Questions and Answers

Questions and Answers

Home Articles The Secret Questions & Answers Fox Point Farm

Here is a place for us to post questions and answers from you and others. We may find a wonderful question and answer in a magazine or newsletter, we will provide it here for you to read too. Please send us your questions and we will do our best to give you a prompt response. Enjoy!

Here is a wonderful Question one of my dear friends/clients had about her mare Jewel and my answer. I thought you would really enjoy!

We had a play session....she was afraid of it! We'd played years ago with a
yellow ball, maybe she liked that better. She caught on after 10 min or so
of my moving it in front of me while she followed, but was only mildly
interested; I got to bounce it off her back, but she shied and ran away when
I lifted it up near her head....more of that "fear of the fly mask"
syndrome?

Oh yes, she's needle-shy, or vet-shy again. We had to load her in the
trailer to inject her Spring shots back in march. She didn't flinch when
injected, so it's not really the needle....the smell of alcohol? She is
very particular about some people. What a pill!
Stephanie

Very interesting! Sounds like Jewel hasn't kept her neuropathways open. Open neuropathways are the answer to your questions. Challenging her with groundwork that she has to think about - groundwork that is difficult for her. Imagination and confidence is key here - doing the same thing will not help - you must stretch and challenge yourself as well. It may be difficult but falling leaf and rock slide would be 2 good ones for her. Sideways without the fence around obstacles and trotting and cantering over very elevated poles will help her. As will walking and trotting through a 'random' grid - I've been using this alot this week with 2 of the horses I work. Good luck! I'm happy to help you with her again whenever you like if you need me to :) Charlotte

Here is a great question and answer from the Parelli Newsletter.

Vet Situation

QUESTION
I am in a unique situation as a horse lover. I am a veterinary technician for a very busy equine vet. We have steadily been seeing more and more clients who are Parelli savvy or on their way to being savvy. I have not been through the Parelli Levels, but have recently bought Level 1 and 2 DVDs. I do have horses and am planning on starting my commitment to the program but, in the mean time, I am wondering at least for our Parelli clients, how do I apply the handling skills meant for a one on one relationship to horses that I have not had the chance to develop a relationship with? I can say 'hello' to the horses and spend a few minutes with them, but we have more than 500 horses in our practice, there is no way I can spend as much time as I want with all of them. I have questions about how to handle these horses and what the horses and people in this program expect from a vet (and his staff) to be compliant with the Parelli way of living. Many of our clients are breeders and have been resistant to restraining the foals when we need to administer plasma or draw blood. How do we comply with Parelli training and restrain for veinipuncture on foals? I realize that many times what the vet and I have to do with the horses is somewhat unpleasant. I am really trying my best to make the best out of a difficult scenario and want to do what is best for both horse/foal and their human. I would greatly appreciate some information as to what I might do to ease the anxiety of these horses and their loving people. —Alysicia

ANSWER
Great question! Vets need to become masters of the Friendly Game and have great corral-side manner. You have to learn how to gain rapport and calm cooperation very quickly, without tricking the horse. The better you get at reading horses (Horsenality) the better you'll know how to approach each individual horse and that makes a huge difference... you need to know which horses need you to slow down, which to speed up, how much to retreat and when to move the horse around. There is no doubt that this takes some skill and practice, and ideally it would be Level 3 ground skills that you should shoot for. As you can imagine, trying to put all this in an answer for you would equate to a book, so here are a few tips for you as you continue to study and improve your skills.

1. Get the horse to approach you vs. you approach it. This can be done by having the owner / handler bring the horse to you as you back away, walk away. Once the horse gets curious then you can make contact.

2. Use simulations for desensitizing needle shy horses. Slowly pinch the neck and teach the horse to respond by turning its head to you. Immediately release on every try. This gets the horse to be more Left-Brain and to respond by loosening its muscles rather than tightening them. You'll also find that the horses relax and stand still as a result.

3. Take the most time in getting the horse to trust you. You'll be amazed at what they allow you to do after that.

4. Make sure the handler is competent, relaxed and has the horse's confidence. If they are tense, are holding the horse strong and tight this will increase the horse's fear and negative expectation.

Getting More Obedience

QUESTION
Arisen is my Left-Brain Extrovert paint gelding. We are working on Level 3, but he is still having issues like opposition reflex and lack of respect. A Parelli friend noticed that he is just obedient enough to make me think he is obedient, if you know what I mean. He had me well trained to accept less than 100% obedience. I thought I was trying to be particular without being critical and of course, he took advantage of that. I cannot do the Circling Game at a trot or canter with him outside the round pen because he will run away. We started focusing on Games 1, 2, & 3, because there are Seven Games, but really only 3. I help him become more obedient by using a long Phase 1 and an effective Phase 4. I try to use variety to keep him from getting bored. I make sure that he does not barge into my personal space. I make sure that I am particular, i.e. getting 100% obedience. I think my Left-Brain Extrovert is a lot more difficult to play w ith than my Right-Brain Extrovert. I would really appreciate any help or advice you could give me on how to get even more obedience on the ground. How can I prevent him from running away during the Circling Game? —Courtney

ANSWER
I know exactly what you are going through because that's what happened to me with Allure. Here's what to do:

1. You need obedience, but you need to get the fun out first.

2. You need to challenge him a lot, and that can be hard when you're not Pat Parelli!

3. Extroverts are movers, not thinkers. But they can think after they've moved.

I would play inside of a large arena, on a 45-foot line, lots of obstacles and things in his way so he has to think to his feet. You could also turn him loose and send him around and change directions, etc. etc. until you see him starting to settle and become more focused. Only then put the line on. Trying to focus on Games 2 and 3... sounds important but will be very frustrating because at close range he'll feel more like being naughty and easily get the better of you. On longer lines and using more movement you'll find he comes around much quicker, but be prepared to go as long as he needs. When I first started with Allure, it took me two hours to get him focused because I just didn't do enough. Today it takes minutes. Finally, you want obedience but not a robot. When you tire him of his ideas, he'll be interested in yours. The psychology is so important here, that way the relationship stays strong and he'll want to be with you ( improves draw) because of how interesting you are.

No Need For Perfection:

QUESTION
I have been working Patterns for a couple of weeks now. My gelding is Left-Brain Introvert on the ground (different horse under saddle). I have a couple of questions for you as I am a little imagination-challenged. ;) First of all, when we're doing a Pattern, I know we're supposed to do it seven times. Is it supposed to be "perfect" by the seventh time and we move on to the next level in that pattern (Figure 8 in my case)? Or do we do the Pattern seven times, then move to the next Pattern and keep working on the previous one as well till it gets good enough to move it to the next level? Or do we just go all the way through Level 2 (for example) in one savvy before moving to Level 3 in any task in that savvy? I'm so confused by all this! We're still working on Level 1 Figure 8...when he comes around the barrel to draw to me, he either stops there or goes wide and I have to put pressure on his halter to bring him in. We've done it seven times now and we still don't have it to where he'll just do it. And he'll trot past me between the barrels, but then walk around them. —Melissa

ANSWER
Great questions! No need for perfection, and don't do them more than seven times. The idea is to follow the pathway all the way through Level 1, checking it off as you go, and then move on to the Level 2 track. This will move you through the Patterns and keep developing and progressing both you and your horse. Be happy with the walk in Figure 8 and having to still draw him towards you. That's just fine for Level 1! What you have to make sure of is that you are taking care of his horsenality. For example, if your horse is Right-Brain Extrovert you stay on the Pattern until he is calm before you quit. If he is Right-Brain Introvert, then you wait until he is confident and trusting. This means that there will be quite a bit of repetition if your horse is Right-Brain. If your horse is Left-Brain, there will be less repetition because when he is obedient then you stop.

Trust that helps!

Is Using Treats "Bad"?

QUESTION
My mare and I have come a long, long way with Parelli's help, and I really want to take it as far as possible, eventually to at least instructor level...but I cannot move forward! The problem is that my girl was very, very cinch sour. She would tense up just at the sight of the saddle. Then would yelp, and bite the air. Then would try biting me. I have worked hard and patiently with her. I even changed to a western saddle so that she wouldn't 'recognize' the saddle/girth. I have used all the methods discussed in the DVD's (I have Level 1 & Level 2, Liberty & Horse Behavior and the Success Series) and now she is much better. I can saddle her easily now, but she does have treats while I do so. I worry that I will not pass Level 1 assessment if needing to use treats. Even though these are methods that have been advised by Parelli, will it be taken into account or will I fail? It's a shame because we are continuing through into Level 2 now and I feel a bit like I am underachieving? I want my red string!!

ANSWER
You are doing a great job! Stop worrying about 'rules.' The first thing is your horse's acceptance and by figuring out what to do you are doing better than most people around the world with the same problem...even at world class level! Remember that Level 1 is about safety. If you are doing it safely and you've found out how to resolve this problem, you are more than Level 1. Stop worrying and just do it. Well done!

Overcoming Fear:

QUESTION
I am currently going through my Level 1 with my 14-year-old Quarter horse. He was bred on a local property to be a school horse and apparently when he was young he was chased around the paddock by a tractor. He has a great fear of trucks and the noise they make. I have fallen off onto the road when a garbage truck came around the corner and he didn't know what to do. His whole body trembled, I came off and he cantered up the road and luckily stopped so I could catch him. Another incident was when I recently had him a small yard connected to the stable with his paddock mate in the yard next to him, the yard fence is almost 5 feet high made of steel. My husband had a concrete truck come down past the yards into the back paddock. My horse went into meltdown. He didn't know which way to go and eventually jumped the fence landing on the side of his neck, grazing his front legs. It was the most horrific thing I have ever witnessed. He c ame up to me and nickered, trembling all over with a very sorry for himself look in his eyes. I called the vet immediately and she gave him an anti inflammatory injection which he was on for a week. He has come good now thank God, with no effects from the fall. I would like to know what I could do with him to get him over this aversion he has with trucks. I sometimes feed him right next to the truck my husband has in the paddock and that is not a problem. The truck's engine is not on, just parked there. When I'm out trail riding I always make sure I am behind other horses when a truck goes by and sometimes if we are close to the road or truck he will tremble all over until the truck goes by. I do fear for my and his safety and try to avoid going on road rides as much as possible. Any advice would be much appreciated. —Karen

ANSWER
As prey animals, horses are designed to panic and escape before thinking about if it really is dangerous or not. But here's the good news – horses are incredibly adaptable. They can overcome terrible fears with the right preparation and approach... and know that it has to be a 'program' rather than a one-time cure.

The Friendly Game is your key game here. Before ever going near a truck, get to where you can play an extreme Friendly Game such as slapping the ground really hard, over and over and over with the Carrot Stick & String...without your horse getting tense or afraid. The way you get there is through progressive desensitization. First be able to gently fling the Stick & String around your horse's body and legs. Then see if you can walk away from your horse lightly and rhythmically slapping the ground in front of you as your horse follows at the end of the 12-foot Line behind. As he puts more slack in the rope, keep walking forwards (and away from him) and slap the ground a little harder then softer, then harder, then softer. Don't blow him up, just find the level that is challenging for him and approach and retreat the intensity from there. Do this over several sessions, no matter how many days it takes, and pretty soon you'll be able to stand still and do this while facing him, but first he has to be really confident with it as you walk away. This is going to build two things: his self-confidence and desensitization to apparently threatening things; and his trust in you.

Next, the truck. Put your horse on a 22-foot Line and play with him as you usually would on the ground and using some obstacles or patterns, and then with the extreme Friendly Game. Then have your husband start the truck up and slowly drive it away. While this is happening, act like nothing is going on and keep your horse focused on playing with an obstacle. If he tries to look at the truck, just ask him to keep doing what he's doing vs face you, keep him 'on the job' even if it takes quite a bit of energy on your part. You have to prove to him that you are more important than anything else that is going on and you're going to do what it takes to refocus him. When a horse is really afraid, he needs strong leadership.

Next, you're going to want your husband to drive the truck around and you're going to send your horse after the truck. At first he's not going to want to go there, but pretty soon his confidence will come up because the truck keeps moving away. Again, this is going to need several days of repetition before he doesn't care about the truck. Pretty soon the truck can be driving around and you can play with him, send him to it, past it, in the opposite direction, etc.

So these are the techniques to do, but the real goal is self confidence and confidence and trust in your leadership...it's not really about the truck, that's just a trigger. There are many ways to keep building those and a couple of things that will help is our DVDs on Teaching Horses via the Seven Games, and Ride Out which is about trail riding with Savvy; and then the new On Line Patterns really take the leadership, confidence and relationship to a whole new level.

"Choose Your Bit By Your Horse's Horseanality"

QUESTION
I just finished watching the April DVD and all I can say is this is what I joined the Savvy Club to see—top-notch ideas and instruction for those of us who have been doing this for some time now! I had a question though. I didn't think that Erin was riding in a cradle bridle, was she? I am a bit confused because Myler told me that my Right-Brain Extrovert horse would probably not want the C1 mouthpiece if we were in Level 2. Linda's recommendation for Erin's horse (who is Level 3+) still involved more mouth contact. But, further along in the segment, she noted that his mouth movement had lessened. This left me very uncertain as to what the final thought was for the best mouthpiece for this horse. Help? - Paula

ANSWER
So glad to hear you're enjoying the new educational format for Savvy Club DVD's, thanks for letting us know. You're right, Erin was not riding in a Cradle and when she does, things will get even better. The Cradle is a much better tool than the snaffle for riding with contact as it shares the contact between nose and mouth instead of it being 100% in the horse's mouth. It is especially beneficial when riding with contact is new for the horse or rider, but even at the level I am now riding Remmer the Cradle continues to feel fantastic.

The reason Erin's horse's mouth got more quiet during the lesson is because she started to relax emotionally, and her weight shifted more to the hindquarters rather than the forehand. She started to carry herself and not dive onto the bit. So it's not all about the bit, but having the right tool as she advances more will make a huge difference to the comfort level of the horse.

I'm sorry if I confused you, I guess I was thinking out loud as I was teaching... but if the horse is Left-Brain it will need a #3 mouthpiece, and if it is more Right-Brain and tends to lack confidence then the #2 will be the right one to pursue Level 3-4 because it has some tongue contact and some tongue release. The #1 is more for younger horses just starting in the bit, or more mature yet challenging Right-Brain horses because you need to be able to get control (one rein) but not hurt them in the mouth. The tongue contact helps unconfident horses feel more supported and secure, yet it's claustrophobic for Left-Brain horses.

The extensive studies that Myler has done over the years has changed the approach to bitting dramatically, and learning how they choose bits according to the horse's tendencies/behaviors helped us put it straight into our Horsenality™ model so our students could be empowered to make the choice for themselves. So long as you know what Horsenality behavior your horse is exhibiting when you ride, you can follow our suggestions for Cradle choice and it will work. For more information CLICK HERE

"Is Your Horse Calling The Shots?"

QUESTION
I have a 16-year-old Left-Brain Introvert Quarter Horse. He is my first horse and I have had him for eight years. We have completed Level 1 together and have begun on Level 2. I have recently retired and have now been able to spend playtime with him each morning. I try to vary what we do still playing with communication and savvy. He does well with food incentive. The past several days, my horse has been challenging me more relative to leadership, or so it has appeared to me: attempting to bite (sometimes making contact), throwing his head, bucking, running past me and then coming back to stand looking at me. I do not know if this has anything to do with our other horse who is currently experiencing tender feet due to the abundant wet weather and wet pasture conditions here in our area and he is jealous of the attention I am giving the other horse, or if he is genuinely challenging my leadership due to the now increased amount of tim e we spend together. I am continuing to play with him as normal and deal with issues as they crop up -- stopping what he is going to do before he does it and channel that behavior in another direction or, in the case of biting, back him up out of my space before he even thinks of making contact. Thank you for your help. - Marilyn

ANSWER
Left Brain horses are SO interesting! Here's the thing to know about them...they are confident, smart, and they are NOT looking for a leader. So the more you want to do with this horse, as in advance, the greater your leadership skills need to become.

For sure he is challenging your leadership and he's calling the shots, and what makes it even more challenging is that you're playing at liberty. The fact that he can run past you, run up to you when he wants, get close enough to nip tells me that he is in control and he's doing what he wants... it may be in a playful way, but it's risky when you are not the leader.

The best thing to do with a Left-Brain horse is drive him away, especially Zone 1. This means get his Zone 1 busy... send him to things, and if you are at liberty keep chasing him away until his expression changes to a more submissive one and he 'asks' if he can come to you rather than just arriving when he wants.

Sometimes this feels hard to do because you really want your horse to come to you, but it needs to be on your terms otherwise your horse is the leader, and that's not healthy. It needs to be a 51:49 arrangement and you need to have the 51%!

When horses play dominance games you'll notice that the dominant horse is the one that can move the others away and around, and he does not let them come close to him until he knows they have accepted the number two position. You'll be amazed at how this will work for you too and how much nicer he'll become. All he's doing is taking the lead and if you continue to allow it, it will get worse... and it's not that he hates you or anything, he's just doing what horses do: jostling for position, and the Left-Brain horse is much more inclined to do this. Right-Brain horses are looking for a leader who can help them feel safe... but that's not your horse!

Of the Four Savvys, Liberty and Finesse are the two most complex things to do with a horse and until your relationship is better I would not be playing at Liberty, but rehearsing for it by getting very good OnLine. You can still use the food incentives, but it must be balanced with obedience and respect for your leadership. Using the Seven Games with obstacles when playing on the ground gives you a plan so you can direct your horse with a variety of ideas instead of just doing mindless circles.

One last thing... what you are calling 'jealousy' is really just dominance. Once again, he's calling the shots and organizing the herd, and you are part of his herd. That needs to change. He has to be part of your herd.

Question we all have - what do we do when our horse 'suddenly' goes Right-Brain Extrovert?

QUESTION
I need your help. First I finished Level 1 and I'm starting Level 2. I also have the Success Series which is wonderful. My problem is I have a 19-year-old Arabian. I've had him for ten years. He is very Right-Brain Extrovert and really lacks confidence although he is smart and really does try to please when asked to do things. I was playing with him to see what his threshold is outside of his pasture and arena. I had him on a 22-foot line and we walked back to the woods. He seemed to be fine the whole way. I didn't want to scare him so about eight feet into the woods, I saw a pile of wood. I was already thinking I'd drive him to the pile, have him put his nose on it, turn around and leave. Well the plan worked out except after he put his nose on the wood and discovered where and how far from the barn we were, he freaked out. All the way back to the barn is a big open field. What can I do to get him back to Left-Brain and out of Righ t-Brain behavior when we are in an open field? I know you aren't supposed to run them in circles, have them go forward. The only thing I could do was move him backwards and that wasn't working so good. The Sideways Game wasn't working because I didn't have a fence to move him along. I can't believe I use to ride him back there! I use to think he just wanted to get back to the barn quick to be with his buddy but, through doing your program, I now know that wasn't the case. It was that he is scared to death back there. After he took me through an electric fence, the only place I ride is in the arena. That gets boring after awhile. I would love to trail ride again with him one day. Thanks in advance. -Nancy

ANSWER
This is a great question and brings up a few important points. First of all, you are describing two kinds of Horsenalities... a Right-Brain Extrovert and a Left-Brain Extrovert. So how can the two coexist? Easy, a Right-Brain Extrovert is sometimes the alter ego of a Left-Brain Extrovert because as soon as the horse is unconfident or gets scared, that's the behavior he'll exhibit. I've seen many so-called "crazy" Arabians who are not that at all. They are supremely smart, high spirited and behave like Right-Brain Extrovert's because they are confused and upset by improper handling and what you've picked up on here is your horse's lack of confidence when going outside of his safe areas.

You are doing the right thing by playing the Sniff This, Sniff That Game (put your nose on something), but that does not work when your horse is really scared. I'm thinking that you crossed many thresholds without realizing it. I don't know how you got to the woods, but if you were leading your horse rather than driving him ahead of you, he probably trusted you and felt safe... until you sent him ahead to sniff the woodpile. If you had sent him ahead of you the whole way, you probably would have been alerted to them and been able to use the appropriate strategies then to give him confidence to go on, or to retreat and re-approach it that day or another time.

So... when your horse has a Right-Brain reaction, you need to match it. Bring your energy up but in a positive directing kind of way and then use that movement big time... but not in endless circles. Get him to do a million changes of direction without making a full circle. You're going to need a lot of energy to do this because a horse in full Right-Brain mode is a force to be reckoned with. The worst thing you can do is try to stop him and the next worst is to send him in circles or try to be soft and calming. He needs to know your presence and feel your leadership in a positive way... you have to be bigger than the problem and direct all that fear and energy, not add to it. In this way he'll calm down. It may take a little time the first time, but every time after that it will take less until finally your horse will look to you before he overreacts. The real lesson however is... how can you set it up for success so he never has to go there.

Clippers Question:

QUESTION
I'm not able to clip my horse's bridle path or her ears. My clippers are the small, hand-held, battery operated quiet clippers. She will let me touch her on the neck, clip under her throat, or anywhere on her feet. I have used the approach and retreat, walking in front of her, stopping, letting her be curious. She will put her nose on the clippers and try to eat them with no fear. I can't even clip her with a twitch on. She was sedated to have her teeth floated and I finally got her clipped. As Pat has suggested, I bought a hand-held massager and have tried getting her use to it. I need some more savvy arrows please. -Christina

ANSWER
Great... you are already on the right track. What you need to do now is get her really confident in being handled around the ears. A lot of approach and retreat is needed if your horse is more RB, but if LB then more speed is needed. I know, that sounds weird, but because it's not a fear issue, the speed will dominate their brain meaning that they'll be so preoccupied with what you are doing that they can't think of giving trouble.

Do something like this: Sit up on something high so you are above your horse's withers, but you could put your horse's head on your lap. Make sure that you can't tip over or be pushed over. You need to be secure. For the next seven to 21 sessions, you are going to rub her ears and her bridle path, all around her muzzle, under the jaw, inside the lips, etc. etc. Use a lot of feel and love, and alternate between faster and slower. Go faster when your horse resists, and slower when your horse softens. Once your horse sighs and relaxes, leave her be for a few minutes and then start again. Pretty soon your horse will understand that this is not threatening and that submission feels good. Then you can have the clippers running while you do it (have them sitting next to you), then have them in your hand, etc. etc. until you can actually rub them over her ears, face, bridle path, both fast and slow (the back of them, not the blades) and she is totally relaxed. Note that we often change our feel / attitude / speed when we try to actually clip hair, so make sure that you simulate this as well.

Solving issues like this requires a program and it takes 7-21 days/sessions to install a new positive habit. Sure, Pat Parelli could do it in one session, but we need to be mindful of the fact that we are not him, so taking more time is the way to go. Remember, this is not about the clippers. It's about how much trust and confidence your horse needs to have in you... and your toys.

Horsenality Question:

QUESTION
I have a six-year-old Quarter Horse mare who is a Right-Brain Extrovert. When I play with her on the ground, she has a lot of "go", is very sensitive and is very willing to move around, play, jump, run, etc. She is playful and mouthy with toys, but very respectful with me. When I get on her, her Horsenality™ changes. She has very little "go" and will often stop dead from the walk or trot for no apparent reason. If I put pressure with my legs, she will swing her tail and pin her ears back. I would like to get her going at a good pace at the trot and eventually the canter, but I am not sure how to get the message to her feet! Hope you can give me strategies to do to help us both through this. I am currently working through my Level 3 with another horse. -Chantal

ANSWER
Hmmmmm. This does not sound like a Right-Brain Extrovert to me, but more of a Left-Brain Introvert with some Extrovert tendencies. Perhaps she has shown you a lot of unconfidence and even fear which puts her on the right side of the chart, but at the core she is really a Left-Brain Extrovert. So maybe you have gotten her to reveal her true self on the ground, but not under saddle.

So my question is... can you do a Horsenality Profile on her just when you ride her? That might reveal a totally different Horsenality, behaviorally speaking. And say it does reveal more Left-Brain Introvert tendencies; are you then approaching her in the right way? The most important thing that the Horsenalilty concept will teach you is how to flex your approach according to the different behaviors that horses present, at any given moment. As Pat says, there are four moments in every second, which makes most of us way too slow for our horses! But that's what mastery is all about. When you see someone who is so good with horses that even horses think they are good... that's what they are doing

So... I've not given you a step-by-step answer, but you should discover way more by thinking about her Horsenality and behavior in a specific situation.

Parelli News Question and Answer about 'Biting'. Check out Linda's Answer....

QUESTION
I have an Appaloosa who is nine years old and I bought him last November. Within a week or so he bit me, and really meant it, on my side which left huge bruising. I was shocked as I was undoing the chest strap on his rug that came with him. I had noticed in the first week that he would pin his ears back and turn his head towards me. I was quite aware of this and became cautious around him. When he bit me, I did not react and had to go away and suffer in pain for a while. I came back and did approach and retreat but he still would pin his ears back. I researched his previous owners and found out he had bitten the previous owner twice around feed time or when doing the girth up but other owners said they had no problems with him. The other day I was with an instructor and told her my main fear was his biting and other than that he was great to ride and do ground skills with. We did approach and retreat with the saddle on and off and then he swung around to bite me, I blocked him, tripped over my own feet or his and fell to the ground. I was told there was too much energy for him to cope with. I am now so scared to do anything with him because of this biting. I get my husband to hold him while I do up the saddle. This is not the best way but for me it is safe. Can you help me figure out what he is feeling so I can deal with it so we can both get through this safely and I can hopefully regain my confidence? -Kim

ANSWER
Have you done a Horsenality Profile on your horse yet? He sounds to me as if he is a LB Extrovert / Introvert combo. These are most likely to become aggressive because it is their nature to dominate. You need to be accepted as his leader, which you will do via the Seven Games, but you have to 'win' them. In essence this means you have to win the position of alpha where your horse accepts your leadership. If you are not a confident person, but your horse is overconfident, this is not an easy task, however there are a couple of things on your side.

If your horse turns out to be LB Introvert and Extrovert, or just Introvert, treats work like a charm. Some people think that this encourages the behavior but it does the opposite. Think about someone who is trying to win your favor... they bring you chocolates and flowers and gifts! Pretty soon it's hard not to like them!! The same thing happens with this kind of horse, but note that treats alone do not work. You have to also play the Seven Games with him so you can actually get him to do something... and then reward him. Don't just give him treats for no reason.

Now, when it comes to the Seven Games, the most important ones for this kind of horse are going to be backing and driving the forehand away from you, but they will also be the most challenging because dominant horses do not allow this... they do it to others! I would practice your technique and learn how to be really soft and get really firm with wiggling the rope and not moving your feet. Every time you move your feet when trying to back him, this horse sees it as weakness and his opportunity to have the upper hoof again. Also, do it from behind a fence or a barrier that he cannot cross. This will keep you safe if he decides to push on you, and it will do a lot for your confidence. Once you can consistently back him up with light pressure you'll feel safer to be on the same side as him. Same thing with driving his front end away. You need to get to where you can do this easily and convincingly. Most people overdo HQ yields / disengagement, and this w ill get you in trouble with the LB horse because it brings the front end to you!

Biting is how LB horses dominate others, and that's what he's doing to you. You just have to be better than he is at those driving games because that is the only way he will respect you! If your instructor is Parelli Certified, please tell them to get in touch with us and we can personally coach them to coach you if necessary.

Oh, and on the saddling issue... give him a great big carrot when he swings around to nip you! He'll be so surprised that after several instances his whole opinion of saddling will change and you'll only have to do it now and then. You may even have to play some driving games with him before saddling to make sure he accepts your doing something to him. Again, that's something dominant horses do to others, they don't like things being done to them. But once they are submissive to your leadership, they are quite happy to comply. You just have to maintain that position and not let it slip.

When you read this one, notice how well this would work for teaching your horse how to back off the trailer. This is the technique we use super successfully!

Another question and answer from Parelli News. 'Solving the Girthy Issue' is very close to my heart as we have had many horses who were 'damaged' at some point in their lives by an unfeeling person tightening a girth. I thought this was an interesting perspective.

QUESTION
Tali and I are working on Level 2 and I can't believe we have not yet permanently resolved a basic issue - girthing. I have used the 22-foot rope around her barrel and just walked or stopped, tightening and releasing. I have tried all types of Friendly Game, tightened girth in 3 stages, sacked with pad and saddle then left it off to play games, played games with the saddle on, sometimes mounting, sometimes not, making it not be about the girth, but about the relationship, etc.

Tali came to me with this problem due to a previous home where they used poorly fitted tack and the riding was quite stressful. But I'm taking all of the responsibility not having this resolved yet. When I go to saddle, the mare seems to revert back to how she was when I got her - shut down. She's the boss mare in a herd of one gelding and four other mares and is dominant with food and space. She's quite sensitive and also very introverted (very much like Oreo, the Girl Scout camp mare on one of the Savvy Club DVD's) and I sometimes feel she is "reserving judgment" about my leadership - willing to go along with it but not always 100% engaged. If I'm lucky, after about an hour, Tali will stand while I tighten the girth (always in 3 stages). I give her lots of comfort, no pressure, and concentrate on the relationship. But the next day, same thing happens all over again. I suspect I need to make a mini-program of this but things always intervene (weather, work, etc.). I suspect the solution is as simple as this, but it's been going on for so long I'm afraid I'm missing something obvious. This has been going on for about a year and both myself and two instructors have tried everything we can think of. We can get it to work once, but not always and not for good. I would be MOST appreciative of any insights you may have. -Valery

ANSWER
There are three things that might be going on here... dominance, fear or baggage... or a combination thereof! I think you nailed it when confessing that you have not made a program of it. This is where the solution often lies because in order to change an old habit for a new one, it takes about 21 days or 21 sessions in a row. That kind of consistency is what horsemen have, and every single day is all about preparation for the next. I said something similar on our tour stop in Harrisburg... you're not riding for today, you are riding for tomorrow. That way you'll stop expecting perfection from your horse and yourself!

So, if it is dominance you should play with your horse first until she is more calm and submissive and accepting, and then saddle her. If she is introverted, take the longest time and do surprising things like put the pad on her head, on her rump... and wait until she licks her lips and relaxes her defensiveness / annoyance. Treats work great if she is a LB Introvert because it makes it difficult for her to hate you... Love me, love my toys is what you want to achieve. If you are willing to take a lot of time she'll actually respect you for that.

If it is fear then you will need to play on the ground with the saddle... send her to it, allow her to sniff it, paw it, etc. I know, expensive saddles are not good for this, but maybe you can use a sacrificial saddle so she knows she is more important than your tack! Use a lot of approach and retreat and be straight forward yet considerate. She needs to feel your confidence and leadership.

If it is old baggage... the first and second might apply. Try to determine if it is fear or dominance. When it's fearful the horse shies away, is very tense. If it is dominance, the horse is likely to cow kick or bite at you, put her ears back and toss her head. And then of course, take your time and don't judge her for it... feel for her. When you think about some of the equipment and techniques horses have had to bear it is incredible they even allow us near them!

Linda Parelli