Enviromental training

Today, I and Divino went to an enviromental training course nearby. I forgot to take pictures, maybe someone else did... If I find some I'll post them here.

Well, my little wobbly spanish horse did great. He wasn't afraid of any of the creepy thing they had hidden in the forrest (like halloween masks, rubberboats, hanging sheets and a great deal more).

He behavied like a pearl! 

The only sad thing was that the people who held the training, (they were super nice) had this realy firm belive in "natural horsemanship" in the harsh and violent way. There were more tugging in leadropes, beating horses who didn't move, talk about disrespectful horses and talk about training methods that I couldn't agree with. I held my tounge though, since it often are little meaning with saying those things outloud and it rather leads to sad arguments and nasty ends. And they were nice people, I just couldn't agree with thei way of training.

And I am very sure that they looked at me and my candy bag and my praising like I was a total lunatic with a very disrespectful horse and they might have been thinking that I had no idea about what I was doing. That feeling made me a bit uncomfortable...

In those methods they often say, that a horse is disrespectful when it jumps into you when it get scared. They also say that their way of handling horses are taken from the horses natural body language.

In my opinion and from what I see, horses natural behaviour is to go closer together when they are spooked. It makes them feel comfortable. The feeling of a close companion and the flight animals protection from the predators. It is their way to feel safe - not to be disrespectful on purpose!

When I watch a herd of horses they seldom use aggressive behaviour towards one another, not if they do not have to defend their resources like food, water or their foals. Though this aggressive behaviour is the one that is most frequently used in the most "natural horsemanship" teachings. 

However, a horse who possible runs you over can be dangerous eaven if he is not disrespectful, and this part can be hard for horses to understand. So what can we do to make sure it dosen't happen if we don't want to make ourselves scarier than the scary object?

For me the answer is enviromental training. And make the training so easy that the horse dosen't have the need to run you over, then you can gently guide him and train him to take the positions that makes it safe and easy for you. 

In extreme situations you have to do what you can to keep yourself safe, but it should never be the way of training. And of course there are exceptions!

I will gladly be the looser with the candybag! I know my horses prefer it that way and I do not have to feel bad for treating another beeing in a way that dosen't fit with my ethical beliefs. (And yes, sometimes I do things terrible wrong and loose my patience - the times it happens I feel realy bad for very long time afterwards. Sometimes so much that I think I should quit and give my horses to better horse people. And I am still very mild and sweet when I loose my temper...)

And finally some words about Franz visitor, the vet.

It did not work out! He got his vaccination, but no exam was made... The vet was not allowed to touch him without him reacting very strongly, trying to run away or twitching in his whole body everytime she made a move.

Poor Franz! 

In order to train him for future vet. visits I have invited some volounteer horse people that I know, so that we can practice of beeing handled by others than me. 

And next time, I will book another vet... I did not get a good feeling about this one, especially since I told her that Franz is very green and afraid of jerky movements and the first thing she does when she says hello to him is to quickly turn around, trying to hit Q when he wants to sniff her back. Franz, who was already scared got realy tensed and stressed. I will see if I can't find another one.