Natural Horsemanship

Recently, Natural Horsemanship has gotten a bad name. In many instances that bad rap has been justified. For instance, there are many "NH Followers" and even a few high-profile clinicians that have gone off to such an extreme with their "techniques", that the entire NH realm has been muddied, and this extreme goofiness is being thought of as synonymous with Natural Horsemanship. In some of these extremes, horses behaving badly get a pet and a carrot, and are treated as pets. Which can get very dangerous in a hurry.

Ray Hunt said, "A horse can make a great companion, but he doesn't make a good pet." Amen. Horses have learned how to survive and cooperate in their herd. They have the innate knowledge that they are going to either lead or follow another horse, hence the herd pecking order. A human should always be at the top of the pecking order... because if the human does not "lead" that relationship, the horse will step in and be the leader. And while you are standing beside, or are astride a 1200 lb animal who is "the leader", you might just be in grave danger indeed.

The basics of Natural Horsemanship then, are tried and true ways to relate to the horse that you are the leader, and to build respect. And to do this without the horse fearing the human. The horse wants to please, and will give all if he is guided in the right way.

Having just returned from a 4-day horsemanship clinic given by Buster McLaury, a friend and devotee of the late Ray Hunt, my next few blog entries will be an attempt to organize my thoughts and ruminations on the change in me and my horse over those 4 days. The horse I took, that would brace against the bit and seem to push against me as much as she gave in, came home very very soft from the ground and in the bridle, just from applying a few simple principles. I came home softer too (and not just from the great food we had there. ;-) ). The seeds of change have been planted, and I hope I can keep them growing.