A total beginner in NH methods

[fatcob]

I have been riding/schooling horses for over 25 years in the conventional English methods. May be getting a youngster soon - she is 2 and has been shown in-hand, had a saddle on her back etc. Would love to train her using NH methods - I hope to do endurance events when she is old enough - and ride with bitless bridle. Where do I start? Can anyone recommend any books/DVDs/training courses? I bet there are lots of methods about?

[hackedoff]

I would say the best thing to do is find a mentor- its really helped me sort the wheat from the chaff! You might want to look into Parrelli stage 1 as well. I can highly recommend Mark Rashid's books and the Kelly Marks book 'Perfect Manners' gives you a good starting point. You might want to grow a second skin as well.........
Good luck!

[Avid_Rider]

Chris Irwin, in my opinion is one of the best guys around. As well as Clinton Anderson.
Chris Irwins site is www.chrisirwin.com and Clintons is www.downunderhorsemanship.com
There is also John Lyons as well as many others but those are my two fav's.

I have read Monty Robert's books and methods and I dislike them for the fact that, sure he can get on a horse in 30 minutes, but then what. The horse doesnt know what to do.
I have been training horses for a couple years now using Chris Irwins techniques and they've done wonders.
However, as you may know, each horse has there own preference.

Let me know if you find any other good ones.

[Kate F.]

Irwin and Anderson are both very good - and Marty Marten's "Problem Solving" book has a good introduction to the basic groundwork and ridden exercises. (despite the title it's not all about problems!)

If I may, I'd also recommend my own book and website. The book and the first section of the website both focus on work with a young horse - so would fit your needs perfectly. Like you, I came to NH after over 30 years of "trad" and found some of the literature rather hard going. Not bad or anything - just a little indigestible for someone coming from and English background. I hope I've started to bridge that gap in The Harmony Project.

Whichever you choose - good luck and I hope you find it as enjoyable, fascinating and rewarding as I do!

[cvb]

you could check with the parelli office if there is a local "community".

Also you'll often find the western folk are aware or do NH - so check out your local WES person and see if they can help.

There are a number of people who train in NH - the main ones who are "known" in the UK are Pat and Monty. But then you also have various other folk from UA, Australia, Europe etc. (e.g. Leslie Desmond who is USA and Sweden based).

I also like the Klaus Ferdinand Hempfling book for "body language" type stuff.

[Harry Hobbes]

- and Marty Marten's "Problem Solving" book has a good introduction to the basic groundwork and ridden exercises. (despite the title it's not all about problems!)
Marten now has a Volume Two of his Problem Solving series.

To elucidate further on Kate F.'s comment, Marten's "Problem Solving" series (currently two books) are really all about building a foundation in the horse. Marten has (deceptively, and shrewdly so) titled his books "Problem Solving" in recognition of the propensity of humans to want a quick "how to..." to fix a problem and move on to the fun stuff.

But, almost all behavioral or performance problems can be traced back to an unsteady (or faulty) foundation; so, if one (re-)builds the foundation, one solves (or prevents) most of the "problems."

I now use Marten's two Problem Solving volumes as my primary training references (and I carry them to the training stables daily); and recommend both of the volumes as the "starter training publications."

Best regards,
Harry

P.S. Here are links to Western Horseman books, including the Problem Solving series:
http://www.westernhorseman.com/books/index.shtml
https://www.colosoft.com/westernhorseman-secure/problemsolving.asp
https://www.colosoft.com/westernhorseman-secure/problemsolving2.asp

[Tootsie4U]

Originally posted by Harry Hobbes
... and recommend both of the volumes as the "starter training publications."


Yes he does, and I just got mine today. It seems to very much be a 'how to' kind of book, sort of like a manual, rather than a book just for reading entertainment. Packed with photos and diagrams.