Fun learning to "talk" to our horse!
My husband John had an Arabian horse a few years ago. Beautiful athletic animal, she was gray with a tea-cup nose and pointed ears. She was smart, athletic, quick, and loved to show off. In parades she'd prance along with neck bowed and tail up; she loved playing the crowd.
But, she had a few bad habits. She was "wild" when John first got on her, did not like to back up, but the most annoying thing she did was run to the far fence as soon as she saw John step into the corral. "You think you're going to catch me?" An obvious power play on her part.
About six years ago in late January Guy McLean was performing at the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering here in Elko. He's a horse handler from Australia, young, good looking guy. In Australia he rides his stallion bareback onto the stage to perform. John invited him out to see our horses, and he immediately spotted "Zonna."
"Can I work with her?" he asked. John was delighted so Guy stepped into the corral. And Zonna ran to the opposite fence.
Guy spoke to her in horse lingo, first driving her away, forcing her to run around him. Within a few minutes, though, she cocked her near ear toward Guy in the middle of the cicle and began tossing her head. Then she started moving her mouth as though chewing. She was asking Guy if she could come in. And, within minutes she had "joined up" with Guy to walk around the corral, her head locked on his left hip. Guy worked with her for half an hour while we enjoyed watching. When he was finished she stood quietly when he walked to her, she "backed up" when he signaled. She was putty in hie hand. It was spectacular to watch.
Ever since that day Zonna has been easy handling for John. He enters the corral and she walks to him. He spent time with her, copied Guy's actions, and Zonna accepted John as the head of the herd. No more power play.
This is the same language Horse Wisperer Monty Roberts learned from the wild mustang horses in Nevada's desert.
You can read some of the previous postings to learn more about Roberts.
When I talked with Mrs. Roberts when she and her husband visited in Elko, she said she and Monty used many of the same tactics with orphaned children they cared for through the years. They sought to understand their viewpont (tried to understand each child), they made consequences clear, and they carried through every time with those consequences.
Fun, talking to horses!
But, she had a few bad habits. She was "wild" when John first got on her, did not like to back up, but the most annoying thing she did was run to the far fence as soon as she saw John step into the corral. "You think you're going to catch me?" An obvious power play on her part.
About six years ago in late January Guy McLean was performing at the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering here in Elko. He's a horse handler from Australia, young, good looking guy. In Australia he rides his stallion bareback onto the stage to perform. John invited him out to see our horses, and he immediately spotted "Zonna."
"Can I work with her?" he asked. John was delighted so Guy stepped into the corral. And Zonna ran to the opposite fence.
Guy spoke to her in horse lingo, first driving her away, forcing her to run around him. Within a few minutes, though, she cocked her near ear toward Guy in the middle of the cicle and began tossing her head. Then she started moving her mouth as though chewing. She was asking Guy if she could come in. And, within minutes she had "joined up" with Guy to walk around the corral, her head locked on his left hip. Guy worked with her for half an hour while we enjoyed watching. When he was finished she stood quietly when he walked to her, she "backed up" when he signaled. She was putty in hie hand. It was spectacular to watch.
Ever since that day Zonna has been easy handling for John. He enters the corral and she walks to him. He spent time with her, copied Guy's actions, and Zonna accepted John as the head of the herd. No more power play.
This is the same language Horse Wisperer Monty Roberts learned from the wild mustang horses in Nevada's desert.
You can read some of the previous postings to learn more about Roberts.
When I talked with Mrs. Roberts when she and her husband visited in Elko, she said she and Monty used many of the same tactics with orphaned children they cared for through the years. They sought to understand their viewpont (tried to understand each child), they made consequences clear, and they carried through every time with those consequences.
Fun, talking to horses!
