Minor rant about NH on news!

mrmac

mrmac

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:D I'm fairly new to this forum and have never been brave enough (nor had the inclination) to post a new thread before but i've just seen something that has pigged me of to be honest. Having just watched a little snippet of Vanessa Bee on Spotlight news I'd just like to say that just because I don't make my horse (sorry ask!!!) jump through hoops and walk over see saws doesn't mean that we don't have a bond. I resent the implication that he doesn't like or respect me because of this. We've been together 15 yrs, he comes when I call, sometimes he waits at the gate after he's seen my car, knickers hello every time he sees me. He will follow me around the school and every so often he pulls me in for a cuddle and scratch. We can ride a fairly decent novice test and jump a decent sized course together. However, where in any horse owners manual does it mention that any of this counts for nothing if my horse won't follow me over some squished plastic bottles!!!!
Sorry, shouldn't let it bother me but come on. Where does she get off making a snap judgment about all and sundry. I probably wouldn't mind quite so much if I hadn't seen her 'liberty' and horse agility display at the south west equine fair. Horse didn't seem to be that tuned into her to be honest.
I shall probably get shot down by the militant members of natural horsemanship but they are sometimes the first to complain if the comments are the other way round.

Sorry for ranting.
Chocolate and Vodka for any one who has bothered to ead this far x x x
 
You will only get the best from your horse if you know him first. If you know him well enough you may be gifted trust when he knows you the same. Then you can communicate in whatever you chose to do.
My boy is very sensitive and some of this NH stuff would freak him out. Yes i could spend months 'curing' him and then he might follow me over a cliff. But i prefer to know him well and work with who he is. I know his boundries and I don't abuse his trust. So he's a fabulous hunter and can ride a beatiful test because he listens and trusts me, but i'd blow all that to b£llocks if i shook a plastic bag at him!
Yup, I'll back out now before I get too engrossed and start reeling off epic essays on training. I'm open to all methods but totally agree. There is no one method that should be used for all horses and to suggest so would be ignorant.
 
Totally agree with you :) people on my yard do parelli ect, works for them so that's fine and they don't do the whole obstacle course thing.
Just feel waving a rope at my pony to get her to back up is a bit unnessicary when all it takes is a slight push to her chest ..
 
"militant members of natural horsemanship"? Not round here, mate...

I'm reasonably certain I could train the beast to do those things - he does half of them already - but frankly it doesn't make the blindest bit of difference - your horse can worship you through tradition or exotic means, or equally be disinterested whether you wave a carrot stick or not - there's good and bad folk in all schools of thought... Sadly that is often lost of people like that.
 
did she actually say it was the only way to create a bond mrmac ( you said you just watched a snippet of the agility) or did she just say it was a good way of creating a bond .... therefore implying there are more ways to do so.

Not defending NH (or any other way) just wondering if this might be a misunderstanding ;) .. sometimes just one aspect gets picked up ( with any method) and used as something that is bad / unecessary.

I kinda have a wee " dream" that maybe we can all see the good stuff in each others choices and look at the good examples of when "it works" :D
 
tazzle said:
did she actually say it was the only way to create a bond mrmac ( you said you just watched a snippet of the agility) or did she just say it was a good way of creating a bond .... therefore implying there are more ways to do so.
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I was wondering that tbh.

I've met Vanessa Bee briefly and she didn't come across as a "it's my way or the highway" sort of person but of course impressions can be wrong. Haven't seen her work myself but she runs very popular courses over here in Ireland and the people I know who have attended found them very useful indeed. That of course doesn't mean she didn't say that stuff on the program you watched op, I didn't see it so am only saying the little I know about her. I 'think' trec is something she has got into over the last three/four or so years.
 
I am always a little disappointed by people who start banging on about 'their method' being the only one that really works, creates a bond, is the kindest, whatever.

The truth is lots of methods work well for lots of people with lots of different horses. Lots of people using diverse and different methods, have some fantastic relationships with their horses. Of course there is and always will be the reverse side of the coin.

How individuals treat their horses is a product of all sorts of things which influence them through their life and experience with horses, but the most damaging thing for all concerned is a closed mind.

Whatever you do with horses, so long as its done with kindness, understanding, knowledge and the very best interest of the horse at heart has to be ok.
 
Pale Rider said:
I am always a little disappointed by people who start banging on about 'their method' being the only one that really works, creates a bond, is the kindest, whatever.
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Me too.

Pale Rider said:
The truth is lots of methods work well for lots of people with lots of different horses. Lots of people using diverse and different methods, have some fantastic relationships with their horses. Of course there is and always will be the reverse side of the coin.

How individuals treat their horses is a product of all sorts of things which influence them through their life and experience with horses, but the most damaging thing for all concerned is a closed mind.

Whatever you do with horses, so long as its done with kindness, understanding, knowledge and the very best interest of the horse at heart has to be ok.
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Agree. I think diversity is to be celebrated and there is always something to learn from different methods and ideas. Wouldn't it be boring and restrictive if we were all doing the same? We are all individuals just like our horses. :)
 
amandap said:
Me too.


Agree. I think diversity is to be celebrated and there is always something to learn from different methods and ideas. Wouldn't it be boring and restrictive if we were all doing the same? We are all individuals just like our horses. :)
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I think we've done everything slightly differently with every horse we've ever had, because although we have standards & boundaries that we stick to, we respond to the horse's response to us. Some need firm handling, others need a more gentle approach and they all change, the longer they are with us. Some horses change from day to day and situation to situation.
I agree with the poster who said her horse doesn't need a rope waved in its face to back up. I loathe that approach, which is bound to make a horse startle/nervous.
 
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Pearlsasinger said:
I agree with the poster who said her horse doesn't need a rope waved in its face to back up. I loathe that approach, which is bound to make a horse startle/nervous.
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I take it this is a reference to Parelli? Yes there is a fair amount of rope waving that goes on, but, theres no real need to be making a horse nervous about it, or startled, if thats what happens.

I've trained all mine Parelli and they all back up 40, 50, 60 yards at the most subtle signal from me. They've never had a rope waved in their face, no need for it. In fact they mostly get worked without a line of any sort in the school or field, because they want too and they have the choice.

I couldn't let someone handle them who didn't follow what I've done with them as they get upset when people are unsubtle and crass around them. They feel they are being screamed at, and I loathe that approach.
 
Having met Vanessa on several occasions and having had long chats with her (some involving wine!) I very much doubt that she would have said that the way she does things is the ONLY way to get a bond. She's not like that at all.
 
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