I thought I'd google 'horse behaviour' and have a look at whats 'in' and whats 'out' these days.
It is frightening the number of web sites, forums and books out there that do more harm than good. Many of them have a professional look about them that would, I imagine, inspire the reader to believe 'these people know what they are talking about'. I even found a few who had fancy letters after their name or used the prefix Dr, all of which implied learning, knowledge, understanding, experience and expertise in all things equine.
Out of curiosity I chose 6 'professionals' who used the prefix Dr. To be fair I chose three who's opinions I vaguely or strongly agreed with and the other three who's opinions I thought were from another planet.
After more hours than I care to admit researching I managed to track down the backgrounds of two of them (fortunately one of each opinion). Would you believe that one had a Doctorate in Philosophy and the other in Greek Mythology, nothing at all to do with horses and to top it all both awarded by a third world university. Agreed, they may have many years experience dealing with horses but then so do the vast majority of my clients.
Many of these so called professionals state things as fact when in reality we know so little about horses. We don't even know what colours a horse can see let alone their thought process and ability to reason.
I think the best advice I could give you is to question everything you read or are told about horses and to remember that horses are individuals (what works for one might not work for another). Whenever I read or hear something new to do with horses I try to do as much research as I can and to study both sides of the argument, only when I feel I fully understand might I try their suggestion.
If it 'feels' wrong then it probably is, if it 'feels' right then try it in stages. To me using a crop to get a horse to move forward 'feels' wrong, so I never use a crop. If you would never use a crop on a child to get a result why use one on a horse?
Showing posts with label Horses General. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Horses General. Show all posts
16 October 2008
Horse cruelty - Why???
I had the privilege of meeting Mick not that long ago to help him with manners and spookyness. Mick is a 15.2HH TB gelding aged 9 who has had a pretty rough time in periods of his life.
He had been passed from pillar to post on numerous occasions and on one of these occasions 'miss-behaved' for his owner who decided that the best course of action was to smash him in the face with a shovel or spade.
You can clearly see the damage that this mindless idiot caused and I can only imagine the suffering that Mick experienced. Mick needed a number of operations to reconstruct his skull, have a dislodged molar tooth removed and also at one point a tracheostomy.
I hope and pray that the person who caused this was made to pay all the vets bills in full and then locked up in prison where the other Bigger Bully Boys could treat him in a similar fashion.
For all the unpleasant experiences that Mick has under gone at the hands of humans he has proved himself to be a far bigger man than most humans I have met. He has such a forgiving nature that he allowed me to introduce him to spookables and scarries without prejudice. At one point I was waving a stick around and touching him all over with it. Had he not been so forgiving I doubt I would have got within 10 metres of him with that stick.
I thank Micks owner 'L' for allowing me to meet him and I am sure Mick has a full and happy life ahead of him. Mostly I thank Mick for allowing me the privilege of spending time with him.
07 October 2008
Pressure and release in horses
Whether you like it or not, whenever you are with your horse you are applying pressure.
Here I use the term 'pressure' to mean getting our horse to either do, think or feel something that if left alone they would not experience unless it be from another horse.
This can be Physical Pressure - leg on, contact in reins, whip/crop, leading, asking him/her to move over in the stable, asking for a hoof/leg, grooming, loading, washing, in fact anything where you or a piece of equipment comes into contact with your horse.
It can also be Spacial Pressure - looking directly into the horses eyes, lunge whip (if used correctly), approaching, *going 'fluffy feathers'* (see below), threatening with whip (as used in horse racing), in fact anything where you or a piece of equipment does NOT come into contact with your horse.
Or it can be Emotional Pressure - isolation, separation, hunger, both negative and positive transference of emotion (whereby the horse picks up on their handlers emotions and reacts to them).
All of the above effects our relationships with our horses and their well being weather we mean to or not. What we do have control over, is the amount of pressure we use and the release of that pressure in our training of the horse.
Firstly be aware of your own emotional state, if it is contrary to what you are trying to achieve - change it.
When using both Spacial and Physical Pressure to achieve an aim start off softly and build up slowly if need be, after all, if you start off with a lot of pressure you don't have much further to go before you're stuck and many people then resort to violence. All violence teaches a horse is that his/her fear and anxiety are justifiable in a similar situation.
When you ask your horse to do something it is far better to release the pressure as soon as the horse starts to respond than to keep asking until the horse fully completes the given task. We have all seen horses that are dead to the leg or the owner is constantly having to use a stronger bit.
* I'm sure you've all seen chickens squaring off to each other with their feathers puffed out and standing tall to make themselves look bigger and more intimidating. When a horse is showing me aggression and I want them to know I'd rather they didn't I go 'fluffy feathers' whereby I approach square on, eyes on eyes and waving arms about.*
Here I use the term 'pressure' to mean getting our horse to either do, think or feel something that if left alone they would not experience unless it be from another horse.
This can be Physical Pressure - leg on, contact in reins, whip/crop, leading, asking him/her to move over in the stable, asking for a hoof/leg, grooming, loading, washing, in fact anything where you or a piece of equipment comes into contact with your horse.
It can also be Spacial Pressure - looking directly into the horses eyes, lunge whip (if used correctly), approaching, *going 'fluffy feathers'* (see below), threatening with whip (as used in horse racing), in fact anything where you or a piece of equipment does NOT come into contact with your horse.
Or it can be Emotional Pressure - isolation, separation, hunger, both negative and positive transference of emotion (whereby the horse picks up on their handlers emotions and reacts to them).
All of the above effects our relationships with our horses and their well being weather we mean to or not. What we do have control over, is the amount of pressure we use and the release of that pressure in our training of the horse.
Firstly be aware of your own emotional state, if it is contrary to what you are trying to achieve - change it.
When using both Spacial and Physical Pressure to achieve an aim start off softly and build up slowly if need be, after all, if you start off with a lot of pressure you don't have much further to go before you're stuck and many people then resort to violence. All violence teaches a horse is that his/her fear and anxiety are justifiable in a similar situation.
When you ask your horse to do something it is far better to release the pressure as soon as the horse starts to respond than to keep asking until the horse fully completes the given task. We have all seen horses that are dead to the leg or the owner is constantly having to use a stronger bit.
* I'm sure you've all seen chickens squaring off to each other with their feathers puffed out and standing tall to make themselves look bigger and more intimidating. When a horse is showing me aggression and I want them to know I'd rather they didn't I go 'fluffy feathers' whereby I approach square on, eyes on eyes and waving arms about.*
18 September 2008
Misconceptions - Signals in Join Up
Misconception - "My horse doesn't show all four signals no matter how much I send him away"
In my experience many horses will initially only show 1 or 2 of the signals, usually the 'ear locked on' and 'making the circles smaller'. A few will 'lick and chew' and some of these are barely noticeable, and very few will 'bounce their head'. While practicing your technique it is always a good idea to have an observer outside the pen, more often than not the observer will notice details you have missed and can advise accordingly, also they can point out if your timing is appropriate.
Although Monty Roberts can so easily demonstrate all four signals with a horse, please remember he has had years of practice and experience.
It is far more important to achieve a reasonable 'Join Up' with a relaxed horse than it is to constantly push for all four signals.
'Join up' is based on watching how horses communicate with each other on a daily basis, one of which is eyes on eyes and body square, meaning go away. When humans communicate with each other it is considered impolite not to face the other person and look them directly in the eye, unfortunately we carry this rule over to our horses. Over the years many horses will become deadened to our ways and then when we attempt to communicate to them in their own language we become frustrated that they don't seem to be listening or 'communicating' to us.
Please remember in all cases a horse acts and behaves just like a horse for a reason. Horses do not have a sense of humour as we do, contrary to the often heard comment "give him a good crack with the whip, he's taking the mickey out of you". They kick, buck and bite for a reason and it is our job to get to the cause of that reason, sometimes the answer is that we have inadvertantly taught our horse to react in that way. However, more often than not our horse is telling us that he is in pain or dicomfort.
In my experience many horses will initially only show 1 or 2 of the signals, usually the 'ear locked on' and 'making the circles smaller'. A few will 'lick and chew' and some of these are barely noticeable, and very few will 'bounce their head'. While practicing your technique it is always a good idea to have an observer outside the pen, more often than not the observer will notice details you have missed and can advise accordingly, also they can point out if your timing is appropriate.
Although Monty Roberts can so easily demonstrate all four signals with a horse, please remember he has had years of practice and experience.
It is far more important to achieve a reasonable 'Join Up' with a relaxed horse than it is to constantly push for all four signals.
'Join up' is based on watching how horses communicate with each other on a daily basis, one of which is eyes on eyes and body square, meaning go away. When humans communicate with each other it is considered impolite not to face the other person and look them directly in the eye, unfortunately we carry this rule over to our horses. Over the years many horses will become deadened to our ways and then when we attempt to communicate to them in their own language we become frustrated that they don't seem to be listening or 'communicating' to us.
Please remember in all cases a horse acts and behaves just like a horse for a reason. Horses do not have a sense of humour as we do, contrary to the often heard comment "give him a good crack with the whip, he's taking the mickey out of you". They kick, buck and bite for a reason and it is our job to get to the cause of that reason, sometimes the answer is that we have inadvertantly taught our horse to react in that way. However, more often than not our horse is telling us that he is in pain or dicomfort.
09 September 2008
Misconceptions - Join up
Misconception - “Oh ‘Join Up’ - that’s that thing where you chase a horse around a round pen until it’s exhausted and gives up isn’t it?”
Within this post I am only talking about 'Join Up' as practiced and taught by Monty Roberts and Kelly Marks. I am well aware of the numerous derivatives i.e the Parelli 'catching game', Pony Boy and others, but do not feel inclined to comment on these at this point.
Anyone who knows what they are doing and what signals to look for in a ‘Join Up’ will ask the horse to trot for about 15 laps in a 16 metre (50 foot diameter) round pen unrestricted. This gives us a circumference of approx 50 mtr. As the horse will keep its self away from the wall/fence by about a metre we can say he/she will actually trot a 44 mtr track. 44 mtr multiplied by 15 laps = 660 mtrs. Here the horse is not encumbered by the weight of a rider and tack.
Now lets take a look at a standard schooling arena 20 x 40mtrs. Again if we subtract a metre for keeping off the fence and cutting corners this gives us an actual 18 x 38 mtr track. 18+18+36+36 = 112mtrs. Here the horse has the added weight of a rider and tack.
So, in only 6 laps of the arena the horse has covered the same 672mtrs, I have yet to see a single rider do only 6 laps during a schooling session. Generally the horse is lunged for 10 mins “to get the beans out of him” and then ridden for half an hour covering walk, trot and canter. In that time the horse may have covered 20 laps = 2,160mtrs, in comparison to the 660mtrs asked in a ‘Join Up’.
Having done the maths, it seems far more likely that a horse which is being traditionally schooled is more likely to be “exhausted and give up” than a horse asked to do ‘Join Up’.
Within this post I am only talking about 'Join Up' as practiced and taught by Monty Roberts and Kelly Marks. I am well aware of the numerous derivatives i.e the Parelli 'catching game', Pony Boy and others, but do not feel inclined to comment on these at this point.
Anyone who knows what they are doing and what signals to look for in a ‘Join Up’ will ask the horse to trot for about 15 laps in a 16 metre (50 foot diameter) round pen unrestricted. This gives us a circumference of approx 50 mtr. As the horse will keep its self away from the wall/fence by about a metre we can say he/she will actually trot a 44 mtr track. 44 mtr multiplied by 15 laps = 660 mtrs. Here the horse is not encumbered by the weight of a rider and tack.
Now lets take a look at a standard schooling arena 20 x 40mtrs. Again if we subtract a metre for keeping off the fence and cutting corners this gives us an actual 18 x 38 mtr track. 18+18+36+36 = 112mtrs. Here the horse has the added weight of a rider and tack.
So, in only 6 laps of the arena the horse has covered the same 672mtrs, I have yet to see a single rider do only 6 laps during a schooling session. Generally the horse is lunged for 10 mins “to get the beans out of him” and then ridden for half an hour covering walk, trot and canter. In that time the horse may have covered 20 laps = 2,160mtrs, in comparison to the 660mtrs asked in a ‘Join Up’.
Having done the maths, it seems far more likely that a horse which is being traditionally schooled is more likely to be “exhausted and give up” than a horse asked to do ‘Join Up’.
08 September 2008
Stuck in the dark ages
I once visited a yard to help someone with a horse who lacked manners, individually a lovely person and a fabulous horse, together a nightmare. As usual during the session I explained things from the horse’s point of view while showing the owner how to lead and progressing through various issues they were having.
At the end of the session I gratefully accepted the offer of a cup of tea and during our conversation I could see that the owner was gradually getting more and more bitter and angry. Thinking I had somehow inadvertently offended her, I apologised and made ready to leave. For the next 5 minutes I received an embarrassing string of compliments, including what a breath of fresh air my methods were and her amazement that within such a short space of time she felt capable of having a relationship with her horse rather than a fight etc etc.
It turned out that once our session with her horse had finished and the owner had had time to relax, she began to resent the wasted years and expense of hiring various highly qualified instructors who taught her from the human point of view and never the horses. She had believed from the outset that such a large organisation would do the right thing for both parties, horse and human, so she had never thought to question anything. Basic things had never been explained to her such as to why she was taught to lead from the horses shoulder or mount on the near side and numerous other things.
In the days of knights in shining armour (the dark ages) it was unacceptable to be left handed so they all wore their swords on their left side ready to be drawn with their right hand. Having the sword on the left side of their body meant they could only mount from the horses near side. Time progressed and Knights became cavalry with the same fixed ideas. Military horses were kept in lines and the army likes its soldiers to look the same and behave in the same manner so everyone led and mounted from the near side, held their reins in the same way etc.
Owning a horse for pleasure only became popular in the Victorian era and it was cavalry officers who taught the public, knowing no alternatives they used the methods taught to them. To this day novices are still being taught using these methods. If the reason for this is a “if it aint broke don’t fix it” mentality and we all lived by that rule we would still believe that the earth was flat, that women can’t do physical work etc etc. During their time these were common beliefs and they worked fine but have since been proven to be far from accurate.
Believe me, it is harder to un-teach than it is to teach. The novices of today are going to be tomorrows instructors, competitors, happy hackers and parents. If we can teach them now to lead correctly from both sides and to mount from both sides, and to think things through from a horse’s point of view it would be a great start. They will have a much better relationship with their equine partner and the horses will certainly be a lot more comfortable.
At the end of the session I gratefully accepted the offer of a cup of tea and during our conversation I could see that the owner was gradually getting more and more bitter and angry. Thinking I had somehow inadvertently offended her, I apologised and made ready to leave. For the next 5 minutes I received an embarrassing string of compliments, including what a breath of fresh air my methods were and her amazement that within such a short space of time she felt capable of having a relationship with her horse rather than a fight etc etc.
It turned out that once our session with her horse had finished and the owner had had time to relax, she began to resent the wasted years and expense of hiring various highly qualified instructors who taught her from the human point of view and never the horses. She had believed from the outset that such a large organisation would do the right thing for both parties, horse and human, so she had never thought to question anything. Basic things had never been explained to her such as to why she was taught to lead from the horses shoulder or mount on the near side and numerous other things.
In the days of knights in shining armour (the dark ages) it was unacceptable to be left handed so they all wore their swords on their left side ready to be drawn with their right hand. Having the sword on the left side of their body meant they could only mount from the horses near side. Time progressed and Knights became cavalry with the same fixed ideas. Military horses were kept in lines and the army likes its soldiers to look the same and behave in the same manner so everyone led and mounted from the near side, held their reins in the same way etc.
Owning a horse for pleasure only became popular in the Victorian era and it was cavalry officers who taught the public, knowing no alternatives they used the methods taught to them. To this day novices are still being taught using these methods. If the reason for this is a “if it aint broke don’t fix it” mentality and we all lived by that rule we would still believe that the earth was flat, that women can’t do physical work etc etc. During their time these were common beliefs and they worked fine but have since been proven to be far from accurate.
Believe me, it is harder to un-teach than it is to teach. The novices of today are going to be tomorrows instructors, competitors, happy hackers and parents. If we can teach them now to lead correctly from both sides and to mount from both sides, and to think things through from a horse’s point of view it would be a great start. They will have a much better relationship with their equine partner and the horses will certainly be a lot more comfortable.
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