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Jan/11 Q&A: What is the most common issue you see with your clients and their horses?
That's a very interesting and thought-provoking question. It's really two questions: handler problems and horse problems.
Handler problem: not enough knowledge about natural horse herd behavior, how the hierarchy works or how to use International Horse Language to establish their position in the hierarchy.
Solution: provide information on a program called Horse Herd Harmonics that the handler can take home and work through. This gives insight into how horses communicate with each other, and gives techniques for the handler to slot himself into the herd hierarchy in a position higher than the horse in question, using International Horse Language, and without using halters, ropes or small pens.
Horse problem: stems from the handler problem. Horse doesn't lead, halt, back up and wait quietly, in-hand, on light cues. If the horse can't be in tune with the handler and shadow his movements while the handler is on the ground, it's a big ask to expect the horse to get in tune when being ridden.
Solution: provide information that breaks down what we want the horse to do into tiny steps, and teach each step. Teach clicker training so that we can use reward reinforcement along with the release reinforcement at each step. Reward reinforcement is a clear "Yes" answer for the horse which the horse then seeks to repeat. Rather than waiting to be coerced into repeating a move, the horse starts to actively seek to find the "Yes" answer again.
Hertha James is a zoologist with a life-long interest in animal behaviour. After a stint as a zookeeper, she taught high school Science and Biology for 23 years. Parelli reached New Zealand in the 1990s and she was hooked on natural horsemanship. She is now studying the work of some of the myriad of wonderful practitioners in various countries.
Presently Hertha is delving deeply into teaching horses with positive reinforcement (clicker training). The buy-in of the horse to learn the new thing is phenomenal. The same process, called TAG (Teaching with Acoustic Guidance), is used in sports coaching and teaching children.
Once a teacher, always a teacher - so teaching others about horse behaviour and their own body awareness was inevitable. The lessons have led to a unique basic horsemanship book, Natural Horsemanship Study Guide. Design and writing of study materials were key features of her teaching career. The Study Guide is a unique learning and teaching resource. It contains detailed theory and practical exercises designed to provide a comprehensive knowledge base about natural horsemanship and a valuable set of practical skills.
Find out more about Hertha and her new book on her website!
Presently Hertha is delving deeply into teaching horses with positive reinforcement (clicker training). The buy-in of the horse to learn the new thing is phenomenal. The same process, called TAG (Teaching with Acoustic Guidance), is used in sports coaching and teaching children.
Once a teacher, always a teacher - so teaching others about horse behaviour and their own body awareness was inevitable. The lessons have led to a unique basic horsemanship book, Natural Horsemanship Study Guide. Design and writing of study materials were key features of her teaching career. The Study Guide is a unique learning and teaching resource. It contains detailed theory and practical exercises designed to provide a comprehensive knowledge base about natural horsemanship and a valuable set of practical skills.
Find out more about Hertha and her new book on her website!
ARTICLE ADDED SATURDAY, JANUARY 15, 2011
CATEGORIES: Q&A, SOLUTIONS TO COMMON PROBLEMS, HERTHA JAMES
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