Ride with Confidence

In recent years, I have been approached with requests to help with difficult training issues such as bolting, spooking, rearing, and aggressiveness.  In most cases, the horse owner wants to know how long it will take to change the horse’s behaviour.  Unfortunately for the owner, I can only answer “it depends”.  It does not depend upon the owner’s time frame or agenda.  It does not depend on the owner’s budget.  It does not depend upon the show schedule, the upcoming big trail ride or the weather.

It depends upon the horse.  It depends on how deep the behaviour is ingrained.  It depends on what caused the behaviour in the first place. It depends upon how much the horse is able to forgive and is willing to let go of the old behaviour.  It also depends upon how much responsibility the owner is willing to accept for the behaviour and how willing he or she is to change how he or she is with the horse.  If the owner isn’t willing to change their behaviour and learn a different way of being with their horse, is it really fair to expect the horse to change?

Being with a horse is based on relationship.  What is true for our human to human relationships is also true for our human to horse relationships.  I cannot change anyone else.  I can only change myself.  The amazing thing is that as I change, the people (or horses) around me will notice and be affected by my change. 

There are no quick fixes with horses … or with people for that matter.  Be wary of anyone who guarantees they can “fix” or train your horse in 30 days.  This type of training relies on “one size fits all” thinking.   Be especially wary of trainers who do not want you to be part of the training process.  You need to know how your horse is being trained so that you can continue with the same training program when you take your horse home.  Be extremely wary of any trainers who do not want you to watch them training your horse.  You need to see how your horse is being trained so you can be sure that no violent methods are being employed.  Be wary of trainers who do not or cannot provide satisfactory answers to your questions.  There is always an explanation for what is going on and why a certain method is being used.

It is unfortunate that many people have been lead to believe in the 20 minutes in the round pen to taking the first saddle, bridle and rider; the 30 day “breaking” or starting model; the 3 months under saddle and ready to compete or be the perfect, “bomb proof” trail horse.  Training must never be rushed and must be set at the horse’s pace, not that of the owner or the trainer.

Remember the answer to “how long with it take” is always the same … “it depends”.

You might find this thread about a difficult training situation on the Chris Irwin forum interesting. 

 “I am having a problem with a three year old paint colt, who has spent his life to date handled with Chris’ methodologies. His groundwork is impeccable, he walks trots and canters in beautiful frame and has accepted bridle and now saddle and 6 months of lunging work. The issue comes about when the rider is mounted, and he is asked to go forward. While kept in a bend, he can stand to be mounted, but when enough of the ‘bend’ is let out to allow forward movement, he will snatch his head up, rear and flip over.  Yes, he has had his teeth checked and his chiropractic work done.  This trick seems to be a manipulation as he waits until the rider is in the awkward position of letting out enough slack, makes the request to go forward and the colt knows perfectly well he should step forward.  Rather than taking the step, he just says ‘No’ by a really nasty and dangerous device.  This is not a ‘half rear’ and threat, he means business and has gone over twice now. The rider is not in good position to address the evasion as hands and legs are pretty well occupied in self preservation.

Any ideas on how this could be handled would be much appreciated. We are getting pretty close to the end of the rope with this guy.”

You can read the full thread, including my response, by following this link http://www.chrisirwin.com/forum/index.php?topic=245.0

Anne Gage - The Confidence Coach
Helping horses & humans be better … together.
www.annegage.com
high.point.farm@gmail.com

Since the release of the book and movie, The Horse Whisperer, the “natural horsemanship” phenomenon has been growing by leaps and bounds.  Most horse people know the names of many natural horsemanship gurus … Monty Roberts, Pat Parelli, Cleve Wells, Chris Irwin …  all promoting their own version of this style of training.  So what’s all the fuss about?

Once you learn natural horsemanship, there is no going back.  I learned to ride and train horses in a hunter/jumper show barn.  We were all loving, control freaks that bullied our horses to comply with our will and then demonstrated our love by feeding them special treats, grooming them with special brushes and clothing them in the best blankets, boots and tack that we could afford.  Our horses’ response to these lavish tokens of our love was to roll in the mud as soon as possible after the grooming session, eat each others’ blankets, and bite the hand that fed them the treats.  What we didn’t give them was much understanding or empathy.  We didn’t get their perspective of the world.  We interpreted their spooking and resistance as behaviours that they devised simply to annoy us.  We professed our love for them one moment, and called them “stupid” the next.  On really bad days, we “shanked & yanked” … a chain over the nose and a couple (or few) very firm, quick downward pulls on the lead to ensure they knew we meant business and would not put up with any of their “nonsense”.  We didn’t understand why they could be so well behaved one day and so untrustworthy the next.  I’m sure now, that they felt the same way about us.

When I knew better, I did better.  Once I started to study natural horsemanship techniques with Chris Irwin, I saw the error of my ways.  The curtain was lifted and I saw clearly the world from the horse’s perspective.  I understood the very natural fears of a prey animal.  I saw how their behaviours are based in a strong instinct for self-preservation.  I learned how to use this new empathy to create a better relationship with any horse by making it feel safe, secure and calm with me.  My attitude changed.  My training techniques changed.  The way I move and behave around horses changed.  My relationship with horses changed.  All changes for the better.  I no longer want to “make my horse do my will”.  Now, I want my horse to want to be my willing partner.  Sometimes progress is slow and sometimes it is frustrating.  There are no “quick fixes” in natural horsemanship although some of the marketing by the big name trainers might have you believing differently.  There are, however, many rewards.  Visitors to my farm always comment on how calm and quiet my horses are.  There is no banging and stress at feeding time.  No fighting at the gate about which horse in coming in first.  No getting stepped on, knocked over, bitten or kicked.  My horses respect my personal space as I respect theirs.

Once you learn this method of training, there is no going back.  My horses & I are going forward together calmly, respectfully and in trust.

I was shocked, amazed, surprised and ecstatic on Saturday night when Chris Irwin presented me with the very first Gold Level Coach & Trainer certificate in his Train the Trainer program.    I have been studying the Irwin Method of Horsemanshp for about 6 or 7 years now.  I was double certified Silver in the fall of 2004.  At the time, the program was new and there were only 3 categories - Bronze, Silver and Gold.  Since Chris is “the master” and the definition of a Gold Trainer at the time, we all thought that Silver was as high as any of us would ever go in the program.  Then, as the program grew, 2 additional categories were added - Platinum and Diamond.  So, we all thought that maybe, one day, some of us would move up the ranks.  That was 2 years ago and no Trainers in the Training Program had achieved more than Silver. 

In the meantime, I sold my ribbon business so that I could focus full-time on working with horses and coaching riders again.  I became the Ontario Region Coordinator for Chris’ company, Horsepower Productions, and have been assisting Chris at all of the events in Ontario this year.  I spent the winter and spring focusing on training horses & getting more time in the saddle than I’ve had in years.  And, I guess all my hard work has paid off.   I’ve achieved Gold Level Certification as a trainer in the Irwin Method of Horsemanship.  Words just can’t express what an honour this achievement is.

Thanks to all the horses and people who have been apart of this journey.

Read the article recently published in The Orangeville Citizen …. http://highpointfarm.homestead.com/Articles.html

  Ride with Confidence!

www.highpointfarm.homestead.com