Anyone use non-violent methods?

Ooooh I wnt to see my horse tonight and gave him a good slap for getting in my way...came home and gave OH one too - I think one (if not two) enjoyed it....

Are OH's covered on this animal welfare act?

Must dig out my cattle prod....
 
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You can't hit horses - it makes their meat chewy when you BBQ them!!! Man some people are stupid!!!

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PMSL *watches on as people beat GTs with a hard stick....*
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i find a bit of drainpipe and a hammer works wonders for instilling disipline, especially in foals.
 
We use them on the meat we turn into sausages - not the good stuff though!! We just use hot irons on that part.
 
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Hitting a horse is bad horsemanship and archaic practice. If you train a horse you can control it firmly without violence; that is a fact.

That no-one here seems to know that, speaks volumes.

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I bought a neddie in June that had got away with murder. On occasions he needs a tap with a whip very lightly to remember to pay attention. I didn't realise reschooling him so that he no longer rears, bucks or naps with the occasional use of the whip was bad horsemanship.

I really want to agree with your statement 'If you train a horse you can control it firmly without violence' but in my case and probably many others I've got a horse who needs reprimanded sometimes because we haven't done all the work ourselves. Chances are someone else has buggered it up somewhere and that is why we need to reprimand the bloody horse so it knows it won't get away with p:ssing about and being lazy
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Once when I was about to go out on a hack my neddie wouldn't stand still for me to get on so I did smack him with a schooling whip whilst telling him to stand still. He did, and even when I dismounted out on the hack he stood still for me to get on. Surely I was better off telling him off than him tearing off along a road with me half on half off?

Then a fortnight ago my horse took off with me playing silly buggers and I came off. I didn't tell him off once I caught up with him and to some that would be good horsemanship. However I'm now wondering if I did the right thing - I know I'll be able to catch him next time I fall off BUT will he think he can get away with taking off at full speed whenever he feels like? It's not as black and white as you make out.

So although I'd like to agree with your 'fact' I find it doesn't really mean anything
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Ok, I'm not ashamed to admit that I follow natural horsemanship methods and have done so for 6 years. I don't carry a whip and never have done with my current mare as she is very well behaved. I like to think that the methods I've used to train her have resulted in her being well mannered, easy to handle and she respects me at all times.
However ....... she is still a horse and a big one at that and yes she does 'sometimes' misbehave. Horses can be pushy no matter how well behaved they are. I'm still having one or two probs to iron out. My mare is clever - I solve one problem and she thinks of something else to annoy me - keeps me on my toes.
I was always taught that there is nothing wrong with giving your horse a smack at the exact moment its misbehaving along with some sharp words - so long as you follow with a rub in the area after. This is supposed to tell them that you are cross with them for behaving this way but you intend to still be friends. I don't know if this would work with all horses but in my experience with the ones I have tried its positive.
I've sort of come to accept that every horse person does things differently and what works for some horses/people doesnt work for others.
I don't advocate violence and don't use a whip and spurs but then I don't need to. Spurs are often mis-used but when used correctly (as an extension of the leg) they can be useful for some horses.
I don't know what the original post was about but my general feeling on the forum is that people care about their horses and wouldn't wish them any harm. Lets face it - most of us go without to keep horses and are regularly skint - we wouldn't do this just to get pleasure from abusing them.
There are a small minority of people who perhaps don't treat them as well as they could but I haven't really seen any of that demonstrated on here.
 
Surely giving it a slap and then rubbing it would confuse the poor thing? doesnt know if its being punished or rewarded. If i giv my horse a slap (very rare as hes well behaved) i dont follow it with anything just go on as if it didnt happen and treat him normally. He was punished, he accepted it, we moved on.
 
I'm only going by what I was taught, I'll have to look into the reasons. My sister spent 7 years in Oz married to one of the best outback horsemen in the country and this is what he did so I tried it and seemed to work. Not sure what the logic it, perhaps it stems from horses rubbing each other to make friends.
 
Just asked my sister and she says its so that the horse doesn't think that the next time you use your hand in that area its going to be smacked.Makes perfect sense.
Removes the bad association apparantly.
 
See, this is the sort of common-sense approach to horsemanship that I can relate to. Shame it has to be labelled as 'Natural Horsemanship' with all the negative associations that come with that.
 
I haven't read all the replies but I'm curious to know what you would do if a horse sank its teeth into you? Reprimand it verbally? What if it went for you again? DON'T say that if a horse is started correctly, it won't bite since not all horses DO receive a great start in life and lots ARE treated very badly. And DON'T suggest the horse must've been provoked because there's NO excuse for biting. What would you do in this case?
A horse once picked me up in his teeth by the shoulder. I grabbed the nearest broom and belted him one on his side to stop him going for me again. Would you just accept the biting? Now, if in nature a horse that bites another would receive a boot, or a bite back, how come I can't give my horse a slap for biting? Your arguments seem very illogical since the natural way is for a horse that is attacked to defend himself with his heels or his teeth which are MUCH harder than my hand or whip.
I DON'T advocate 'hiding' or 'beating' horses, but whilst a horse feels free to hurt me, I will feel free to give him a taste of his own medicine.
 
I'm not really sure if the above reply was in response to my post or not. I'm sure I made it clear that if a horse of mine misbehaved then yes I would give it a smack and some strong words. I wouldn't bite- thats a personal choice of mine and I would feel I'd taken a step too far - personally.
I have no problem with an appropriate smack and I'm sure if I was on the receiving end of a nasty bite I'd probably give it a damn good whack. But as I've said - since I still want to the horse to trust me then I have to reassure them that I'm still Ok with them and that why I rub them in the area I've smacked.
I'm not really bothered what label people give the methods I use. For me it's common sense and I always try to look into the reason for the problem behaviour then a solution. The term 'natural horsemanship' derives from the idealogy that we are trying to communicate with them in order to work with them rather than just giving orders and expecting them to go along. Its all about personal choice and what works best. Some horses that have had years of bad handling or suffered abuse will always be that bit more difficult to deal with and many are beyond help. I honestly think that when dealing with horses I approach it with common sense and mutual respect. Horses do get things wrong sometimes but they have to be forgiven for their mistakes if we expect them to work with us.
 
Using QR.

Haven't read the whole post - too long for at this time of night.

I use Lemon juice, carrots on a fishing rod, daisies and cuddles inorder to connect and 'be at one' with my horses. I find it works very well
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maybe the thread postee should readdress their thread to ask the appropriate questions in the first post, rather than coming across as somewhat of a trouble maker. Granted they have only posted a few times so, obviously, does not know about the art of forum speak.
Yes hitting horses in a manner to release anger is unecceptable, but a quick and immediate reprimand may be needed in some circumstances.
It depends why, how and when this reprimand is given.
I have seen NH mentioned, when do you see a heard member give a sharp pull to the nose or poll, this is the basis of the pressure halty, no?
When have you seen a horse be the alpha member of any horse/rider situation.

People do what they think is needed at the time. Some methods more sneered at than others.

the key is to get the horse on your side, develop an understanding, respect its potential and progress from there.
regards
Dawn
 
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Daughters ponio had a stop in the jumping so we didn't give her a 'pat' or a polo when she came out. She got the message.

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What message was that?? I'm afraid horses don't think like that. There could be any number of reasons for a 'stop', rather than just 'naughty ned'.
 
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