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Re: [RC] laying horses down ( calling DR Q equine/equestrian psychologist) - Barbara Moulton


exactly! last night I replied privately to this thread
about an unforgettable bad experience I had with
physically forcing/crashing a stiff and clueless
western pleasure lesson mare to the ground when I was
13.  I was in a group lesson, my first ride on this
mare just bought by the trainer and had read up about
a popular published trainer's theory that every horse
can use "putting down" for an attitude ajustment for
everything from killer rouge to slow thinking. ( the
disrespect buzzwork wasn't used then to my knowledge
in early 70's) I did it just to see if I could and if
it would work. BAM I got that refused left lead on the
very next try, had a great lesson and was offered a
job by the trainer.
I hated the whole feeling and 34 years later remember
it vividly. I was ashamed even though I truely thought
in my head I really believed in this theory once I
actually experienced the real event even with the
desired outcome, it made me feel sick.  
I was praised to the moon by the horse's middleaged
owner ( who quoted the above mentioned author often
but I bet would never have the guts to really try
this) and the other half dozen kids in the class who
thought it ( and I) was so cool.  I still felt I had
tricked and disrespected and put in physical danger a
horse who I didn't know and who didn't know me. That
was my first and last lesson there and I bet that mare
stayed just as stiff and resisitant after I left as
her problem was merely ME.  I know that she was soon
after sold now wonder if maybe I really messed her up.

This working year has been one of my most emotionally
stressful as I have been working with a new school in
an educational program which looks good on paper but
the inside voice keeps screaming to me  THIS IS WRONG!
The structured behavior program works quickly for most
but NEVER for some.  I believe the "some" are having
serious damage done to them.  The most put it
together, the some go down kicking and screaming (
literally)and their mindset is not what can I learn to
make this comfortable and be successful but F..YOU 
F..YOU F...YOU.  My mind was made up to resign before
second semester.
My awesome boss let me know that this program is the
pony she picked, based on the percentages of positive
outcomes and ultimently the agency limitations. (the
some need more then we can ever provide) She let me
vent my concerns and frusrations and then respected me
enough to transfer me to different class for next
year( severe and profound disabilities with a high
percentage of non-verbal teens) who will benefit from
my preferred method of student led gentle teaching.
My some students are those who have the least repect
for any adult.(everyone of them has good reasons) 
They have been tyrants in their homes since
toddlerhood if not before through neglect, abuse or
overindulgence (the nice way to neglect). The some
horses could be those with a lack of equine
socialization, over desentitized to humans, slow to
get the whole consequence- effect thing, or just
rightously mad at the people and the world and or
revenge motivated.
In my other reply I mentioned seeing Craig Cameron put
a horse down very gradually at the Boise horse expo. 
In his method it served as a trust building tool not a
fear based trick. He did it from a distance at the
final moments using gradual but firm pressure of a
thick, soft cotton rope.  Those natural events that
result in a grounded horse ( the whoopsie factor)most
mentally healthy horses would not associate with their
rider.  SOME horses who already think everything bad
in the whole world is some person's fault some way
probably will. This is my hypothesis anyway and my
theory why I would never think throwing, tying,
restraining could be a good idea to try unless you are
absolutely sure of the entire past history of the
horse. ( did you see the BLM video about the squeeze
chute filled with grain to immobilize a new capture so
they could handle the head and let the fresh off the
range mustang learn people won't hurt them..it was
pretty cool and different from throwing as nobody was
near as the grain slowely filled but peole were near
during the release process)
The SOME horses are the ones that get most if not all
of the bad press.  ( the SOME students of mine might
as well and it breaks my heart for both children and
horses and their potential future victims)
Barbara and Joy - one month to foaling countdown where
is my lawn chair and sleeping bag?


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Replies
[RC] laying horses down, k s swigart