| Bonding is the development of a relationship of trust | | | | provides, a horse overcomes instinct and accepts the |
| and confidence between a horse and his owner or | | | | approach of a handler or trainer. |
| handler. It comes from countless hours of working with | | | | When we begin the desensitizing process, we |
| the horse beginning with our earliest foal imprinting | | | | essentially convince the horse that although we are |
| lessons (if we were lucky enough to have that | | | | touching him in his most vulnerable places, we will not |
| opportunity) and continuing throughout the horse's life. | | | | harm him. When the horse allows us to throw a saddle |
| Every time you handle the horse, whether it's to feed | | | | blanket and then a saddle on his back, he is showing |
| him, brush him, doctor him or pick his hooves, you are | | | | enormous trust and confidence. |
| unconsciously affecting the bonding process. How you | | | | After all, the revulsion and terror that a horse feels |
| affect it, depends upon how well you understand the | | | | when something unknown lands on his back, must be |
| principles of natural horsemanship and consequently, | | | | extraordinary. When a horse stands quietly for that |
| how well you understand horses. | | | | first saddling and mounting, he is going against every |
| Bonding with a horse, contrary to what some | | | | instinct and every natural tendency he has. But he will |
| traditionalist horse trainers believe, is not only possible, | | | | do this willingly if the bonding process was successful. |
| but its importance cannot be overestimated. | | | | Contrast this with the 19th century cowboy method of |
| Groundwork exercises provide an indispensable tool to | | | | physically subduing the horse while a saddle was put |
| allow that bonding to occur. | | | | on. No wonder you read stories of the Old West |
| Without proper bonding the groundwork will be futile | | | | where seven year old horses buck regularly when |
| and without proper groundwork there will be no | | | | saddled. |
| bonding. It's sort of like the chicken and egg quandary. | | | | That's the difference between a horse that was |
| Which came first? | | | | trained through fear-based methods and the horse |
| Although some old-fashioned horse trainers scoff at | | | | that went through the bonding process and |
| the notion of bonding with a horse, we believe it is an | | | | groundwork exercises and stands quietly while |
| essential part of developing a willing partner in the | | | | saddled. Which kind of horse would you prefer? |
| training process. We look at bonding with the horse in | | | | The most effective way of dealing with training |
| two ways: (1) as an effective training tool and (2) as a | | | | problems in horses is to fall back on bonding and |
| way to make horse ownership a more satisfying | | | | groundwork techniques. Many problems that a horse |
| experience. | | | | exhibits in training are a result of incomplete bonding |
| Proper bonding based on the principles of natural | | | | and hurried groundwork. |
| horsemanship will allow the horse to accept things that | | | | Whether it is head tossing or kicking, most solutions to |
| are contrary to his nature. He does that because he | | | | these problems involve going back to basics and |
| has developed trust and confidence in his handler. | | | | addressing bonding issues. For example, kicking |
| That's the whole basis of our training, isn't it? Without | | | | problems are often solved by a thorough review of |
| proper bonding, the training process degenerates into | | | | desensitizing techniques. |
| one based on fear and submission. | | | | This is nothing more than attempting to deepen the |
| Let's take a look at this in more detail. | | | | trust between man and horse so that the horse will no |
| Every phase of the training process is based on | | | | longer find it necessary to kick. Groundwork takes the |
| proper bonding and groundwork. Have you ever tried | | | | fear out of the equation and bonding puts the trust into |
| to lead a horse that hasn't been broke to lead? Yeah, | | | | it. |
| it's kind of frustrating because the horse does what's | | | | Proper groundwork throughout the training process |
| natural to him, i.e. he pulls back on the lead when he | | | | minimizes the number of problems that you will |
| feels pressure. | | | | encounter with a horse. There's nothing magical about |
| He doesn't know to give to the pressure by moving | | | | it, though, and being thorough and patient with your |
| forward. He doesn't trust the situation and he resists. | | | | groundwork exercises is no guarantee that you won't |
| Bonding has a very utilitarian purpose, and that is for | | | | have problems with your horse, but you will have |
| the horse to learn to trust you enough to accept | | | | fewer. |
| training. Something as simple as learning to lead | | | | Owning a horse that trusts you, willingly cooperates |
| requires a certain level of bonding for the horse to | | | | with you and tries to do the right thing is a pleasure. It is |
| trust you enough to give in to your pressure. | | | | a rewarding experience to have a horse trot over to |
| The same thing can be said and demonstrated | | | | the fence and nicker when you approach rather than |
| regarding most other skills that a horse acquires during | | | | to run to the farthest corner of the pasture to avoid |
| the groundwork phase of his training. For example, | | | | contact with you. |
| without bonding and the proper groundwork, it is not an | | | | Using groundwork techniques to bond with your horse |
| easy task to catch a horse in a pasture or large corral. | | | | serves the dual purpose of increasing your success in |
| Without trust in his handler a horse will turn to his | | | | training as well as building a more meaningful and |
| instincts and flee the approaching "predator." With the | | | | lasting relationship with the horse. |
| benefit of the bonding experience which groundwork | | | | |