Today’s Horsemanship

I was raised on a farm north of Harmony, MN. Just like the cattle and hogs, horses were a commodity on the farm. My father would buy a pony or horse at a local sales barn, bring it home, put me on its back and when I stopped hitting the ground the horse was considered finished. That was the way it felt to a small boy back then.

After high school I received a vocation as a Behavior Analyst, learning how to identify and alter desired behaviors in humans. Since 1987 I have been adopting my skills from being a human analyst to being a horse analyst and methodically rewarding desired behaviors not ‘breaking’ horses anymore. Make the undesired behavior uncomfortable and the desired behavior easy.

Today’s famous trainers such as Monty Roberts, Pat Parelli and Clinton Anderson, in my mind, are all simply behavior analysts specializing with horses. They combine their methodical training skills with the issue of man being a predator and the horse a prey animal. They all talk with their horses using the nonverbal language of the body, otherwise known as natural horsemanship.

Getting pushed around by your horse? Does your horse pin its ears at you, run away from you, nibble or bite at you? The main problem you have is a basic lack of respect. Address this issue and stop looking for a “quick fix”. With the right tools to put in your toolbox you can turn your horse into a willing partner. Get more ‘tools’, grow the relationship with your horse. Lets have fun with our horses!

Randy L. Kraling - Today's Horsemanship

RR#1 Box 276A Spring Valley, MN 55975

507.346.7986 ykraling@lakes.com