Baseline Measure of Respect

Training - PK Equestrian Center

Paul Dufresne is currently my favorite trainer. Watch his video linked to his homepage. Phenomenal!!

He says: "So as a human being you want to be the herd boss and a leader. This is easy to say but to establish it in a respectful manner by their rules is not always so simple. " He describes one way of doing that is over the food dish. You simply assert your dominance by controlling access to the food, requiring that the animal be respectful and compliant before you allow them access.

Experimental Protocol: Feed bucket and 6 1-cup servings of sweet feed. Put the feed bucket in the middle of the paddock and allow one animal at a time to eat their portion of the grain. Keep all others away by facing off to them, talk softly to chosen animal and don't face him directly while he is being allowed to access feeder.

Results: Animals did not fight. Chester repeatedly had to be shooed away. JD stood back and watched until it was his turn. Soloman quit eating and left the food dish when Chester would get too close. Toby stood next to me and tried to touch me. Paisley retreated a short distance and stared at the food dish.

Discussion: In general, this experiment proves the animals to be generally tractable to my dominance. JD and Zekey were the least invasive. Soloman was easily intimidated and showed no confidence that as the leader, I would protect him. Toby clearly knows which side of the bread to butter. Paisley had probably never been prevented from eating in her young life, as a mare, she was most likely to kick, but did not.

We will know that there is a significant improvement in my leadership when they all line up in a que to take their turn.