Fw: [RC] Getting in the trailer- now respect and dominance - Karen Sullivan
I'll admit I have a bit of a problem with the whole
"partnership" idea, in seeing too much of this touted as the end all and be all
of training. I have seen a lot of horse relationships over the years at my
place, and have rarely seen any kind of equality between horses. One
always achieves dominance. AND, this horse is the one that is most liked
in the pasture! The dominant horse gives the other horses security.
When riding horses, I see more problems arise from
a rider trying to have an equal partnership....The horse gets confused as to who
is really in charge, and tries to make their own decisions, often
disasterous. I think when riding a horse, there has to be no question that
the rider is in charge and the horse's job is to be obedient to the rider.
Do I need to mention that a lot of praise and reward is integral? Make the
wrong thing have a uncomfortable consequence, and the right thing a
reward. If you don't work toward obedience, (and maybe some of you call it
partnership), then you are unsafe on the horse and a danger to other
riders. This is why the RIDER needs to be dominant.....if someone gets
into a pickle on the trail, and you need to MOVE your horse to avoid someone
going over a cliff.....then your horse needs to MOVE, with no questions
asked.
Years and years ago I rode with someone who
got caught up in the whole idea of natural horsemanship (without really
understanding the respect issues), and also was afraid of her horse and
unwilling to accept the consequences of disciplining it....and wanted this sort
of touchey-feeley partnership. Because the horse had some good prior
initial training, before this gal got hold of it....it did what she wanted, most
of the time.....other times it made it's own decisions.....not good. All
in all, the horse got worse and worse and more insecure as it had no idea who
was really in charge.....
I think the idea of more of a partnership (maybe
this is what Lif is refering to), comes later in years when you know what kind
of horse you have under you; you have come through some difficult and dangerous
experiences on the trail with the horse defering to YOU, well, then you can give
your horse more freedom to make decisions. Not to say you should not
always listen to your horse, if it is tired, but those early years.....with a
young energetic horse, if you let them canter every time THEY wanted to, you
would be sunk!!!
Here is an example of what I am talking about with
my young horse. I take all responsibility for her faults and failings as I
raised her and did all training with help of about 30 lessons so far with very
good dressage instructor. She was out on trails as a baby for many years,
started very slowly and gradually, lots of slow schooling on trail with
sympathetic friends. She was not moved out much at all until this year,
age 5. She is nice and laid back and very, very obedient. She has
been so good so far people automatically think she is "trained.", and we are
good in all situations.....
This weekend we went horse camping with a bigger
group. She was very well behaved, but got bonded to a friends horse.
Several times she tried to barge through the bit to get closer to this
horse. I did a lot of circles the opposite direction and figure 8's.
In one situation, the friends horse went up a steep creek bank trail and my mare
attempted to just bolt up after her (this is the worst stuff she does).
Yes, she is bonded to the other horse and feels anxiety when the other horse
gets too far away. I have the choice of avoiding any separation issues
(which would make MY horse happier), or see this as a training opportunity and
nip it in the bud BERORE it becomes a DANGEROUS issue. So, before she
bolted up the creek bank, I hauled her head around and ran her in circles both
directions, until she recovered her brain again, went up the bank nicely.
Yes, one other person had to wait behind me (but she enjoyed the spectacle and
understands it is necessary). It happened again the next day...had to do
the same thing (then held up 3 people on the
trail while we spun circles-well heck, I have babysat more than my share of
green hroses and riders..and anyway, I had already made my horse wait quitely
while one gal went to pee).....anyway, my POINT is that I had to really assert
myself and DOMINATE my horse at that point, in order to continue to have a safe
riding horse that can go out in the world and not get myself or my friends
hurt....
And, yes, this is the reason why some trainers hang
out their shingle and make a mint.....they take spoiled, dangerous horses and
work them through all the things their timid riders are afraid to do....and
instill some respect. My days of taking on spoiled-
bad-actor horses becuase they were cheap or free
are coming to a close.....I am getting too old. I hope to train my young
horses from the GET-GO, to establish the habit of doing what I ask always.....so
this will follow through to the more difficult stuff.
