Natural Horsemanship - Do You Have What It Takes?

Natural Horsemanship is a method of training the horse that derives its methods from the horse. By watching and observing the horse interacting naturally in the wild, humans have been able to learn how the horse communicates.

The horse communicates using body language. Natural Horsemanship trainers have integrated this communication into their training method. By working with the horses own language trainers are better equipped to understand and work with the horse.

Horses are big powerful animals. Knowing any way to work in an effective positive manner can help trainers immensely. If a trainer can learn to communicate on the horse's level the horse will respond. Watching the horse for cues and signs helps the trainer to pace and know when to move on to the next step.

I have always tried to get a sense of a horse's mood as an individual when I am working with them. I use a combination of classic training methods and natural horsemanship. There is certainly much to be said about respecting a horse and working with them as against them.

Traditional breaking in of horses forced the horse into submitting to the handler. The horse's spirit and essence were usually broken and the horse became a servant to man. Natural Horsemanship enrolls the horses will. This method does not use force to domesticate and train the horse. The horse does not respond with fighting and panic against a human handler.

Trust is the key to horsemanship. In the days where the lands were open and free, man had to gain the trust of a horse in the wild before he could ever approach him. There were no fences, corrals or places to restrain a horse these shortcuts have placed man in a dominant role which can often lead to abuse of a horse.

A trainer of Natural Horsemanship will talk to the horse with use of his own body in the way that horses understand. A trainer will use specific eye communication, will know where and how to place his body so that the horse can understand what is being said.

Natural Horsemanship is based on trust and respect. Man aims to become the horse's leader. In the wild the herd follows the leader and a trainer will develop the same bond the horse has with a herd leader. There are a number of trainers who have developed their own take on this and have become names in the Natural Horsemanship circle.

If you are interested in learning the techniques and aims you can do some on-line research to find a trainer near you. I honestly feel that hands on learning is essential for Natural Horsemanship because you are learning body language. A horse could look at you with a subtleness that could not be detected by a picture in a book.

Whichever means you decide to learn you should also consider how involved you would like to get. If you are training horses to sell them on and make money, you should consider your target market.

You certainly do not want to build a beautiful relationship on trust and respect only to have another person come along and use aggression because they are not able to understand the horse's way of communication.

Natural Horsemanship can be integrated into any method of training. If you are looking to achieve top performance from your horse, you certainly can make a significant difference by using natural horsemanship techniques. Go to a trainer to watch and learn, work with your horse and soon a wonderful relationship will unfold.

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