>>> sure, but that's a different practice. Do you mean that bending and one-rein-stops are different practices? I don't think so, not really. They morph apart into different functions, but they start from the same point. We start the horses getting flexible from the start, even on the ground, and they learn to circle to a stop very early in their training. Of course, there are many other body cues that come into play as you add in bending while moving forward, but it all comes from the same flexibility of the horse. Because we work on these basics from the get-go, the horses listen and are responsive and light, so one-rein stops are rare here.
>>> i do practice one-rein stops, but i also go out on trails with a bit. do the "natural-type" trainers to whom you refer keep their students in rings, or what? One example - the Parelli's probably wouldn't let their students out of the ring until they are well into Level 2, or maybe higher - I'm not exactly sure at what point. I'm not sure THAT much time is necessary, but I do think that most people - and horses - are better served to learn the fundamentals in a safe, contained environment. In truth, we really don't practice the one-rein stops since I think they are pretty harsh - I'd only use them in a true emergency - like heading into the path of the oncoming train. I've had to try a one-rein stop on a stiff horse that didn't know how to bend and it was miserable, and it can take some time to work. Much better that you can get the horse thinking about stopping before you need the one-rein stop. As Barney always said, "Nip it. Nip it in the bud." As I like to say, let's just not go there. If you want to be picky about semantics, I guess I don't like the idea of a horse being "taught the one-rein stop." Effectively, maybe that's what we've done, but we've really broken it into many tiny steps, many of which are also building blocks for other useful tasks/functions. Karen Thomas, NC -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.446 / Virus Database: 268.18.3/699 - Release Date: 2/23/2007 1:26 PM ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Check out the new improvements in Yahoo! Groups email. http://us.click.yahoo.com/4It09A/fOaOAA/yQLSAA/9ZdxlB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> "The greatest enemy of the truth very often is not the lie- deliberate, contrived and dishonest -- but the myth -- persistent, persuasive and unrealistic." "All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident." ~ Arthur Schopenhauer [] The video every Icelandic Horse owner should have: http://IceHorses.net/video.html [] Lee Ziegler http://leeziegler.com [] Liz Graves http://lizgraves.com [] Lee's Book Easy Gaited Horses http://tinyurl.com/7vyjo [] IceHorses Map http://www.frappr.com/IceHorses [] IceHorses ToolBar http://iceryder.ourtoolbar.com/ Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/IceHorses/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/IceHorses/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
