the problem with natural horsemanship methods....

before I start...

let me make it very clear 

that I firmly believe that...

the new natural horsemanship type methodologies 

are a brilliant way to train a horse 

and a huge breakthrough... 

I am a complete convert...

The issue I have is that many of them are marketed 

as if anyone 

can watch a couple of videos

or read a book 

and then start taking on a problem or project horse themselves

even worse...

I get very concerned when people who have seen these methods

and perhaps 'had a go' at using them 

with a quiet, 'normal' horse...

then blithely 'advise' others 

to 'take on a horse'
which they are scared of

(often with good reason)

I fully agree with the approach...

it just really worries me 

that people assume  

everyone is sufficiently calm, capable and confident to use this approach...

if you haven't got the confidence to see it through 

then you are not helping the horse by starting down this road

i.e. don't start any battle you aren't willing to see through to the end...

Two of the 'worst' horses I ever had to rehabilitate/re-educate/sort out
had previously been through the hands of 

several, self-appointed 'horse whisperers'....

the humans started the 'discussion'
- maybe got somewhere for a few days...

then the horse threw them a 'yellow card'
- the human instantly lost their nerve...

the horse had now reinforced/reconfirmed its dominance over humankind...

and the 'whisperers' moved them on

- often to another person with a similar level of experience/ability...

once they've been round that cycle a few times

believe me...

they get very dangerous!

 

If you're guts telling you its too risky

- its too risky...

get help from someone with genuine experience,

who has dealt with several seriously difficult horses

(I hope) you wouldn't suggest that

someone got on a dangerous horse

unless they had the confidence, ability and experience to deal with it

groundwork is no different...

You will NEVER succeed in sorting out a bolshy horse 

if you can't approach the encounter in a confident way

Ultimately

the big trick is to...

learn to control and channel your fear

whilst being sensible and realistic about the risks 

{so, the problem with natural horsemanship methods 

is not the methods themselves 

-it is the incorrect, or inexperienced, application of them!}

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