| Horse whispering and natural horsemanship have | | | | - means you have dominance. This is where the |
| been a source for a great deal of income for | | | | whip is invaluable. With the whip you can wave it |
| those with marketing skills. When people imitate | | | | above his head. You can shake it at him, threaten |
| without having a clear idea what they are doing it | | | | him and drive him at your will. |
| and why they are apt to get hurt. With the | | | | There's an odd thing that happens much like the |
| wrong horse it can be worse. The horse is a prey | | | | boss horse. If the horse knows you will follow |
| animal with a strong flight or fight response. Their | | | | through with the whip then you probably will not |
| first choice is to run, and the speed the horse is | | | | have to. Use it very sparingly - if the horse kicks |
| capable of means they can outdistance most | | | | at you, strikes or charges you follow through like |
| predators. However for the biggest insight into | | | | you mean it. Other than that the whip is a tool - |
| horses it pays to study THEM. | | | | it's used to reach and touch without having to hit. |
| Horses usually will do what is easiest. They | | | | By directing the horse's movement and speed |
| naturally follow the path of least resistance. Faced | | | | you can also stop and allow him to stop. |
| with the wall of a roundpen and a human with a | | | | Once he's established you are in control the horse |
| funny looking thing attached they can be directed | | | | will often tip his nose towards you, "watching" you |
| like so much water through a hose, changing the | | | | with his ears, and in his language he''s asking "can I |
| way the water flows by moving your finger. We | | | | stop now?" If you aren't actively driving him |
| often underestimate how powerful this is and if | | | | forward you have told him yes - and when |
| misused how much mistrust it creates with our | | | | people have problems with their horses on the |
| horses. | | | | longe line or in the roundpen this is often the |
| If we watch horses interact with each other it will | | | | reason. Allowing him to stop and approach you |
| quickly become clear a pecking order. If you | | | | safely builds trust. |
| doubt this at all put down one less feeder in the | | | | Not surprisingly the hardest horses then to work |
| pen than you have horses and put a cup of feed | | | | with are the boss and the bottom. The boss can |
| in each one. The boss horse eats first and once | | | | be the horse that needs strict handling and may |
| done will clear out whatever feeder she wants. | | | | always look for that "in" to be dominant. The |
| There might be squeals of protests but other | | | | bottom horse lacks confidence in many cases and |
| horses bow to her then move to horses they | | | | that lack of confidence means a great deal of |
| can chase away. This works for all but the | | | | work boosting confidence and making sure when |
| bottom horse who will be left looking for scraps, | | | | you ask something it is safe. For most people the |
| sometimes picking at the boss horse's feeder | | | | middle range horses are the easiest but either |
| after it's been left in hopes there's a bit of grain | | | | ends of the herd can, with the right handling and |
| still left. | | | | understanding, be wonderful mounts. |
| A horse who challenges a higher ranking member | | | | Observe your horse daily from the time he's a |
| can be bitten, kicked or pushed out physically. The | | | | weanling. Even as a weanling and yearling he will |
| lower ranking horses know their place in the herd | | | | have very distinct likes and dislikes - these things |
| and find it easier to go hungry than fight the | | | | you can use in training! An individual that is tense |
| bosses. It is this strict herd order that can, in a | | | | will have a rigid jaw...learning people won't hurt him |
| group, result in all horses being fed twice per day | | | | brings relaxing, and usually he'll move his mouth - |
| and one is skinny while the others are overweight. | | | | often described as a lick or chew. This is |
| Often the lowest ranking member will starve to | | | | something that as you progress with your horse |
| death rather than risk injury in a fight with the | | | | to look for. Always let him think about things and |
| boss. This goes to that fight or flight instinct - a | | | | get that mouth movement before giving up for |
| horse that cannot flee is in danger of becoming | | | | the day. If you quit while he's tense you've taught |
| predator dinner. | | | | him totally the wrong thing! |
| Using this in a horse training program then you | | | | So often we want great things from our horses. |
| have to insert yourself as a boss mare. Your | | | | The biggest way to get this is asking the least. |
| body language will get through to the horse faster | | | | Sounds impossible? When working with your |
| than any other method because they are used to | | | | horse ask for only 1% improvement. That is not |
| watching body language. The horse knows when | | | | very much! By backing off our expectations the |
| something comes at them aggressively they need | | | | horse often gives much more than 1%. We make |
| to run as they could be dinner. Something | | | | more progress by asking for less, providing we |
| approaching quietly and calmly, without being a | | | | are accurately reading their body language as well |
| threat, doesn't bring up that reason to flee. | | | | as accurately projecting ours to them. |
| Remember this when you go to catch your | | | | Try it. Watch your horses..."talk" to them like a |
| horse...the "hard to catch" horse may well be | | | | horse. It works! Always try to look at things from |
| doing what you're telling him - RUN! | | | | the horse's point of view. If you do that it's |
| Get your horse in a roundpen with a lunge whip. | | | | amazing the things horses let us do to them that |
| By imitating things seen in that pen of horses you | | | | goes against their instincts and how much they |
| can get pretty predictable responses. Walking | | | | give us that is, truly, a gift. There is no human |
| quickly towards the head usually generates a spin | | | | being alive that can hold still a 1200 pound animal |
| and running the other direction. Walking towards | | | | that wants to leave. By getting in his mind it |
| the hip drives the horse forward. If a horse stops | | | | never comes to having to force him. This makes |
| and raises his head he's challenging you. Getting | | | | all the difference! |
| your highest point above his - including if he rears | | | | |