Natural horsemanship

[Got Brio?]

So what do you think about it. And if you like it who's do you like,Clinton Anderson,Pareli,or Pony Boy,etc?I'am just wondering and wanted to do a new topic. :D

[halfmoonfino]

I like Natural Horsemanship as a movement, but I'm not a "training in a box" kinda person. I pick and choose a little bit from everywhere. Of the ones you mentioned, I like PonyBoy best. Mind you, I don't agree with everything he does, but overall I think some of his principles are on the right track. My favorite horseman of all time is Klaus Ferdinand Hempfling, a Danish trainer, and author of "Dancing With Horses" and "What Horses Reveal". He is not called "a natural horseman", but his methods teach the way of the horse. I use his philosophy with Pitty and all of the horses I work with. His books are hard to read, but very worth it. When horses begin to wake up, a whole new world opens to you.

[PASOFAN]

I too am a very strong believer in natural horsemanship. I do not like harsh training at all. I wanna work w/a horse not against it...

I dont follow just one trainer but a few of them. Pretty much the same as you halfmoonfino! I love the join-up method of Montey Roberts it has worked wonders for me and my horses. I like only about 10% of clinoton anderson, only because I find him very hard to watch or listen too. He anoys me for some odd reason. But his message is good. I have not read any Parelli or seen any video but my trainer says he goes along w/him and I like 99% of everything my trainer does so I guess parelli is in there somewhere..lol

:D

[DebbieS]

I like Parelli (Linda and Pat are very entertaining so they keep my interest) training. I went to one of their shows this summer and was truly inspired - joined the Savvy Club so I get helpful DVDs and magazines. Clinton Anderson is good too. He's no-nonsense which I like - and he's kinda cute so easy to watch his shows as well. Richard Winters is good to. Chris Cox and Monty Roberts put me to sleep (sorry PF!).

I have some older horses that were not trained using NH - they are great horses, but there is a big difference in attitude - and they are not 'soft' like my guy that was started with NH.

[PASOFAN]

That is OK, debbies I have to agree w/you on the sleepy part..lol I just like his methods not listening or reading too much about him..

I hear parelli is entertaining w/his wife. I like the ends of one of his videos where they are riding off into the sunset holding hands andriding..lol So yeah I saw the tail end of one of their shows..

I too noticed that horses trained w/out NH are a more hard handed than my boys. My older sis is an old school rider and is so rough and tough. I like the gentler side of things myself.. :D

[riomyfriend]

i love the Parelli too

[Got Brio?]

I kinda like Clinton Anderson's Method. :D

[CarolU]

I do Parelli, (have two Level 2 adults and 2 Level 1 and 2 youngsters in groundwork). I also watch Clinton, Dennis and the others on RFD TV.

I think the Natural Horsemanship movement has really changed the way most horsemen look at and deal with their horses. The harsh methods of yester-year are really frowned on and more and more of the public are finding them unacceptable.

I think all the clinicians teach pretty much the same thing - learned it all from Bill and Tom Dorrance and Ray Hunt, the same old timers. I think each offers something, some more direct, some with a lot more theory and horse psychology. Some stress the horse more and some put more emphasis on the rider's abilities.

I think it is a good idea to watch as much as you can of each, take the ONE program that fits you best and follow it. Then watch and add from the others as chance allows. I think if you don't follow one program all the way through, you can get lost with big holes in your training because you skipped a step or two or three. All the people that I have talked to say it didn't help them, didn't follow it. I met one woman who never even took it out of the celophane wrap - I guess she expected to learn through osmosis off her shelf.

I strongly recommend it OVER sending a horse to trainer. For the same investment both you and your horse get trained - AND you can use the equipment and techniques you use on horse after horse after horse after horse. When you look at it like that, it is not nearly as expensive as regular training is, where only your horse gets trained.

There is no substitute for the time you spend with your horse or the relationship you build. I've been in horses over 40 years and can't stress enough how much it has improved mine and my horse's lives.