Re: out of control/herd-bound behavior

[Sally Spangler <stepnout@swva.net>]

Herd issues have to be the primary obstacle to a comfortable working
partnership with your horse.  I do delaying tactics of several kinds to
encourage both my mares to attend to me first, the herd second.  Tincture of
time with patient compassionate repetition (with compassionate riding
buddies!) has been the only solution.  Yep, I've been run into brush on a
horse with her head pulled around to sniff my foot--she just sidepassed
right on down the trail til obstacles stopped her.  After a while that game
got old, but only after she realized the herd was not leaving her for good.
Confronted with bucking and crow hopping, I've dismounted and performed some
ground maneuvers (ala Parelli Games) with the herd moving away.  I've also
simply led the horse in the opposite direction. Remount and proceed at the
tempo I choose, or return to groundwork as long as the undesirable behavior
persists.  Riding solo also helps if you're up to it, since there's no other
horse for comfort--just you.  If you don't have time to train until you
consistently win the argument, you set yourself up for a series of ever more
risky encounters with the horse making the decisions.  My hide comes
first--even if my horse IS prettier.