Recommended Reading?

Tots N Dots

Active Member
Nov 27, 2005
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Planet Pickle
we are planning to move house soon, which will mean me scaling down my working and able to spend more time concentrating on my youngster, (OH's idea, who am I to argue ;) )
I am expecting quite a dramatic response to this question with the availability of differing styles, but this is what is confusing me so much, I dont wish to follow a particular style per say, but if I am not aware of all the styles then I cant make an informed decision, so can anyone recommend a basic book/dvd from the Natural Horsemanship path that they are finding works best for them please? and if you can could you explain a little bit about why you find the path you have choosen works for you? sorry I know that this one is a bit of a toughy,

thank you :)

Bev
 
Chris Irwin...

Canadian author should be readily available online. he is HUGE into body language and how it affects us and them. I have seen him at work he is remarkable! He isn't into the dominance aspect as much as a lot of the other NHorsemen.

He has two books horses don't lie and dancing with your dark horse. I would recommend the first as the second is for problem horses and although it's a good read no point cramming more in then you need.

I have read monty roberts, parellie, and many others (although shamefully not Mark Rashid yet.. time to get my act together) and found Irwin's thoughts the easiest to apply.

So there is my 2 cents worth.. this one should go on for pages!!
 
thank you, to be honest people are being more reluctant than I thought, I am not wanting to insite a riot ;) , I just want to learn, If something bugs me then I start to question everything even more than normal :) , and having followed the Haute Ecole thread it has left me with the desire to further my education, :D
 
Here's my little list ( some of which you may well already own :) )

Perfect Manners and Perfect Partners by Kelly Marks - a really good starting point for anyone who wants to understand and get along with their horses better. Written in a nice down to earth and friendly style with loads of practical tips and good advice.

Everything by Mark Rashid - His books are written in a lovely easy style and story format and really make you think about and possibly see a lot of things in a different light. The personal stuff about living the rest of your life the way you live it with your horses isn't going to be everyone's cup of tea bt I found it very thought provoking.

Be With Your Horse by Tom Widdicombe. Where he is at is where I'd like to be, I've rarely read a book I agreed with so completely (for now at least :)).

There are others I've read and I know I ought to read more widely and probably will, but the above are my current favourites. I don't know if I've chosen or am following a path as such but I do like a lot of the IH stuff, I'm personally comfortable with the approach and I've tried bits of it myself and found they've worked very well in most instances. If someone like me can make it work then it must be OK:rolleyes:
 
Ok not meaning to hijack here - but what book to start with for mark Rashid? I see he has a few and would like to get the most broad one to get a taste for his standpoint etc to see if I want to go further :)

(sorry Dots!)
Shauna
 
Im in the middle of reading Kelly Marks Perfect Manners, and I highly recommend it. :)

I tried one the Monty Roberts books (cant remember the title) but found it quite hard going.
 
For a good background in training methods then Xenophon, there was a link to the on-line version.

I read everything I can get my hands on by Nuno Oliveira. I have tended to go down the classical route but with natural horsemanship principles thrown in.

Heather Moffett - classical, treeless and soon to be bitless. You can chat to her on Enlightened Equitation.Plus read her book.

I think reading as much as you can is excellent that why you can find something that appeals to you and that you feel you can work with.

Shadowlark -you can read any of Mark's books in isolation, although there is a chronology. If you want bitless and treeless you probably won't like him, but for common sense and workable solutions then I admire him greatly.There is a weblink to his site on one of my previous posts, you can get a brief synopsis of his books there.
 
Considering The Horse is as good as any to start with as it outlines his philosophy and where it came from, but it isn't critical to read them in order.
 
Shadowlark said:
Ok not meaning to hijack here - but what book to start with for mark Rashid? I see he has a few and would like to get the most broad one to get a taste for his standpoint etc to see if I want to go further :)

(sorry Dots!)
Shauna

no worries at all Shauna, the more imput the better, I have just got hold of one of Marks books, someone mentioned he is into martial arts, which kind of grabbed my attention :D , I just hope we sell the house soon then I can do the horses "full time", I think I felt that I was only just keeping my head above water with all the info, I would just get something sorted in my head and someone else would come along with another view and make the waves start, so its time to do something definite, make a plan of action and start swimming ;)
 
Tots n Dots

in December we had a new member of the family arrive - a 4 year old Eriskay mare. She's been backed using Silversands approach (by someone else), so I bought her jockey (my mother, obviously having her second childhood, and why not ! :D) a set of the Basic level videos, which come with a book.

This appears to be proving useful as rider is saying "oh so thats why she does X !" ;)

But I also have, in my library - Parelli packs level 1-3 (old) AND new level 1, all Mark Rashid books, some John Lyons books.....

Now with most people, backing horses or riding youngsters is quite advanced - so any material on youngsters tends to assume you have already got a certain level of knowledge.

I think it does depend a little what you are looking for - a "how to" of exercises ? an attitude and approach ?

Thats why I'd proposed the Miller book as a start - because there is so much material out there that you may want to focus for a while. And you need to choose something that is consistent with your values, way of thinking etc as that will make the learning easier..
 
The Miller is the best overall introduction, as mentioned by cvb, but if you want to apply stuff to your horse:
Rashid's first three books, but especially the third book, Horses never Lie.

Perfect Manners, plus Kelly Mark's earlier booklets on catching etc if that is your particular problem. Behaviourism at its best, clear, accessible and nice pictures. If you are a professional yourself or prefer a more businesslike, male tone, Richard Maxwell is another who developed the "Roberts" approach. The only guide book/trext book from Monty Roberts himself is, From My Hands to Yours.

I like Michael Peace - a UK trainer who comes close to Rashid's approach - Works with Police Horses and expert on de-spooking but he's a better trainer than he is writer perhaps. The Q and A Guide to Understanding your Horse. His DVD on de-sensitising to clippers is excellent. If I had a horse of my own and needed a trainer to sort it out, this would be the guy I would choose.

John Lyons if you are training and educating a young horse. But culturally American.

Perry Wood: Real Riding How to Ride in Harmony With Horses if you want to apply some of the NH thought to your riding.

Finally I would use the public library to read stuff and then just buy what you really want to have on hand.
 
cvb said:
I think it does depend a little what you are looking for - a "how to" of exercises ? an attitude and approach ?

this is my problem ;)
this may be long! :eek:
I am "fairly" experienced, I say fairly as I feel I am floundering due to a break from horses after a bad accident, and also had a couple of bad experiences from a horse and so called friends over the last 2 years, I suffer being a nervous nellie after the accident and a couple of so called friends have made me worse, its not easy to explain and I dont want to go into that much detail on a public forum ;) I have ended up doubting myself hugely,
BUT things have really improved immensely, I have a youngster (Bex) rising 3 and we have a brilliant relationship, he is very intelligent and sooo easy but he does keep me on my toes mentaly, he isnt my 1st youngster and I have done a lot of work previously with rescues, I have been following Monty Roberts/Richard Maxwell quite a bit since just before I got Bex,
Bex was backed at a Monty Roberts Demo last Friday, I now seem stuck as to what to do next, I feel that Bex needs to grow up before I do anything major, I will be tacking him up, walking him out in traffic etc all the usual things, but I wont be riding him, he is not ready yet, but he gets bored really easily, I want to play with him but I want this to be productive to his education, our friendship and stimulate his brain, he is such a chilled little chap but he works out situations so quickly, often on his own!
I find that Monty Roberts looks at the "bigger picture" so I think I want something to work to but not exclusively, I would love to teach him all sorts of things in hand, not really tricks but things that will carry through to his ridden work at a later date, but this isn't something I have done before so I have a lot of learning to do too, I dont know where to start and am a bit worried about getting it all wrong,

I also wanted to add, my values are that I want my horse to be happy, I want to be happy, but I dont like negative reinforcement of any kind, I want Bex and I to have a partnership based on trust and understanding, sorry if that is a bit broad and vague.

does that make any sense? :eek:
 
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lots of sense - I hadn't made the connection about Bex. Not sure it help[s me recommend a book tho :rolleyes:

A lot of the stuff I'm doing with mum's little pony is finally putting together everything I've learnt into simple commonsense things like installing a forward cue (in leading, lunging, riding etc), working on steering from the ground (online, longreining) so that it helps mum when she rides...

but its kind of culled from all over the place ... and this is my first real chance to put it into practice so I don't have the proof of the pudding yet ! (we've owned youngsters before but had formal lessons with other people).
 
Hi All,
Had to add my suggestions
Parelli 7 games video, this basic step by step set of games teaches you some basic lessons that expand into a greater knowledge/experience further down the track. The 7 games also teach the horse many valuable lessons that are not apparent at first. e.g. backing the horse by the nose is pre programming in a desirable response to nose pressure that can be later used in the saddle to control/alter the horses head position and teach a halt and or back up for bitless riding in the rope halter.
Having done the 7 games to a novice level, it became easier to understand what was happening between me and my horse, this experience helped in understanding later study/training from a range of sources. Over 10 years later and we still find more new things in the 7 games.

perhaps the most intersting book that added/refined aspects to extisting techniques was Finding the Magic by Dan Sumerel. IN our experience, Dan's initial round yard techniques got the ultimate desired result quicker and better than the other join up, hook on, whatever techniques. It was a major change to our round yard liberty work which we use as a starting point with every horse that comes onto the farm. The book also gives easy to read, follow and understand step by step program for basic Training. It is also a great autobiog and general read.
i started using the the Sumerel system, Sharon noted the sudden & permenate results with her appy colt (yes, she gave me her new baby to play with....) Sharon is really fussy about responsive training not re active training so she liked the techniques.
Dans techniques are based on a less is more mindset....a couple of the things were contrary to our usual methods, but the results have made us re think some things....that is a sign of a good book!
 
I have the birth to backing - richard maxwell - I found it really helpful - as with al books some work for you some doesn't - but I still find this one a good reference.

I am presently on maternity leave from the saddle so reading a lot more - I have taken to borrowing library books first to see if I find them useful before pruchasing.
My husband was moaning about my personal library getting too large - I buy so many, read them and then never look at thyem again- but, the birth to backing is one I often retuen to.
 
so I think I want something to work to but not exclusively, I would love to teach him all sorts of things in hand, not really tricks but things that will carry through to his ridden work at a later date, but this isn't something I have done before so I have a lot of learning to do too, I dont know where to start and am a bit worried about getting it all wrong,

you have just described Clinton Anderson's book 'Establishing Rerspect and COntrol for the English and Western Rider' perfectly ! After Mark Rashid's gentle stories to get you into the mindset, CA's gets you off to a flying start with exercises that work pretty much instantly to get your horse's attention, focus and respect. I just started two youngsters, and for the easier (gelding) this book was all we needed - no round pen, no fancy equipment, just a halter, schooling whip, enthusiasm and CA's clear teaching - with pictures ! It's not actually a colt starting book, so I can't really fault it that I needed more input (DVDs, videos, nice man to come help me for an hour :) ) with my pushy mare.

It's a good read too. And hte expression on the 'english' rider Cecilia's face is priceless !

oooh - I just thought - I rarely post in this section because I think I don't know what natural horsemanship is - it all just seems to me variations on 'common-sense, emotion-free, relationship-building by pressure-release and by moving his feet' so forgive me if Clinton Anderson doesn't count a NH trainer - I think he does, but not sure.

Kate
 
KateWooten said:
oooh - I just thought - I rarely post in this section because I think I don't know what natural horsemanship is - it all just seems to me variations on 'common-sense, emotion-free, relationship-building by pressure-release and by moving his feet' so forgive me if Clinton Anderson doesn't count a NH trainer - I think he does, but not sure.

Kate

dont worry, I have "done" a few youngsters, so that angle isn't so much the problem, I totally understand what you mean about the above, its always been a common sense thing to me too, my very 1st youngster, I was left to it as parents thought since they had paid £15 (yes fifteen pounds) for him, it didn't matter, I was 12 years old and he was a pony stallion, but when he was done to ride and drive and I (very quickly) outgrew him I got a couple of hundred for him, I didn't realise at the time but obviously something clicked in my Step Fathers head ;) and I was quickly bought another unbroken horse, this time my SF wanted to "help", I had endless arguments with him as my view was if the horse wanted to do it for me then half the work was done, my SF believed they will do it no matter if they want to or not, so its the mind set of partnership I was after on the basis of the books,
As 20 odd years have passed since then and there is alot more ideas and coverage of them, and once again I have a youngster I want to base things on something, and since I have had a bad couple of years I just want the back up of books for ideas and my instinct, (if that makes any sense at all?)

I get moaned at for the size of my book collection, I have birth to backing and think its great, its keeping Bexs' brain occupied too that I am after, he is a smarty pants, so if I can teach him specific things inhand to specific clues, while we are walking out in hand etc and he decides he is bored (this is when he gets a bit restless), we can "do" things as we go along so that it livens things up for his brain, kind of an insurence policy against a tantrum out on the road etc, sorry its really hard to explain typeing it, its funny as I had exactly the same issues with my son when he was the same age, so when out and he got bored we would speak sign language or count things in different languages, then he wouldn't throw a wobbly in Sainsburys, you may not believe me but Bex already knows the British sign language signs for food/eat, no, naughty and stop/wait, to name a few but it is only like understanding words such as stand, walk on etc, it just seems the more little things he learns the more eager he is, I am having to further my own education to keep up with him, I am just wondering how far I can take things with him but at the same time I want it all to benefit him in his ridden aspect, he certainly makes life fun, :)

I am looking into the books that have been mentioned, thanks everyone for your suggestions so far,
 
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