Letters of the Month

LETTER OF THE MONTH:

June 2006

Dear Sylvia: Many, many thanks for taking the time to work with us and our two Tennessee Walking Horses in a private two-day intensive training program at your beautiful Whispering Way Farm. Over the years, I have attended a number of natural horsemanship clinics, read lots of NH books, and seen numerous NH videos...but none of those compare to having watched you work with horses and communicate with them at their level of understanding!

Each well-known NH trainer I've had the pleasure to meet and observe in the past has provided a "piece" of the training puzzle for me, and I've been able to pick up elements of techniques that have helped me with my horses over time. However, it wasn't until I watched you work one-on-one with our horses that the "light bulb came on" and I could see without a doubt how important (and, sadly, lacking in the work we've done previously with our horses) the "fundamentals" of good communication and support are in successful, long-term horse training. It was interesting to see how you are able to differentiate (by observing the horse's facial and body expressions and reactions) between a horse that's being resistant or one that's simply confused and in need of extra help. How you acted upon that understanding seemed to make a huge difference in how each horse responded to training!

And one MAJOR difference I noted between your horse training methods and those of every other well-known NH trainer is how you use your *entire* body to communicate with the horse - WOW!  I'd watched a program on TV some time ago that featured an autistic woman who had worked with the cattle industry to make the handling of beef cattle easier on the cattle based on her observation that cattle reacted to external stimuli much as someone with autism might react. I then started looking at our horses to see if they, too, reacted in similar ways. Sure enough I could see the horses (also prey animals, as are cattle) responding to sounds, light, movements, posture and more, in ways that resembled responses I'd seen from autistic children and adults I've known over the years.

Then during our private 2-day intensive training session with you I saw you training horses by using your body in ways that would enhance communication with a "reactionary" individual -- never staring at the horse's face when encouraging bonding; using big sweeping movements of your arm -- with a soft, leading posture -- to ask for a turn when driving the horse on a lead rope; looking away from the horse and extending an arm with soft, bent fingers to encourage following; becoming stiffer through your body and/or pointing at a specific area of the horse's body in order to have the horse move that part of its body away; making yourself "big" (extending arms, and adding lots of movement) to get the horse to stay out of your space; avoiding vocalizations -- other than soothing a confused or fearful horse, etc. These actions really made the concept of "pressure and release" come into focus. How many people are out there training their horses today who really don't understand the great depth of what constitutes pressure to a horse and what doesn't, beyond the well-worn mantra of give-and-take with a rope or rein, and turning one's body away from the horse for a right action.

Your two-day private intensive training assistance (which included fixing "holes" in foundation fundamentals such as respectful leading, de-spooking, yielding to pressure, and so much more) demonstrated many wonderful concepts and techniques we could use as a part of the continued training and partnership with our horses. There were so many valuable tips and suggestions given during those two days that it will take some time to mentally process all of the information, but the information *does* come back during each practice session at home. And more than that -- MUCH more -- your hands-on training and excellent explanations/commentary about each action/reaction helped us to be better observers of horses and their behaviors, taking training beyond the obvious external reactions and physical communication toward a meeting of minds. We'll be working with our horses to help them think and THEN react in a safe, calm way, thus allowing us to become better "leaders" of our horses -- and I suspect that's exactly what our horses want most (beyond food and shelter) from us as their human herd! Thanks so much!

K.C. Shore

Seaford, Delaware

LETTER OF THE MONTH:

June 2006

Hi there again, Sylvia. I would just like to thank you for the excellent book that you co-wrote - Gentle Solutions. It is wonderful!! So is your web site, too, but I've already told you that before. I just can't praise you enough, Sylvia. You are such an inspiration to others to want to train their horses the way you do. I am really interested in becoming a Natural Horsemanship trainer, probably won't ever be as brilliant as you, but just trying out things I've learned from your web site and the book (and using the NH halter and lead I bought from you). It just amazes me when the horse responds exactly as you describe.

Anyway, thank you very much (again) for taking your precious time to share your life experiences with horses and training techniques with us mere mortals!! You are a total credit to the 'horsy-world'.

Kindest Regards,

B. L.

England

LETTER OF THE MONTH:

June 2006

Sylvia, I just wanted to share a cute story that also points out a training concept. I have four horses, all geldings, and our biggest guy is definitely herd leader. Yesterday my wife watched as he led two of the other horses one-by-one to the water tank. It was almost like he was saying, “Ok, time for you guys to get a drink.” After one horse drank, he went and led the other to the tank and he drank also. The leader did not drink until the other two had finished. The training principal that my wife observed was that when either horse tried to go off in a different direction the leader cut them off, keeping them headed for the water tank. He did not do it with force, not biting, kicking, etc. just an insistence that they go where he wanted them to go. I think we can all learn a lot just by watching how our horses relate to one another, and if we can emulate what we see them doing in our training I think we will have better results. Just wanted to share.

R. C.

Milaca, Minnesota

LETTER OF THE MONTH:

June 2006

Dear Sylvia: I love your web site and all its helpful information. It also helped me find a local trainer [in northern Virginia] who knows natural horsemanship techniques. I just started working with her for my horses and she is truly a gift! Thank you for all you do on horses' behalf and for your listing of natural horsemanship trainers around the country. Best wishes for continued success!

L. D. L.

Falls Church, Virginia

LETTER OF THE MONTH:

June 2006

I thought I'd let you know how I am doing after I asked your advice about my appy x Andalucian filly who was suffering form separation anxiety.

She is now a happy, relaxed member of her herd and is also happy to come play with me knowing she's always going back to her pals, she's likely to be going for a nice walk with one of her pals and there is nice tasty grub and affection available with all her pals in sight.

It took a while as she was unable to cope with horses being in view and not being with her, but this was inevitable as I don't own the other horses. She enjoys traveling in her box to shows and meets her pals on walks.

I bought a mirror and begged the other horse owners to let me play with their horses, bringing them in and grooming them, taking them for walks so my horse got used to them coming and going whilst having another with her, then progressing to short spells on her own with her pals in view.  I had been practising this previously, but I believe she was feeling very vulnerable losing her old pal and needed time to recover.

I'm very lucky to have a little star who wants to spend time playing with me and enjoys being in the field with her pals (and having owners willing to let me use their horses to help).

Thank you for reminding me to think and think again of their welfare. I try always to keep her welfare in mind but unfortunately it is very difficult to arrange this in every situation but you always have to try harder.

C. H.

England

LETTER OF THE MONTH:

June 2006

Hello, hope this email finds you and your family well. I trailered my [former trailer loading problem] big mare on Saturday to a local schooling show, about 50 miles from home. She walked right in early in the morning and did the same to come home mid-afternoon. She captured a 1st and 4th place in English Flat Classes. My confidence is so much better now just knowing that she will most likely load and if she hesitates, I have the knowledge of what to do next. We still hope to visit your farm in June - Will call before coming by for a visit. Thanks so much and we look forward to meeting you very soon! Best,

N. S.

Easley, South Carolina

LETTER OF THE MONTH:

June 2006

Congratulations and much success on your new center. I have enjoyed your email newsletters and learned so much from what you and the other trainers shared at the Hume clinic last year. Your website and emails are extraordinary. They are filled with valuable, insightful information. Thank you for being such a wealth of knowledge and source of inspiration.

T. G.

Marshall, Virginia

LETTER OF THE MONTH:

June 2006

I have just bought my first horse (a life-long dream; I'm 55!) and am finding your website very helpful!

C. C.

Freeport, Nova Scotia, Canada

LETTER OF THE MONTH:

June 2006

Hello. I just want to thank you for your help with my pony. I have started doing what you said and it works, so thank you again. What you do is fantastic. When I finish school, I want to do just what you do, helping horses and humans. Thank you!

S. N. (13-years-old)

Australia

If you have a horse problem or question and you

don't see it addressed in TRAINING TIPS or if you

would like to share your success story with our

natural horsemanship training methods...

Contact Sylvia Scott

Email: Sylvia@NaturalHorseTraining.com

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