Re: Re: Spooking and other problems you have asked me about....

["Tracey" <tracey@tbt.co.za>]

Dear Robyn,

>>I think what Merv is getting at, and this is how I look at it, is the
roundpen is a great tool to teach the horse how to cope with how to deal
with a scary situation, so hopefully he will have bonded with you enough
that when you get out there on the trail he doesn't kill you if he does go
beserko.. And yes, sometimes in endurance all the round pen training in the
world is not going to calm an overly exuberant horse in his first race. But
hopefully, he is bonded just enough to realize that he must always respect
your space, and never run over you etc. in any situation . See what I mean?>


I do understand your point, and agree that the round pen might, with some
horses, be a good place to start.  What I don't agree with is the technique
of imitating an "alpha" horse with a recalcitrant herd member, running the
horse around the pen until it submits, and then "allowing" it to come in to
you.  I can't see how this would lead to any deeper bond than would simply
spending loads and loads of time with the horse doing things the horse
enjoys.


>But, on the other flip of the coin my first horse was an 18 month old wild
Arab colt ( I know not the most ideal horse for a 12 year old kid). I was
just a kid and knew very little about Natural Horsemanship>


I think what you said in your post made a lot of sense.  And I would hazard
to say that, had you been immersed in all the NH blurb which we're seeing
now, you probably would not have done as well, as you wouldn't have trusted
your instincts.


I am not an expert on horses, never have been, never will be.  I've only
been involved with horses for five years, and owned them for 4 1/2 years.
I've read a lot, spoken to a lot of people and listened to a lot more.  One
thing I've discovered is that, when it comes to my horses, my instincts are
my best source of what to do in a given situation.  Sometimes, what my
instincts tell me is so outlandish that I initially doubt them (like using a
bitless bridle to take Toc on a trail ride instead of the harder bits
everyone else wanted him to use), but they haven't failed me yet.


I get irritated with NH because what these guys are saying is : don't trust
your instincts, trust mine - and pay me for it.


Tracey