Cowboy Natural Horsemanship Philosophy at Beartooth MT Ascent

Our Beartooth MT Ascent Program develops the minds, bodies and souls of troubled young men through active involvement in learning to observe, listen and then communicate with horses. At MTC Youth Ranch horses and good horsemanship is an essential reality in full life cycle and care of our large angus cattle herd. From birth to the selling of yearling steers, Beartooth MT Ascent students assist in the the working of cattle with the aid of the horse in the traditional cowboy spirit.

Horses play an integral role in our traditional styled ranch life. The Ranch at Beartooth MT Ascent has thirty-nine head of horses for ranching purposes. We are very proud of our herd. Like the young men at Beartooth MT Ascent, these horses come from many backgrounds. They are primarily Quarter Horses, with some Arabian, Paint Horse, and Mustang breeding represented as well. It is amazing how quickly the young man will pick out a favorite horse among the herd. There is an old saying that goes, "The outside of a horse is good for the inside of a man." This has proven true here at Beartooth MT Ascent.

Our horse program does not allow for one horse to be ridden continuously by one person. The old horsemanship philosophy is that, "Many horses make a horseman." The young men learn how to feed, groom and care for the horses soon after they arrive. Some at-risk troubled teens have never been close to a horse—or even seen one in person—and the experience of close contact can contribute greatly to a young man's healing process.

What is Natural Horsemanship?
Natural horsemanship is the philosophy of working with horses by appealing to their instincts and herd instincts. It involves communication techniques derived from wild horse observation in order to build a partnership that closely resembles the relationships that exist between horses.

There are countless "schools" or theories of natural horsemanship but the following ideas are common to most of them:

    Horses are social herd animals, evolved for social interaction and the ability to escape predators. The horse has a highly developed communication system practiced primarily through body language. It is possible for humans to learn to use body language to communicate with the horse. Horses use ear position, head position, speed of movement, threatening gestures, showing of teeth and swinging of hips, and many other gestures to communicate. They are quick to escalate a behavior if early warnings are not heeded. Similarly, in natural horsemanship, the handler or trainer uses body language along with other forms of gentle pressure with increasing escalation to get the horse to respond. Horses are quick to form a relationship of respect with humans who treat them in this fashion; "firm but fair" is a motto.

    Most natural horsemanship practitioners agree that teaching through pain and fear do not result in the type of relationship that benefits both horse and handler.[The object is for the horse to be calm and feel safe throughout the training process. A horse that feels calm and safe with his handler is quick to bond with that person, and the results can be remarkable.

At Beartooth MT Ascent Our Staff and Students Learn From The
Natural Horsemanship Trainig Expertise of Pat Parelli

Parelli Natural Horsemanship – Overview: (From the Parelli natural horsemanship web site)

The Parelli Method of horse training teaches expertise and success with horses based on the way horses relate and communicate in their natural world – hence the term “natural horsemanship.”   

The natural approach to horse training is effective with all horse breeds, all disciplines and all styles of riding including Western, dressage, jumping, cross country, drag hunting, polo, racing, or simply happy hacking. It’s been embraced worldwide by horsemen and women of all disciplines and skill levels, from first-time beginners to international competitors and Olympic medalists.
           
Based on respect for and love of horses – and understanding horse nature and psychology – the Parelli method enables anyone at any level to have fun with horses and achieve amazing results…naturally. Parelli horse training avoids using force, fear, harsh bits or mechanical training aids in favor of love, language and leadership or, said another way: relationship, communication and trustworthiness.

The Parelli method allows horse lovers at all levels and disciplines to achieve success without force, partnership without dominance, teamwork without fear, willingness without intimidation, and harmony without coercion.
The Basic Principles of Parelli Natural Horsemanship

It’s quite a challenge to try to summarize 28 years of natural horse training knowledge and experience into a single document, but we took a shot at distilling it down to 10 key principles, so here goes:

    Horses Are Fine Just The Way They Are – The Parelli Method isn’t really horse training per se because horses are fine just the way they are.  What we do is more human training because it’s the human in the human-horse relationship that needs to learn how to relate naturally to the horse. The Parelli method teaches you how to work with your horse in the most loving, effective and efficient way possible for lasting results and success.

A Life Changing Experience for struggling young men, parents and the entire family.

Since Beartooth MT Ascent is not a "Dude" Ranch, we do not recommend that the troubled man ride our horses while he makes his initial adjustment to the first phase of our program. Trust, work ethic, self-motivation, and a sense of responsibility are key factors in behavior improvement and in determining the young man's progress as he becomes more closely associated with the horse. Riding a horse has many responsibilities attached to it; successful natural horsemanship requires many hours of study and a desire to learn about horses. When the student demonstrates that he understands these principles he is then ready to learn the Natural Horsemanship WAY:
    "The Relationship between you and your horse is the foundation of the Parelli method – and that relationship must become your primary consideration in everything you do with your horse."

Understanding means:
    Understanding that horses are prey animals and that pretty much everything they do or don’t do is based on their survival instincts.
    Learning to see the world from the horse’s point of view – this includes figuring out “what’s in it for them” when asking something of your horse.
    Understanding your horse’s basic personality type so that you can work with him in the most effective way possible, given his particular psychology. The Parelli method for figuring out your horse’s personality and psychology is called Horsenality™.  Much of the Parelli program relies on understanding and learning to work with your horse’s personality including both his positive and negative traits. The Horsenality tool teaches students how to “read” their horses and incorporate the best strategies for managing behaviors and achieving success.

  Communication.  Relationships are based on understanding and communication. To have a good relationship with your horse, you need to understand him and be able to communicate with him. Through the Parelli method of natural horsemanship, you will learn to communicate with horses the way they communicate with each other. Pat Parelli spent years keenly observing horse communication systems, how relationships were established and how trust and leadership were developed. He translated what he learned into the Parelli Seven Games which is an amazing and revolutionary system for teaching people how to communicate with and relate to horses using horses’ own natural communication methods.

  Trust. Horses are herd animals and are therefore instinctively comfortable following a leader.  The Parelli method teaches you the secrets of becoming your horse’s trusted “alpha” so that the horse feels safe with you and will willingly do what you ask. Trust is established in a number of ways including:
Putting the relationship first
Learning to communicate in the horse’s own language
Keeping the horse safe and calm in the face of what he finds fearful
Establishing a good relationship on the ground before you attempt to get on his back

When the Struggling teen has learned these life lessons from the horse he will NEVER forget them!

(Information on Natural Horsemanship is from Pat Parelli Learn more at:
http://www.parellinaturalhorsetraining.com/natural-horsemanship/)