*(Please note:  Since it's been so long since I've posted anything Blogger has changed a bit. I could no longer post to Facebook from this app so I had to find a new app, and anyway these are getting posted to Facebook out of order)

Yes, I know. It's been a very long time since I posted anything. Why?  Things have been murky and uninspired in my horse world.  Most of last spring I was sick with the flu, then pneumonia, then bad weather.  The year before that was the spring of three deaths (Mother-in-law, Grandmother, Aunt).  The energy was gone before summer even shone it's sunny head.  And then it was too hot... ok, that's an excuse.  However, I don't do well in the heat so getting out in the spring is important.  Gives me a head start on things and gets me used to the outdoor temp. I believe that acclimatizing one's self is best done with repeated exposure. 

During the doldrums of the past two years I continued to spend my time reading about horses and training.  My friend Leigh Ann likes to send me articles and things she finds and one of them was a horsey news thing from New Zealand: horsetalk.co.nz.  I think there is a version for the US, etc. but this is the one I get.  They have several guest trainers that write articles and one of them is Australian Neil Davies. The other is Jean Luc Cornille who supposedly has much scientific knowledge to pass on to other horse people but can't write anything understandable.  Between the French interpretations and the scientific terms, trying to read his stuff defies patience.  Reallly, Mr. Cornille, it would behoove you to step off the pedestal and appeal to the common horseperson.  His apologist, whose name escapes me, defends him at every turn by saying that ALL horse folk should be able to understand these "simple" veterinary terms and he shouldn't have to lower himself so that MORE people can understand him.  Right.  Very condescending.  

Anyway, this is how Leigh Ann brought this trainer to my attention.  I looked up his website and liked what I saw there.  I read some more of his articles and decided to buy the book.  The book, I'm sorry to say, is a bit disappointing.  Mr. Davies is not a writer and clearly teaches better in person than in writing, but I will forgive him for that because there is much here to like. 

So for the past few years I've read his articles, started the book and watched some of the videos he's posted.  (If you want to check it out yourself, go to  https://www.fearfreehorsetraining.com/).  

I've read some criticism of him online, but mostly from those who haven't delved in to his material and simply looked at a photo of him riding.  He is not a great rider and he knows it.  One should not try to emulate his riding style! The other negatives are similarly obvious and reveal his down-to-earth nature. His style and teaching manner are not designed to be fed to the masses.  In other words, he's not trying to highly market himself and was encouraged to write articles and the book by a personal fan.  He is NOT Clinton Anderson, nor is he trying to be. The book has some inconsistencies that a better writer could have explained or helped to organize better. I wish he had perhaps written out his philosophy and then stepped back with a critical eye as it needs editing badly! I have since given the book to Leigh Ann to read, so I can't quote directly, but here are some examples.

He says things like: "I have no rules. There are no rules in horse training." Then he says "Always make it pleasant and safe to be with me." Which in my mind is one of his "rules" since he never goes against it (clue: using the word "always"). There are other "rules", such as not getting to the point in any training session where your horse is worked up or frightened.  The goal is not to scare your horse.  

Another thing that Davies tries to do is debunk other trainer's methods.  He likes to read up on other trainers and comment on them.  Sometimes he doesn't completely understand the whole concept.  Like Clicker training - or "treat" training.  He doesn't understand that the goal is to NOT use treats in the end.  He says that if you use treats you will always have to use treats, but that's not true.  Don't allow this to put you off the real message - which is how he trains horses.  Everything else is just his opinion.  He also repeats himself needlessly and to distraction making it difficult to continue reading. 

Those are the examples from the book I can think of right now but not the only ones by far.  

However.... There is much to learn and admire about his method. 
(He says he doesn't have a "method" but he clearly does).  It's very simple (the numbering and order is my own):

1. Always make the horse feel safe and calm with the trainer, "it's safe and calm to be with me", (and by extension, everyone else) by rubbing his head.  The horse associates "calm" and "pleasure" with the trainer. As training progresses, more and more challenging things can be introduced to the horse without causing much fear - which is actual trust and not mere obedience (a la Clinton).  For example, if I trust my husband and we go to the edge of the Grand Canyon where I'm afraid of heights, I can stand next to him calmly on the rim because I know he won't do anything to hurt me (Plus he's afraid of heights, too. LOL).

2. Work with the horse in such a way as to never cause fear - no waving of flags, flapping, "desensitizing", chasing in a round pen, etc. No shouting. 

3. Keep sessions short and positive. It's better to do several short sessions of 10-15 minutes say morning and evening than one hour long session.  Many other respected trainers have said this as well. 

4. Use the least amount of pressure possible. For example, when walking your horse if they lose their focus on you, bring it back by irritating them with the halter and lead - no jerking, pulling or screaming.  

5. The horse must go where you want at the speed you want. The horse must do as you ask. This sounds extremist, at least I thought so, but when applied more insistently rather than increasingly aggressively, it does yield the desired result. I've had better results with this philosophy than the more demanding approach. 

Basically, that is Davies' training methodology.  I liked it immediately, in spite of the negative aspects of his delivery and opinion.  The meat of what he's saying is valid but you have to be diligent and learned enough in training to know when he's right and when he's just being critical. If a beginner picked up his book they might have a hard time actually applying his teachings. It's not a complete package by any means. Watching his videos is much more helpful as he can explain and show better what he's talking about.  

For example, he says that you should rub your horse's head as a means to calm them and reward them.  Watching the video I saw that he rubbed the horse's head for quite a bit longer than I imagined, and much longer than I did it for. That's important because there is no mention in his book about how long to do this.  


So, if you're the least bit curious give this man a chance.  I probably wouldn't buy the book, but he has a subscription video service that I would seriously consider and I get his free blog posts emailed to me.  It's FREE.  No obligation!  If you don't like what he has to say, unsubscribe. He doesn't overly market himself either, which is refreshing. Just keep in mind that he is what he is: a simple horse trainer with a simple, unpolished way of going about it and a deep suspicion of anything hyped up.  We could use more of that in the horse training world!

Tomorrow: Applying Davies' method 

Changing the way horse people think about horse training


I read an article yesterday called "The Dog Whisperer Should Just Shut Up" by Curtis Pesmen (there is a link below). The article talks about Cesar's methods and how they are dominant and aggressive and the fact that he has no "credentials". So, what does Cesar Millan, "The Dog Whisperer" have to do with horse training?  In one sense, everything.  His dog training methods are nearly identical to Clinton Anderson's and most traditional horse training.  It's all about dominance, being the "pack leader", using the animals' "own language" to become part of the group and control them. What's wrong with that?  I mean, using the animal's own language sounds somehow intuitive, doesn't it? And what about the fact that most clinicians do NOT have any credentials from a college or university, but merely have put in many hours with other horse trainers?  What does that say about the horse training industry?  It says we value experience more than education, but I don't think anyone will be speaking out against those trainers publicly. 


If a horse trainer has won some competitions, has a TV show and a DVD training series, travels around giving clinics and is "good with horses", those are considered credentials enough. How many of them have degrees in Equine Science?  How many of them know any theories about animal or horse behavior specifically?  I don't know.  None of the clinicians I know of has ever mentioned any credentials besides...other horsemen (if that. Many say they came up with it all on their own).  What I'm talking about here are the more "Western" style clinicians, the ones who are really making the big bucks and marketing themselves.  


On the other hand, the dressage folks certify instructors and judges and have rules that govern many aspects of the sport.  They lean towards education and rules. Those at the highest level of the sport still have coaches and take riding lessons.  That doesn't make it perfect, but at least there is a group of people overseeing things that makes sure someone who teaches and trains knows what they are doing. 


Aside from the fact that many clinicians and backyard trainers are not educated, the overall (English or western) attitude is that "if it's been done this way forever, it's the way to do it forever".  I bought in to all of it, too -the "joining up" in the round pen, the need to dominate the horse, the fact that they are unpredictable and dangerous.   I also bought in to the "sacking out" technique - just keep rubbing that tarp on the horse until they give in...after weeks, months, yes they might give in.  Some give in right away and others fight it, but in the end it's all learned helplessness.  Yes, that's right - they do "learn" to "accept" the tarp, but they don't necessarily like it, either. I believe that these methods only bring out aggression in horses, causing them to become more dangerous and unpredictable because we are in essence pressuring them (my mentor even used that very word - pressuring).


In the world of horse training, all of these things are widely accepted and never questioned by horse people.  The longer someone has been a "horse person", the more likely they are to accept these things and the more immune they become to what is really happening. No one who has been working with horses since they were ten years old thinks that they are mistreating a horse.  No one who has been competing horses since the age of ten thinks that they are doing anything wrong. 
That's exactly what the problem is - this is how we have ALWAYS trained horses.  Few folks wonder if it's the right way.

My Mom with Luna and Snickers

If more horsemen got an education such as a basic equine science degree, they would be less likely to keep traditions alive that are harmful or don't work. They might think very differently about how they do things.  They would know that many wives tales about horse behavior, disease and reproduction are just that, wives tales. If they learned merely to question what they are doing perhaps they would be more open minded about new ways of training. I know I did, and it stopped me from being "that kind" of trainer. We are all empowered trainers, empowered to do what we feel is right regardless of what the status quo is. 


 I've said it before in other posts in this blog and I'll say it again here.  Dominance is not necessary in horse training and neither is tap-tap-whack, or an aggressive "do it now" mentality. I firmly believe horses are naturally submissive and are cooperative when you treat them with respect.  It isn't necessary to force them to do things, much less do it quickly.  Give them time to think and they will get it much more quickly plus they will be "using the thinking side of their brains", to quote Mr. Anderson.  Isn't that what we want, after all?
Aggression begets aggression, every time.  Kindness, trust and respect return to you tenfold. 


If you agree or disagree I'd love to hear your thoughts! 


 Below is a link to the article about Cesar Millan:


http://www.esquire.com/features/ESQ1006-ESQ100_20-21.FINAL.rev_1?src=soc_fcbk

What road will you travel?

The Thinking Horse Trainer 


After my earlier experiments in empowered stuff (training doesn't seem the right word),  the weather turned for the past month.  The few bright spots I spent cleaning manure with a horse day here and there.  Today is a brilliantly sunny and perfectly warm day, not too hot nor cold nor windy.  I went out and started mucking since this really needs to be done badly.  At least I think so, but the horses spend a lot of time standing on the pile where I dump the manure...

Love at the manure pile

Sleeping on the manure pile

Rolling and sleeping on the manure pile.
Why do I bother cleaning the pens? 

The horses all approached me, except Bella, one by one and in their own time.  They checked to see what I was doing, if I were giving out treats (they are polite when they ask - a sniff of pockets and hands is all) and then moved on.  Luna, however, kept coming back for scratching and attention.  Snickers kept coming back hoping for something to happen, I think.   He is so curious about what's going on, as if he might be missing something.

This is Snicker's favorite place to hang out and see what's going on

I like that they approach me and yet have this politeness too. That's new - Snickers used to push me and bite at my pockets.   He is giving me more respect now and I give him the same.  It feels almost magical how things changed from just a few encounters, how they know.  Everything in the Empowered Horses book is happening.  I see a new direction and a much easier one, too.  It happens first in your mind and intention and is translated somehow to them.  

If anyone is reading this, all I can tell you is to follow your heart and treat your horse like you would treat your best friend - literally.

Yesterday, while sitting around looking for something to watch on TV, I ran across a horse trainer on RFD I'd never heard or seen before.  His name is Michael Richards.  He works horses from his wheelchair (a car accident rendered him a paraplegic).  He made it seem natural, as if this was something that no one should take note of, but I did because it affects how you train a horse.  He was wonderfully calm and so was the horse.  His words were well chosen, intelligent, and spoken slowly. 

Snickers and Tequila in the back

I was impressed because he works in some of the things I've been learning about - being gentle, asking not telling, patience, waiting for something to happen...reward.  I found it easy to follow what he was saying because he spoke clearly and slowly.  This is something not to be overlooked, because instead of the repetition that Clinton Anderson uses, since what he says is said slowly, I have time to think about it and incorporate it.  I think so many "TV Trainers" speak quickly, have accents (like Texans, Australians, etc) and expect instant results from people and horses that they forget that everyone needs time to take it all in.  

Bella and Angel having "quality time"

Sometimes they seem so intent on "showing off" or getting their message across that they forget what it's like to be on the learning side.  As an instructor, I find that I need to make myself STOP TALKING when giving lessons.  I am trying to give an instruction, keep it short and let the person work on it for awhile. 


Also, when you think of someone training a horse from a wheelchair, you realize that he cannot pressure them or create so much energy that he loses control.  I wouldn't say, either, that he is overly controlling the horse.  He controls it by keeping things very, very calm.  He asks for a little and uses the little to gain more.  I really enjoyed just listening to him talk and liked the whole picture.  Very cool!

Luna and Tequila

In any case, his show on RFD is called "The Gift of the Horse" and here is link to his website:  http://www.brokenrranch.com


Check it out and let me know what you think. I love to hear people's opinions and my hope with this blog was to get people talking about horse topics that normally don't get discussed.  So please, make yourself heard (herd, lol)!

If you asked your horse what they thought about how you trained them, what do you think they would say?
 I wrote what follows and started to feel very sad, very bad about myself.  I almost can't post this, but I think it's important for others to think about this and admit to themselves how their horse might have felt about what they did to them.  How do you know that your horse feels this way? Actually, it's not as difficult as it sounds. 


I know what mine would say. Unfortunately.


"Cari, you:
1. Lack patience so often, and you get upset and frustrated.  We don't understand why? What did we do wrong?  We are trying to do what you want.
  (I know this because I DO get frustrated, and the look on the horse's face says it all.  I do think that they want to work with us, as long as we are fair, explain things clearly and have patience.  We lack patience because we think things should be a certain way.  When you are following a training DVD, for example.  They make it look so easy and when you try it, you run into problems.  You get frustrated.)

Angel - I think....

2. Sometimes you don't even pay attention to us when you are doing things with us.  You talk on the phone while grooming us and we feel like you don't care. 
  (I have talked on the phone, thought about things that are bothering me, etc, especially while grooming them.  When I began to pay attention to the horse I was working on, everything changed!  THEY changed. They relaxed, they liked what I was doing.)

Snickers

3. We can clearly see you are asking something of us but we have no idea what.  Then you keep changing things.  You aren't very clear in what you are asking. 
  (This is a problem I have been aware of for awhile. Clicker training actually helped me get more organized.  Empowering the horse removes the intense structure, which is more my style.  Still, it's important to be clear!)

Luna

4. We don't understand WHY you want us to do half these things.  What purpose does it serve?
 (It's always MY purpose, isn't it?  And my purpose may not make sense to the horse because they don't understand the goal or why the goal is important.  There is one goal we have in common - to move beautifully and with athleticism.)

Snickers chasing Bella, who is protected by Angel

5. Do you even trust us?  You don't act like it. 
  (In fact, while my actions say otherwise, I do trust them more than I let on.  I am concentrating on letting them feel the trust I have for them.)

Tequila

6. So many wonderful, perfect days go by where you stay in your house or you're gone.  We wish you would come spend time with us.
  (I need to make more time for them, even if it's 15 minutes.  Sometimes my life gets in the way, and I feel their questions at the end of a perfect day that I had to spend inside applying for jobs or cleaning the house.)

Bella

7.   We don't like the bit.  It hurts.  It makes us want to run away.  You pull too hard on us and you are very demanding!
  (Angel and Snickers never had a bit when I got them, so I started them on the bit. Snickers really doesn't like it, even if I am as gentle as I can be.  Angel is more tolerant, but after watching Nevzorov's movie, I decided to try using the hackamore.  Not bad!  Tequila, too, fights the bit, and saddle, so I am re-thinking what to do with her. I had always been told that if they fight back, they are just "testing" us.  Sometimes that's true, but when I got on Snickers and let him do and go where he wanted, he continually took me to the tie rail.  "Of course he did!" You say.  "You must make him do things, take control!"  I no longer believe that.  Snickers did not enjoy what we did together under saddle.  Neither did Tequila.  Angel was kinder, and we have a better relationship than the others.  But what does that tell you?  The question is, can they get to the point where they like it?  That's what this is all about!)


8.  We don't like to be whacked with the orange stick just because we don't understand what to do.
  (This is something I did while following Clinton Anderson's videos.  He likes to whack a lot.  If they don't move, then you continually increase the pressure, many times using the stick to tap-tap harder-whack.  It's punishing and if they don't get it to begin with, how does it help?  When I did this type of training with Angel, she gave me a look I'll never forget.  It said, "Why?  Why are you hitting me like this?"  I never did it again.)


These are a few things I thought of and I'm sure there are more. Some are things that I had realized and already taken steps to change myself.  Some are more recent discoveries and I still feel guilty about them.
We have only just begun down the path to the goal, the goal of becoming stronger, more beautiful in movement and closer in our relationship. Those were always the goals, when I think back on it. 


Just what is it that I want?  I want to have that kind of relationship where my horse moves like the beautiful athlete they are, where there is mutual trust and communication, where we all feel safe in what we are doing.  The kind of relationship that I think certain masters have with their horses.  Where we can dance. 

I have been watching Alexander Nevzarov's movie, "The Horse, Crucified and Risen".  I think I wrote about this in an earlier post.  Since then I've thought a lot about the way people treat their horses, the way they are trained and used.  I've thought about Nevzarov's movie, and the first chapter of his book (by the same name).  I've thought about all these new methods of training there are, and the old methods of training. And natural horsemanship.  And everything.

Here's what I think:  I think that Nevzarov is right in part.  People have been very cruel to horses in the past. They were also very cruel to each other in those days.  While it's horrible and awful and proves that man has, in the past, thought nothing of how he treats animals, that doesn't necessarily translate to now.  He does show Russian riders competing at a horse show and how abusive they are.  I have never seen people quite so abusive on a horse. I have seen gaping mouths, uncomfortable horses, scared horses, scared riders.  I have seen mild abuse, and now that I think of it, outright abuse (under the guise of traditional horse training).


However, last night while watching (embarrassingly) a show called "Sweet Home Alabama", which is a bachelor-type show where half the men are from the country and half from the city, I learned of a horse that was stolen and killed.  The owner was Shaun Smith and his horse was named "Credit Card".  Smith was one of the top riders on the Southern Arkansas University rodeo team.  One of the girls on the team apparently stole his horse because she was angry at him, presumably due to relationship issues.  While five horses were taken, only Credit Card was shot and dismembered.  The others were tied to trees and left to starve to death.

This is a horrific and sad story, of course.  During the filming of "Sweet Home Alabama" Smith learns that his horse had been killed.  He cried, openly, on camera and sought comfort in the arms of a fellow cowboy on the show.  He cried to Paige, "the girl" on the show that they were all vying for. He was clearly upset, very upset.  In my mind it's perfectly understandable, and even expected. 

So what came to my mind after learning about this story was that no matter how they train their horses, ride them, jerk on their mouths, or any other myriad things, they love them! Smith's horse was shown in the rodeo arena with the De rigour tie-down, which he was clearly leaning on.  But he was a champion.  He did his job well, and apparently found some joy in that (although I am speculating).

I guess what I'm trying to say is that love can overcome some mistakes and some training methods.  I am still working out what I really feel is "the" way to train that is best for horses and people. However, Nevzarov would have anyone riding with a bit, or not training his way as being mean, aggressive and abusive.  That's clearly not true. His movie made me question using a bit, period.  But when I watch Oliviera riding, his sensitivity with the bit and the spurs and whip, I know he isn't being the least abusive or even aggressive.  




My cowboy and his horse, Snickers

 I know that I have made mistakes working with horses. As for my own horses, I think they have forgiven me for my mistakes, and not being able to communicate so directly I can only point to how they react to me now.  I experiment, a LOT, with different techniques.  When they give me a negative reaction, I stop.  When it's positive, I keep going, and they respond in turn.  They have, miraculously, always given me another chance to get it right. My gut feeling is that the love I bear for them overshadows everything else, good or bad, and that the relationship I have with my horses is one of the most honest one I've ever had. There's a lot to be said for love, Nevzarov! 




I love you even when you're covered in mud, Angel!





 

I haven't been able to "hang out" with my horses for the past few days since we were in Boulder over the weekend.  It didn't stop me from thinking about them, though.  This new way of looking at horses, about what "work" is and about how I think about them. 

It's also about NOT thinking.  For example, not going out to the pasture with an attitude of "you are going to do this, one way or another".  That thought changed in to, "Hi, how are you today?  Want to hang out with me? Would you like a scratch somewhere?"  At first I couldn't imagine that a simple change of agenda would make a difference, but it has.  Somehow they sense that I'm not pushing myself or my ideas on them anymore (not as much anyway).  How do I know this?  They are calmer, they react to me differently by not being afraid, they accept things more easily and when I do want something to happen, it does. 

For example, at feeding time each horse has a rubber tub where I feed them grain.  They get fed in a certain order (no surprise there), but every now and then Luna tries to assert herself, or gets too hungry to wait her turn and messes up the order.  Sometimes she just gets confused.  In any case, it wrecks havoc on feeding time and in the past I've gotten really frustrated with her.  I yell, get assertive (because you are supposed to be assertive, especially when they get uppity) and wave my arms a lot.  Then she gets more freaked out and overreacts too.  It ends up being dangerous and all the horses get riled up.  I decided to start asking her to go to her tub in a calm voice, and she does.  So far, even when she gets confused or seems to want to butt in to another horse's feed tub, I just tell her to go to her tub. 




Luna - "Cause havoc at feeding time? Who ME?"


It seems obvious or silly somehow that this didn't occur to me before.  Maybe it's occurred to other people out there.  The problem is that people learn about horses from other people who "know" horses.  They do what those people do, and often don't check to see if what they are told is really working.  It reminds me of the ranch I worked at.  The property manager was a "horse person".  She had several horses that she used to compete with.  She was the authority and whatever she did, my boss did.  My boss was the barn manager and she was inexperienced with horses when she first started there.  Most of what she learned came from the property manager, I'll call her Pam.  If the horses were running too fast through the trees in the pasture, Pam would yell loudly "Quit!" or something to that effect.  There was absolutely no way to get to the horses and make them stop doing anything.  But she did it, so the barn manager Mary did it.  Every now and then the maintenance guy would stop by, and he would yell too because he heard everyone else yelling.  No one EVER noticed that the horses never stopped running when they were yelled at.  It had zero effect on their behavior, and in reality may have encouraged them to keep running. 

Bella with her winter eyelashes

I'm guilty of doing things like this too.  If I respected a horseman, I copied them.  I copied what they said and how they said it.  Later on I began to be more observant, and noticed that in most cases yelling at a horse had little effect, yet I would still do it at times.  When you yell, scream, get upset and lose it, it scares the horse and he won't trust you as much.  If you are yelling just because you are supposed to, it means even less.  Next time you are working your horse and you feel you should use a loud voice (do you yell when they paw the ground at the tie rail? Do they stop pawing?)  does it have the desired effect?
Granted, I sometimes see farriers use the loud voice technique to great effect.  I think this is because they are men and have that deep imposing voice and know how to use it.  Like when your dad yelled at you as a kid.  He does it once, very loud and very imposing, and the horse stops whatever it's doing. 

In any case, it's worth it not to get sucked in to that mode of communicating.  I used to think that people expected me to carry on and yell and "get after" horse that did something wrong.  Some people do, but that's because they don't know any better and they are following what they've seen other horse people do.  Next time you get the urge to yell at your horse, try asking first.  If they are doing something irritating like pawing at the tie rail, ignore it.  The more you carry on and yell at them to stop, the more they do it (trust me).  The best thing to do is to not untie them until they stop pawing and other wise ignore it.

Geez, I wrote a lot considering nothing happened much this week...!

I just finished reading, in its entirety, Empowered Horses by Imke Spilker.  This book is about a new way to "work" with horses, a different way to interact.  It's about looking at things from the horse's point of view and giving them the respect they deserve. I think most trainers would say that they already do this.  I think that most of us like to think that we are being gentle, or that our horse likes what we do, that they like us.  We like to think that whatever "method" we learned in the beginning of our training career is the right one and we don't question that.  Then there are some of us who never stop questioning, and I'm not ashamed to say that's ME.  I have never stopped asking myself some pointed questions along the way.  Little things I've seen over the years have bothered me and so I tucked them away in the corner of my mind, and yes, while following whatever method I was using at the time.

Getting back to the book, it may be difficult for many horse people to digest and to change their thinking after reading it.  The author is a German woman who it seems already owned horses and decided (I am still not sure if it was for a project at school or for herself) to start a horse communications project.  The point being to try to communicate with the horse.  Not at the horse but with the horse, meaning there is a two-way conversation.  Meaning that the horse has a say.  The only goal was to find a way to communicate openly. 

Many of us may think we already do this, but we do not.  If we go to the pasture and can't catch our horse, does anyone think about why their horse doesn't want to be caught?  Many beginners have said to me, "I can't catch my horse, does he not like me?  Does he really want to be ridden?"  I said what I was taught to say, "Oh, it's just a game they play, they are testing you.  Once you let them know you won't put up with that they will come to you."  In reality, what are they really saying?  I had finally graduated to my horses standing still in the pasture when I went to catch them.  After starting clicker training it went to the entire herd running to the training pen to wait their turn when they realized we were doing clicker training.  That made it perfectly clear how my previous training was not enjoyable for them.


Just like the other book I've read recently, Galloping to Freedom, by Frederic Pignon and Magali Delgado, Spilker is a huge proponent of playing games with horses.  Games that stress equality, fun, being free spirited, and rhythmic movement.  The games develop, if the horse wishes, into what we call "work", in Spilker's realm it's really collection and helping the horse to move in such a way that they are beautiful and efficient.  She provides an excellent example of what collection is and how it comes about from work on a circle. 

The thing is, the horses do the work of their own accord! The person is merely a "tutor" as she says, a person who aids the horse in finding its base of support and its "magic spot" where the center of gravity shifts back.  Once the horse understands this it can choose whether to move forward or not.  What Spilker found, however, was that they not only want to, they practice on their own!  They become addicted in a sense to this new, easier, more beautiful way of moving.  This is because horses love movement, it is the center of their being. 

The person helps the horse with aids, aids that the horse truly accepts, understands and envelopes.  The horses are ridden, many times bareback, but only if they want to be ridden.  You may think that if a horse is allowed so much freedom it would choose not to carry someone, but according to Spilker, they do.  They allow riders because a mutual relationship has developed of equality, friendship, trust, and two-way communication.

If some of these words sound familiar, that's because so many trainers use them without really thinking about whether or not they are true.  I recently went to talk with a local trainer who told me his methods were very gentle.  However they were the same as every other trainer's, that is, he used mainly thin twisted wire snaffles, he was aggressive and dominant and insisted on the horse following through.  All my life I have been told that I'm not aggressive enough, that I had to be dominant, that I had to bend the horse to my will.  I never liked that way of training but two things kept me from going against it:  one, I am naturally a gentle and empathic person, so I thought I had a character flaw that prevented me from being a really good trainer.  Two, there seemed to be no other alternative to what I'd been taught. 

To be fair, I do have a few criticisms of the book and the "method". The book itself is very philosophical and not especially practical.  There are no real suggestions on how to take your 15 year old horse that you have trained using whatever method, say modern dressage (German), and then convincing your horse that you won't be doing THAT anymore in favor of this empowerment method.  The problem is, if I were a general and my horse a soldier, it would be like telling the soldiers that they are now free and they can do whatever they want. In the presence of the general they might feel encumbered or inhibited.  It would take some doing to convince them that they were indeed free to do what they wanted.  The longer they had been soldiers the more difficult it would be.

Also, she doesn't address the practical side of things.  For example, she shows a foal and a horse being saddled for the first time.  What about picking up their feet, or getting in a trailer?  There are a few things that are "musts" for horses kept in captivity.  It would be wonderful if I lived on a large nature preserve and the horses came here and never had reason to leave, but realistically I have had to move every now and then.  As a trainer and riding instructor I am not sure how this philosophy will affect my training and therefor my business.  I have been urging people to be as gentle as possible and to not use language that puts the horse down (not because they can hear us, but because it creates a negative image of the horse in our mind).

This way of thinking is so different, so completely opposite of what I have been taught and yet so in line with what I think and feel, that it's hard to reconcile everything I've learned with what I do and what I know.  Yet, this point of view and philosophy really resonates with me. When I was working with Bella in the beginning (before I knew about horse training), I couldn't tie her because she would pull back and sit down on the ground, unmoving.  So I would take her in the round pen, start grooming her and then saddle her.  She stood absolutely still the entire time. She accepted me and my approach, for the most part.  Had I known more at the time I could have taken it further, but unfortunately I learned to be a trainer.  I am so thankful for Imke Spilker for bringing me back to where I belong!  Today, I am going out to play with my horses, to simply enjoy their company. 

I am treading a fine line here, of which I am completely aware.  The fine line is between being a horsewoman and a bleeding heart.   In my mind, you can't be both.  A bleeding heart (for the purposes of this blog) is someone who thinks that we should have nothing to do with animals and that we in no way enhance an animal's life by being associated with them.  I am setting myself up to defend the very act of keeping horses, and that's not my purpose right now.  This is really about how we treat them after we all agree that we should have them around...  What follows is my personal opinion only.  If you agree, fantastic. If not, that's ok too.  If I make you angry, you may want to consider where that anger is coming from. 

I used to work with a woman who owned 7 dogs, a cat, 2 birds and 3 horses.  She once looked me in the eye and told me that she thought it was wrong for people to keep animals!  Her dogs all came from rescue organizations and many had "issues" and were difficult to deal with.  She didn't want to take the time to train them.  When I suggested humane means of training (i.e. the clicker), she responded by purchasing shock collars.  In the end I had to agree - people like her should not own animals because they are not willing to take the time to work with them in a humane way. 

Animals, whether dogs, horses, cats or hamsters, all require time just to feed them and clean up after them (obviously).  On top of that, we are keeping these animals for something more, for a connection.  I can honestly say that many of the cats I've had have chosen me.  The last one to arrive, Nemo, was sitting on my lawn near the barn, watching me intently when I first met him.  When I noticed him he ran away, then came back.  I fed him and he has never left.  He can leave whenever he wants to.  Even my horses could leave if they chose, if they were really unhappy.  At least two of them are experts at tearing down barbed-wire fencing and unlocking gates.  They could also jump out if they desired.  I mean, the fence is really just a suggestion.  Occasionally they have gotten out, wandered around the neighborhood and came running back when they saw me looking for them.  When we try to ride down the street they are afraid to go past our property...embarrassing but true!

So, we want a connection with these animals, right?  I was going to say especially women and horses, but men often also want to feel connected to their animals.  Snickers and my husband Doug have a special connection that I don't try to interfere with.  I love it, in fact.  I personally love to ride, love to be around the horses, love it when they come running to the fence.  I would like them to like me.  I don't want them to be afraid of me, and I think they want the same from me.  People who are afraid of animals or other people just make us uncomfortable.  When I first got a horse, I wanted to love that horse and vice verse.  I didn't want to make her into a slave, per say. 

Then I gradually got caught up in methods of training, and rough cowboys (not all cowboys are rough), and rough dressage people, and being "more assertive".  I lost my natural gentleness and the connection to my horse Bella.  Other things also contributed to that, like our being apart for way too long and only being able to see her a few times a month when I used to go see her daily.  I had the connection and lost it!

I lost it because I was learning to train horses and fell into some ways of training that are extremely common and can turn very aggressive and rough.  The thing is, no one thinks of them that way.  I think that people are starting to be more aware of things that are rough, but it's a slow process.  When you have an internationally recognized clinician telling you to do something, you believe in the correctness of that tool.  This is how you deal with horses, it's been done this way for years and years and years, how can it be wrong?  If your gold-medal winning dressage instructor tells you to pull back on the reins for all you're worth, and to keep pulling even when nothing good comes of it, and it feels like you're yanking the horse's jaw off, how can you question them?  It feels wrong, but this person has been given a medal by the USDF.  The next day your arms are sore from pulling and you can't help but wonder if the horse's mouth hurts even worse than your arms!

These little moments creep into your mind and build up over the years.  I kept trying new avenues, new instructors, new methods, new styles of riding.  What it comes down to is how the instructor or trainer thinks, or even if they think!  Many trainers learn their method and then go out and teach  that method and train train train that way all their lives without questioning anything!  And then there are those who pretend to be thinking, like a boss I had who said over and over, "I just can't stand dressage because they hold the reins way too tightly.  THAT'S not horsemanship in my mind!"  Then she would "train" a horse by repeating something, literally, 50 times in one session!  I watched her with a horse who wouldn't pick up a right lead.  She worked that horse on leads only for an hour, making her pick it up over and over and over.  It disgusted me.  I said nothing (this was my boss), no support of her or anything.  I felt cornered and sublimated.  I felt like the horse - having to obey and having no say but feeling completely misunderstood and wronged. 

By the time I worked for the boss I just spoke of, I had seen and tried many things that bothered me.  My boss was the final straw.  She never took me seriously (that's partly my own fault and a topic for another day) and talked down to me.  This is how many people approach horse training.  Clinton Anderson often calls the horses names - "idiot" is the first that comes to mind.  I think he is trying to be funny in a way, to make the horse seem less important.  To not let the horse be intimidating by giving him a derogatory name.  In Mr. Anderson's view, horses are nearly an enemy.  Yes, he does give them a nice rub on the forehead at times, but only after extraordinary effort on the horse's behalf.

There are a few, a very few, horse folk who can train a horse without force.  I have been unearthing them slowly over the years.  Nuno Oliveira was seemingly one, though I have yet to see him start a horse.  His writings and what I have seen of his philosophy and riding is all about tact, however, and the way he sits a horse, so still and so graceful, leaves no doubt in my mind that he accomplished much with little interference on his part.  What that means is he is not working hard, not flapping his arms or sweating or tapping away with his spurs or bouncing in the saddle.  He is like a waiter at a fine restaurant who touches you gently on the elbow, "Sir, would you like another drink?" he asks, very politely and quietly.  That is tact in riding - a gentle touch with the leg and spur, a slight wringing of the reins to bring the horse into collection. 

Then there is Frederic Pignon and Magali Delgado of the horse show Cavalia.  They wrote a book about how they train their horses called Galloping to Freedom. It's all about empowerment and play.  There is a very high level of trust between them and their horses.  I assumed by watching the show that the horses were trained to do certain routines.  They are not!  They are trained to express themselves and to interact with Frederic and Magali.  When they go onstage on any given night, they don't really know what will happen.  I find that refreshing and courageous and beautiful.  That is a true connection with a horse, and that is allowing the horse's expression and joy to become evident. 

I am also reading a book called Empowered Horses by Imke Spilker.  It is a bit long winded, but the essence is important.  It is about how to approach riding, keeping and training horses with a different attitude, much like Pignon and Delgado - playing, allowing the horse expression and choice in what is done each day.  It is difficult for me, even wanting to approach things in this way, not to head out to the arena with an agenda.  It is also difficult to figure out how to play with older horses that are so used to me being the "Master".  That old way of being has to be dismantled first, and no one has suggested how to do that yet. I will keep writing about my experiences, though, in hopes that someone else will benefit from that.  However, clicker training was a great start. 

I have to say something here about the clicker.  I still think it's wonderful and a very useful tool.  However, I also think it's important not to use it as a demand or a "have to" thing.  I think it's easy to fall into the trap of "since I am rewarding you, you'd better do this!".  We have to recognize that we can't ask that.  We can only say "please", and I would like to reward you for doing this.  You also have to clicker train with the attitude of communication being the goal more so than the thing you are training.  You must have understanding of the horse and whether or not they are enjoying something.  Even with a reward not all horses will want to do everything you think they should do.  Know when to stop, know when to change what you are doing.  Don't make it boring, or drawn out.  If they are losing interest in the exercise, it's up to you to change something. 

Communication is a two-way street.  If you want to use the clicker to communicate to them, then you should also listen to what they have to say.  They will communicate back, and if you have ever seriously worked with a horse, you know that they do!

All I am saying here is that there should be much more of a place for gentleness in working with horses.  You will accomplish so much more than if you demand for things to happen and your will find that you develop a deeper connection with your horse.