3 horsemanship classes and a colt starting pictorial

nannygoat

Was enjoying the pic and never even noticed this...oops...

And while I am the first to point the finger at Pony Club for less than desirable policies, they do first and foremost have safey in mind for the riders. Helmets ect and would hope that the 'natural' style of horsemanship would consider promoting this, instead of wiping it off as hoo haa.

domingo

Hi SMR,
not your favourite horse trainer?
If a horse is relaxed, the tail is relaxed as well. No problem moving it around at all.

And - we are not starting the helmet discussion all over again, are we? Been there, done that.

Babe

Ditto about the hats...wouldnt you need to wear them for insurance purposes at least?
Lovely pics......and the last one I did laugh and then noticed the tail being pulled on.....lucky the horse is quiet is all I can think!

nannygoat

I would think that where children are concerned, you wouldn't stop thinking of their safety. Bit of an ignorant attitude really.

Babe

Agreed Nannygoat...we know how much children like copying their elders too

domingo

Hi NG,
all the children I see in the photos are wearing helmets.

As to copying their elders, have you never drunk alcohol or smoked a cigarette in front of a child? Kids know very well that there are different rules for adults and kids.

saltriver

Being able to lift a horses tail over its back shows that a horse hold no tension through out its body.
I encourage all my students to be able lift their horses tail up and over its back. If you watch a horse in play they naturally lift their tails up .

And as I am an experienced horsewomen I could read what this horse was presenting to me and he had no intention of moving of or leaving and he was totally comfortable with waht was being presesnted.

If he wasnt He would not have allowed this to happen.

With my style of teaching I encourage my students to be able to read a horses body language and energy.
Because being able to understand that is what keeps humans safe !

saltriver

PS I dont teach or do Natural Horsemanship

I just teach and do Horsemanship

cheers
Kellie

SMR

I am still having great difficulty appreciating any benefits from pulling a horse's tail over its back, Saltriver The only horses I have seen with their tails over their backs are Arabs. Isn't this rollkur of the tail??? I always believed that tails needed to be treated with care, being part of the spine.

I would be interested to hear a chiropractor's view on this.

saltriver

SMR, the benefits of lifting a horses tail is that the horse has to be fully relaxed through out its whole body and mind for a human to be able to do this , it is achieved with feel and timing. However difficult to explain in writing it is a feel thing.
May be I could teach you what feel to feel and what expressions to notice in a horse when acheiving this one day.
As is it a beneficial guage for the horse and the human when interacting with each other.