Some Notes on “Natural Horsemanship,” Part 1
The advent and popularity of natural horsemanship is, for all intents and purposes, proof that “what’s old is new again.” Let’s face it: thinking horsemen have become fairly jaded after witnessing the meteoric rise of mediocre horsemen in our equestrian disciplines. So-called experts, these individuals are motivated largely by the commercial emphasis on competition-for-its-own-sake , and it reflects in their philosophies and attitudes towards horses and horsemanship. They have been hawking methods, philosophies and practices which have left many of us with a bad taste in our mouths. As concerned equine enthusiasts, we were hungry for something with more substance and less show, more compassion and less ego; something more in tune with our enlightened sensibilities and our love and respect for our animals. Out of this vacuum, a handful of horsemen emerged claiming to “discover” alternative methods of training and riding horses which would “revolutionize” the world of riding a