Check out this really interesting and entertaining interview with Karen Pryor.
What is especially unique about this interview is that listeners are encouraged to go to the website for her new book, “Reaching the Animal Mind”, DURING the interview and watch some of the videos while Karen discusses what is going on. Cool!
Enjoy!
When I was first introduced to clicker training some 10 years ago one of the books that was a real mind alterer was “Don’t Shoot the Dog” by Karen Pryor. Although the title would suggest that the book is somehow about dog training, it isn’t. It is about practical applications of reinforcement in any training situation. Or, really, any of our relationships, even with people. Over the years it has been one book I have recommended frequently.
Karen has just released a new book called “Reaching the Animal Mind.” Now, I admit that I have not yet read it. But, I expect it to be as least as interesting as Don’t Shoot the Dog. The website associated with the book is also good. It is set up to follow the book chapters and provides additional reading suggestions, links to useful sites and video clips. You’ll see that this book is also full of information that is broadly applicable to all species–including people!
The reason that I am mentioning it now, before I’ve read it, is because we all have a great opportunity to listen in on (and participate, too, if you want) a discussion with Karen about her new book. The discussion is taking place on the Yahoo Group, DogRead. The discussion has already started!
The Art of Collecting the Riding Horse
This video features Paul Belasik author of several excellent books on classical dressage. In this video Paul puts collection into historical perspective. He talks about the fact that the old masters spoke about the horse putting more weight onto the haunches. And that in the old days the ultimate in collection would be the levade (note the picture on the cover image) and piaffe should be leading to that test. Today’s riders, seen mainly in competition, do not seem to have the same view of collection. In fact, some studies have shown that modern horses in piaffe do not have their weight distributed more over the hindquarters. He asked, were the old masters wrong?
To put it to his own test, Paul arranged to take a horse trained to levade to the McPhail Center, the renowned bio-mechanical laboratory for sport horses at Michigan State University, where they could measure the forces in the levade. The good news is the old masters were in fact correct. The weight is shifted to the hindquarters.
This isn’t really a how-to video but he does demonstrate the various movements which are used to develop collection. He also has a lengthy segment in which he interviews a expert in wild horse behavior who has studied the horses of Assategue Island National Park. Lots of fascinating observations of horses in nature.
All in all I give the video a thumbs up! Very enjoyable.
Another video rental. This one features the work of Jim Masterson. In this video he demonstrates the Masterson Method for Integrated Equine Performance Bodywork which he developed.
Like a lot of people I’ve watched horses getting massage therapy numerous times. I’ve read some books too. Sure, I’d rub on my horses but I had no illusion of thinking anything I did was actually beneficial from a massage point of view. How was I to know what area should be worked on? Or, for how long? No idea!!
Anyway, what I loved about this video was it did more than make me feel like I could do some massage on my own horses in a manner that might actually be beneficial–which it did. But it also gave me some real insight into reading the most subtle signs the horse will offer about how he or she is feeling. For instance, the very first signs to look for are eyes blinking and twitching around the mouth. As you move your hands over the horse (the video demonstrates where and with how much pressure) these signs are an indicator you’ve found a spot holding tension. When the horse releases the tension, after your gentle massage of the area, the horse will lick, chew and (sometimes even) yawn. After viewing the video I tried out some of the techniques on a few different horses. Each responded as expected per the video. Really cool!! 
The horse I was most interested in hearing from was Tulsa, my introverted 20 year old mare. I was watching an episode of House recently. In this show the patient was unable to speak or move. Yet, he was fully aware trapped within his body. One of the doctors had the idea of hooking the patient up to a machine that would allow him to communicate by learning to control a cursor on a screen with brain signals. He was then able to at least answer yes or no to questions. This proved to be the breakthrough needed to resolve the problem because they could communicate.
This so reminded me of working with my horse, Tulsa. It is, to me, as if she is trapped in her body unable to outwardly communicate. I’ve always had the feeling that Tulsa was hiding in a ‘cement suit’. Does she hurt? What does she protect? Why? Unlike many horses who will act out and let you know clear when something is wrong, Tulsa holds it in. So I was both curious about how she would respond to these techniques as well as hopeful that this approach might be the key to connecting with her and drawing her out.
Once I became attuned to the signals I found that even Tulsa gave the initial subtle signals. SO tiny… SO subtle. What she didn’t do, at least not quickly like the horses in the video or even the other ones I worked on, was offer signs of releasing the tension (licking/chewing/yawning). But, decided to persist in the slow and gentle manner that Jim advocates and began to find areas where she DID offer releases–sometimes huge releases! This made me Very Happy.
It is still early to tell how much this will influence her overall way of going. But, I’m hopeful that if I just keep chipping away at the cement suit her inner beauty will shine as much on the outside as the inside. I will be sure to document her progress here.
My horsemanship journey already had me on a path that depends on observing and rewarding small changes. So, this is just a continuation of all that and a good fit with what I already am doing. A way of going even deeper and giving me tools for helping even more horses. I love how these things integrate.
Jim has a website where you can read more about his methods: http://www.mastersonmethod.com/articles
And, here’s a short video of Jim working on a horse. This is just one of six available on YouTube.
And here’s the link to the video:
This video features the work of Peggy Cummings. It has a lot to offer in terms of finding a balanced seat and feel and showing how these factors can really influence the horse’s relaxation and balance. There are concepts that are near and dear to my heart so it was a pleasure to see the same ideas reiterated with different words. There were a few before and after examples in which these changes were demonstrated. This is a good video watch for those who are working on establishing these most fundamental of basics in themselves and in their horse.
There were a couple of unique features of her work. One unique thing was the way she utilized a halter and some rope for her groundwork. She didn’t discuss it specifically so I had to make some assumptions about her goal with the set up. She used a regular leather halter with fleece padding the nose band. Then she took what looked like a length of climbing rope and threaded it somehow through the side rings to end up with the rope criss-crossed over the fleece padded nose. The result was a kind of make-shift side-pull. I got the impression that the gain out of all that was snug but comfortable head gear, all the better to transmit ‘feel’ to the horse. I’m all ‘for’ that!
The other aspect to her work was the way she used ‘combing’ or stroking the reins. She did this both in the saddle as well as on the ground. It seemed to me the benefit of that technique was that it presented a softly mobile contact with the horse’s mouth (or head when on the ground). Those who ride with me will frequently hear about keeping the shoulders mobile so that the horse doesn’t ever encounter a static/stiff feel. It seemed to me that the stroking/combing technique filled a similar niche.
All in all a worthwhile experience watching this one.
This video features the work of Anja Beran along with her mentor Manuel Jorge de Oliveira. It was a pleasure to watch such quiet, correct riding and handling. In the video we are introduced to several different horses to demonstrate different aspects of the training. First, we are encouraged to observe the horse in his natural state, free and on the longe line in order to assess his natural abilities and crookednesses. Over the course of the video, in-hand work, early riding and advanced riding are demonstrated. All of the horses were relaxed and balanced. It was emphasized several times that no auxiliary reins are ever used in training.
I especially enjoyed the special segment at the end in which the rehabilitation of a horse who had been ruined through poor riding is examined. They show the horse at the beginning of the process, then again at 3 months, 6 months, and a year later. In the beginning the horse is stiff, out of shape, unbalanced and tense by the end he is rounder, softer, happier and demonstrating very nice work including a correct piaffe.
The riding was lovely to watch but I also appreciated the whole positive attitude shown. The horse’s willing participation, his satisfaction, was paramount. Progress comes through frequent, brief demands, followed by generous reward. Walking on a long rein with the neck stretching naturally down occurred frequently throughout training. I could not help but smile when during the part where they are talking about teaching the rehab horse to halt square (with the help of the touch of a whip on the hindleg) that “treats are like a miracle” in their ability to help the horse feel OK about halting square.
All in all a very inspirational viewing experience.
I read Dominique Giniaux’s book, “What the Horse Have Told Me” several years ago. It was interesting enough at the time but I’ll admit I didn’t fully appreciate his points until some other information came to light and it all converged. Funny how that sort of things happens. It is like your brain isn’t wired to ‘hear’ something the first time you come across some information. But, it gets stored. Then later, some other bit of information reacts with the first bit and POW, revelation!
So, recently I was watching a video put together by JP Giacomini about half pass. He said something that caught my ear. It was about how the horse’s rib cage would lift up the inside seat bone when the horse was properly bent. He went on to explain that when bent the horse’s withers/spinal processes would rotate toward the outside thereby lifting the inside seat bone. In addition that the idea of pushing downward with the inside seat for bending was counter-productive because that would require that the horse be hollow. Hmmmmmmmmm.
Suddenly I started to have memories of reading in the Giniaux book. Something was tickling my brain. I had to go get the book and open it to chapter 16 about collection. Yes, there it was, the diagram I remembered which illustrated how the spinal processes would have to tip to the opposite side of the bend. I may even have done the experiment that he proposes with the piece of cardboard and a tack. You’ll have to get the book to find out what I’m talking about! 
Well the more I ruminated about it and then brought it to my horse the more sense it made. And, with that clarity, I started to get a lot better bend, too!!
This is the next video I rented from Horseflix.
I found it OK. Not too much that was surprising. I knew he was a fan of the picadero so I thought there might be something of use in the video regarding straightness. (The authors of Straightening the Crooked Horse advocate for the use of the picadero, a square training pen that is 11 meters across.) But the video is more about using body language to communicate with the horse. All of that is cool just not what I was hoping for.
Part of the video is from a clinic and that could have been interesting if there was more to it. It was just too brief, and there was a lot of cutting from bit to bit without really seeing a lot. Sure made me wish I could go to a clinic though and perhaps that is its really objective?
A lot of the video was him working his magic with various troubled horses. And quite a lot of that is in slow motion. It makes for a beautiful production (and who doesn’t like watching horses in slo-mo ) but sometimes I would have preferred to see it all happen in real time.
Still I did enjoy watching him work with horses and see what he does and how he does it. I don’t really subscribe to his version of what he thinks is happening when he does ‘x’ and ‘y’. For example, when he stands ‘like this’ (behind the horse) he is being ‘like’ the stallion. Other times he is being ‘like’ the lead mare. He says that horses understand him because of this explanation. Personally I don’t buy that part but he obviously is very effective with his body — however he describes it — and worth emulating for that reason alone. He is calm, clear, and specific and that always works. 
Charles de Kunffy is a well respected teacher, FEI judge, and author of several books on classical dressage principles. This video covers the Seat and Aids. Overall I enjoyed the video although Charles’ voice put me to sleep the first time I watched it! I was more awake for my second attempt and watched it all the way through.
Charles presents his material through a combination of ‘fire side chat’ lectures, demonstrations of him riding as well as others riding.
Charles is a strong proponent of a very stable, adhesive, and authoritative seat. He spends a bit of time talking about how to sit, the position of the pelvis, the legs, arms and upper body. He demonstrates the use of the seat and back while sitting in a chair and tipping it forward suggesting that this can only be done if one is using the seat properly. He also shows how deeply the ankle should be flexed by standing on his heels with toes raised. This is really hard to do! But, then it seems to me that he has an almost inhuman ability to lower his heels anyway. So, while low heels is an important indicator of a correct seat one should keep that in mind before you make having heels that low (as low as he does) your top priority!
The portion of the video that got a lot out of was the part demonstrating riders being longed. I got several new ideas from those demos that I will be using to help my riders improve their seats.
There were only a couple of question marks for me while watching the video. One is Charles will lean way back with his upper body in order to obtain a change in the horse’s balance. I was concerned about how exaggerated this leaning was and I wondered if it was a normal practice for him (in that case I didn’t like it) or was he looking to demonstrate something for the video and exaggerated for that purpose? I made some inquiries to those who I know work with him regularly and was assured this wasn’t intended to be normal. If anything, a very quick correction which should ultimately be reduced to something ‘inside the coat’. I think anyone watching should keep that in mind and also the fact that the demo horses had not been ridden by him prior to the filming.
All in all a good video to help riders improve their effectiveness in the saddle.
I just signed up for Horseflix. It is just like NetFlix only just for horse videos. I signed up for the basic “1 DVD at a time” subscription level for just $9.99/mth. That means I can rent an unlimited number of videos per month but I can only have one at a time. I can live with that.
They have a pretty extensive library of DVDs available. The way it works is you choose the videos you want sent to you. You put these selections in the order you would like to get them. This is your rental queue. Once you sign up the first DVD is sent along with a pre-paid return envelope. Once you send that one back they send the next one.
I’ve already received my first DVD. It came very quickly. I plan to write about my impressions of the videos I watch. So watch the blog for them!
