"Space bubble" size

[Bling]

A general question for Natural Horseman: How big is your personal space? Also, I was wondering if it changes in size---like, more if you're lunging? Less when leading?

[cvb]

Generally personal space varies with how you are feeling and with the context/environment

if you feel threatened you normally require more space than when you feel comfortable with people

I think the same applies with horses - but it does also relate to your position in the herd - not so much the *size* but how you allow them in and when.

Mark Rashid talks about boundaries, and that you can set them any distance you want but *he* tends to set it at arm's length (its practical and simple).

Another example might be "kicking distance" + a little ! :eek:

I maintain a more strict distance with my mare, as she gets ditzy and needs to remember where she is, than I do with my old guy who I trust to the ends of the earth but is less steady on his feet (with this chap I am careful what I do in *his* space as he is not so steady on his feet these days).

With a strange horse I would err on the side of caution.

In terms of "function", I may invite them in if I am working at close quarters. But as "leader" *I* initiate the contact. They can "ask" but I am the one to say "yes its ok for you to come in".

So leading is closer than lunging - just by the nature of the task. If I am loose schooling I may "inflate" my own space to push a horse away, or collapse it to ask them in (if that makes sense...).

[Kate F.]

A general question for Natural Horseman: How big is your personal space? Also, I was wondering if it changes in size---like, more if you're lunging? Less when leading?

It should be as big or small as you want it to be at any given time. What is important is not the absolute size, but rather that you can specify how large it should be at any time and that the horse accepts this. If you're grooming, for example, it's almost turned off; if you're lunging or working in a round-pen it might be 20 metres.

If you watch horses moving around eachother, the space between them varies all the time. When they are grazing, the spaces are usually pretty big. If the herd is under threat and they prepare to flee, the spaces shrink and the come very close together. A higher ranking horse can walk straight through the space of a lower ranking horse, and the lower horse accepts it or moves away. However, the lower ranking horse has to go AROUND the space of the higher ranking horse.

The key isn't the amount of space - it's who controls it! ;)

[LodgeRopes]

Hi Bling

CVB & Kate have it covered.....great comments :0)
i just wanted to confuse things by adding that it is prudent to remember that the horse has its own bubble. Sometimes we can be so concerned in maintaining our space that one can inadvertently put excessive pressure on the horse and promote a physical or emotional response that is out of character.
Even with our 'respectful' horses , we always watch for non complient signals and adjust our 'space' accordingly and then look to establish the status quo, after all we all have 'those' days :0)

If think it was parelli that said work out what happened before it happens...or something like that. It has been so long, I no longer speak parelli fluidly :0)

[cvb]

"what happened before what happened happened"

;)

[LodgeRopes]

Thats it!
Thank you CVB, goes to show that if i had made Prior and Proper Preparation it would have Prevented my P Poor Performance :0)

[cvb]

ah. then maybe you will "make haste slowly" ;)

[Bling]

Thank you, everyone! I'd thought my filly would be confused if I changed the space size, but I can see it CAN change. Thanks again.