15th February, 2012 In which Hilary is already three quarters of the way up Everest

Late this afternoon I went off to see Hilary who has been working with a three year old wild New Forest pony guided by my book, No Fear, No Force. He's quite a sharp pony and apparently used to try to climb the walls when people went into the barn. Now he is really pleased to see Hilary and comes straight over. She's done a great job with him and today we moved things forward quite literally by starting his leading work and leg handling. He is still very much in touch with colt behaviour and wants to kneel down and bite if you touch his front leg with the feather duster and to lash out with his hind legs (instinctive, automatic behaviour). However, by the end of the session he was keeping his feet down and accepting touch and being rewarded with a lovely rub on his chest which seems to be his favourite place. We don't know much about his history other than that his Granddad is Knightsway Billy Boy, Nelly's sire. At some stage he has been gelded and he has been through Beaulieu Road Sales yard.

"Thank you so much for coming too. I'm not sure who learned more, him or me!" HP

"Today was good, I thought I should repeat what you did yesterday to see if I could do it on my own! We went for a 'walk' round his pen a few times (which he seems happily settled back into) and did feather duster on his legs. I also ran my hands down both front legs- feet on the ground :-)" HP 16.2.12

13th February, 2002 Monday Morning Musings

To see this in higher resolution just click on it.

Once more there is a how does IH differ from Parelli thread on the IHDG. Quite apart from the fact that Parelli DOES involve violence to horses through the use of the clip, the rope and the stick on the face and body of the horse, there is a qualitative difference to the body language/ cues that are used on the horse. Ironically, for something that calls itself 'Natural Horsemanship', Parelli uses the most non-natural cues of all; they came from the circus. The same can be said of the proponents of whip tapping which include Andrew McLean. The cues used stand in isolation from the body language of the horse and the body language of the human, unless you are someone who goes around pointing fingers or swinging ropes around other people! The only way we can get as near as we can to being natural is to use gestures and movements that are as close to that of the horse as possible and match closely our intent and energy. Just because we have a better understanding of the psychology of the horse and employ concepts such as pressure and release in the work that we do, it doesn't make what we actually do 'natural'. That's why I am ambivalent about the term 'natural' and prefer the word 'intelligent' or 'logical'. 

When you are seduced by the word natural, you may expect the horse to do it naturally and it is him that pays if he does not. The above chart is a Monday morning musing and it struck me that the further away we get from instinctive/ natural and the more we rely on artificial cues, the more we have to rely on 'incentives' to ask the horse to do what we want him to do. The choice then is whether those incentives are positive or negative/punishing, i.e. whether we turn to the carrot or the stick or a combination of the two. Using food can feel time consuming and binary and, unless you are completely committed and disciplined it can seem very hard to do. Using a stick seems to used far more readily (and that is a psychology project in itself) to humans and stems from a feeling that the horse ought to know what we are asking it to do and is is being deliberately stubborn.

The ideal then would be to ask the horse only to do what is instinctive? Well, that involves biting, kicking, bucking, rearing and fighting over food. In fact, we are always asking horses to not be horses. However, it would seem that the best way to ask is to use body language that can be easily interpreted and is logical to the horse. If we want the horse to understand more complex cues, that are not natural, we need to teach them slowly and patiently -incrementally!

Let's take the example of lunging. In traditional horsemanship, the handler stands opposite the horses girth, facing the ribs with the line out to the horse's head and a lunging whip behind. Is this the body language of Equus? Well no, because the direction of the intent is at the horse's ribs which he can only move outwards to a limited extent. The handler's body is not telling the horse to move forwards because it is not facing the horse's head and shoulders or driving from behind. Accordingly the handler has to rely on the movement of the whip and possibly a tap from behind to ask the horse to go forward which may be coupled with the voice command for the pace that he wants. The poor horse has conflicting advice!

Shift that then to 'single line' work, not a euphemism for lunging because the work becomes entirely different. If the handler uses appropriate body language, i.e. steps out at 45 degrees, turns and looks the horse in the eye and uses the hand to ask the horse not to come in, then the horse will move off far more readily. The handler can control the speed by dropping his eyes down the horse's body, lowering his energy and intent. Far more natural and more easily interpreted by the horse. The handler continues to move with the horse. 

However, in some 'natural horsemanship' systems, the horse is expected to continue moving at the same gait, at the same speed and in the same direction with no further communication with the handler until he is told otherwise. This to me is the equivalent of putting the phone down on someone. The horse learns to switch off and go on to automatic pilot and in fact communication has ended.

I think I shall get on my bike and go and see my horses....

12th February, 2012 Can you see me?

The fitness regime continues with me cycling and running on alternate days. I think it is working. Weight loss has been slow but sure and I am certainly changing shape. I hope my horses will appreciate it! My idea of a treat now is a new light for my bike or a new pair of cycling gloves. 17 lbs down so far....

12th February, 2012 Hay you!

Indiana and Peechay were perplexed by their first encounter with snow and very pleased to see their local hay supplier - me! The outside ponies have been turning up regularly, anything from two to fifteen each day.

Most of my customers have been determined to brave the weather. On Thursday I met a Welsh Cob that was determined to leave you or to bite you and on Saturday, an Appaloosa pony that wanted to lick me to death. For both, the groundwork exercises set up some boundaries and the leading work helped to establish the difference between wanted and unwanted behaviour. By using a 'smile in the line' with a 'motorbike hand' you can achieve that fine balance between allowing your horse freedom of his head at the same time as asking him to keep his attention with you. In return he gives you the freedom of your arm and you give him your attention.

"You will be very pleased to hear that S stopped biting/nipping immediately.  It is quite amazing, not a nibble in sight yesterday or today. What's equally fascinating is that you appear to have trained my husband too, who is taking S's training very seriously and getting some rewarding results. " CT

"I sang 'Hey Jude' to M last night as I.... yes me and me alone, bought him in from the field. Thanks Sarah for a great lesson Friday" EH

9th February, 2012 Day off

A day off work today so great to be able to take Jack out for a walk/ canter. Also managed to get a shot of this Exmoor Pony on my way home from Verwood.

8th Fenruary, 2012 A little burst of pride

I received a lovely email last night about Kanuthi, Blue's first (and only) foal. He went to friends Liz and Maurice Butler where he has a home for life and is loved so much. Last summer he went off to be trained as a driving pony and immediately came second in his first driving event during New Forest Driving Week.

6th February, 2012 Getting the bit between your teeth

As more work comes in and the IH magazine deadlines loom once again, the week seems to have whizzed by. Last Tuesday I attended a meeting of the New Forest Roads Campaign Group (which has a Facebook page) to talk about how we can draw attention to the behaviour of drivers and the behaviour of the wild ponies which don't tend to mix very well. We have been told about the work of the Animal Accident Reduction Group which was initiated by the Verderers and meets with all of the relevant authorities including the Commoners' Defence Association and the police. Whilst there is no need to duplicate their work, there is a need to do something especially about some of the very worst roads which includes the B3078 from Fordingbridge to Cadnam. Film maker and wildlife photographer Simon Palmer is keen to become involved in the campaign. We have made plans for an event which will hopefully take place in October this year just before the clocks change.

I've also been to see and work with some interesting horses. One sadly is attacking people and I have had to give some pretty serious advice about that one. It's always hard to know where to draw the line but ultimately people's safety is paramount. On Saturday I went to see a more solid version of Petra, a 17 year old Welsh Cob who has competed at dressage. He's worried about being ridden out on his own even at this age and it just shows that it's a missing part of many a horse's education. So tempting to think that a horse of that age ought to do anything that you want.

Email received 5.2.12: "In the field we're implementing moving all of them around us, looking away when they offer to be caught etc, they're leading beautifully and your exercise with 'my space' worked a treat after dismounting today, no more human rubbing post (which does often try). Interesting times!" CJ

This morning it was off to see another Welsh pony, a really beautiful girl with an absolute objection to having a bit in her mouth. Whether it started because of pain or because of unsympathetic handling with the bit, she has now developed a strategy for avoiding the bit that works every time. We have started to undo that and here you can see her holding the bit in her teeth rather than going up in the air. With an incremental approach and the temporary use of a bit-less bridle for riding, she should get there.

Email received 6.2.12: "I love her to bits and was very proud of her today! I am so very pleased that I called you, you were fab with her." MM

There will be an interesting article on the merits of bit-less and bitted bridles in the very next edition of the IH magazine which is due out at the beginning of March. If you want to make sure you get your copy join IH now at www.intelligenthorsemanship.co.uk

"It is the only mag I read cover to cover!" Heather Moffett