Is Natural Horsemanship an Oxymoron?
ByThat phrase – Natural Horsemanship – is beginning to affect me like fingernails on a chalk board because there’s very little that any of us do with a horse that is truly natural. I suppose if we never had an agenda – a human agenda – we might be able to call what we’re doing natural. But agendas are part of the process of learning and teaching. Monty Roberts refers to his work as non-violent horsemanship. I suppose one could call it compassionate horsemanship. Or respectful horsemanship. Or maybe don’t call it anything at all. Just do it in a manner that is best for the horse, not necessarily the human, working from the other end of the lead rope.
Author/clinician Dale Rudin writes on the subject much better than I could, certainly more succinctly. And conceptually everything she says applies to all of our relationships, not just those with horses. Her words:
I have my own opinion about Natural Horsemanship, one I’d like to share with you. First of all, I don’t think that anything that we do with our horses is natural. The only thing that is natural for horses is to live in feral herds and have absolutely no contact with humans whatsoever. That said, if we want to continue to have horses in our lives, and I certainly do, then horses are obligated to be under our influence. We breed them, house them, and train them for our purposes. I don’t think that that is a bad thing at all. Without our passion, love, and enjoyment of equines there would no longer be any place for them in our modern industrialized world.
So what is Natural Horsemanship?
Is it the rope halter? The stick? The lead? The games? Do you need special equipment to build a relationship with your horse?
Absolutely not. Horses are pretty simple creatures with simple needs. We humans tend to complicate things. It doesn’t matter what we call it. What really matters is how we treat them.
Let’s treat them in a way that is the most beneficial by providing them with the most natural, low-stress, and enriching life as possible. Let’s turn them out so that they get the free exercise for physical and emotional well-being, breathe fresh air, eat off the ground, and socialize with other horses.
Let’s leave them barefoot, trim them properly for healthy hooves and reduce the incidence of soreness and degenerative hoof diseases. Let’s feed them properly and understand the connection between nutrition, performance, metabolic function, physical comfort, and overall health. Let’s choose equipment for fit and functionality. Let’s allow these horses to move and use their bodies the way nature intended, enhance their natural gaits, and help them develop their amazing athletic ability.
Let’s educate ourselves as riders, handlers, and caretakers of these magnificent animals.
Dale Rudin
http://www.dale-rudin-horse-training.com/
Check out the way our herd lives 24/7. Click the above photo.
Joe
I loved this post! I am so grateful for the all sharing Joe and Kathleen have so freely given in the genuine care of horses. We, my horse and I, have benefitted greatly since I read “The Soul Of A Horse”. One of the things the book spoke to me about was the importance of researching and discovering what the genuine needs of a horse are, from physical, mental and emotional, and then doing my best to fulfill them. The results are already incredible and it’s only been about 1 month. One of the things I’ve changed is my agenda. I try not to have one. This has improved our relationship immensely. The best part of all of this is that I am taking care of my horse in the way I’ve always wanted to, by being kind, gentle, and respectful! I had often been told I was not “tough” enough in regards to my horse, now I don’t have to be. Thank you Joe and Kathleen! Especially thank you for all of the great website links.
So right you are! That’s the way I have felt about that phrase since the first time I heard it. The world of horses and horse people does not need our own version of corporate-speak.
Well said Anna, that’s exactly how I feel. Being new to “owning” a horse I don’t have a lot of baggage to get rid of–I’ve more easily adapted to doing the new stuff(revelations) without questioning it. It just seems right. I’m very grateful to pass on the information to others. Thanks to Joe and Kathleen’s inquiring minds–they’ve saved us a lot of trial and error.
Joe, I like this post. I agree you don’t need special equipment to build a relationship with your horse. When I first got Savannah who is an 20 year Quarter Horse Mare, she was gentle but not real trusting of people as she had it her mind all humans came just to ride her. It took a couple of months to build a solid relationship with her and to gain her trust. When I would go to see her, I would just spend quality time with her developing friendship and trust. I would encourage her to follow me around without any halter or lead very much the same way I would work with my dogs. She came around and found out that I was there as her friend and now she trusts me completely. I don’t have to use a lead to call her in. When she see me she comes trotting in with the look on her face that says “my friend Bob is here.” That means a lot to both me and her. Her stress level is very low because of our relationship and she is much happier. She is more willing to go for a ride now as it is fun to her and not a chore. She speaks to me and when I say “Savannah, do you want a teat?” she will reply with low voice that tell me “yes”. It doesn’t take a lot of effort to show love, affection, and care for a horse. They appreciate it and reward you with their friendship and trust. To me see her happy in the field with other horses and the turn around in her live is all the reward I need. We look forward to our daily encounters. The article was great and that is the way we keep our horses.
It isn’t natural and to call anything that involves pointing at a horse trailer in order to get a horse to cheerfully load himself is not natural. Horses do not load themselves into trailers. It is, by definition, unnatural to them.
I find “non-violent” a little odd as well. There are plenty of non-violent ways to start a horse. They may not be as effective in creating a relationship, but you can very quietly start a Thoroughbred yearling by grooming him, tacking him up in his stall, having someone lead you around while you lean over his back, and then sitting upright.
Yes it’s that simple, and yes it’s very common in the the racing world. I’ve never in my life seen someone break a horse using the methods described by Monty Roberts as “common.”
That being said, I believe in the barefoot lifestyle, feed only natural feeds, keep my horses out as much as possible, and am using Join-up. I just don’t think any of it needs a copyrighted label – that makes me suspicious of the author’s motives.
Joe –
I really love your book, your web site, and your approach to horse care – it’s inspirational, and I find it speaks to me because I am an older person who came to horses late in life too.
However, I am sorry to see you get on the bandwagon of “Natural” nay-sayers. It seems to me that this trend has been en vogue for the last couple of years. I believe that Pat Parelli is widely acknowledged as the coiner of this term. He says that before that, Ray Hunt and the Dorrances, among others, referred to their unconventional, non-violent, and “from the horses viewpoint” perspective as “it”. As in, “did you hear that trainer XYZ is doing ‘it’ now”.
So, while it can be intellectually argued that anything we do with a horse is unnatural, I think we can also agree that having humans attempting to care for and communicate with horses from what is closer to the horses perspective is far more natural than what we had before.
It’s not just a question of the absolute nature of the naming, it’s also a matter of it’s relative nature and it’s context. To me, communicating with a horse in the relatively new understand/reward/gentle style is lots more natural than the old dominate/punish/break the spirit style of horsemanship.
Just my 2 cents worth…
Sorry to be a late-comer, but just found the site a month or so ago….have given the book as gifts numerous times to people that love horses – and believe it should be required reading for all horse owners.
I’d like to comment on the term “natural.” I will admit, I use “Parelli” methods – not because I think that method is the ONLY way, or the only RIGHT way – and I didn’t even really think of it specifically as “Natural Horsemanship.”….
I really kinda thought “Natural Horsemanship” was an approach that could be relatively applied to numerous great “horse enterprises” – which includes Parelli, Monty, Clint, and yes,now even Joe……not because it is a “patented”,
black-white “way” – but is simply an attempt to keep the transactions using the horse’s nature, as much as possible. This, as opposed to mechanical means, articificial environments, “additives” or “improvements” (NOT) to the horse’s pure form.
What I know, for a fact, is that as a little girl on a farm, we had horses who were used to doing work; plowing, pulling – and yes, tolerating and toting a kissing, hugging, shy, barefoot, ADHD, little sister around, listening to her dreams of running wild-horse fast on their backs. Maybe that isn’t “natural” – but it certainly wasn’t UN-natural…..and all those horses knew it. And I know they knew it was about as “natural” as possible with that little girl is because, until I was an adult who met her first “traditionally”, 4-H show-trained horse, I literally did not know that a horse was a prey animal. Because when they were around me – that little kid – they weren’t.
So, I bought my first horse again after, oh – 20 – 25 years or so, as an adult….and this horse had NOT been trained using “Natural Horsemanship” methods. Parelli and Clint were SCOFFED at at the barn. “Useless”, “You can’t let a horse get away with that”, “Sticks and strings tricks”…..”What you really gotta do is…..” Well, because it had been a long time since I had been a little natural girl, I thought these folks probably knew more than me. And away I went with this horse. He was afraid to go out of his paddock. The road terrified him. He was nervous away from other horses. And, the first time I took him on a trail ride, in unfamiliar surroundings – he literally ran for his life……with me on him. My FIRST experience with an UN-Naturally trained horse.
Continuation from Janet:
So, I started looking for help. I believed he was a good horse. I believed it was probably “my” fault – that I didn’t see whatever it was that scared him, that it was something I needed to do differently. I read, I asked, I talked, I searched, I cried, gave up, started again…..and all with trainers and “horse” experts who were openly disdainful of any of the names I mention above. And my horse continued to hate me, and be scared of anything I asked him to do.
So, in a final act of desperation – (for I had come to the point that I had actually listed him for sale – because it was clear that none of the 10+ trainers and host of individual horse owners had helped me know what to do differently – and I knew he deserved to be with someone who understood him better) – I attended an “Natural Horsemanship” event. For the first time, I began to hear language that gave me a glimpse into how a horse looks at things. For the first time, I got some clues as to what I might could do differently that would build on the horse’s nature – instead of using a tie-down or a long-shank or a yank……..I understood optional methods I HAD NEVER HEARD OF IN MY ENTIRE NATURAL AND UN-NATURAL LIFE!
And it was like someone had opened the door from the dark room I was wandering around in – and I could see a way out into the light!
So, I adopted the methods. I began to do “the speak”, thinking in the framework the “Natural Horsemanship” trainer used. Because it was A way, it was a GOOD way, and it was on the road back to the NATURAL way I had been many years before.
Continuation from Janet – #3.
So Joe, I completely understand your comment that the term “Natural Horsemanship” can be a source of dis-connection. But I personally don’t think it’s because any single NH method or vendor is to blame…..I think it’s because human beings have a tendency to need to be RIGHT, and determine that “others” are NOT right. I am a learning horseman – but I am a professional Human Resources Director – and through the years, I’ve seen it time and again. People cannot stand it others don’t do things EXACTLY LIKE them. People can’t stand it if others don’t approve of them, or if they don’t walk in lock-step.
The truth of the matter is, there is more than one way through life. And many of those ways are as good as others, or end up at teh same place, and are similar paths. What I think is important is that we give each other grace where we can….that we allow that what resonates best wtih you may not resonate the same way with me…..but that doesn’t mean that I should negate your needs or approach – and vice versa. As long as we are “both” trying to follow the path of what is “right” – (and in this case specifically, I am talking about the having-horses-in-our-lives path) – that is, treat them with the respect that they deserve, and try and not “change” them to meet our industrial, militant, control-oriented needs, I would like very much if we can allow that there is room for any and all methods that uses non-violence, “natural” and horse-centric approaches.
I recently heard a minister who visted a “3rd world” country who was offering support to the churches trying to get a foothold in that country. when asked what are the greatest challenges those first generation churches face, their answer was, themselves. Because once we all kinda start believing the same thing, then we suddenly start finding fault with the very believers we once felt kinship with. Because humans have a tendency to want everyone to think about things exactly the same way……
let’s not be guilty of this among ourselves. I think our boundary-less support of the overriding goal of “keeping it as natural as possible” should be the lubricant for the minor differences.
Joe, I am a supporter. Love the site, love the perspective, love the push in support of horses. I continue to look to understand the soul of my horse.
Thanks for your forebearance to this long post!
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving. I’m grateful for horses and ALL of us who are trying.
I’ve never forgotten a comment by a newspaper comic strip character from waaay back (most of you are probably too young to remember) Pogo. The comment: We found the enemy and he is us. Janet, your comment brought that quote immediately to mind. But I also believe that some clinicians (not just of horses) know that what you say is true and use it to bring folks into their way of looking at things (sometimes to never leave). I prefer encouraging others to see the strengths within themselves, to trust themselves, to not be their own worst enemy. – Joe
Ahhh, music to my ears. Simply common sense. I appreciate your definition of natural horsemanship being about our relationship with the horse. There is another level that I would like to mention as well. Because we are human, we tend to project our own feelings and needs onto our horses. We make up stories about what is best for them based on what is best for US. We need to educate ourselves about what horses actually need and develop our awareness about how our human psychology sometimes gets in the way. We model our relationships with our horses after the habits and relational conditioning we received in our families growing up. It is important to build enough awareness in ourselves and our own relational patterns, so we can have clean relationships that have the horse’s best interest at heart. Learn more about relational horsemanship at http://www.interplayhorsemanship.com.
Ahhh, so true… I’m guessing you haven’t read The Soul of a Horse :)
Ohhhh!!! I sent this to Joe Camp! I love Dale Rudin’s ‘no poopy’ approach! Thanks for posting this!
Hi Joe,
I loved your book and shared it with my horsey and non-horsey friends. They loved it too. You have a genuine way with words. You made me laugh and smile, and think. You put me right there with you and Kathleen during your travels. Thank you for bringing your story to print and sharing it with the world.
But I whole heartedly disagree with you on this point. Are you looking at natural horsemanship from within or without? It’s not about the rope halter, the stick, the lead or the rope. It’s about putting the relationship first. It’s about putting the dignity of the horse first. At least that’s what I’ve learned from the Parelli’s.
During a time when some horses are being cast aside like trash…forgotten, neglected, abused, overbred…I am grateful for the Parelli’s. They have kept me safe and sane since I fulfilled my childhood dream of bringing this noble creature into my life. Mine is a dream that could have turned into a nightmare quite easily. Of all the horses I picked one that while gentle natured, proved to be quite challenging for me. I wasn’t raised around horses and did not have the benefit of having a horsewise person around to help me. And I observed all the horseman out there; every method, every approach. But only one truly aligned with my heart, naturally, from the beginning. It mades sense to me, but more importantly it reminds me that learning is a lifelong process. It should never end. We can always learn something new.
Everyday Duke teaches me something. Everyday he gives me a little gift. I consider myself lucky to have found him. He keeps me humble, and reminds me of what’s really important.
Someone once told me that when it comes to advice and guidance, generally people don’t appreciate it unless it has value. Free advice isn’t always free, and the best advice comes with its own price.
When it comes to horses, I’ve learned there are as many opinions out there as there are horses. Everyone’s an expert, everyone has the right way. But, thanks to Parelli I found a way to be with a horse that applies not just to horses, but to all my relationships…through love, language and leadership in equal doses. Do you know anyone who wouldn’t benefit from that?
Don’t know where we are in disagreement Dona.