I do not like the newer Linda-fied version of PP. I don’t buy into the whole Horsinality thing. Many years ago I did a bit of PP with Sonny. I still use some of the concepts for loading and leading.
For many situations I prefer the rope halter instead of a chain shank. However there are times a lip chain can work wonders especially to clip ears on a piggy horse, doctor a wound. Very rarely would I resort to that for leading.
I clicked through the PP video about leading since I am at work. I think many are viewing it in a vacuum. We don’t know where in the program progression this was selected from. If it is after the period when the horse should be well schooled in the 7 games it is far different than doing this with a horse fresh off the track yesterday.
If the 7 games have been done as he originally designed them then you can safely lead a horse with a long line. That horse would no sooner crowd you or bump you than he would crowd or bump the alpha horse NO MATTER WHAT. The handler in effect is truly alpha horse.
Sonny could be lead that way since he was proficient in the 7 games. He actually was being lead down a narrow hallway behind a handler and a horse along the corridor reached over and bit Sonny. Sonny jumped forward, then slammed on the brakes and never touched the person leading him. He took that second bite rather than run over that person.
PP basically advocates (or used to) a quick flight check every time you handle the horse. You don’t necessarily go through the whole 7 games but you ask them to lower their head to put on the halter (Game 1 yield to pressure), ask them to turn in a circle with you and away from you, you keep them out of your space, you stop unexpectedly and they should stop. Think showmanship type drill. You just make sure that they are paying attention to you and that you have go and stop still installed. It is a 30 second reminder session. He likened it to the pilot doesn’t just hop in the plane and fly away.
Do I necessarily think this is reasonable for a large boarding or training barn situation? Not really. But that isn’t really his target market. His target market is the back yard person that has no support and are trying to get their horse so they are enjoyable and safe to work around. In some ways the flight check can be viewed as the reminder that we train our horses EVERY time we handle them, good or bad they learn something even if we don’t intend to teach them anything.
I also tend to think that his methods and many NH methods when the handler is inexperienced and not working directly with the trainer are better suited for the quiet stock breeds. I think if you don’t have good natural timing or somebody working with you to get that timing then it can be easy to fry a very reactive horse. The inexperienced handler is more likely to wait too long before they make the correction and then the correction is made at much too high of a volume. The horse over-reacts, rinse, repeat and now you have a wired horse.
OP- It sounds like these particular horses are just badly trained and the owners think the do PP/NH. With one exception, all of the PP/NH horses I have dealt with I would be perfectly happy handing to my non-horse mother to lead, hand graze, load on a trailer. They are quiet and respectful.
The exception went to a local NH guy and came back absolutely phenominal but that quickly disappeared.
The owner is the type that basically doesn’t enforce the rules and asks, asks, asks, asks, asks, giggles, asks and lets the horse walk all over her. She has worked with a number of trainers that tell her she needs to be consistent and firm but it just is not her personality to do that.
She will tell you that she does PP or now it is CA but in reality she doesn’t use any discipline method, NH or otherwise. She just lets the horse do what he wants, when he wants and does not discipline him consistently until he finally annoys her enough. Then she is gets after him for a day or two. Her dogs are that way too.
Her horse is the type to take advantage of that void as he is a bit dominate. It isn’t the methods that have failed him. It is the application of those methods by his primary handler. She does not want to be the bad guy and just wants to have fun. Until he pushes her around enough to not be fun so she enforces the rules, then goes back to not enforcing the rules- rinse, repeat the cycle.
OP- If you do decide to horse sit this group again and can’t use the chain shank you are comfortable with then use the rope halter. Make sure it is put on properly and fairly tightly. Carry a carrot stick. Swing it back and forth in front of you. Stop walking. If that horse keeps walking he better run into that stick. Don’t turn to look at him during this. It is OOP look what you did you ran into that swinging stick. Turn towards him. He better move his feet and turn away from you. If not bring the stick up between you and him just behind his head. Do NOT swing it at him but use it to remind him to move away from you just by it being there. If he still does not move then tap him.
Basically for these horses you may need to establish the rules and boundaries the first time you handle them and keep it very narrow. Establish that you can move their feet. Don’t choke up on the lead too much but don’t give them too much either. (I would never hook a finger in a halter of any horse no matter how well behaved they are. All it takes is the horse raising and turning his head for a better look at something and you risk breaking that finger.)
FYI- generally you use a rope halter and lead similar to a chain shank. It is not constant pressure. Use little bumps that progress to bigger bumps if they ignore you.
I also make them lead from both sides so I have the option…and expectations remain the same. I’m not saying they are good enough that I can remove the lead rope and they will follow me around, but I don’t need a “short rope” to keep them where I want them.[/QUOTE]
