basics - joke

You might be missing the basics if:
       - you turn your horse with the inside rein
       - you train your horse to 'lower his head'
       - you teach your horse his canter leads
       - you practice "patterns/movements" until he gets it right
       - you think you can connect a horse with no contact
       - you give your horse rhythm
       - you ride 'front to back'..... aka the head
       - you move any of your horse's body parts "for" him
       - you put your horse in a 'frame'

..... do not be ashamed if your were not taught the basics - 99% of riders today were never taught the basics. Please do not label me as a kook or as being judgmental just because I know the basics.
.... more importantly - I 'discern' what is not ..... the basics.

TTouch

I must admit - when I first saw this - I was intrigued. Cautiously. Something did not feel right.
Then I understood! To use this as anything more than a 'self hug' is ........ not helpful. Not a 'hug in motion'.
I do not want to sound critical of the TTouch. TTouch is a clear, kind "system" that the 'unaware' can practice to become more aware.
This is a cozy hug. The short coming of the body wrap is - it does not include the whole horse. More specifically the whole movement. The entire 'step'. Hindleg-foreleg-head. It is the WHOLE stride that makes it beautiful! The head and neck is an EQUAL part of every step of the ...... horizontal horse.
Our goal as 'forward riders' (on the ground and in the 'saddle') is to complete every stride. Alllll the way from the hind leg - through(!) the supple relaxed back - through(!) the foreleg - and out the forehead!!!!!
...... that "freedom" and "self-carriage" part. And FORWARD.

Fences

Let's talk about fences. As boundaries. As a training aid. Language in communication.

Fences are your horse's very first introduction to boundaries. Controlled by the human. Our first step in controlling the horse. Shaping their behavior.
And our first opportunity to demonstrate integrity. Unbroken. True to our word. Consistency. Who we are. This sets the stage for all future communication.
Now define a boundary. A limit. A border.
Next define integrity:

1. Steadfast adherence to a strict moral or ethical code.

2. The state of being unimpaired; soundness.

3. The quality or condition of being whole or undivided; completeness.

 

Put the two together and you have started your training relationship with your horse. 

 

The important thing we have learned  (right!) about boundaries from my earlier posts - They do not "attack". They do not push. They do not invade the horse's personal boundary.  They are respectful in that way.  
Special to fences - they have integrity. Unbroken. Sound. Consistent. (I hope!)

Connect the dots.
Acknowledge (own it!) that you ARE using the fence to  ...... communicate, control, channel, ...... speak to your horse. For WHATEVER reason.

Just do it respectfully. Never run your horse into the fence. And never allow your horse to lean on the fence. As if the fence were the only dependable part of your conversation. "Do no harm but take no shit"

While lunging, the fence is your outside leg. Be responsible for your outside leg - this boundary.  Ideally your goal in the picadero, round pen, lungeline, or big arena is to work the horse OFF the fence.

The test will be to free lunge your horse in a big arena. 

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Equine Occupational Therapist

This horse is lame ...... in my "perception". Probably not (quite) enough "pathology" to get the vet evolved. Yet. In my experience this is where it starts. The horse carries a rider in bad posture. You can see the heavy underneck, the braced withers, and the loose, sloppy stifles. At this time the urgent care must be for the stifles. The underneck is the most obvious (for the owner/rider) fix for the rider.

keeping caught up (first)

........ and he keeps caught up. He never sends the horse away. The distance is maintained by him - not created by him. In fact in this video he "joins" the horse's movement. In that way he "becomes" the one asking for the movement. Knowledge becomes authority. :) He keeps the engagement by staying engaged himself.

razor blades in monkey paws

Razor blades in monkey paws. My concern for the "self taught".
I come to the KFH way because of my (extensive?) past experience with horses.  Not because I was attracted to the beauty of the videos and books. His videos show the 'right' way - the way I was taught. I can not imagine STARTING with just the videos, books and essays. Only those. Someone must teach you the basics. Teach you to notice all the little details of being a horse. Sometimes that someone IS a horse.
For example - do you know what the  "significant" difference is in how he stops the horse. This is HUGE! Take as much time as you like - research youtube videos, google pictures, and the www of horse trainers. They all stop the horse by 'getting  in front', stepping in front, closing the front door, turning them into the fence, even the sutle turn of the shoulder, etc.  This little (!) misunderstanding teaches the horse that YOU(!) will stop them! (with the help of the arena wall - lol) (or a bit - aka pain) (disengage the hindquarters- by taking the head) (you are not enough - unless the horse is "dead")  Klaus is the only one out there that is actually telling the horse to stop THEMSELVES! He goes on (training?) to help them figure out how to do that, and physically develop the skill to do it ...... better. From behind.  One simple thing. He asks them to turn in. (the first step of shoulder-in) (the first step of collection) (the first step of self-carriage) (empower the horse) ( the horse remains the horse!!!!)
:)
This is the shift I speak of.

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Two part Question

"..... question is to what extent is it possible to successfully train your horse and more importantly, train yourself with access only to the videos, books and essays?" Klaus and his team have said over and over - "this is no technique". As long as you mimic what he is doing with his horse and expect the same results from  your horse ........  there will be a problem. What the horses actually "do" with/for Klaus is in itself not new. Not unique to Klaus. He doesn't own it and he didn't invent it. Yet, everything that happens in the videos is unique to that horse, in that situation, in that 'meeting'. That part is owned by Klaus and is unique to him. What he "does" with the horses is PROFOUNDLY  different and (IMHO) can only be learned in person.  Because his entire approach, perspective, vision is different. If you are coming from the place to "...  successfully train your horse and more importantly, train yourself....".  then the videos,  books and essays can only show you what is possible.   The videos, books and essays demonstrate the authentic conversation, communion, consensus, between two sentient beings - meeting at a place the *we* have never been.  That place is outside our society teaching,  a place of recognition inside ourselves. (he talks so much of mythology) Just mimicking the conversation is not the conversation. It would simply be learning to "act" .... like an actor. To 'do' the KFH way you must authentically, honestly, in real time see and RESPOND to the horse in front of you. Not just 'talk to' or 'train' them. Even in person he has had difficulty teaching "his way". Notice how his teaching has changed over the (20+) years.  Now it is almost all "Body awareness". We cannot get to where he is without it. We have to change our perspective. We have to learn to listen. Listen to the horse and concentrate on being accountable for our own actions before we can 'direct' the actions of the horse. IMHO The "nuts and bolts"about horses should be learned first from another teacher. Preferable, from a teacher that does not teach in the traditional format - with 'competition' goals. 

" ...... is anybody doing it right now and would they be willing to share their experiences with us of how they started and have continued with this way of learning?"You will get dubious answers to that one. Even with his strong words - "Sentimentality, horse as substitute for rabbit or baby, is the death of the horse." .............  Even with his words - my way or no way - *we* tailor his teaching to 'meet our needs'. You will get stories about people teaching their horse to go bareback, bitless and doing signal weight riding. All shared from the perspective that they 'taught' or 'asked' this of their horse. "Play" -  where the horse doesn't get a turn. (Yes, they are given a choice - but the choices are from a 'box of choices') For example - the horses rearing. Because so many of the horses are shown rearing in his videos - people get their horses to rear and feel 'success'.

Kristiina

Kristiina wrote: "So, I wait eagerly: what do you suggest? That kind of horse has been contaminated/addicted? with the substance of human attention. Denying that: unhappy, dullness. And yet - they have developed a form of attention that is different, keener than the "normal" horse who lives in his horse world. For this kind of animal (and now I remember, there were some kittens too, who were different, right from the start - they wanted to communicate with humans). What if they have simply a different role? Their identity is different, that is true, but some of us know what it means to be an outsider in our own, supposed herd."

 You have combined 3. and 4. The horse advocate and the psychotherapy.  :)
Let's back up a little. It is an exercise. To give an "experience" ..... that gives information. Both to the human and to the horse. Sometimes, the information comes in the form of an emotion.   (After this I will share my "emotional" experience with this type of interaction)
       2. Reflective seeing - practice seeing the horse in "body language".
a) walk completely around your horse as if you are drawing their silhouette in the ground. Tracing OUTSIDE the lines.
What I failed to mention was - with some horses this is incredibly difficult to do. :) Not for the reasons you might think. :)
  The original reason for the exercise was to "experience"  - "Do Not Touch". That is all. Can you see without judgement and  needing to fix things? Can you see without projection? The exercise was to literally trace the horse's body in the dirt, with your feet. In that way it was meant to take the 'projection' OUT of our "reflective seeing". That is the 'language of the horse' - body language. It is your projection that sees "unhappy/dullness" or a "keener" attention. Anthropomorphism. ".... Leave all beings where they are". It is very, very, VERY important to leave the horse a horse.
Can you pull yourself so completely inside your own personal boundary that the horse - any horse - will let you walk completely around it? No projection? Only see in body language? Nothing more. On the flip side - (will be addressed in section 3.) - can you be seen ......... in this "Raw" way? No role playing.
 There are many other ways to use this simple exercise. The six reasons above I will expand on.
Many people spend a lot of time teaching their horses to be this focused on them.  I see it differently.

2. followers of "dis-engaged hindquarters" - for safety reasons

who is first?

whose first?
   1. former Dressage group - "forward riders"
   2. followers of "dis-engaged hindquarters" - for safety reasons
   3. empowerment work with horses (equine assisted psychotherapy)
   4. horse 'advocates' concerned about the 'rights' of the horse.
   5. 4H leaders (still!) teaching - "you have the head - you have the horse" (God forbid!)

   6. KFH  method 'followers'

reflective seeing

2. Reflective seeing - practice seeing the horse in "body language".
a) walk completely around your horse as if you are drawing their silhouette in the ground. Tracing OUTSIDE the lines. Perfect your sensitivity by being closer and closer without touching. Keeping it dynamic/kinetic by being aware of the swinging/sweeping head and neck.

Reminded this morning of how incredibly difficult this is! Especially with an "over-domesticated" horse. Like the geese in "Fly Away Home", this horse has been imprinted by humans. She thinks she is "stacked vertically" like a human. A head on a stick. She has no idea of the 'whole' of her. A horse out of body!

Seeing = Being Seen

3. Own your right to 1. and 2.
    Own your responsibility.
    Own your ability to respond.
    Do no harm but take no shit.
    See and be seen
    You are NOT invisible!

Now we have the elephant down to "bite size"! If you are not invisible - what exactly is "visible" ...... to the horse.  You must "know" this before you can 'scribe your line in the sand'. Set your own boundaries. "Know" who and what you are ....... made of. :)
Without all the metaphors - and without the horse taking us - into our darkest and lightest places - let us stick to the physical plane. :)

You are human. Physically you are stacked vertically. Parts stacked one on top of the other. Own that space.

more rules:
      1. RAISE your hand(s) - define your vertical space.
Show the horse you "know" that. When a horse approaches your 'space' (be more and more sensitive to the 'approach) you will physically show you know who you are by raising your hand UP - NOT out in front of you! Remember - "Do no harm" - do not violate, not see, not honor, THEIR space - while defining (defending) your own.
     2. You are not allowed in the space under the horses neck. for now.
The reverse is also true. The horse is not allowed to swing their head OVER yours. You may need to raise your hand really high! Even use an extension - i.e. whip, pole, lead rope, etc. You may even have to clap your hands above your head or stomp your feet! To claim your infinite self - down through the earth and up through the sky!
     3. Stay INSIDE your vertical space
Even if you bend over - your infinite self that you are 'defining', protecting - is STILL vertical! Down through the earth and up through the sky. Pull your strength up from the earth below and down from the heavens above. Literally. Energetically. OWN your right to BE. ......... but do no harm.

OWN their right to BE as well.

Horses are absolutely BRILLIANT in this 'work'! They wrote the book on how to 'empower' without 'putting anyone down'.

Hitting back

My first realization that we are misusing the concept of boundaries came from a participant in one of the pioneer programs that use horses to teach personal boundaries. A program that holds horses in the highest esteem as sentient beings. - That and "catching myself in the act" of performing this 'misuse'.
The story goes like this:
The "wounded -vulnerable" participant is put in the round pen with a horse. The participant goes to the horse and is 'instructed' to "know" their personal space/boundaries and if and when the horse violates their boundary (which they always will) they are "instructed" to send the horse back - out of their personal space. This is considered practicing/experiencing authority, empowerment, and moves the human up in the "pecking order" to be the more alpha and thus the leader.
Unfortunately this insanity was not immediately apparent to me. Once it was - I found it even harder to point it out to others.
I tried: "It's like spanking (hitting) your child for hitting his brother"
That didn't work. So I tried:
"two wrongs don't make a right"
That didn't work.
Soooo I devised my own "round pen" experience.
The wounded/vulnerable participant goes into the space with the instructions to move their own personal "boundaries " around and feel their own "responsiveness". The goal is to keep their boundaries OUT of the horses' boundaries and SEE the differences. Prevent "violation" by moving themselves "back" - out of the horses' space.
This is true empowerment. Responsibility. Person power. "You did it!" OWNERSHIP of our own boundaries!
Building strong personal boundaries has nothing to do with controlling or manipulating anothers boundaries.
This simple simple exercise has since EXPLODED into how I see parenting, health care, relationships ........... EVERYTHING!!!!!

DO NOT TOUCH

I used to be a riding instructor. Well, I used to make a career of it. Now I only teach neighbors and friends.
I began teaching "do not touch" out of frustration in trying to teach people how to ride. I was making NO progress with "It is up to you to 'stay on top'" and "No pulling!" I realized we have an incredibly WRONG concept about ......... riding. We steer them like a car or a bicycle. We use our heels and whips like a gas pedal and a bit in the mouth like a brake. We make request like "I need a bomb proof horse" "Teach him to put his head down" "The horse threw me"
Over time, I watched  the horses  respond accordingly. They became very adept at "catching our balance" by counterbalancing us. They became "bomb proof" with apathy. And, if you were already into anthropomorphic perception - it was easy to see that the horse deliberately threw you.
Finally, I observed the same behavior in children. Our horses had become like our children. We have imprinted them. As our parents and society have imprinted us.
Our boundaries have no integrity. They are broken.
One perspective of this is - we are wounded because "bad stuff" came in and violated us! I see it a different way. Our boundaries are broken and we have "spilled" all over the place. We take in stuff that is not ours and we release stuff we need to own. We are careless and sloppy.
When I say "Don't touch" - I am asking you to 'take care of your own'. When you 'take care of your own' then you KNOW your own. So simple! You only need endurance - to go the distance - the consistency that builds TRUST!
The good news is (the really GOOD news) the horses will "recognize" this as INTEGRITY and will  give you RESPECT! Respect and authority that comes from ......... KNOWING! For some horses this recognition is very very fast! [as seen in some of KFH videos]

Now for the not so good news. Most of the horse population out there has been imprinted as deeply as we have and this "recognition" is hard to get to. When both the horse and the human have sloppy boundaries it takes a little more time to clean up the mess. At this time - don't let them touch you either. Do not CORRECT them touching you - just stay out of reach. If you are aware of your energy field and know you can control it - watch how your energy field will inadvertently "ask" them to touch you. :)

Domestication

On another site there is the discussion about "asking, teaching, and training vs communication. Directly leading into the pros and cons of "pressure" when we ask, teach, or train.
I very much appreciate the "resistance" I get from my "statements". It helps me clarify my integrity and it leads me to ..... better communication. Especially when the "gap is vast".
Is there such a thing as communication without asking, teaching, and training? In the human world it is very rare. Without our "domestication" (root word - dominate) the horses live there quite comfortably. As do most undomesticated animals.
My "Do not touch" model simulates that place - if just for a moment. It works best for the "care giver" types because it is most difficult for them. Yet they have the greatest opportunity to "cross that gap". IF(!) and when they will 'play by the rules' long enough for the rules to no longer be necessary.
Can you REFLECT (see, honor, empathize, etc.) and not CORRECT. Can you play with your child and NOT turn it into a "teaching moment"? Can you respond to your horse and NOT turn it into a "training moment"? - or a statement about who is dominate.  Can you see another being and not try to "improve" on it? Can you  communicate with your spouse without "asking for" a specific response? Can you receive and not give? Can you see and not project?
Why should/would you want to?
Because that IS the language of the horse. If we are drawn to them at all it means they "have something we want". That "something" is the ability to see without projection. Without judgement. Freedom from "getting it right". Pure unadulterated Truth. Authenticity. Choose your own buzz word.
It is simply not helpful to change what we find most valuable in the horse. Killing the goose that laid the golden egg?????
Why should/would you want to? How can I possibly describe with words  - what happens to US when this shift happens!!!!!! The strength we gain! The empowerment! I am speechless .........
We give the horse credit for this ..... gift and yet it is our own "communication without asking, teaching, and training"  that makes the difference. On the outside - the difference is getting what you 'want' without ...... pressure. Without "training" or "teaching" what the response should/must be. You WILL get to where you want to be - because, after all, the horse is a horse.

boundaries - self responsibility

My lessons always (:) ) begin with boundaries and self responsibility. Divvy up the responsibilities. Dealing the cards. What is mine (the rider) and what is the horse's ability to respond/responsibility. Then the ONLY thing we have to do is BE responSIVE!  Easy!

             Rules are made for stupid people ......  therefore are only needed as long as we are stupid.

 
 Keep your (own!) balance
 Be RESPONSIVE.
 Always do your best

temporary rules for 'on the ground':
1. Keep your (own!) body parts out from UNDER the horse's
2. Keep your (own!) body parts out of the horse's mouth
3. Own your right to do 1. and 2.

rules 1, 2, and 3 establish 'credibility' and therefore authority (KNOWledge and ability) by demonstrating that you KNOW where the cards are. Responsibility lies. You KNOW who you are and you have the ability and integrity to be responsive.

Exercises to practice rules 1, 2, and 3:

1. Distance - Practice NOT touching! Learn to play your own hand and not mess with the horse's cards. 
     a) that means NOT pushing the horse or even the horse's head away when they are too close

     b) no pushing or pulling to put the horse or the horse's body part where you want it.
2. Reflective seeing - practice seeing the horse in "body language".
     a) walk completely around your horse as if you are drawing their silhouette in the ground. Tracing OUTSIDE the lines. Perfect your sensitivity by being closer and closer without touching. Keeping it dynamic/kinetic by being aware of the swinging/sweeping head and neck.
    b) walk behind your horse and match exactly their orientation.  Your sternum to the horse's forehead. (remember you are vertical and the horse is horizontal - you don't have a sweeping head and neck!) Do not ask/wish/direct or expect anything! Simply mirror. Of course this implies the horse IS walking! If they are just standing ...... be patient! At this point DO NOT move them! Important - for this trust "proving ground". Absolutely critical to get to the authority stage. (remember authority = KNOWledge)
Can we - are we able - to truly SEE without projection!?! Can we be REsponsive? The inquiring horse want to know!

In these lessons ....... remember who the student is. If there is no response - there is no vision. No relationship. No conversation. No insight. Dead.

what horses reveal