[RC] food aggression/respecting my space - Ridecamp Guest
A. perez walkergirl@xxxxxxxxxx
My TWH can be bargy and pushy around food, and was also bargy being led. I tried poking him in the chest with a crop to get him back off and keep his space, but it really made no impression on him at all, even when I escalated from poking to a good, sharp rap on the chest. Then I read in a Pat Parelli book about the 'live line' (I think that's what he called it): shaking the lead line (almost like playing 'crack the whip' with the lead, so it sends loops snaking down the lead to the horse): whenever Cy violated my space, I'd do that...it was amazing! For some reason it REALLY got his attention like no amount of smaking with a crop could. Now if I stop dead while walking and start backing up he hustles backward to keep out of my space. I also do this anytime he needs to be reminded of 'who's the Boss'.
At first I thought that 'respecting your space' was just a safety/manners issue, but now I think one of the reasons the NH people stress it so much is because it is very fundamental to establishing your dominance to a horse. I've noticed that the way the alpha horse in any herd makes his status known is by tellling all the other horses to 'GET OUTTA MY WAY!' My guy is the alpha at the farm where I board him (field board): the first thing he does when turned back out is to storm back intot he herd, ears pinned, saying "MOVE IT! NOW!!"... just to make sure they remember who's boss.
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