Treats

Pro-natural

In natural horsemanship treats are used as an incentive. Have you ever met a horse who thought everything you did was boring until a treat was involved? What about a horse who thought feeding time was the end of the world and would try to run you over unless you got the feed out in record time? Well this is the kind of horse that needs an incentive to do what you want them to do. Otherwise you will have to force them and you should know by now that natural horsemanship is a force-less training method.

Con-ventional

Conventional riders give their horses treats, but for the wrong reasons. When using treats as an incentive with horses you have to consider the horse's personality and not assume every horse will think of a treat as an incentive. The word incentive is the key. If you are only giving treats because you think your horse will like you more then that is known as a bribe. If you want to bribe your horse to like you then good luck. One day the treats won't hold the power you thought they did and then what will you do?

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Cashel Just Rewards Treat Pocket - $9.95 The Cashel Just Rewards Treat Pocket is a discrete pocket that straps to your belt allowing you to carry your horse’s favorite treat. Hook and loop closures make it sturdy and easy to open and close.

Ginger Ridge Meadow Mints Horse Treats - $10.59 Ginger Ridge Meadow Mints Horse Treats. All natural crunchy and delicious oven baked treat for horses or ponies. Made without excess sugar Meadow Mints are perfect as a treat or reward.

Visit our website for more information on clinicians, training tools, and a better relationship between you and your horse.

www.NaturalHorseRider.com

Sticks and Whips

Pro-natural

Sticks are very common in the natural horsemanship world. A training stick is an extension of your human body. Horses have long bodies where humans have tall bodies. This is due to the fact that horses have four legs and humans only have two. Trying to match the length of your body to your horse's body can prove difficult and usually results in an accident. Having an extension that can reach out above and around your body can keep you at a safe distance should your horse become excited.

With that said, training sticks are a useful tool in the saddle to encourage turning, speeding up, and respecting the pressure of your leg. Training sticks are not meant to be used with excessive force or in an abusive manner.

Con-ventional

Whips are common in the conventional riding world. They come in different sizes and have many names. Crops, Halter whips, Dressage whips, bats, over and unders, etc. Whips are meant to aid the pressure of your leg (i.e. the horse doesn't go faster when you squeeze with your leg so you tap his rump with your whip). The problem with whips is that people don't just use them to reinforce their leg ques. Instead of training a horse to be more sensitive to leg pressure a conventional person uses a whip to make their horse go faster. Whipping does nothing but reiterate that humans are predators and horses are prey. Would you run faster if someone was whipping you? Of course, but would you still love and respect that person after they stopped. Not likely. Humans are not allowed to touch their dogs in an agility ring and yet a barrel racer is allowed to whip her horse every stride...

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Stacy Westfall Stick and String - $42.95 Stacy Westfall Stick and String this must have product is used during horse training and aids in natural horsemanship techniques. This light weight aid is perfect for extended use by any trainer.

Visit our website for more information on clinicians, training tools, and a better relationship between you and your horse.

www.NaturalHorseRider.com

Halters

Pro-natural

Rope halters have been associated with natural horsemanship for a long time. The pro is that they help teach horses to release to pressure. The knots are placed near pressure points to encourage horses to release once the pressure point is squeezed otherwise the pressure will cause discomfort (Horses do not like being uncomfortable any more than humans do). Once a horse understands how to release to pressure he will be less likely to explode and cause injury to himself and those around him. Plus, your horse will become sensitive to pressure which leads to a better partner; the goal of any natural horse rider.

Con-ventional

Nylon and leather halters are the norm in the conventional horse world. The halter above is being used to restrain a horse's head in cross-ties. The con with these halters is that horses do not respect the pressure points caused by them. If a horse pulls back in this kind of a halter the the fact that it is flat does not make him want to stop pulling back. The same with if a horse tries to rush forward. The noseband is flat and does not apply enough pressure to cause the horse to think about releasing from it (i.e. stop pulling back and rushing forward). Horses should release to pressure. If they don't they will not survive unscathed for very long while living with humans.


Ready to become a Pro?

Weaver Diamond Braided Rope Halter & Lead - $16.95 Simple and affordable the Weaver Diamond Braided Rope Halter and Lead is durable and withstands day after day of use. Made from a continuous piece of poly rope with hand knotted construction this halter and lead has no metal or breakable parts

Visit our website for more information on clinicians, training tools, and a better relationship between you and your horse.
www.NaturalHorseRider.com