jumpthemoon
Well-Known Member
Does anyone have any experiences of natural horsemanship to share? I know a lot of people think it's over hyped and just a gimmick, but has anyone actually tried it and had good or bad results?
Natural Horsemanship - experiences....
- Thread starter jumpthemoon
- Start date
claire1976
Well-Known Member
Been following it for years now. You'll get positive and negative replies here and the debate has been done to death.
My experience is a great one. I tend to mix and match the methods of parelli, monty and cliff anderson all with great results. My mare has responded well to it, far better than she did with traditional methods.
Horses that have had bad experieces with traditional methods seem to respond extremely well to natural methods, mainly because its based on trust and understanding.
My experience is a great one. I tend to mix and match the methods of parelli, monty and cliff anderson all with great results. My mare has responded well to it, far better than she did with traditional methods.
Horses that have had bad experieces with traditional methods seem to respond extremely well to natural methods, mainly because its based on trust and understanding.
Enfys
Well-Known Member
I haven't really, but would like to know if Monty Roberts, Michael Peace, Pat Parelli, Mark Rashid et al, all come under the same 'umbrella' of NH?
Or, is it a bit like ice cream really, all seems basically the same but comes in different flavours?
Or, is it a bit like ice cream really, all seems basically the same but comes in different flavours?
jumpthemoon
Well-Known Member
Thanks claire1976. it was your post eariler that prompted my question. I'm not really interested in the debate (I saw the parelli thread a while ago!) but I would like to hear if people have actually had experience of it and what they thought.
Enfys, I was under the impression they were all the same idea but slightly different approaches...
Enfys, I was under the impression they were all the same idea but slightly different approaches...
elaineh
Well-Known Member
Yes, saw people doing it in NZ, figured I could learn something, trained for a week in OZ with Brad Weeks www.queenslandnaturalhorsemanship.com
Learnt so much about training horse in 1 week it was ridiculous!
Three years later am now starting my 5yo with NH (see other post) and he's turning out lovely.
I think its important to have a good NH trainer who knows what they're talking about and has been doing it for a good while practically. ie someone who trains horses for a living every day.
Some trainers mentioned teach more 'principals' - goo dto know, but sometimes hard to apply practically. and some trainers teach 'how to do' style, whcih lso has advantages & disadvantages.
Saying that 'natural horsemanship' is in a lot of cases just good old fashioned horsemanship, where you try to see life from your horses perspetive. It just involves a bit of thinking, instead of just reacting.
Learnt so much about training horse in 1 week it was ridiculous!
I think its important to have a good NH trainer who knows what they're talking about and has been doing it for a good while practically. ie someone who trains horses for a living every day.
Some trainers mentioned teach more 'principals' - goo dto know, but sometimes hard to apply practically. and some trainers teach 'how to do' style, whcih lso has advantages & disadvantages.
Saying that 'natural horsemanship' is in a lot of cases just good old fashioned horsemanship, where you try to see life from your horses perspetive. It just involves a bit of thinking, instead of just reacting.
BethH
Well-Known Member
I think it works but with a dose of real life needed. Trained my 4yr horse using "perfect manners" book by Kelly Marks, it is now a part of our lives 4 years on, we both know the rules and have a great relationship. I definitely feel more empowered by this method than when I used to lose my temper and wack him, it always left me feeling a bit ineffective, whereas I do think using a horses body language to train it makes much more sense to the horse and saves a lot of arguements.
Fully appreciate that everyone has their own way of doing things that work for them but I feel much more able to train and enjoy my horse using some of these methods.
Different flavours of Ice cream seem like a good explanation to me, same attitude just different methods and ideas for implenting their training!
Fully appreciate that everyone has their own way of doing things that work for them but I feel much more able to train and enjoy my horse using some of these methods.
Different flavours of Ice cream seem like a good explanation to me, same attitude just different methods and ideas for implenting their training!
StaceyTanglewood
Well-Known Member
I have a guy at my yard who is into it i think some of it is fantastic but some of it a load of bull to be honest i think you should take from it what you need and the rest disregard !!
elaineh
Well-Known Member
agreed - depends on trainer. if all you see is people twirling ropes, you'd think it was crap. But if you have a good trainer who actualy knows the 'why' as well as the 'how' it just makes you realise how much you still have to learn
Tia
Well-Known Member
I've done it pretty much all my life....."it" just never had a name until recently.
To be honest, ANY decent trainer worth their salt uses most/some of the methods used because most of it is traditional aspects of horse training.
To be honest, ANY decent trainer worth their salt uses most/some of the methods used because most of it is traditional aspects of horse training.
elaineh
Well-Known Member
Agreed Tia
the true natural horsemanship is just plain old good horsemanship with a fancy tag. It just an alternative to the 'hit them to show them who's boss' approach.
jumpthemoon
Well-Known Member
Thanks for your replies everyone!
Gives me something to think about if I discover there is nothing wrong with my horse and he's just unruly! lol
claire1976
Well-Known Member
The methods of NH all come from the same principal and that is:
To work with the horse not against it.
Work with trust and understanding not fear and intimidation.
I mix and match method because all horses are different and some respond better to some methods than others. Principally its all the same idea and I love the fact I can work things out with my mare together and really its partnership thing. Our bond is amazing and its more than twirling ropes and carrot sticks believe me!!
Its no good watching it and deciding its tosh - you have to try it and see the results on your own horse before dismissing it.
To work with the horse not against it.
Work with trust and understanding not fear and intimidation.
I mix and match method because all horses are different and some respond better to some methods than others. Principally its all the same idea and I love the fact I can work things out with my mare together and really its partnership thing. Our bond is amazing and its more than twirling ropes and carrot sticks believe me!!
Its no good watching it and deciding its tosh - you have to try it and see the results on your own horse before dismissing it.
vicijp
Well-Known Member
Same as Tia.
Personally I think 'NH' methods are just anger control training. Most people would do just as well to see a shrink on the NHS, rather then shell out for an 'expert'.
Personally I think 'NH' methods are just anger control training. Most people would do just as well to see a shrink on the NHS, rather then shell out for an 'expert'.
jumpthemoon
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
Same as Tia.
Personally I think 'NH' methods are just anger control training. Most people would do just as well to see a shrink on the NHS, rather then shell out for an 'expert'.
[/ QUOTE ]
hmmm..perhaps I should book myself in...
Same as Tia.
Personally I think 'NH' methods are just anger control training. Most people would do just as well to see a shrink on the NHS, rather then shell out for an 'expert'.
[/ QUOTE ]
hmmm..perhaps I should book myself in...
Laafet
Well-Known Member
Here here Tia et al. There is much good to be learned from NH but most it was about any way and practiced by real horsemen and women. I abhor the fad for paying huge prices to be 'nice' to your horse, Parelli in particular seems a victim. Also still really intrigued in TTEAM because as far as I can see if your horse needs a body wrap maybe it has a brain problem (wobbler) or maybe I just dont get the concept. I used a lot of Monty Roberts/Richard Maxwell and Micheal Peace methods on my youngster who had had little human contact and he is now a babe. Sometimes you just need to look outside your little train of thought and see other option to solve problems.
Talan
Well-Known Member
Your original question asked if we had any actual experiences to share. Yes, I have. I got some really good solid help from a lady called Lisa Bruin, who is associated with Silversand Natural Horsemanship. Originally I wanted some backup with a difficult horse I'd been given (I am quite experienced already), but she also helped me with some good solid advice to improve my dressage with my other horse. Basically it cut through the crap I'd been getting from my trainer for years, showed me clearly how I could very simply influence the way my horse moved on the ground and then on board. So I have found it very beneficial. I went to see her mentor Steve Halfpenny in action when he was teaching a clinic and again he made perfect sense and had a very direct and simple approach to things. NH is not what any good trainer will do, because not all trainers spend time teaching you and the horse on the ground, then clearly relating it to ridden work. And NH trainers seem capable of producing excellent results using simple tack and without any use of side reins or other training aids. But as in all things it is a matter of different strokes for different folks.
I don't think you can learn exactly "how" from demos, but I do think they are worth going to before you decide to pursue things further with any trainer. I have also been around some Parelli trainers and wasn't so impressed with their teaching, which I found to be quite inflexible, but that might have been those individual trainers. Similarly I'm not that enamoured with Kelly Marks and her lot, I can't stand the way that some of them treat the horses with the pressure headcollar, and am not at all convinced by what they think is their "speaking the language of horses" by creeping about with their eyes averted. But then, I don't class Intelligent Horsemanship and Monty Roberts as being part of the NH movement - too much reliance on gadgets.
One thing that really p's me off is the constant attacks on a whole movement (ie NH) based on some people's narrow experience of a few "students" who claim to be using the approach. If you want to learn about something go to the organ grinder, don't form your opinions on the actions of the monkey. You wouldn't pour scorn on Geoff Billington based on a couple of idiots who claim to have had a couple of lessons with him would you?
Personally I think if you dismiss the natural horsemanship altogether you could be denying yourself some interesting ideas and experiences. Many horsemen who fancy themselves as experts pour too much scorn on different ideas and are stuck in their own personal rut, I think that if they could open up their minds and just get out more, they might actually enjoy themselves and learn something.
I don't think you can learn exactly "how" from demos, but I do think they are worth going to before you decide to pursue things further with any trainer. I have also been around some Parelli trainers and wasn't so impressed with their teaching, which I found to be quite inflexible, but that might have been those individual trainers. Similarly I'm not that enamoured with Kelly Marks and her lot, I can't stand the way that some of them treat the horses with the pressure headcollar, and am not at all convinced by what they think is their "speaking the language of horses" by creeping about with their eyes averted. But then, I don't class Intelligent Horsemanship and Monty Roberts as being part of the NH movement - too much reliance on gadgets.
One thing that really p's me off is the constant attacks on a whole movement (ie NH) based on some people's narrow experience of a few "students" who claim to be using the approach. If you want to learn about something go to the organ grinder, don't form your opinions on the actions of the monkey. You wouldn't pour scorn on Geoff Billington based on a couple of idiots who claim to have had a couple of lessons with him would you?
Personally I think if you dismiss the natural horsemanship altogether you could be denying yourself some interesting ideas and experiences. Many horsemen who fancy themselves as experts pour too much scorn on different ideas and are stuck in their own personal rut, I think that if they could open up their minds and just get out more, they might actually enjoy themselves and learn something.
jumpthemoon
Well-Known Member
Thanks for that Talan. I'm considering using NH with my horse and I wanted to hear actual experiences, rather than the general 'I think it's all rubbish' comments!
Talan
Well-Known Member
No problem, I thought you might appreciate someone actually answering your question.
Put it this way, I had a horse that was very strong to ride and hard mouthed. In the process of sorting out other problems I first learnt to ride him in a rope halter (!) and then reintroduced a simple snaffle bit. It didn't happen overnight, but now I can ride him anywhere in a rope halter or snaffle in complete safety. I went from wondering what bit I could find to feel safe, to a situation where I feel 100% safe without relying on what I can pull on in his mouth. I'd been working on this for 2 years with "normal" BHS instructors, but it was the NH instructor that cut right through and suggested I go back to square 1, work out what the real problem was, and deal with that.
Have fun!
Put it this way, I had a horse that was very strong to ride and hard mouthed. In the process of sorting out other problems I first learnt to ride him in a rope halter (!) and then reintroduced a simple snaffle bit. It didn't happen overnight, but now I can ride him anywhere in a rope halter or snaffle in complete safety. I went from wondering what bit I could find to feel safe, to a situation where I feel 100% safe without relying on what I can pull on in his mouth. I'd been working on this for 2 years with "normal" BHS instructors, but it was the NH instructor that cut right through and suggested I go back to square 1, work out what the real problem was, and deal with that.
Have fun!