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  • From: <Jorene@CEOates.com>
  • To: "Mounted search and rescue" <msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [MSAR] HORSE TRAINING
  • Date: Sun, 5 Oct 2003 10:24:35 -0700

Debbie, your "old cowboy way" description - "Bigger bit, bigger spurs, bigger whip." - is actually an insult to many cowboys who were excellent horsemen. As in any rider-related profession, there were good and bad horsemen ... and most fell into the mediocre category. Being clueless about good horsemanship can occur just about anywhere. But I agree that bigger bits, spurs and whips are typically an indication of ignorance. Too many people - regardless of discipline - tend to escalate when they should be backing off and wondering what the RIDER is doing wrong.  ;-/ 
 
One example of  a cowboy with a real clue is the late Jimmy Williams. He started out riding stock horses to championships, and ended up in the Show Jumping Hall of Fame, USET coach, etc. http://www.showjumpinghalloffame.net/inductees/j_williams.shtml 
 
Another example is the traditional curb bit in the hands of an expert Western rider and a horse trained to pack that bit ... the classic Bridle Horse trained to respond to a whisper of communication. The highest level of training in Western. While not a fully trained Bridle Horse (I only know 1 person still alive who does that - a dying art) an example is on http://www.cowboydressage.com/ 
 
When I mentioned generations of good horsemanship I was thinking more along the lines of the old vaqueros who brought training tools like the round pen into America. Again, some excellent, some good, some not, but the fundamentals for good horsemanship were there for those who had the right sources to learn from. (The vaqueros built the legendary Bridle Horse.) Reading the horse's body language and communicating back with body language that the horse recognizes from the herd is something that has been around for many generations of good horsemen.
 
I guess the point I've been trying to make is that Parelli is only one of many using those skills. He learned from people who learned from vaqueros. He happens to be very good at self-marketing and is an excellent showman, so his reputation with clinics and such continues to grow. I wasn't suggesting the police officers were anthropomorphizing - trying to apply human emotions to horse behavior - but that is something not uncommon in Parelli's training.
 
I'm an ex-cop. I'd be VERY surprised to find "Love my horsey" types in Mounted Police work! <g> But the "Love my horsey" can get extreme and create dangerous situations and dangerous horses. Seen too many of them land in rehab training as a serious challenge.
 
My daughter competed English, Western, Trail, etc., for many years, so I have an appreciation for the better trained horse and better trained rider. (My personal riding preference in the arena is the challenge of Trail.) Hence my recommendation of Richard Shrake as a clinician ... Richard is recognized internationally as an outstanding horseman, clinician, trainer, instructor, judge and author.
 
Not many trainers still around who know how to take an untouched youngster and bring that horse along to world level in multiple events. Richard Shrake is one of them, and I can claim him as an acquaintance since he actually remembers my name and asks about my daughter whenever our paths cross. <g> I also have the honor of claiming 2 world class professional horsemen as close friends, and I love picking their brains - there is always more to learn about horses and good horsemanship! They both learned from the vaqueros many decades ago, and our trainer of @13 years also trained under Jimmy Williams. ;)
 
Some of my favorite subjects are herd behavior and 2-way communication using body language. <g> I use it on a regular basis handling our broodmares and youngsters. My son-in-law starts our youngsters, my daughter puts on the details and polish. We all use body language, read the horse, etc. So I understand what you mean when you refer to body language (horse and human), prey animal behavior, herd language, etc. I suspect if you visited the link to my old posts you'd nod your head, because it appears we're speaking the same language. ;)
 
And this kind of approach - whether the fundamentals are learned from a Parelli fan (without the "Love my horsey") or someone else - is what I recommend for any rider trying to develop a better MSAR horse. Build a positive relationship with that horse. Improve personal riding skills. Bring the horse to a more responsive level of training - with a focus on riding light - and do LOTS of desensitizing.
 
BTW - interesting that you were a vet tech, Debbie. My daughter was a vet tech for several years ... until they had kids and she decided to stay home and focus more on our Paint breeding program. ;)
 
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Jorene Downs
Tulare Co, CA
SAR, MSAR, Swiftwater Rescue, US&R,
Technical Rescue, Cave Rescue,
Hasty Team, ICP
www.CEOates.com/sar
Tulare-Kings CERT Program Coordinator
www.tk-cert.org



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