It can be described as the method through which a handler tries to communicate and bond with the horse. This involves complex communication techniques learnt from years of wild horse observations and research, which are then applied to build a partnership between a man and a horse.

The main purpose of natural horsemanship is to create an environment of trust and camaraderie between the horse and the human, so that even in the worst of moods the horse would respond to its human counterpart in the way it has been trained. They have elevated threat assessment levels and are quick in taking defensive or offensive actions if their prior warnings aren’t heeded. Horses are equally sensitive creatures and can create strong emotional ties with humans if they are treated with respect, love, caring and understanding.

Before the advent of natural horsemanship, the handlers especially American ‘Cowboys’ used highly rough and often brutal methods to ‘break’ a horse or to make it submit itself under their commands. This led to a great deal of injuries and sometimes even fatalities to both the horses and the Cowboys as many a times the horses retaliated with extreme force.

Tom & Bill Dorrance also known as the ‘Dorrance Brothers’ were the very first to introduce the concept of natural horsemanship. They regarded gentle and humane methods of horse training as the most preferred instruments in establishing a relationship between the horse and the handler.

As Tom Dorrance used to say, "The thing you are trying to help the horse do is to use his own mind. You are trying to present something and then let him figure out how to get there."

Bill Dorrance added to this by stating, "When people think of natural horsemanship that could mean a lot of things. It isn’t natural for a horse to be around people, and it’s not natural for a person to be sitting on him either. When we use these words we speak about what’s natural for the horse to do within his own boundaries"

Natural horsemanship denounces fear and pain based methods of training. It advocates that by removing fear, an individual gains trust from the animal. By applying humane methods of training, the horse learns to work with the trainer or the owner as a partner and not against him as an adversary.

According to a lot of natural horsemanship practitioners, teaching through pain and fear is fruitless and in the later stages can turn into an enmity between the horse and the human. The focus should be that the animal should feel safe and remain calm throughout the training process. A horse that feels comfortable with his handler is quick to bond with him and together they can achieve outstanding results.

The handler of the horse should be very much aware of the animal’s instincts and coupled with the communication techniques, he should work with the horse to get the best out of the horse as well as himself. Most of the Horsemanship training programs incorporate three most essential phases. They are:

1. Phase One: The first step primarily covers safety, basic skills, partnership and mental fitness. After the first step is successfully completed, the horse will be more willing to collaborate with his trainer and will understand what his handler requires from it. This phase enables the handler to understand the horse/animal psychology and its effects on the horse-handler relationship.
2. Phase Two: This phase takes the handler into the horse’s world, making him study the animal’s body language so as to understand the horse’s thoughts, reactions and needs. It is very necessary that a handler develop steadiness and softness or appropriate firmness so that he doesn’t face any opposition from the horse. The growth of such sort of subtle authority depends upon the level of companionship between the horse and his handler.
3. Phase Three: The final phase in the training program helps a handler learn how to use cues of ‘focus and energy’ to communicate and direct movements to the horse. This phase primarily deals with the ’spiritual’ aspect of both the horse and the handler and teaches the handler how to become one with the animal. By the completion of this phase, it becomes a challenge for both man and the horse to become even more calm, smart, brave and athletic. The horses are confident with a wide range of tasks and gear. The handlers by the end of this phase know, what makes their horse mad or what keeps it in a good mood.

The author, Lisa Rodriguez, runs Rosepine Ranch Equestrian Facilities Services , which plans, designs and manages equestrian facilities for horse owners and horse facilities in Southern California using strategic alliances with other professionals. The company offers the guidance needed for horse owners to create a healthy and functional atmosphere for the horses and owners. Equestrian Management, a division of Equestrian Services, develops the program elements and provides management and staffing for equestrian facilities. Equestrian Services is headquartered in Newport Beach, California.

Tags: Natural Horsemanship, Natural Riding Horsemanship, Rosepine, Rosepine Ranch Equestrian Facilities Services, Rosepineranch

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This entry was posted on Monday, April 21st, 2008 at 8:14 am and is filed under Natural Horsemanship. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.