phases are important, with no change in rhythm, and as soon as the horse responds, you relax and smile. It’s kind of like "constructive spooking," but your horse must not be afraid. Learn to drive your horse in all directions using the Zones.
Keys: Concentrated look; rhythm; four phases.
The next four games are the “purpose” games. Now that you have established the “alphabet” games you can combine them to form “words“ and “sentences” to have a language.
The Yo-Yo Game #4
Picture
By wiggling the 12’ Line, send the horse backwards away from you. Then bring him forwards toward you in a straight line by combing the rope. There are four phases and “hinges” that come into play when being effective in this game (more in this in your Partnership Pocket Guide lessons).
Play the Yo-Yo slowly at first, on flat ground. As it gets better, get more provocative and play it on uneven ground, at a faster pace, over a pole or log, or on a longer rope.
This is how you teach a horse not to run over you when leading him and develop suspension and self carriage in his movement. It will also help to counter balance forward-aholics, improve your stop, and develop a slide stop.
Keys: straightness; responsiveness; imagination.
The Circling Game #5
Picture
Do not confuse The Circling Game#5 with longeing! Longeing sends a horse around and around, in endless circles and is totally mindless. The Circling Game#5, on the other hand, stimulates the horse mentally, emotionally and physically, and teaches him to stay connected to you. It keeps a softness in the line between you and works more mental connection as well as developing a positive pattern or performance pattern of curves and circles. There are three parts to this game: the Send, the Allow, and the Bring Back. After you send you horse out onto the circle, relax and leave him alone. Smile and pass the rope around your back giving the horse the opportunity to take responsibility for maintaining motion on the circle. Do not fall into the trap of clucking him along, as this creates a dulled out attitude.
Do a minimum of two laps and a maximum of four, otherwise your horse will get physically fitter, but his mind will go to pot. I use all of The Seven Games to get a horse physically, mentally and emotionally fit.
Disengagement of the hindquarters is very important. It’s what you do when you bring him back (stopping him out on the circle is not done until the Harmony program. You need your horse to think about coming to you at this point). It is how you teach a horse control – mentally, emotionally and physically.
Keys: Three parts: Send, Allow, Bring Back; Four Phases; responsibility for the horse.
The Sideways Game #6
Picture
Note this is sideways, not side pass. It is about teaching the horse to go sideways equally to the right and left, with ease. Teaching your horse to athletically move himself sideways is important for several reasons: for developing suspension, for lead changes and spins, and as a counter balance for “forward-aholic” horses (like ex-race horses!) Start slow and right, use a fence or rail to prevent forward movement. (You’ll learn how to do this without a fence in the Harmony program.)
Keys: long rope; Zone 1 and Zone 4; Four Phases.
Visit Parelli Connect for more educational articles and videos designed to inspire, empower and educate horse owners of all levels.
The Squeeze Game #7
Picture
Horses by nature are claustrophobic. They are afraid of any small or tight spaces because this spells disaster for prey animals. The Squeeze Game#7 teaches your horse to become braver and calmer, to squeeze through narrow spots without concern. Start with a large gap and as your horse gets more confident, make the space smaller and smaller until it is just three feet wide, like the bay of a horse trailer.
You can use the principle of The Squeeze Game#7 to teach the horse to jump, go into trailers, wash bays, racing barriers, roping boxes, bucking chutes, help him get over cinchiness…
Keys: walk backwards; start with a large space; Four Phases; practical challenges
and applications.