RE: Spooking and, ETC>>>>>>>>>>>>

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

Nice post.  I haven't read the whole bonder technique yet, I did
print it out, though Marv.  Looks like there are probably some really good
points that I could use.

My problem with round pen techniques is that some people misuse the
techniques and overuse them.  They never get out on the trail! 
They spend all their horse time in the round pen.  These are horses
that spend all their time standing around in their pen, so when
they are asked to move, they are actually happy to run around!
I could understand how Marv wants to know who has a copy of the
bonder technique.

The round pen is a good tool for kindergarden, and maybe a some
refresher training, but should not be the only tool in a horseman's
bag.

Kathy



-----Original Message-----
From: DVeritas@aol.com [mailto:DVeritas@aol.com]
Sent: Thursday, September 21, 2000 6:16 AM
To: Marv@marvwalker.com
Cc: ridecamp@endurance.net
Subject: RC: Spooking and, ETC>>>>>>>>>>>>


In a message dated 9/20/00 8:59:21 PM Mountain Daylight Time, 
Marv@MarvWalker.com writes:

<< In actuality, the ONLY source of safety, confidence and comfort 
 a horse has is in the herd.  >>

    You must be talking about an untrained horse, a feral horse or some
other 
horse, 'cause that statement is simply not true.  My horses, as well as 
others in the real world, defer to me when under saddle, and not because
I am 
their "herd leader".  They have learned to trust me and THAT THEIR JOB
IN 
LIFE HAS CHANGED AND THEY ARE NOT RUNNING LOOSE IN A HERD IN THE RUBY 
MOUNTAINS.   That happens over time and life experiences together...sure
my 
horses and I play "join up" or "bonder" or whatever word you want to
call the 
horse's responses based on the herd dynamic, BUT, that DOES NOT ALWAYS
RESULT 
IN A RELIABLE MOUNT.  It must be BUILT from that point.
    The moment we slip a halter on a horse, WE are redefining the
horse's 
world.  Meeting them "half-way" is not a bad thing (IMO), but we
certainly 
aren't becoming a herd, though that dynamic is not a bad place to start 
putting a horse at ease with whom we are and what we want from them.
    I believe that Threat Assessment Capabilities range from the barely 
existant to the acute in horses, regardless of breed or nature of
performance.
    And, it seems to me, that the better horse world is a world
populated by 
those horses whose ability to determine what is and what isn't a threat
is 
refined and fine-honed and not simply passed to a (so called) "herd 
leader."....(although the "herd leader", "join up" or "bonder"  has a 
cause/effect dynamic on the horse/person relationship (predicated on
"horse 
behavior responses), it is not the same as good, effective horse
training.)  
    Now, that said, I want to reiterate the phrase, "good, effective
horse 
training".
    Horses can become accountable (read, "want to") for their behavior
and 
everything out there is not based on some R-complex brain behavior that
was 
discovered by some guy speaking "EQUUS" or whatever.
     Horsemanship and (so called) "Natural Horsemanship" can and do 
complement each other.  But, "Natural Horsemanship" without Horsemanship

places a lot of people in dangerous and unfamiliar territory.
     Have a nice "Mind Meeting Mind Moment",

                Frank Solano

      


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