BATH TIME

Hello, 

Today we will continue with the process in preparing the yearlings for tying and bathing calmly and safely.

Teaching new things to a yearling is a lot of fun; bear in mind that they are constantly reading our body language and that our attitude and energy plays an important part in order that the experience be a positive one. Enjoy the process and take it calmly, like if you were teaching something new to a very young child. 

In the Parelli Method we say we must use Love, Language and Leadership in equal parts. 

In the following video I will show you the summary of the process I did with Hakasan:

My Objectives: 

1- Achieve the acceptance of water throughout his body including his face!  I accomplish this by doing slow and friendly approaches.

2- Achieve that he stand with trust.

3- Afterwards we try this in the wash rack, not tied, we want him to accept the water without feeling claustrophobic.

Last week I did not tell you the name of the knot I showed you in the last video; Pat Parelli showed it to us with the name “ Bank Robbers Knot” due to it’s quick release action [I love the name and can imagine a cowboy from the old west getting away after robbing a bank!]. Learn this knot!; if you use it correctly you could save a horses life!

To help young horses learn to be tied we use the bank robbers knot and a piece of inner tube from a bicycle tire. I learned this tool from from Dr Robert Miller, in the following video you will see how I use it along with the bank robbers knot tied to the piece of tube in order to prepare the bathing stall.

The advantage the tube gives us is that if the yearling frightens and reacts with the opposition reflex the pressure created by pulling and sitting back will be relieved by the inner tube which will stretch and give until the yearling finds the correct answer; moving forward which gives him relief. For security a cord which breaks easily is sometimes used instead of the inner tube. The idea is to prevent the yearling from having a bad experience by feeling trapped. 

Now we will see how Hendrix behaves during his bath! Alex shows us an excellent relationship of trust and good handling during the bath. 

We will continue next week! We will show you how we introduce elements which we will put on their body! Don’t miss it!

Ale