nhg
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Post by nhg on Nov 9, 2014 21:21:57 GMT
I think I've read all of his books and I've just started reading them over again. One of the most important things, in my opinion, that he says is the following. It was originally told to him by the old horseman that taught him much of what he knows and got him started on his path to being a natural horse trainer.
"Once you understand how a horse communicates you can understand how he thinks. Once you understand how he thinks, you can understand what's important to him. And that's the key. Anybody can force a horse to do what they want but if you force him to do it, it won't be important to him to do it right. He'll do it almost right some of the time. He'll do just enough to get by. But if you show him what you want and then reward him when he does it right, it will become important to him to do the right thing every time."
Of course, a reward is often just stopping what you're doing. For example, you're trying to teach your horse to cross over his front feet as the start of training him to spin. He crosses one foot over. It's a baby step but the reward is that you let him stop doing that and do something else. Then you go back to it and ask for it again. So often I see a horse being asked to do something and when they do it the rider just keeps asking. The horse gets confused thinking it hasn't done it right. There's no reward. A reward can also just be a gentle pat. |
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hugs
Junior Member
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Post by hugs on Nov 10, 2014 3:29:25 GMT
I love his books and yeah I re-read them on a regular basis. They are definitely addicting.
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mistersmom
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Abita Springs, LA
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Post by mistersmom on Nov 10, 2014 14:02:42 GMT
Wise words and something to remember when working with our horses.
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nhg
Junior Member
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Post by nhg on Nov 10, 2014 15:03:37 GMT
What I don't like in his books is that he'll talk about seeing someone abuse a horse as an example of what not to do and why but he never mentions interfering. He even talks about a horse being abused for half an hour. Horses being beaten with shovels, all kinds of horrible situations but not once has he said he spoke to the person or tried to help.
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nhg
Junior Member
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Post by nhg on Nov 11, 2014 16:14:54 GMT
I always jump in when I see abuse. Thank goodness I've rarely experienced it or I might get my butt kicked one of these days. One woman had brought a horse to the barn we used to board at. He was a training horse and wasn't even hers. He didn't want to load in the trailer after and she was getting more and more frustrated. Finally she backed him away from it and started whipping the crap out of his legs. I ran over and told her if she didn't stop I'd call the SPCA and she and I had an argument. I also told her I'd tell the owner what she was doing because I'd gotten the name from another woman there that was trying to help. I hope I never see a bad situation involving an animal because I don't think, I just react.
On another note, in BC a couple of years ago some freak beat his dog almost to death for crapping on the carpet in the apartment he was keeping it in. He took the beaten dog and threw him in the garbage bin outside. I can't remember if the dog survived or not but the guy was charged and given six months and isn't supposed to own another pet for a certain period of time. We have lame animal abuse laws. Well, he murdered a woman this past week. Our lawmakers really need to do something about the laws against this. Even if they don't care about animals it shows a level of cruelty and sadism that should be addressed in a person. I wouldn't want to live next door to someone who'd poured acid on a dog or cat or some other horrible, sickening act. But I'd live next door to someone who wrote some bad checks. Put people in jail for things that matter and take a look at how sick they are and do something about it. |
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hugs
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Post by hugs on Nov 27, 2014 17:13:22 GMT
I'm re-reading another of his books, "Considering the Horse" and I thought I'd quote from it because its a direct "response" to your concern why Mark doesn't intervene when someone is mistreating a horse.
"But if the man doesn't know he's doing something wrong", I questioned, "how will he ever be able to correct himself?"
"He won't", the old man replied. "And I'll make money off his horses for the rest of my life"
"Wouldn't it make more sense to help the man learn how not to make the mistakes, instead of him ruin horse after horse?" I asked.
"I'll tell you a secret about people, " he said, leaning on his saddle horn. "You can't help somebody who doesn't want to be helped, especially when it comes to them and their horses."
As I walked into the barn to start my chores, it suddenly came to me what he was talking about. In all the time I'd known the old man I had never once seen him offer advice to anybody on how they should be handling their horse, even when the slightest bit of information from him could have helped tremendously. It was the same reason why he had ignored the thoroughbred that was acting up in the barn at the boarding stable. The woman didn't ask for his help to settle the horse down, so he offered none. In order for her to have asked for help, she first had to admit that she was doing something wrong. Most people don't like to admit that and will often take offense when help is offered. So instead of running the risk of offending the woman and in turn perhaps making things even worse for the horse, he simply did nothing at all.
There is that risk and so of course how can we help the animal and the person, that's tricky since we all know how egoladen many people treat their animals.
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Post by horselady on Nov 28, 2014 1:02:18 GMT
I will not stand by and watch an animal or child be abused, i do not care if that person is going to ask me for help or not. by the time that person reacts in the negative to the point of being abusive, they are not going to ask for help.
I was at a show. fancy schmancy, and big trailers and fancy handlers. i and my little tb and old truck that was hidden in the rear of the building.
i was walking to get something out of the trailer and i came upon a girl wacking her horse. i grabbed the crop and asked her why she was doing that. she told me her trainer told her to do it. well i was appalled and i asked to have her show me the trainer. and i told her to hug her horse and never beat that horse again or i was going to wack her.
she took me to the trainer and i promptly slapped her across the back with the crop. i thought she was going to call the police or have be removed from the show grounds. she had no chance to speak. i did all the talking.
as for mark rashid. after hearing of his remarks about watching abuse and not interfering i think i will not read the books.
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hugs
Junior Member
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Post by hugs on Nov 28, 2014 14:12:01 GMT
If you've never been physically threatened by interfering then I can understand your reaction. God bless me, I have been threatened and actually hit (not hard enough to do anything but hurt, it was nearly comical) but it just encourages me to be more creative in how I react to a very reactive situation.
You see, what I've figured out is that when a person is treating another poorly they are being emotionally reactive, they aren't thinking nearly at all. If I go in there reactive, then I'm feeding into that negative energy stream. I've found that in some instances if I stand nearby within their sight line as calmly and nonjudgmental as I can with a look of concern for the perpetrator. I want to divert their attention from their inner turmoil and out to where they can see themselves from the outside. Sometimes I get a "WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU LOOKING AT?!". Sometimes embarrassment. In any case I smile quietly and respond, "Are you okay? Do you need help with anything?"
Why would I give my attention to the person "doing the damage"? Because if they stop then the victim will be okay at least for the moment I'm there. And if they learn something, at least to stop doing that in public, then that victim has a way out and safety and can go from there, somehow. And the private beatings go on and on and we don't/can't do anything about it EXCEPT BY EDUCATION.
And Mark Rashid's books educate folks on how to treat others through working with their horses with respect, sensitivity and patience. You could argue perhaps that he is speaking to the choir but if those that are not already singing "Respect" are surrounded by those that are, then aren't they more likely to alter their behavior and then through that their mindset and on and on and generation after generation?
So while I wish we could all put on our capes and tights and go out and end abuse directly, we must not think that it is the only way or the best way in all cases. Because if we limit ourselves to using a hammer for every fix, we'll be woefully ineffective and by that, support the continuation of abuse. And none of us want to do that.
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nhg
Junior Member
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Post by nhg on Nov 28, 2014 15:16:40 GMT
If I see someone abusing an animal, reason goes out the window. I don't care if it's effective or not, I will not stand by and allow abuse to happen right in front of me. One of the horses Mark mentions in his book is a horse he knew from before and he stood there and allowed the horse to be abused by someone that didn't know anything about it and it's training and was frustrated and he didn't say anything.
If someone is going to ignore you at least you've tried and they might continue to act like a jerk in front of you but they just might go home and do things differently. You have to at least try. Sometimes people don't realize how they look or sound or what they're doing is wrong. |
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hugs
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Post by hugs on Nov 28, 2014 18:34:29 GMT
I'm not totally disagreeing but I am compelled to offer another point of view and I think its important to take on different points of view.
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Post by horselady on Nov 28, 2014 19:47:39 GMT
d I agree with your point of view but my instincts take over and i react as i did so many years ago.
and for the moment at least the person is given the chance to realize they are doing an injustice by beating that animal or no reason as that animal has no knowledge of why. only that it is being inflicted pain.
again i would imagine it would be the circumstance. if i saw someone trying to get a horse in the trailer and was actually causing more harm by becoming abusive. yes i would take hold of the horse and walk it and calm both horse and human down.
but behind the barn as i saw it. well that is another story altogether. i would do exactly the same.
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Lipizzan
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Europe, Croatia
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Post by Lipizzan on Dec 1, 2014 20:23:54 GMT
I like his words. Would like to read his book.
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hugs
Junior Member
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Post by hugs on Dec 1, 2014 20:35:26 GMT
Try this website. They ship from booksellers all over the world. WWW.add all.com Hard to find books too and low prices. |
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Lipizzan
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Europe, Croatia
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Post by Lipizzan on Dec 1, 2014 20:36:02 GMT
Thank you
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hugs
Junior Member
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Post by hugs on Dec 1, 2014 23:32:46 GMT
No problem, I've spent my fair share on books at that place and saved a ton of money.
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hugs
Junior Member
Posts: 2,647
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Post by hugs on Dec 1, 2014 23:33:43 GMT
Now that I see it from my computer the address didn't come across right when I typed it on my phone www.addall.comThat's better. |
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