RE: To Look or Not?

["Kathy Mayeda" <kathy_mayeda@atce.com>]

Was at a Parelli clinic this weekend.  Parelli viewpoint - which I always
have been a proponent of - is to ACT COOL.  Just keep "maintenance of gait"
and act as if the object is not a big deal afterall.  Going up to it and
letting them sniff it and look at it buys into their "drama" thing. Then
they are always looking at things to "look at".  I like a horse that
responds to stimuli from the rider, not the external stuff.  Of course,
there will be spooks at stuff, but once I get their attention back, I just
keep on going as if nothing happened.  They get the message that it's not a
big deal after awhile.

-----Original Message-----
From:	DESERTRYDR1@aol.com [mailto:DESERTRYDR1@aol.com]
Sent:	Saturday, April 08, 2000 8:47 PM
To:	knever@eatel.net
Cc:	ridecamp@endurance.net
Subject:	RC:   To Look or Not?

I was told nine years ago when I started riding Arabs that you HAVE to
make
them walk up to it, preferably have them walk over it.  I tried this
with my
spooky, independent mare and today she will go anywhere I point her, and
only
spooks in place a bit if its a REALLY scary item, or it jumps out at her

(killer pheasants you know).  We had some real battles when I first got
her,
but after a while if something scared her, and I made her go near it,
she
would try to walk on it (even big stuff like rocks or furniture).  Now
I'm
riding her 6 yr old Anglo Arab daughter, who has never been real spooky.
She
WANTS to go look at things.  She will walk right up and put her nose on
it,
then look for grass underneath it.  Today it was a green balloon, a
couple of
refrigerators, and a recliner.  I think she would be a lot more spooky
if I
didn't let her look, but she also is a very curious horse.  IMO the more

stuff they look at, the less scares them.  jeri


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