Natural horsemanship

"Horse Whisperer" redirects here. For the book, film and other uses, see The Horse Whisperer.
A human approaches a semi-wild horse in a non-threatening stance

Natural horsemanship is a collective term for a variety of horse training techniques which have seen rapid growth in popularity since the 1980s.[1][2] The techniques vary in their precise tenets but generally share principles of "a kinder and gentler cowboy"[3] to develop a rapport with horses,[4] using methods said to be derived from observation of the natural behavior of free-roaming horses[5] and rejecting abusive training methods.[1]

Natural horsemanship practitioners often describe the approach as being a radical departure from "traditional" techniques, which are often portrayed as being based in the use of unnecessary force.[1] Users and practitioners tend to relate benefits both in relation to the quasi-scientific narrative of the ethology of horse behavior, viewing the horse as "other", but also to the idea of an anthropomorphic partnership.[6] High-profile practitioners of natural horsemanship such as Monty Roberts and Pat Parelli market their methods and equipment extensively through books, television appearances, live shows and other media.[1] The natural horsemanship movement is controversial in the mainstream equestrian community, with criticism leveled at practitioners on a number of levels, while natural horsemanship advocates in turn are highly critical of more traditional methods.[7] Natural horsemanship promoters face criticism that their techniques are not "new" and are classical concepts that are simply renamed or repackaged in order to be able to sell products and merchandise.[8]

  1. ^ a b c d Birke, Lynda (1 July 2007). ""Learning to Speak Horse": The Culture of "Natural Horsemanship"" (PDF). Society & Animals. 15 (3): 217–239. doi:10.1163/156853007X217177. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 14, 2015.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference Rashid was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Chapman, Carol (January 20, 2013). "Horse Sense". Texas Monthly. Retrieved August 20, 2019.
  4. ^ Miller, Robert M; Lamb, Richard A; Lamb, Rick; Downs, Hugh (2005). "The Revolution in Horsemanship". Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association. 216 (8). Lyon's Press: 1232–3. PMID 10767957.
  5. ^ Kinsey, Mike; Denison, Jennifer (2008). "Chapter 1: The Start 'em Right Evolution". Backcountry Basics: Your Guide to Solving Common Problems on the Trail. Western Horseman Publishing. ISBN 978-0-911647-84-6.
  6. ^ Birke, Lynda (1 April 2008). "Talking about Horses: Control and Freedom in the World of "Natural Horsemanship"". Society & Animals. 16 (2): 107–126. doi:10.1163/156853008x291417. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  7. ^ Kirk, Amanda (2009). Outdoor Careers. Infobase Publishing. p. 38. ISBN 978-0816076277.
  8. ^ Hofstetter, Angela Dawn (2009). Lyrical Beasts: Equine Metaphors of Race, Class, and Gender in Contemporary Hollywood Cinema (Dissertation Abstracts International, 70-05A). Bloomington: Indiana University. pp. 100–104. ISBN 9781109166705.