Fw: Marv's challenge : and a riposte

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

>>It's not.  But it is, however, a decent place to get a start - to get a
>start that will serve as an excellent foundation for further lessons on the
>trail and in the real world.  Just as your experience in moot court
>gave you the foundation for your later work at the Real Thing.  It's not a
>be-all, end-all, it's a decent, safe, productive place to get started.>
>
>
>Abby, I am with you 100%.  This is the point I am trying to make : use the
round pen at first and THEN move on.  And don't ever be fooled that the
round pen will make for a fail-safe horse - it might, but only if you
continue training and stay awake for "reality checks" every now and again.

Marv has come accross as saying that 30 minutes in the round pen will make
for a spook-proof horse (on RC anyway, dunno about at his clinics, etc) and
THAT is what I disagree with.


>>I like to round pen our screwed-up retrainee guys when they come.  (Some
>are quicker than others to get results from, and others don't benefit as
>much) The important part of it for me is that we get started in a place
>where the horse knows *I* am okay.  Many of these guys are untrusting, and
>when they see that the humans in this place are okay, they let their guard
>down a bit.>
>
>
It is also useful because you can get closer than you otherwise would to an
unhandled horse.  I am not against the round pen as a training tool, but
that's all it is to me : one tool in a whole box of tricks.  It's also not
my favourite tool, but that's just personal preference.


>
>
>Tracey
>
>