"Knowing I need to listen, and knowing how to listen is not enough. Unless I want to listen, unless I have the desire, it won't be a habit in my life." Stephen R. Covey.
Well, Covey's quote could not be more appropriate to today's topic taken by Kristi, Bit of Savvy, where the emphasis is on whether a tool is a communication device or a mechanical way to hide one's inadequacies (otherwise known as torture devices)! It is worth noting that tool progression is for the horse and should be at the horse's pace - imagine trying to complete you Degree Finals with a crayon and blank piece of paper - the tools we were given to learn to write with as 2-3 year olds! It is the same for the horse as it is for the child learning to write - we need to move from the crayon to the pencil, then the pen with the paper becoming smaller and the lines closer together.
The horseman will use a bit for communication only. As the horse is a large emotional animal, it is unsurprising that man used a mechanical approach (bigger and harsher bits) to deal with horses, but as Pat Parelli says, "We don't want a bigger bit, we want a bigger brain (in the horse)".
Another of Pat's sayings is that "If you can't walk, trot, canter, stop and backup without using the reins, maybe you shouldn't be outside an arena". Harsh perhaps, but true none the less! So the progression for Parelli is:
- Halter + 12ft rein
- Hackamore
- Single jointed snaffle
- Double jointed snaffle (fluid rein)
- Cradle bridle - elastic nose band, big rings
- Cradle bridle - non-elastic nose band, small rings
- Western performance - bosalito and spade bit
- English performance - double bridle
- C1 for right brain extrovert where 'hand-holding' is required
- C2 for right brain introvert where a little 'hand-holding' is required, but no zone 1 block also
- C3 for left brainers where the extrovert is looking for a reason to brace and introverts to stop
Again, with my back still tender I spent more undemanding time with Roget. He doesn't seem to be getting bored and as grazing is his favourite pastime I think I am accumulating lots of emotional credits for later on! Not counting those chickens though!
No comments:
Post a Comment