Chapter One - Part One

So... my computer died early this year and I'm FINALLY getting back into the swing of things. I'm back on track, and sorry for those of you who have watched and waited for me.

SO - to continue with the discussion of chapter one - communicating with the horse.

I'd like to comment on the most common miscommunications I see. Let's begin with the simple things, like going forward!

Even on the ground, people don't seem to get how the horse moves or how it influences other horses/people/animals to move. Wild horses, for example, must rely on other horses in the herd to lead them away from danger. The stallion stays at the back, keeping stragglers tight to the herd, and the lead mare dashes away in the front of the herd, leading them away to [hopefully] safer ground. If one watches on any YouTube video on the web of horses in a herd, it is the dominant, stallion-like horses that direct the herd. How do they do this? With bared teeth, swishing tails, pinned ears, and stomping feet. The 'wrath of god' look.

Now, horses usually do this without actually touching the other horse. The less dominant animal says 'oh yes, I believe you know best' and walks away. So what can humans do to get the same reaction? Why is it so hard to get that submissive, quiet admission of power from a horse when you're a human? Usually, because you're not asking the right question. Getting a response from a horse is not about forcing them to do it, its making them believe that if they don't listen, the only other option is to be eaten. Path of least resistance.

When handling a horse on the ground, I often see people 'pulling' their horse. The horse just doesn't care to follow the 'lead mare' and there is no mean-faced stallion herding them along. Or, you get the horses that have that look written all over their faces - the 'she's not going to protect me and oh my gosh the cheetah is behind that bush!' And my favorite, the nasty, dominating horses that have been allowed to take charge and lead the herd [or human] around by their nose.

Natural roundpenning, as commonly seen in Parelli or other Natural Horsemanship techniques, can be an amazing way to see the way humans move with their horses. A timid person will suck back and their horse will stand and ignore them or encroach on their personal space. An over-aggressive person will give their horse the 'She said there's a cheetah chasing me around and around!' or even give the horse the impression that humans are the predator. Then there are some humans that talk to their horses with their body in the roundpen and they don't actually say anything!

To get forward, you must walk towards the horse's "engine" - the haunches. This says 'forward'. Walking toward the head [of a submissive horse, of course] tells them 'back'. Walking towards their shoulder is nothing but confusion - 'where do I go, forward or backward? The wall's in the way, I can't go sideways'.

What if there is no roundpen? How do you make a horse walk forward quietly on the lead? Personally, I have a soft lead rope and turn my body slightly to tap their barrel with it. Some horses need more incentive, like a Dressage whip. I've even seen people putting plastic bags on the ends of whips to get more of a reaction - I personally think this is massive overkill and doesn't accomplish anything.

To get forward, a horse must be respectful. For a horse with no energy, you must engage them as the dominate stallion would.

Without forward, halt, and turn on the lead line, what respect could you ever achieve on a horse's back?


Tell me some stories - where have you seen people who have trouble getting their horses to move their feet? What have they done to fix it?