Sevengames: Seven: The Days Long Gone

You may need a spur or a round stone if the horse is particularly stubborn. Remember: start softly and build up strength gradually and steadily until the horse moves. As soon as she gives in, release the pressure and scratch the place where the pressure was. When she once understands what you needed, you yourself will be surprised how easily she will give in. (Parelli suggests building up pressure in 4 phases: coat pressure, skin pressure, muscle pressure, bone pressure. Scratching the place where the pressure was applied is a very important point that should not be neglected, otherwise, over time, the horse may start to give in every time when you reach for her thigh, for example.It is very good to do this exercise: stroke the thigh (horse stands) — press on it (horse yields) — stroke it again (horse stops and stands).0026

Horses play the Guiding Game with each other all the time. They give a tense look, lay their ears back, flap their tail, or lift their hind leg to say, «If you don’t move, I’ll bite or hit!»
This game follows the Porcupine game as first the horse must learn to yield to your physical pressure. nine0025 (This is really extremely important, because it happens that there is no room for making a gesture or the horse simply does not see it. Also, the Porcupine Game is a good test if the first game is passed, if the horse allows you to touch him everywhere. Approx. transl. ) . In doing so, you develop a «language of requests.» The horse is aware that if he does not obey your easy request, he will face physical pressure, waving the rope, stick or your hand. This game is about teaching the horse to move without touching it. nine0025

To play the Spinning Game, place the horse facing you. Use the Guiding Game to turn the front half of the horse away from you. When you signal to move, stand still, don’t use the whip, don’t keep your hand up all the time, don’t turn your body — just stand.

When you decide it’s time to stop, turn the horse’s nose towards you again. Then rotate her hind legs using the Guiding Game. The big secret is that when the horse does what you ask, leave it alone! When she starts doing something you don’t want, take action. Every time she tries to change speed or direction, lure her towards you and send her back again. Gradually, she will remember that by walking in a circle at a given speed, she gets comfort. You need to ask the horse to complete a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 4 circles around you. If the horse describes 2 circles without help, this shows his respect and willingness to listen to you. After 4 laps the horse starts to get bored. If you want to get more than 4 laps from her, play this game with her on uneven ground, put some obstacles, let go of the rope each time for a different length. Remember to look at it from the horse’s point of view. Let this game remain interesting for her. nine0003

Video:

6 — Acceptance.

The better your horse moves backwards and to the sides, the better he will do everything else. Not only does this game keep the horse in top physical shape, it can also be used to calm the horse down and start using its mental abilities for training.

At first, this game will require a wall. The wall will tell the horse that it is not necessary to move forward while he understands what you want from him. A 4m lead and a whip are all you need to get started. Acceptance is the same Guiding Play combined with the Porcupine Play, i.e. send the nose, then the hind legs, again the nose, again the hind legs — and so along the entire wall. nine0003

Soon the horse will understand and try to move with front and hind legs at the same time. If the head turns too far, the hind legs must be adjusted. Be careful not to pull her head towards you if she moves too far. Practice until the horse begins to mimic the acceptance equally well to the right and to the left, evenly and smoothly. It is usually easier for horses to take in one direction.

(This is the Parelli method, however, horses understand very well when the pressure is directly on the middle of the body in the girth area. You can apply physical pressure, as in the Porcupine Game, or you can move the body away with a gesture, as in the Guide. on itself, pressing from the outer side with a cord wrapped around the body. Note transl.)

Video:

7 — Squeeze Game.

Naturally claustrophobic, horses hate narrow or cramped spaces. This game will allow the horse to overcome such fears. She will learn not to panic and not to overcome narrow passages in one jump.

Stand near the wall. Stand at a distance of about 4 m from her. For some horses, even this will seem too narrow a passage, so move even further if necessary. As the horse begins to calmly pass into such a passage, move half a step closer to the wall until you come within 80-90 cm. Please note that on the other side of the «passage» nothing interferes with the movement of the horse. Having passed the passage to one side, let the horse turn around and pass it on the other side. Practice it first at the walk, then at the trot, and then at the canter. When the «stage is passed», try to send the horse to the horse carrier, and not lead it there!

(This game is also useful for the horse to pass under low branches, go to the sink, etc. After working on one side, do not forget to stand on the other side of the horse and do the same again. Remember that you have two horses, left and right, with the right one often harder to train, so be prepared to start over from the beginning.Be patient and move forward in small steps.The «problem» side should be worked on 70% of the time, with «light» — 30%. Approx. transl.)

Video:

Visit to the explosive body (Zvezda and Natalia Gerasimova)

How long should you play?

Until agreement is reached with the horse. The horse should play these games confidently, be calm and attentive until you decide to end the session. It may take 2 minutes, or it may take 2 hours. If you teach your horse these games at the very beginning, it will make life much easier for you in subsequent training. nine0003

7 games suppress resistance in the horse. Even in other situations, you will suddenly see her answers that you did not expect. They solve many problems, because they bring up courage, intelligence, calmness in the horse and help maintain good physical shape.

These games provide a language for communication and a basis for the skills on which all horse training is built. A true horseman, adhering to the principle of «natural relations» (Natural Horsemanship), does not spare time for the development of his horse: he does not try to «cut the path» and does not use artificial devices. Mechanical controls are unnatural and represent the «path of power». As you begin to better understand the horse, you will find out the answers to many of your questions, you will learn how to work on yourself in order to become a real equestrian! nine0003

Photos and videos: Anna Mazina, Maxim Mazin, Ingra, Ekaterina Lomeiko, Natalia Gerasimova.

Original text at www. parelli.com.

7 games by Pat Parelli. The first game is friendly.

Julia Khudyakova

7 Games Pat Parelli

This article is a translation from Pat Parelli’s official website http://www.parellinaturalhorsetraining.com.

Game #1: Friendly game. nine0003

Pat Parelli

Note that this game is the first in a series of the Seven Games and its role is very important in establishing leadership as well as building language between you and the horse and this works with any horse.

The Friendly Game is the first of the Seven Games because a good first impression is a powerful foundation for building a partnership with a horse. When you want to get to know someone, how would you approach them first? I like to think of the presentation of the horse in such a positive way, as if it were a different person. nine0003

Unfortunately, horses are often attacked and insulted during the first stage of acquaintance with the human world. People trap horses, force them, tie them up, blind them, throw saddles on their backs and ride them by force.

Let’s imagine for a moment that the horse has already been ridden. Most riders immediately «take the bull by the horns» and ride the horse as if no training was necessary. Then they kick the horse to start a walk, pull on the reins to stop it, and jerk the horse sideways to turn. If the poor horse objects and misbehaves in this kind of treatment, it is customary to use a number of painful devices to subdue the horse. The device can close the horse’s mouth, tie its head, keep the horse’s body in a «knot», or provide more leverage for the rider to correct this behavior and keep the horse in submission. nine0003

In my opinion, the bridle and «chains» around the horse’s mouth are very cruel devices. But, hey, that’s normal, «it’s always been that way» and thus very few people ever question what’s done with horses. But think about it, even with a little playing the Friendly Game, much of that mechanical equipment and the militaristic attitude that comes with it can be avoided for a more positive and reliable outcome!

I believe that if people could see things from a horse’s point of view, and if they knew of an alternative way to get results, they would choose that way. nine0003

Force not needed.

Photo taken from the source of article

Horses should not be forced to behave as a human being should. We can persuade them naturally to become willing partners with us. These Seven Games were developed as a result of observing how horses communicate with each other. This system allows you to find out not only what game and when to play, but also for what purpose, in order to become even closer and more understandable to the horse.

So Game #1 is the Friendly Game. This is without a doubt the most important of the Seven Games. You must play it with your horse every time before any practice, and then you must continue to play it before, during and after each of the other Seven Games. You can play the Friendly Game with your 12-foot rope, with a whip, with a plastic bag on the end of a stick, with a seat cushion, with your bare hand, or whatever is currently available. We play from the tip of your horse’s ears, around the head, at the mouth, all over the body, all over the legs to the end of his tail. nine0003

To emphasize the power and importance of the Friendly Game, let me give an example of conquering a horse that has never been ridden.

I mean the following:

I can see the end result. I am on the horse’s back, I am happy and relaxed, and the horse is happy and not tense.

I’m going to ask permission to trust me completely and not to make assumptions. I am going to prove to this horse beyond any shadow of a doubt that I am friendly and trustworthy. nine0003

I begin by rubbing, stroking the horse in a joyful way wherever the horse will let me. I start in these areas and work my way up to areas where the horse is stressed. The horse tells me: “Wait! I don’t know you well yet to entrust these places!» I take note of those areas and I use them to give an idea of ​​how far we are progressing in trust. When the horse is no longer defending himself, he tells me that he trusts his body in my hands.

Then I increase the stimuli to see how far the horse can stand still. Some horses are well behaved as long as things are slow and quiet. People teach each other to be quiet and «sneak» when horses are around. I do the opposite. This technique will actually keep the horses in good shape and courage against fear and inconstancy, nervousness. nine0003

I swing the ropes. I skip the rope around and up. I bounce. I move around until the horse loses sensation. There is a smile on my face all the time, I demonstrate «not a threat» with a relaxed body language. Pretty quickly the horse is convinced that I’m safe. She can be quite frightened until the horse includes positive emotions and an analysis of the experience of repeating my actions. And I see it.

I persist, continue provoking, until the horse becomes confident and relaxed, relaxed. nine0003

It is not fair to stop in the middle of a game and leave the horse feeling frightened. Life for a horse, as a prey animal, is a scary enough thing in itself, and the horse is often in tension, on the alert in order to survive. We must teach the horse to overcome his innate fears and skepticism if we are to make the horse our partner. And the first step in this is that I have to prove to the horse that I am a friend, no matter the situation or whatever is in my hands. nine0003

As soon as I feel that the horse is making a mental change and is beginning to look at me differently, lowering his head and relaxing the muscles of his neck, body, only then will I begin to take the next step and ask permission from the horse to jump on his back.

This photo is from Pat Parelli, source of the original article

The horse’s back is a completely new area that needs even more friendly play and desensitization (desensitization, blunting of self-preservation instincts, fears). But since I started on the ground, most of the work has already been done. Within a very short time the horse will allow me to lie on his back, kneel on him, even stand on him, and only then will I fork my legs over his back. This is actually the most vulnerable position ( approx. translation . since it resembles the pose of a predator, hugging the victim with its paws).

This whole process was just a friendly game. If I get this right, everything else will come quickly and easily because I have won the trust of the horse. While I was pushy, I never invaded a horse without asking permission. I never acted like a predator.

Horses are amazingly adaptable animals and very quick to make changes in their mind and behavior, probably faster than any other living creature. nine0003

Here are some points to make it easier to benefit from the first impression with a horse in the Friendly Game:

• Keep the rope away from the halter attachment and relax.
• Don’t even look at the horse and don’t ask for anything yet. Most people grab the horse short and hold on tight. They want to win immediately, tie the horse or lunge, and often without any warning or permission. This will give the opposite impression on the horse, the horse distinguishes between rudeness and calm respect. nine0008
• Learn to give the horse a soft look.
• Smile and have relaxed and friendly body language. Sometimes when people are a little scared, it’s hard to do, but it will earn you big points. Direct eye contact can be very threatening to a horse, and if you become aware of this, you will begin to notice that many horses do not look at the person. They look away. As the horse becomes more confident in the Friendly Play process, he will actually be able to look at you, ears forward and with intense interest. nine0008
• Make your time together as fun for your horse as it is for you.

Horses love to rub and scratch and bite and chew each other. Learn to pet a horse like another horse, not to pat them. Find her itchy spots (where it feels good to be scratched). Be sensitive to areas where the horse feels vulnerable, use the «approach, contact and retreat» principle to help the horse trust you and your hands to touch these sensitive areas. First of all, don’t be impatient. The progress in working on trust will be when, finally, you can touch, stroke the horse everywhere, even under the tail. You cannot call it. You must get permission by being friendly. nine0003

• Understand that you are already doing most of the Friendly Game.

This could include feeding, bathing, brushing, grooming, offering carrots, or just visiting in a paddock. Horses will often fall in love with their grooms who look after them and learn to resent the rider, because the rider always creates only tension with demands for work. Friendly Play is the cornerstone of a healthy relationship with your horse. This is the essence of everything we do in the Parelli program. nine0003

• Try to be more provocative. Gain experience in Friendly Game.

Once you can touch your horse everywhere, use Friendly Play to desensitize your horse to potentially startling things. It could be swinging ropes, rain coats, seat cushions, umbrellas, bicycles, rolling balls, flying saucers, hot air balloons, people running, jumping, skipping, bumping, climbing fences, or noises such as people clapping , bags canisters, cars and trucks. Change the game endlessly. Use your imagination to help your horse understand that new things are not a threat. As soon as she becomes convinced of safety, the fear will disappear. She will begin to notice how you feel about potentially frightening things. If the horse respects you and you show no fear, the horse will follow your lead. nine0003

Reinforcements Not Rewarded.

Punishment and reward do not work on horses. Punishment often carries with it an attitude of anger or displeasure and horses feel it as predatory.

The punishment usually comes too late and the horse then cannot associate it with the unwanted behavior. Even worse, a person may want to punish a horse for misbehaving when, in fact, the horse is really only afraid of the person — instinctively. nine0003

What really works is positive and negative reinforcement. I like to use the analogy of an electric fence. Shock is a negative reinforcement. He doesn’t have any emotions. If the horse touches it, he gets an instant message that it is a mistake. She can only blame herself. When the horse moves his nose away from the electric fence, he gets instant relief.

When using this type of reinforcer, it will cause behavioral changes, as opposed to punishment, which will eventually cause the horse to be offended or turn it into a game. nine0003

There are two types of positive reinforcement — rhythmic movement (stroking) and neutral (let go of the horse, live, rest), there are two types of negative reinforcement — rhythmic pressure and steady pressure.

If a horse tries to bite your hand and you turn to slap it because of it, the horse will usually «dive» back and win the game. Instead, if the horse starts to bite and you can only swing your elbow at just the right time, preferably without looking at the horse, then the horse bumps its nose against your elbow. This is a negative reinforcer and the horse must encounter it several times before the behavior changes. nine0003

The positive reinforcement is also immediate, while the reward comes after the fact. I have often made a comment to the horse that I acknowledge, approve of the slightest attempt, and this is the moment in which the correct behavior is fixed.

Friendly Play can be used in the form of release and relaxation; without even having to touch the horse, just relieving pressure.

Or we should rub, pet the horse, especially when playing the Porcupine Game (Game #2), pressing the horse with the fingers to ask the horse to yield. It would be like this: «friction, pressure, the result of pressure, and again friction.» This effectively erases any negative feelings the horse may have when we put physical pressure on him. This will help the horse understand that what you are asking him with the Porcupine Game is not threatening the horse. nine0003

Kindness without control provokes bad consequences. There are many levels where the pet «enslaves» the people who feed the horse, people who, while offering great kindness, do not receive respect from the horse.

These horses have learned that people are not dangerous and so they try to dominate, move them, push, pinch, chase or pull people around.