Homo Caballus: arte ecuestre

Homo Caballus by Peter Bosman ... I posted a response to this website on the ImagineAHorse discussion group.

What a great website!!! The author makes such wonderful case for positive training methods. I was intrigued by the neck rope and will have to try it on my horses and mules.

I like what he said about getting the horse to really be looking to you for leadership. That is one of the things that really interests me currently..... how can you inspire the horse to see you as their safe haven and wise leader? How can you engineer circumstances that naturally give them this perception. One of the things I have tried, with some success is stashing a bucket with feed, out in the landscape, and taking them to it. They know they wouldn't have found it on their own and by the second trip, they are pretty interested in finding out where it is you want to go. All the resistance to leave the paddock and follow your guidance melts away.

As soon as our landscape dries out a bit, I plan to try a new related method. Right now, with a sea of slush, we have been doing a lot of small movement training on the porch or in a stall. They love this and will fight for their turns.... well, we are going to move small movement training to destinations out in the landscape.

In rehabbing these horses, sometimes I feel ashamed that I can't just "cowboy-up" and ride it out, but Peter Bosman's website, with its theme of using your intelligence, gives me a lot of comfort that I'm using a good approach.

Yrs,
Patricia