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Jan/11 Q&A: What is the most common issue you see with your clients and their horses?
The most common issue I see with clients and their horses is a failure to stick to the responsibilities.
There are 4 responsibilities for the horse, and 4 for the human.
Horse:1. Don't act like a prey animal
2. Don't change gait
3. Don't change direction
4. Look where you are going
Human:
1. Don't act like a predator
2. Think like a horse(man)
3. Have an independent seat
4. Use the natural power of focus
I consistently see people who try to do the horse's responsibilities for their horse, watching where he is going, babysitting him on maintaining gait, (not allowing the horse to make a mistake, and therefore learn from it) and relying on the rope too much.
How I fix it is to bring it to the person's attention. Many times they are unaware of what they are doing.
Discussing these responsibilities and why they are important usually helps the person make a positive change, which allows the horse to actually participate in their interaction, instead of being micromanaged. For example, on the circle game, many students make the mistake of watching where their horse is going for them, and reminding them to keep trotting when they slow down, not when they actually transition down to a walk. Their horses get more and more resistant to circle. It's not fun, and they are constantly being nagged even when they are doing what is asked of them.
After a discussion about the responsibilities, students are better able to send their horse out and leave him alone. The horse is then free to navigate obstacles which may be in the way, and to express himself by speeding up or slowing down. Only then is feedback from the human needed. It becomes a game again, and both horse and human can have fun playing.
Nancy Faulconer is a busy, passionate woman – a Licensed Parelli Professional as well as an avid writer, home-schooling mom and secretary for her husband’s business. After attending her first natural horsemanship clinic, she was hooked and has worked her way through the Parelli Levels with her daughter.
“I find my horses inspire me to constantly evaluate my skills and my techniques,” says Nancy. “They come up with new ways to keep me on my toes, and each time we cross a threshold, we enter in to a whole new level of incompetence! This could be frustrating, but now I realize that if I am a little uncomfortable, then I am learning. If you always stay in your comfort zone, you become boring, stale, uninspiring.”
As she raised her children in a natural horsemanship environment, Nancy was driven to write her book, “Living With Children & Horses.” Although she has now put her writing career on the backburner to pursue teaching, she still does some writing. Nancy is excited about her own personal growth through this natural horsemanship program, and loves to watch her students on their own horsemanship journeys. For Nancy, the most rewarding part is empowering people to continue to learn and how to learn from their horse.
To find out more about Nancy and Parelli Georgia, check out her website!
“I find my horses inspire me to constantly evaluate my skills and my techniques,” says Nancy. “They come up with new ways to keep me on my toes, and each time we cross a threshold, we enter in to a whole new level of incompetence! This could be frustrating, but now I realize that if I am a little uncomfortable, then I am learning. If you always stay in your comfort zone, you become boring, stale, uninspiring.”
As she raised her children in a natural horsemanship environment, Nancy was driven to write her book, “Living With Children & Horses.” Although she has now put her writing career on the backburner to pursue teaching, she still does some writing. Nancy is excited about her own personal growth through this natural horsemanship program, and loves to watch her students on their own horsemanship journeys. For Nancy, the most rewarding part is empowering people to continue to learn and how to learn from their horse.
To find out more about Nancy and Parelli Georgia, check out her website!
ARTICLE ADDED SATURDAY, JANUARY 15, 2011
CATEGORIES: Q&A, SOLUTIONS TO COMMON PROBLEMS, NANCY FAULCONER
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