Hallo allemaal.
Het spijt me. Dit artikel wat ik de moeite waard vind om hier neer te zetten is in het Engels, maar hee, ik moet zo de door mijn vrouw gemaakte broodjes schwarma eten, dus heb echt geen tijd om et allemaal te vertalen, Okkie kan het geweldig
Het komt van de clickryders list.
Hello all!
I rarely post on this list for several reasons, the main one is that I don't belong to the clicker religion :) and it often leaves me puzzled in relation to the real world that i live in (deal with breeding stallions and broodmares who have higher priorities than being cute or looking for treats). Yet, I read most posts with a high level of interest because I have learned early on to become studious of what I (occasionally) disagree with and I avidly search for opportunities to learn something everyday. After what I am going to write here, I am probably going to get thrown out :), but here it goes. Please hear me out.
First I will say that the post below from Katie made more sense than most other stuff I have read on this list, probably because it is a better reflection on my understanding of horse training. All good training is actually "capturing the moment" of both the horse (that did it) and the rider (that elicited it)
I should introduce myself a little: I am a professional trainer, produced international horses in the 3 Olympic disciplines, but most importantly I have worked with/ridden/trained over 11,000 horses over the last 50 years. The great majority for amateurs riding ordinary horses and confronting ordinary problems that they needed fixed during the 3 days of the clinic. Usually, we made lasting deep changes and I have pages of testimonials speaking to that effect. All of that was done without ever using a clicker. I have also developped "endotapping" as a tool of emotional management.
However, 'operant conditioning' is a familiar and constant aspect of my training. This used-daily concept was best expressed by Etienne Beudant who was the most extraordinary horse trainer of the 20th century (before Nuno Oliveira who was my teacher). Beudant said: "Ask often, be satisfied with little, reward always". That elegant formula sums us positive re-inforcement and it has worked for me all those years.
I would like to bring several perspectives to the notion of horse training:
1 - As well explained by Katie, horse training is a physical performance that must satisfy the biomechanicals possibilities of the horse ("a good canter"). It is also a physical interaction of the horse with the rider and vice versa, as well as an emotional interaction in which the horse mirrors the feelings of the trainer.
In my view, the one to be "shaped" is primarily the trainer, not the horse. If the trainer does the right move that get the right result and aknowledges it instantly, the horse will never forget it and offer it again soon enough, just because it FELT GOOD physically and emotionally! (see Katie's explanation for a more 'clicky' explanation of same)
2 - Horses are most comfortable with clear leadership because they live in highly organized hierarchies in which they know their place and are not offered many choices. Choices are confusing and anxiety producing, while clear dominance is a state of peace. I own 15 mares and there is no question on how this dominance is delivered and received at each level of the hierarchy (15 degrees of ranking). My safety is ensured by the fact I have become the "top of the heap" by simply getting obeyed (in a friendly way) by the top mare without conflict. I know dead people who have ignored this fact.(literally got killed by an "innocent" squabble between 2 horses in a field).
As another note on this: all dressage moves are an imitation of natural dominance movements performed by colts interacting in a field - turns aound the forehand, around the croup, kneeling down, etc. - while most avoidance moves - rear, buck, kick, stop, etc.- are resistances to domination attempts by another horse. Going forward straight ahead or stopping when requested are the only true submission moves.
3 - Horsemanship is often re-discovered but rarely fundamentally re-invented, contrary to the great innovators' beliefs. True inventions are ADDITIONS to the past, not REVOLUTIONS. As such the history provides us with principles that can never be forgotten or sacrificed to the emergence of any new technique, however seductive it might be. These principles can be refined, not overturned. Clicker trainer is a great addition that by no way replaces established principles.
4 - As a result, training has to follow the holliest principle of them all: "Calm, Forward and Straight". It doesn't matter if you want to do dressage or not, each training session must seek the respect of this principle, otherwise it turns into a caricature of horsemanship that endangers both the horse and the rider. BTW, many attempts have been done over the years at "stationary training" (Flexions, "effect d'ensemble" - remisniscent of the Pilates effort) and have usually been negative in the long run, except when done by an expert (and experts avoid them usually because they know better).
5 - As a conclusion, hoping not to outstay my welcome, I suggest this:
~ Learn the basics of riding in a school before attempting horse training
~ Shape the rider and the horse will be fine
~ Look at dressage as a blue print for all riding. In old times, dressage was started after "l'equitation de campagne" (or riding in the countryside) was perfected. So trail riding is just dressage 101!
~ be the boss of your horses, they WILL thank you for it
~ remember that a horse with a good
attitude willing to comply in every situation is much safer and more productive than a horse who knows a million shaped behaviors and will always be short of the one you need RIGHT NOW.
When I recently moved farm, we had to load 8 mares and yearlings into a stock trailer, quickly as shippers don't wait. Only one of them took 10 minutes to load, the rest stepped right in, regardless of their total lack of experience. The next day, the 2 and 3 year old colts who HAD never travelled before, loaded instantly, wide eyed, but instantly and without being pushed. That is what I mean by ATTITUDE.
Thank for reading this and good luck in your endeveors.
JP Giacomini
www.baroquefarmsusa.comwww.equustv.com Piet
Diepte straalgroeven en holling zool hebben een voorspellende waarde!
Warboel
