Post by Calaminty Jane on Mar 6, 2007 15:30:27 GMT -5
Well, let's dissect the words a bit. "Natural" as defined by Webster's Dictionary is --- 'not artificial; formed by nature' and 'easy, unaffected and kind'
"Horseman" is defined, also by Webster's as------- "rider or trainer of the horse.
"Horse-man-ship" ... is rider and horse working together as a whole unit.
Now let's put the two together. NATURAL HORSEMANSHIP. The art of working, training and riding with horses is a manner which works WITH the horse's behavior, instincts and personality in an easy and kind manner.
There are a number of renowned trainers who practice the art of Natural Horsemanship; John Lyons, Pat Parelli, Buck Brannaman, Tom Dorrance, Linda Tellington-Jones, Monty Roberts and others. Each one of these trainers have their own style and practices. However, all practice within the same parameters.
Natural Horsemanship can be learned by horse lovers of all ages. There is no magical age at which to begin. If you're just beginning your journey with horses or you've reached your 50th year working with horses, you can learn how to effectively and kindly work with the horse using these methods. A solid foundation on the natural behavior of horses is necessary to begin. How does the heirarchy of the herd operate? Who is the "head" of the herd? When one underling steps out of bounds with a dominant horse, how does that dominant horse react/act? How does your own horse behave in pasture with the other horses? Is it the dominant one or is it a subservient? Having this knowledge will help establish the framework for your training with your own horses.
Horses have a definite communication program. No, they don't speak in audible "words" ... they communicate with body language, voice, and "telepathy". (Telepathy is a controversial subject with many. But time and time again this theory has been proven out.) Horses also communicate using their highly developed senses. Their hearing sense is extremely sensitive; their smelling is far superior to ours ... (a stallion can smell the scent of a mare in season up to 5 miles away). Their eyesight is, on one hand, poor compared to humans, but on the other hand, the placement of the eyes on the head allow them to see far more than humans can. Their eyesight is monocular so they can focus on two different scenes at one time. Horses can see in the dark. Their skin is so sensitive that the mere lighting of a fly on their croup can cause the whole body to shake it off. Their nostrils and taste glands are so connected with one another that a stallion, when curling his lip up in the flehman, can actually taste and savor the mare's scent. All these senses work together to form a unique communications system. It only makes sense that if we, as humans, are to communicate effectively with our horses that we learn as much as possible about the ways horses "speak" with one another. Then we can begin to communicate effectively, without undue force, with our horses.
The Natural Horsemen listed above all use body language to relay what they want to the horse. They have learned when and how to use their eyes, placement of their body and parts of their body, tone of voice or lack of voice, what to use as tools to enhance effective communications. Doesn't it make sense that if we would like to harmoniously complement our horses' movements that we learn how to "talk" with our horses? More importantly, listen to them? One can force and restrain an animal into doing something we wish it to do. But is it doing what we want because of fear or because of friendliness? Horses naturally fear humans. We are predators. Horses are prey animals. We must teach them that they need not to be afraid of us. This is done through effective communicating with the horse within their 'natural' realm.
In order to work at the highest degree with a horse, that horse must trust us without reservations. Only then can the horse be free to offer its highest compliments to us, as horsemen, with the giving of itself without fear.
"Horseman" is defined, also by Webster's as------- "rider or trainer of the horse.
"Horse-man-ship" ... is rider and horse working together as a whole unit.
Now let's put the two together. NATURAL HORSEMANSHIP. The art of working, training and riding with horses is a manner which works WITH the horse's behavior, instincts and personality in an easy and kind manner.
There are a number of renowned trainers who practice the art of Natural Horsemanship; John Lyons, Pat Parelli, Buck Brannaman, Tom Dorrance, Linda Tellington-Jones, Monty Roberts and others. Each one of these trainers have their own style and practices. However, all practice within the same parameters.
Natural Horsemanship can be learned by horse lovers of all ages. There is no magical age at which to begin. If you're just beginning your journey with horses or you've reached your 50th year working with horses, you can learn how to effectively and kindly work with the horse using these methods. A solid foundation on the natural behavior of horses is necessary to begin. How does the heirarchy of the herd operate? Who is the "head" of the herd? When one underling steps out of bounds with a dominant horse, how does that dominant horse react/act? How does your own horse behave in pasture with the other horses? Is it the dominant one or is it a subservient? Having this knowledge will help establish the framework for your training with your own horses.
Horses have a definite communication program. No, they don't speak in audible "words" ... they communicate with body language, voice, and "telepathy". (Telepathy is a controversial subject with many. But time and time again this theory has been proven out.) Horses also communicate using their highly developed senses. Their hearing sense is extremely sensitive; their smelling is far superior to ours ... (a stallion can smell the scent of a mare in season up to 5 miles away). Their eyesight is, on one hand, poor compared to humans, but on the other hand, the placement of the eyes on the head allow them to see far more than humans can. Their eyesight is monocular so they can focus on two different scenes at one time. Horses can see in the dark. Their skin is so sensitive that the mere lighting of a fly on their croup can cause the whole body to shake it off. Their nostrils and taste glands are so connected with one another that a stallion, when curling his lip up in the flehman, can actually taste and savor the mare's scent. All these senses work together to form a unique communications system. It only makes sense that if we, as humans, are to communicate effectively with our horses that we learn as much as possible about the ways horses "speak" with one another. Then we can begin to communicate effectively, without undue force, with our horses.
The Natural Horsemen listed above all use body language to relay what they want to the horse. They have learned when and how to use their eyes, placement of their body and parts of their body, tone of voice or lack of voice, what to use as tools to enhance effective communications. Doesn't it make sense that if we would like to harmoniously complement our horses' movements that we learn how to "talk" with our horses? More importantly, listen to them? One can force and restrain an animal into doing something we wish it to do. But is it doing what we want because of fear or because of friendliness? Horses naturally fear humans. We are predators. Horses are prey animals. We must teach them that they need not to be afraid of us. This is done through effective communicating with the horse within their 'natural' realm.
In order to work at the highest degree with a horse, that horse must trust us without reservations. Only then can the horse be free to offer its highest compliments to us, as horsemen, with the giving of itself without fear.