'natural' ideas - no gimmicks?!

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Pookies

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So, following a rather deep conversation with my boss today I am keen to spend a bit of time doing some groundwork with my old boy.
I am loathed to give any 'titles' of techniques I would like to try as there is so much crossover and prejudice between different techniques. Basically I would like to learn how to use pressure release with the correct head collar and using a method that is tried and tested without fo using on gimmicks and selling. I just want a straight forward way to teach my horse and have some fun.
Please no negative comments on natural horsemanship etc, I've purposefully not used any phrases like that when asking for advice. If there are any books/videos etc that might be useful please let me know :)
 
try looking up Richard Maxwell, you can find him on Facebook, i just his head collar and methods for my TB and they have worked a treat, he even comes to me on the mounting block now (great when you have a buggered knee!)

as i say it works for MY! Tb and its what I! like to us, other people may have other but just giving you a option :)

if you have any question on it just private message me :)
 
i had always wanted to get into it but was never 100% confident i was doing it right, even after reading tons of books and watching videos. I had a really tricky horse at the time with a lot of issues and I hired a few different professional natural horseman people to help me. The first few were absolute rubbish, either too airy-fairy or else too focused on selling stuff, so didn't use them again.

Eventually found an amazing guy who taught me so much and gave me a great education about it in a very simple, no nonsense way - i didn't have to go off and buy any equipment, just used headcollar and lunge lines. It was invaluable having someone teaching me the correct body language and correcting me when i was doing the wrong thing and just confusing the horse. It took a while to find him, but he changed the way I worked with horses completely. I had horses 30 years, but it was the tiniest techniques he taught me that made the difference. I absolutely love working with tricky horses now and it is all down to the stuff he taught.
 
Thank you both! How do I private message from my phone? Can't seem to find the right button!
You've both given me stuff to look up - I too am worries about using the wrong techniques or doing it wrong. Just need some sound sources of information and how to get started really. Working up to riding in a headcollar would be amazing! I used to ride him a bit in a dually but after a number of years I tried again and he totally took the Mick when I cantered!! As my boss said, I would need to retrain him and train him correctly so that he is rideable in that kind of headcollar x
 
If your horse is generally well mannered on the ground, moves with you, away from you when asked then you are already half way there and don't require special headcollars or carrot sticks to take it a bit further you just need to work on your body language and learn to read his. You should not really need to apply pressure, unless they are rude/ ignorant or untrained, just expect him to move away when you step into him/ his space and stop when you stop applying the "pressure".
The same with "join up" if they lunge fairly well it is easy to take to the next stage of having them loose and working with you, you learn to read them as they are learning to read what you want, it is all about body language and unless you have a "problem" horse there should be no need for any gimmicks or gadgets to help you achieve what you want to do, just get started and see how it goes, most horses quickly pick up the basics.
 
Thank you, that makes sense, I just have no idea where to start!! Is there anything I can read or watch that will help me to understand the basics?
 
I like looking at some of Warwick Schiller's videos. I don't subscribe to his site but just look at the freely available stuff! A good teacher on the ground helps a lot too - it is definitely worth trying to find out who people recommend locally to you. I've found that an extra pair of eyes from time to time is really helpful.
 
I heard good things about a chap called Micky Gavin (Nottinghamshire) so went and watched at one of his clinics

It was a complete eye opener, no gimmicks, jargon, 'games' no pushing the 'right' equipment etc It was just a common sense approach to training a horse along similar lines to natural horsemanship methods

The horses looked happy, the people looked relaxed and gained confidence throughout the day. Even just watching I learned loads of things to try at home and over a year later use a lot of the things I learned daily

If you are anywhere near there I would absolutely recommend his clinics even as a spectator
 
I just posted on another thread about straightness training. I'm following the programme and I love it. It might seem a bit gimmicky the way it's sold but compared to 'natural horsemanship', well it doesn't and it really isn't.

It is systematic exercises, starting from the very beginning, working on the natural asymmetry of the horse. You can buy the home study course or join the mastery course if you're more serious about it but you don't need to. There's masses of free stuff online and you can start here

http://straightnesstraining.com/

There was a woman at the open clinic with her 26 yr old who looked just fabulous and it's worked wonders for my wonky youngster.

You just need a cavesson (I use my micklem) and s lunge line and schooling whip to start but tbh I did the very beginning with a head collar. No other gadgets. I love it and so does my mare who is currently learning half pass and renvers in hand.

There's nothing to loose with watching the free you tube videos and reading the free ebook. Marijke De Jong has put together an idiot proof guide really. She is a lovely person and so enthusiastic and gives her all to the horses and the people she is teaching. There are trainee instructors and one qualified instructor here in the UK but there will be more I'm sure and the Facebook group is really helpful.

I'm a convert and I wouldn't train a horse any other way now!!! I was at the open ST clinic the weekend of the European dressage champs. It was the perfect antidote to the lame Totilas and tongue biting rollkur of Undercover. It was just ordinary horses doing extra ordinary things!!! I love it!!!!!
 
Richard Maxwell is a no nonsense proper horseman who uses natural techniques. No frills and I've used his methods for 17 years (gulp!) after going to one of his clinics and it has revolutionised my horses behaviour into lovely well behaved horses you can take anywhere. (And none of them started their careers with me being well trained!).
 
I use my 50 years of experience around horses and my ability to read them and their individual characteristics and adapt my handling to suit them. I have never owned a non-standard piece of equipment or followed a training method, however I do own a huge amount of patience and the ability to wait for result to come naturally.

The most I have learnt from other people is from watching those who have spent a lifetime around horses handle and interact with them. The oldest, quietest lad in a racing stables is usually a mine of experience and really enlightening to watch.
 
pansymouse said:
I use my 50 years of experience around horses and my ability to read them and their individual characteristics and adapt my handling to suit them. I have never owned a non-standard piece of equipment or followed a training method, however I do own a huge amount of patience and the ability to wait for result to come naturally.

The most I have learnt from other people is from watching those who have spent a lifetime around horses handle and interact with them. The oldest, quietest lad in a racing stables is usually a mine of experience and really enlightening to watch.
Click to expand...

Like..... Observation is everything, people don't take /or have the time to do it.
 
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