Natural Horsemanship Creates Trust Between Horse and Rider
by Nancy Wood,
September 9, 2010, page 13.....

The number of horses in Charlotte is increasing, and they are of many different types, from the Amblo’s Miniature Horses at Tarry Ho (see cover) to the stately Hanoverians at Foxwood Farm. Nana Boffa’s gelding Frio is of one of the rarest breeds: the Colonial Spanish Horse. He is a descendant of the original horses brought to North America by the Spaniards. There are only about 3,000 worldwide, according to Stephanie Lockhart, founder of the Center for America’s First Horse, in Johnson. Lockhart’s organization is focused on the conservation and stewardship of the Colonial Spanish Horse, which she says is close to extinction.
Lockhart is also a teacher of “natural horsemanship,” which she says can be used with any horse, at any age. Boffa is learning the technique from her. Stephanie describes it as “getting us to speak the horse’s language.” The horse by nature, she says, is a herd animal, accustomed to following a leader and moving away from pressure. It is also a prey animal so is very sensitive to its surroundings. The trainer works with those traits, learning to act like the lead horse. Communication between horse and trainer is developed first with ground work, getting the horse’s attention and keeping it through body language and pressure as needed. A training stick, referred to as a carrot stick by Lockhart, is used as an extension of the trainer’s arm to steer the horse by applying pressure to the part of the horse’s body that needs to move, such as the hindquarters for turning. It is never used for punishment.
Boffa demonstrated how Frio responds to her body language, relaxed when she is relaxed, attentive when she tenses up and indicates a direction to turn. Ground work includes an “interactive lunging game,” with the horse free to move around until the trainer indicates through movement of the carrot stick, the lead line and her body that it is time to turn, change speed or stop. Boffa plays ground games with Frio, including going around barrels, jumping hurdles and passing through close spaces that replicate entering a trailer.
Once on the horse’s back, similar approaches are used by the rider. The carrot stick continues to play a role as well as movements of the rider’s body that indicate the direction of motion desired. A relaxed body is the signal by the rider to the horse to remain relaxed; coming to attention is the signal for the horse to respond to traditional hand and leg commands.
Frio, who came from New Mexico, was five years old and unhandled when Nana purchased him. His kind disposition and easy manners are a testament to the gentle training he has received. Nana says he has bonded with her, and he is a joy to work with.
Lockhart may conduct a clinic in this area toward the end of September for those interested in learning more about natural horsemanship. Also, she, with two of her Colonial Spanish Horses, and Boffa with Frio, will be doing demonstrations all day at the Shelburne Farms Harvest Festival on September 25. There will be hands-on kids activities, including “Paint a real Indian pony”… yes, really, they will be able to paint one of the horses. Stephanie says the kids love to do it, and it’s a very colorful event.
Information about natural horsemanship and Colonial Spanish Horses can be found on Lockhart’s website at centerforamericasfirsthorse.org.