# Friendship Training = strange.



## Andi of Longmeadow Farm (Feb 24, 2012)

Hi all, I was as curious as a cat about what the "FT" was all about, and got sent an application/registration form. To be honest, it just seems to be a bit much....the list is so long, (regarding all the per-pre-pre work), and then ~ you get to this:

"*Failing to send daily email reports the first thirty days of actual FTXs, (after the Preconditioning Phase) will result in immediate expulsion from the course with no refund."

Oh great, I get to love my horse, but get kicked to the side of the curb if I miss daily reports. 

Doesn't this sound a bit to restrictive to you? I have a creepy feeling about this, but then again, I may be to harsh ~ as I have a whole angus beef farm to run, and 5 gardens, just because I want to be friends with my horse. :shock:


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## gigem88 (May 10, 2011)

If I had to pay, I would expect them to do the daily report! I think FT is a bunch of hooey, but if someone wants to try it and it works for them....go for it! I prefer to be the leader.


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

I have never heard of "Friendship Training"!
What is the theory behind it?


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

You must be FRIENDS with your horsies and never, ever expect them to do something they don't want, Cowchick. You can't FORCE them, they must WANT to work, or you must let them walk away and come back only when they're ready! 

Um, yeah. I don't THINK so! :rofl:

I'm alpha; my horses do what I say, when I say we do it. They don't seem to have an issue with that, since that's how herd hierarchy works.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

I....went to their site once. Omg... it was like some freaky cult craziness.

Have you watched The Room? Because you will know exactly what I'm talking about when it comes to the crazy people and the objects.. except this is horses and people. 

Not my thing.. at all. I'm a friend to my horse, but I'm also his mentor and most importantly, leader of the herd. 

He gets that, and we do fine. But have at it, if you'd like to.

Go ahead:
http://www.friendshiptraining.org/word_from_horse.html


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

Speed Racer said:


> You must be FRIENDS with your horsies and never, ever expect them to do something they don't want, Cowchick. You can't FORCE them, they must WANT to work, or you must let them walk away and come back only when they're ready!
> 
> Um, yeah. I don't THINK so! :rofl:
> 
> I'm alpha; my horses do what I say, when I say we do it. They don't seem to have an issue with that, since that's how herd hierarchy works.


Bah ha ha ha ha!!! Ok....awesome....no Kool Aid for me.....


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

Skyseternalangel said:


> I....went to their site once. Omg... it was like some freaky cult craziness.
> 
> Have you watched The Room? Because you will know exactly what I'm talking about when it comes to the crazy people and the objects.. except this is horses and people.
> 
> ...


Sky...I am scared to click on that link....LOL!


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## Tianimalz (Jan 6, 2009)

It's a good site to read if you want to laugh. I try to stay open minded about what works for certain people; but I'm sorry this is the one thing I just can't help but :rofl: all over.


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## MHFoundation Quarters (Feb 23, 2011)

Oh come on guys, you don't think you can love 'em and squeeze 'em until they want to cut a cow or do a sliding stop or jump a line flawlessly? :shock: If only it were that easy.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

COWCHICK77 said:


> Sky...I am scared to click on that link....LOL!


LOL Sorry but no really. At first glance it's not bad. But then you start reading it.. and it's...  lol. 

I didn't get a warning, so count yourself lucky!

I think some of the videos are bad too (as in, wtf am I watching) they have good intentions though.. just.. delivery...


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

MHFoundation Quarters said:


> Oh come on guys, you don't think you can love 'em and squeeze 'em until they want to cut a cow or do a sliding stop or jump a line flawlessly? :shock: If only it were that easy.



I shall hug him and squeeze him and call him Squishy, and he shall be mine! :happydance:


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## AlexS (Aug 9, 2010)

> Muddled with the highly emotive elation of conquest and the archaic traditions of animal training, they continue to blindly rape the intrinsic spirit of God's greatest masterpiece in the animal kingdom. Lo that I am a member of this species who call themselves masters of the universe, for they violate not one precept of universal decency, but two.


From Friendship Training, The Natural Horse.org

:shock::shock::shock::shock::shock: Run away, very far away and very fast.


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## Andi of Longmeadow Farm (Feb 24, 2012)

AlexS said:


> From Friendship Training, The Natural Horse.org
> 
> :shock::shock::shock::shock::shock: Run away, very far away and very fast.


Alex.... I don't even understand what he's trying to say. So I'm just gonna run away fast, but silently. :shock:


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## BlueSpark (Feb 22, 2012)

Oh My:shock::shock:

If only I had know this sooner, I could have loved my 18hh clysdale stallion into being halterbroke. would have been so much easier....

Run, far, far away, before you catch a whiff of whatever they are on...


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

Skyseternalangel said:


> I....went to their site once. Omg... it was like some freaky cult craziness.
> 
> Have you watched The Room? Because you will know exactly what I'm talking about when it comes to the crazy people and the objects.. except this is horses and people.
> 
> ...


 
"The Room"? what is that?


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## Lakotababii (Nov 28, 2010)

Speed Racer said:


> I shall hug him and squeeze him and call him Squishy, and he shall be mine! :happydance:



***ZAP***

BAD SQUISHY! BAD! :wink:


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## Andi of Longmeadow Farm (Feb 24, 2012)

> *Warning! All riding is prohibited until the entire course is completed, (or until a satisfactory level of bonding is reached to be determined by myself or a Certified Associate).
> 
> 
> *Warning! Using FT will in all probability cause a certain amount of disassociation with family members and friends/peers who use traditional 'training formats.'
> ...


This is part of the email I rec'd. Although it sounds good, the more you read, the more it scares me. I am especially worried about what the cattle and calves will think, if I talk "horse" to them. :thumbsup:

I'm sure there are some of you that really like this method, but quite frankly the videos were a bit "off" as well. I'm glad I decided against this, because it would not work at all for me, since I have a great relationship with both of my horses. I was just thinking that it would be fun to learn another way of thinking, but not to the expense that it is, both being drawn into something without a trial (at least Parelli lets you get a free trial) and the monetary expense of a $1000.


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

*Warning! The 'professionals' touting this training are batsh*t crazy! Run away!!!


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## Andi of Longmeadow Farm (Feb 24, 2012)

Speed Racer said:


> *Warning! The 'professionals' touting this training are batsh*t crazy! Run away!!!


Speed Racer, there are many **Warnings, I chose some of the best. 

It makes you feel like your life is gonna change, but from the "Kool-aid land of Oz" way, instead of a sane way. :hide:


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## longshot (May 30, 2012)

What's the problem? That is current thought for raising childeren too... *walks away grumbling about the youngsters screwing up the world*


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## AlexS (Aug 9, 2010)

*Warning! Using FT will in all probability cause a certain amount of disassociation with family members and friends/peers who use traditional 'training formats.'



Ahhhh they plan for people telling them that's it's crazy in advance. 


​


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## DressageDreamer (Feb 29, 2012)

HOLY CRAP!!!!!!!!! These people are NUTS!!! What a line of bullsh*t they are selling. You know they are just doing this to make money. No one can be that gullable.....please tell me no one is that gullable....pleaaasssseeeee?????


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

DD, there are people who will buy into anything. Look at the 'rutabaga' sticks sold by certain -ahem- trainers for buckets of money. :wink:


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## DressageDreamer (Feb 29, 2012)

It just blows my mind. Sounds like a good way for someone to end up really hurt someday from a horse that doesn't respect them because they are not the alpha in the herd. Scary stuff!


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## katbalu (Sep 8, 2011)

sounds like televangelism of the horse world...*give us your money! so we can buy gold toilets and hookers!*

and if anyone thinks thats offensive....yep.


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

Pish, you don't_ buy _hookers, you rent them!


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## katbalu (Sep 8, 2011)

Speed Racer said:


> Pish, you don't_ buy _hookers, you rent them!


 touche'...


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## longshot (May 30, 2012)

Ok here it is!! I found my get rich ...um I mean my "assit the equine world" Product... It has been speculated that putting green horses in with well trained horses, assist the green horses become more "trainable" Well the shyste...um "scientists" here at Longshot laboratories have discovered that horses store training and knowledge not in their brains as would seem logical but in their hair! So we have scoured the pastu.. um world for the best trained horses on the planet and taken hair from them all. We then, through a propriatary process, processed the hair into easy to swallow tablets! Feed these to your horse for 30 days and they will absorb the training just as if you had stabled them with the well trained horse!! AMAZING!! UNBELIEVABLE!! Resulsts do vary, and if your horse has a pet dander, or peanuts, or BS allergy please do not give for more that 344 days. Just think you can have horses that act like they were stabled with the world famous Nat.. um Lippizaner stallions!! for just $99.98 (Plus $14.95 shipping and handling) you can get a 30 day supply! For just $49.95 more you can have hair from horses at the Westfall stables! (this costs more due to the necessity of gathering ingredients at night.. late.. when no one is around.. and to bail our collector out of jail for a trumped up "trespassing" charge) Yes that's right folks, no work, no hastles, the magic pill for horse training has finally arrived!!!!
as an early bird special the first 500 orders will recieve a 30 day supply of barrel racer excrement capsules guaranteed to make your old shetland turn and burn baby!!!

ORDER NOW!!!


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## DressageDreamer (Feb 29, 2012)

Longshot...can I buy stock in this company ;-)


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## Andi of Longmeadow Farm (Feb 24, 2012)

DressageDreamer said:


> It just blows my mind. Sounds like a good way for someone to end up really hurt someday from a horse that doesn't respect them because they are not the alpha in the herd. Scary stuff!


The video's are really, really, really, scary! 




You don't have to go through the whole thing (video), but the expense of this "certification" is quite high. 

If you're into this, just know that I am not saying anything against it, just kinda scared by it.


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## LoveTheSaddlebreds (Jul 9, 2009)




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## Andi of Longmeadow Farm (Feb 24, 2012)

LoveTheSaddlebreds said:


>


Bunnies, and happiness abounds!


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## DressageDreamer (Feb 29, 2012)

Just watched the video Andi posted. Laying on the ground in front of your horse on your back....yeah that is intelligent! 

Can we say "horse tricks" for the video horse? It looked like it was all tricks based on hand signals to me.


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## Andi of Longmeadow Farm (Feb 24, 2012)

DressageDreamer said:


> Just watched the video Andi posted. Laying on the ground in front of your horse on your back....yeah that is intelligent!
> 
> Can we say "horse tricks" for the video horse? It looked like it was all tricks based on hand signals to me.


Thank you, Dressage! I thought that too, I became suspicious, as the video(s) are ALL such poor quality, and so (can we say?) contrived?


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## Andi of Longmeadow Farm (Feb 24, 2012)

longshot said:


> Ok here it is!! I found my get rich ...um I mean my "assit the equine world" Product... It has been speculated that putting green horses in with well trained horses, assist the green horses become more "trainable" Well the shyste...um "scientists" here at Longshot laboratories have discovered that horses store training and knowledge not in their brains as would seem logical but in their hair! So we have scoured the pastu.. um world for the best trained horses on the planet and taken hair from them all. We then, through a propriatary process, processed the hair into easy to swallow tablets! Feed these to your horse for 30 days and they will absorb the training just as if you had stabled them with the well trained horse!! AMAZING!! UNBELIEVABLE!! Resulsts do vary, and if your horse has a pet dander, or peanuts, or BS allergy please do not give for more that 344 days. Just think you can have horses that act like they were stabled with the world famous Nat.. um Lippizaner stallions!! for just $99.98 (Plus $14.95 shipping and handling) you can get a 30 day supply! For just $49.95 more you can have hair from horses at the Westfall stables! (this costs more due to the necessity of gathering ingredients at night.. late.. when no one is around.. and to bail our collector out of jail for a trumped up "trespassing" charge) Yes that's right folks, no work, no hastles, the magic pill for horse training has finally arrived!!!!
> as an early bird special the first 500 orders will recieve a 30 day supply of barrel racer excrement capsules guaranteed to make your old shetland turn and burn baby!!!
> 
> ORDER NOW!!!


Ok, longshot. SIGN me UP! You are so convincing, I would give you a full grown calf.


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## Annanoel (Mar 29, 2011)

This got me rolling, seriously? Haha here are there so to speak "commandments"


#1. Every horse that was ever born was born a perfect horse. He was not born an obstinate, stupid beast destined to exasperate, frustrate or hurt humans. He was born a perfect horse. 
#2. It is human intervention and the horse's reactions to that intervention by using traditional training methods that force him to resist, dislike, mistrust, despise and/or hate humans. 
#3. If we use methods of training that are identical to the ones he uses to establish and maintain his herd rank, he will react accordingly. 
#4. If we use methods of interaction that duplicate how two horses create an intimate, trusting friendship, he will react accordingly. 
#5. There is no such thing as a bad horse. There are spirited horses that resist being forced to do something. There are abused horses that have learned to hate humans. There are horses that cannot tolerate the illogic of ground and mounted activities with humans. There are fair-minded, sensible horses that detest humans because their owner does not understand them. There are horses that do not want to leave the security of the herd because they have no trust or confidence in their rider's survival judgment. And there are horses that have never learned that a human can be a trusted friend. But there is no such thing as a bad horse. 
#6. No two horses have the same mental capabilities, emotional capacity or personality. But all horses use the same sequential steps to establish a trusting, harmonious, intimate relationship that they do not share with any other horses in the herd. 
#7. A horse cannot “be all that he can be” for us (or all that we want him to be) if his only motivation is being treated like a slave or simple beast of burden that was forced into submission and servitude. 
#8. If you limit your knowledge to methods of dominance and submission, your understanding of the Horse will be limited to his reaction to those methods of dominance and submission. 
#9. The key to a truly successful interspecies partnership with the Horse is respecting and understanding the emotions and instincts that govern every waking moment of his life. 
#10. I have met the enemy, and it was not the Horse, as I had first thought. The enemy was my lack of understanding and compassion.


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## katbalu (Sep 8, 2011)

Annanoel said:


> This got me rolling, seriously? Haha here are there so to speak "commandments"
> 
> 
> #1. Every horse that was ever born was born a perfect horse. He was not born an obstinate, stupid beast destined to exasperate, frustrate or hurt humans. He was born a perfect horse.
> ...


if you dust all the flowers and fairy sprinkles off of this, isnt it the same basic principles as natural horsemanship?


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## longshot (May 30, 2012)

Annanoel said:


> #3. If we use methods of training that are identical to the ones he uses to establish and maintain his herd rank, he will react accordingly.
> #4. If we use methods of interaction that duplicate how two horses create an intimate, trusting friendship, he will react accordingly.


Without any teaching at all I did this when I was young... kick them as hard as I can in the gut/chest and bite them on the withers!! Woo hoo I invented this!! I want royalties!!


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## DressageDreamer (Feb 29, 2012)

Longshot - yeah I know! So I need to pull back my ears and chase the hell out of them. Bite them on the butt. Kick whenever they get too close. Squeel like a pig if they don't act quite right or they smell funny. I have to chew their mane and groom them with my teeth. Maybe it's like using dental floss????


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## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

Yup, we had a thread on this a while back. Just plain scary....

http://www.horseforum.com/horse-training/friendship-training-89166/


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

katbalu said:


> if you dust all the flowers and fairy sprinkles off of this, isnt it the same basic principles as natural horsemanship?


Maybe if NH were on a really heavy duty acid trip! :rofl:


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## DressageDreamer (Feb 29, 2012)

Speed Racer said:


> Maybe if NH were on a really heavy duty acid trip! :rofl:


Wooooo look at the pretty colors.......................... :shock:


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## longshot (May 30, 2012)

DressageDreamer said:


> Longshot - yeah I know! So I need to pull back my ears and chase the hell out of them. Bite them on the butt. Kick whenever they get too close. Squeel like a pig if they don't act quite right or they smell funny. I have to chew their mane and groom them with my teeth. Maybe it's like using dental floss????


 
Sorry, side track here, but who else wants to see DD pull back her ears? Show of hands?


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

DressageDreamer said:


> Longshot - yeah I know! So I need to pull back my ears and chase the hell out of them. Bite them on the butt. Kick whenever they get too close. Squeel like a pig if they don't act quite right or they smell funny. I have to chew their mane and groom them with my teeth. Maybe it's like using dental floss????


You mean...you don't do this already?

I find the key to a friendly horse is to bite about a 4" diameter section of hair off of the horse's rump about once a month. Unfortunately, the hair gets stuck in between my teeth, and it takes *forever* to floss out!

I also had mechanical rabbit ears surgically installed...toggle switch left for 'annoyed' and right for 'mad as hell'. Last week the wires got crossed, and my ears just started spinning - the horses didn't know what to do! So I licked their manes to calm them down, but now I have some weird stomach ache.

It isn't easy being a friend to your horse...but I wouldn't want to "blindly rape the intrinsic spirit of God's greatest masterpiece in the animal kingdom"!


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## RosiePosie06 (Jun 3, 2012)

Annanoel said:


> This got me rolling, seriously? Haha here are there so to speak "commandments"
> 
> 
> #1. Every horse that was ever born was born a perfect horse. He was not born an obstinate, stupid beast destined to exasperate, frustrate or hurt humans. He was born a perfect horse.
> ...


I have to say that I agree will all but #8. Dominance and submission are important, I have never seen two horses be "equal" in a herd. There's always a dominant and a submissive one. Oh and not every horse is perfect. Not even my favorite horse in the world is perfect. But the rest of it, I agree with. But I feel like Natural Horsemanship and the motto of "gentle as possible, firm as neccessarry" is the answer. My horse will never JUST be my friend, he is my partner. But I am a human and I'm smarter and therefore his leader!


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## DressageDreamer (Feb 29, 2012)

bsms said:


> You mean...you don't do this already?
> 
> I find the key to a friendly horse is to bite about a 4" diameter section of hair off of the horse's rump about once a month. Unfortunately, the hair gets stuck in between my teeth, and it takes *forever* to floss out!
> 
> ...


Must find out where to get the rabbit ears installed....what a great idea :lol:

I hope you didn't get worms from licking the horses.....oh no...maybe it's colic!!:shock:


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## RosiePosie06 (Jun 3, 2012)

I have mental images of everyone going home and biting their horses' butts and turning around to double-barrel kick them... Hahahaha


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

DressageDreamer said:


> I hope you didn't get worms from licking the horses.....oh no...maybe it's colic!!:shock:


Not just colic, but impaction colic from all that hair he swallowed. Quick, somebody get a jug of mineral oil and a garden hose! We need to get things moving for BSMS!


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

My wife has offered to shove a tube up my nose and to pour into it whatever it takes...is cyanide & oil REALLY normal for colic?


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

"1. Restriction of any kind is a mental, emotional, instinctual endangerment to the Horse."

They lost me right there. I quit reading.


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

bsms said:


> My wife has offered to shove a tube up my nose and to pour into it whatever it takes...is cyanide & oil REALLY normal for colic?


Oh totes legit, dude. Trust your wife. I'm SURE she has your best interests at heart! :twisted:


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## nrhareiner (Jan 11, 2009)

Why did not someone put up a warning that if you read that site that you need to go and get the manuer scoop from the barn?? Now I have a big mess to clean up.


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## DressageDreamer (Feb 29, 2012)

LAUGHING SO HARD RIGHT NOW.........at work...people are going to think I have lost it


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## DressageDreamer (Feb 29, 2012)

Speed Racer said:


> Oh totes legit, dude. Trust your wife. I'm SURE she has your best interests at heart! :twisted:


Yes, yes....it will be ok.....relax. It will all be over in a minute .... muah ha ha ha ha ha!


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## Annanoel (Mar 29, 2011)

DressageDreamer said:


> LAUGHING SO HARD RIGHT NOW.........at work...people are going to think I have lost it


I can only imagine, lol. I just did the same thing! Laughing so hard. I can just imagine these people with horses and thanks to what Speed Racer said. I can see them seeing pretty colors and tripping while trying to be their horses friend.


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## longshot (May 30, 2012)

Wait.. why does the tube go up bsms nose?? not where my wife put it.... *grumbles.. something aint right...


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## DressageDreamer (Feb 29, 2012)

longshot said:


> Wait.. why does the tube go up bsms nose?? not where my wife put it.... *grumbles.. something aint right...


It's because she REALLY loves you!!! ****!!!!!! :lol:


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## Andi of Longmeadow Farm (Feb 24, 2012)

What a poetic bunch you are! :twisted: I love your twisted minds, and you butt biting. I feel, well, I feel at home.

I'm glad I started my own thread on this. I think I was able to crack the "nut" so to speak (sorry guys) and I'm glad you all agree that this seems crazy, even in the already crazie, polluted world of horsemanship, or whatever they call it.


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## Ian McDonald (Aug 24, 2011)

Andi of Longmeadow Farm said:


> and you butt biting


 That's exactly what it is! Ha! :lol:

The point where this dude loses me is all that stuff about swearing an oath. Just like Jamie Jackson. Dude is in an ivory tower taller than Nevzorov's. Too bad too, because his horses really do seem to like him and I don't think any of us would mind that. I know I wouldn't.


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## longshot (May 30, 2012)

Look I don't usually deal in absolutes when it comes to horses. Evertime I try to say X somebody trots out an example that went by some other method. That being said if the methods and techniques do not incorproate pressure and release, conditioned response, or positive/negative reinforcement then you aren't training a horse. Horses cannot reason, they cannot think abstractly (ok some of mine have been pretty dang creative) But animals are animals and do not posses cognitive reason, all of the anthropomorphism in the world will not make horses capable of human emotion, reasoning, or capacity for self training. Horses operate on instinct and conditioning, and all the sappy feel good spiritual hullabaloo that we two legged idiots ascribe to them is lost on their tin can sized brain. They care about safety, acceptance, and who the H3ll is bringin their next meal. They are capable of affection, nurture and fear. those are the levels that you must operate on to train them, you can't whisper, shout or love your way into a well trained horse and all the spiritual/mysticism crap that these shysters hawk to convince people that thousands of years of horse/human interactions is wrong, can lay down in front of my horse.. maybe they can benchpress 1000lbs.. I can't..
repitition+time+consistency=training 

OK Speed, Cowchick, and others let me have it.. tell me how wrongI am it's friday and I can handle it!!!


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

For the little amount of dvd SFT put out I have to commend how he handles his horses. If anyone would care to google Carolyn Resnick's site (tons of info) her methods are similar. I began to follow her methods as a last ditch effort with an extremely fearful horse. It began with my just being in the pasture with him, eventually moving him around, later it was greeting him. This is always at liberty. I'd invite him into the paddock, both gates open, and would introduce something new. If he couldn't deal with it I allowed him to leave. Sometimes he'd think it over, not so bad and returned. By mid summer I too was sitting like this gentleman, only on a tire. The horse came up behind me and began to investigate me which lasted a good 10 min. My payment when I finally looked at him was a faceful of snot as he cleared his nostrils. When a horse really trusts, it wants to investigate you. As for lying on the ground, I've done this on more than a few occasions and a horse has come and stood watch over me. They do this in the wild or pasture, one usually keeps watch while the others lie down and sleep. I will try to find the time to check out the site.


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## RosiePosie06 (Jun 3, 2012)

I will admit to the fact that I literally just came inside after spending some time sitting on the ground in a pasture with three geldings... But not for any training method. I just love when they walk up to me sniffing and looking like "What the hell?!"


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

I too love laying around in pasture with the horses, but I do it because I like to not because it's part of some freaky deaky training.



tinyliny said:


> "The Room"? what is that?


My bad, The Lost Room. It's was a short series that was on Sci-fi channel


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

Sorry longshot, but you'll get no argument from me. I agree with you. 

Too many people buy into the My Little Poneh BS, instead of the reality. Horses are hardwired with certain instincts, and no matter how much lurve, treats, or Vulcan mind melding we throw at them, that won't change their basic natures.


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## natisha (Jan 11, 2011)

Speed Racer said:


> You must be FRIENDS with your horsies and never, ever expect them to do something they don't want, Cowchick. You can't FORCE them, they must WANT to work, or you must let them walk away and come back only when they're ready!


Are you serious? I must continue to read this thread.


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## natisha (Jan 11, 2011)

Ok I just read it. Are they serious?


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

Yes Natisha, quite serious. Scary, ain't it?


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## AlexS (Aug 9, 2010)

natisha said:


> Ok I just read it. Are they serious?


Yes we are raping our horses into submission. :lol:

HILARIOUS!


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## RosiePosie06 (Jun 3, 2012)

When I'm around my horse, I usually get a feeling that he 1) Respects me and 2) Wants food. But apparently he's really living in fear and hatred of me... Guess we should just set them all free while we're at it


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## Andi of Longmeadow Farm (Feb 24, 2012)

I seriously went into "Friendship Training" as a way to get even closer to my already close horses. I adore them, am lucky, cause' I can work with them, just wanted to see if I could become closer. 

Once reading the down dirty, and nitty gritty, I was amazed, and somewhat puzzled by it all. And scared. There is another thread on here that is regarding a nice woman who is current training, Friendship Training Does Work and it seems to be working for her.

Personally, for me, it is a bit skeptical, but maybe you can gleem something off the other thread.


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## Palomine (Oct 30, 2010)

I read a little of this before, and it is all smoke and mirrors to me.

And this fool is scamming people out of money too, is what kills me.


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

When you're lying down in the pasture and your horses come to investigate you, it's not a hairy fairy training method, it's your horses telling you they trust you and want to be with you. Trust is the greatest thing we can share with our horses. You can't experience the thrill I had when my very fearful horse checked me out. It was his way of telling me I'm ok. He is a totally different horse now because he has a say in things and knows there will be no repercussions.


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## longshot (May 30, 2012)

Speed Racer said:


> Sorry longshot, but you'll get no argument from me. I agree with you.
> 
> Too many people buy into the My Little Poneh BS, instead of the reality. Horses are hardwired with certain instincts, and no matter how much lurve, treats, or Vulcan mind melding we throw at them, that won't change their basic natures.


You WHAT?


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## longshot (May 30, 2012)

Ok here is my horse friendship... know why they are hanging out by the deck?? cuz dey wuv me? well yeah.. or maybe the jug of oat apple treats that I have behind my chair. All I do is rattle the jug and I suddenly have five very curious, loving noses all trying to show me which one is my bestest friend!


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

AlexS said:


> Yes we are raping our horses into submission. :lol:


I don't know about anyone else, but the bestiality inference was a little too much for me. :shock: 

This is proof that JJ wuvs me and wants to be with me. Completely ignore the fact that I was fixing the horses their breakfasts. That had_ nothing_ to do with it, I tellz ya! :lol:


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## natisha (Jan 11, 2011)

I'm laying in the pasture right now as I'm typing this. I want to ride my horse but she hasn't said "yes" yet. She's eating grass. She came once to check me out, gave me an are you nuts look & walked away.
How long do I have to stay here? I'm getting sun burn & there are ants in my underwear.


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## longshot (May 30, 2012)

Hang in there Nat.. before long she'll go to the tack room and bring you the bridle lamenting that she posseses no thumbs with which to bridle and saddle herself.... or you could stand up before those ants make you really regret this training method, I'd hate to see it fouled up by another animal trying to show you some... um love...lol


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## LoveTheSaddlebreds (Jul 9, 2009)

What are you guys talking about? You mean to tell me your horses DON'T tack themselves up and tell ya "hop on, buddy!" ?


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## natisha (Jan 11, 2011)

Imagine the joy that leapt in my heart
when through the heat stroke I heard my horse fart.

"She's coming, she loves me" & soon I'll be free
of these ants that have been eating at me.

"Oh my, that can't be!" There was no bridle-no lead
there was only my mare demanding her feed.

So Friendship Training has made me decide
tomorrow I'll just catch that horse & ride.


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## longshot (May 30, 2012)

bravo Nat!


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## natisha (Jan 11, 2011)

longshot said:


> bravo Nat!


Thanks,


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## Amlalriiee (Feb 22, 2010)

Some of the basic principles are the same as natural horsemanship, just exaggerated and fluffed up a bit. I like some natural horsemanship, but I'm NOT one of those people that's afraid to tell my horse off when she needs to be told off, and I still get kisses like the people in the video.  Yep, this looks like a pyramid scheme or something.


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## GreenBackJack (Feb 23, 2012)

Doggonit! I thought this was finally something I could actually use. I was ready with a complete list names to sign up. I've been trying to train these people for years!


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## longshot (May 30, 2012)

Might work on people.... horses? not so much...


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## kiwigirl (Sep 30, 2009)

I think we should all love our horses, I think we should all treat our horses as sacred creatures created by a benevolent and wondrous creator. 

I think that only through love and total acceptance of our horses purity of spirit and holy goodness can we be the people that we think we want to become.

Horses are glorious and need to be nurtured and to not do so defames ourselves and demeans our humanity. 

To not except the humanity of the horse is to deny the equine in ourselves. Love thy horse - be thy horse.....we are all one.

And now people I have given you all a the tools you need to be masters of the universe - in a very loving and nurturing way, so....... Give Me Some Money!!!!!!!!


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## franknbeans (Jun 7, 2007)

THis thread is hysterical. I had looked at the other thread started by a member for who it seems to be working......and yup-my thought was that it is for those who just want horses as pets, like a dog or a cat. IMO, noone who wants to live goes and lays in a pasture with horses, especially one you are still gaining trust with!
Read my signature-treat your horses like your kids.


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## Mckellar (Apr 18, 2012)

AHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHAH if my pony had it his was he would have died in a feed bin then ran me into a tree. And my mare would have killed me the first day I brought her home. I'm gonna check out this site when I get home, sounds amusing


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

I believe the basic premise is learning how to read horses and to treat them well, a far cry from how they were treated until not that long ago. I remember people treating horses brutally with the belief that horses don't feel pain. Or beat the horse into submission when often times the horse didn't have a clue as to what was expected of it. We should be thankful of the people who have worked hard to change these perceptions and that we treat our horses well. That's not saying that they don't have to respect us but that we do it differently and not just thrash him with the whip as a first reaction.


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## smokeslastspot (Jan 11, 2012)

Just looked at the site. Sounds like the equine version of hippies to me.


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## smokeslastspot (Jan 11, 2012)

Just saw franknbeans sig at the bottom. That pretty much says it all. :thumbsup:


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## Light (Mar 4, 2012)

Wow!!None of you have a very good friendship with your horse. How sad for all you normal barbaric people out their with your abused beaten horses. Sad, sad, sad. 

When i get up in the morning, provided I haven't slept in the field with my horse watching over my ant ridden body, but I digress. My horse is such a friend to me and we are so in tune to eachother that when I get in my car and start the engine she knows it and in turn stops eating and goes and gives herself a bath after cleaning her corral. Have to find a wheel barrel that works better with hooves, she oils her tack and tacks herself up although I only use a loin cloth and a blade of grass. 

Anyway get the idea?? Me and my horse are Friends to the end. 
Then I woke up.

By the way I can teach you all this method I used with no promises of course each rider and horse friend will of course have different results, for only $10,000.00 payable in cash.


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## Light (Mar 4, 2012)

Just one more thing.....Does anyone realize how really nuts it is to lay down in a field, or anywhere, with a horse? I mean think about it, they spook at nothing!! There is no way to know how they will react all the time. Sure they don't want to step on people, but what if the purple horse eating elephants are in the way and they have no choice. 

Just sounds like a quick way to get really hurt. I think about how many times i have accidently stepped on my cats tail or sat on my cat etc. Ouch. And my cat and I are friends.


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## vikki92 (Dec 18, 2010)

went into websight...:shock:....Left websight.....:hide:


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## GotaDunQH (Feb 13, 2011)

I've been to that website before a couple years ago. I'm thinking the originator of this 'cult" got into some drugs left over from Woodstock.


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## wild old thing (Jun 15, 2012)

I've read Francis's thread about Friendship Training and what I've gotten from it and some of the responses is some of these methods might be a helpful positive approach for reaching out to resistant, fearful or shy, abused, problematic animals. I wouldn't lay down in front of an angry animal but I don't think this is what they're saying. At least I hope not. 

I don't care for the guilt trip creed. We've learned over thousands of years, some methods are excellent and some are terrible. THEIR method didn't spring forth ten thousand years ago. It came from the gradual knowledge that animals deserve respect (which is a modern concept). And that they can be scarred AND healed. 

Just reading here and there, the FT seems mostly sensible, at least from what I've read. It's not so much about magic and fairydust. This kind of gentle attitude is what a lot of rescue is about: before you can rehab an animal, you have to accept them as they are and allow them to accept you when they feel safe again. 

You find a way for them to find a way to you.


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## FrancesB (Jan 26, 2012)

This has been a very funny thread to read, and I am giggling over some of the images, especially of treating humans for impaction colic from biting hair off butts.

I discovered FT when I was looking for information to understand why my gelding was the way he was - often very resistant, responding to pressure with increased pressure. When I met him I was very new to horses and started out treating him as a friend, making sure he was happy to do as I asked, not insisting if he didn't want to do something, and no-one could believe how willing he was for me. We got along wonderfully and he went way better for me than anyone else, and I bought him because of that. Then the more experienced people told me I needed to be more of a leader for him, and that that was the way to get a horse's trust. It seemed to work for them with their horses, so I began doing that, and Jerry began to gradually become increasingly resistant and dominant with me. My instructor said he was one of the most strong-minded and determined horses he'd ever worked with. He had co-operative days and days when he would disagree strongly, and over time the disagreements were becoming bigger and more frequent. Things came to a head one day when he gave my instructor such a challenging time on a trail ride that he said he was dangerous, could never be trusted, was a time bomb, needed complete retraining with a much firmer hand, etc, etc. It was his tone of voice as much as his words that made me realise there was a big problem. I could also see my relationship with Jerry had been gradually disintegrating and was much different than when we first met. So I went searching the net to try and find out what had gone wrong, and found FT.

I was pretty sceptical about it and had the same reaction to the website and some of the materials as others here have. But I was desperate, and some of the things made sense and fitted with my experience of Jerry, especially the bits about not using dominance. So I took a gamble and applied to join, and it has really paid off for us. Jerry is calmer and willing to listen and nearly always does as I ask, and I am comfortable and confident around him. I didn't realise how nervous I'd been of him until it left me. He has also stopped threatening to bite, which he did quite a lot before. Looking back I think a lot of our problem had been that I was unconfident with him, but he was resistant and reacted badly to pressure from even experienced people, so I don't think the problem was just me.

I know several other people who are also doing FT and their experience is the same as mine, we are all delighted with the relationship it is developing with our horses and feel safer as a result of it. However I think it is probably not for everyone and it is slow. I also think people can develop perfectly nice, safe relationships/partnerships with horses without doing FT. In fact, if my first horse had been my other gelding Huff rather than Jerry, I probably wouldn't have explored FT because I wouldn't have felt the need for it.

 The bit about letting the horse say no always amuses people. Jerry said 'no' quite a lot in the beginning, much to the amusement of my friends, but is now very rarely does. And instead of getting resistant when I ask him to do something he doesn't want to, he thinks it over and usually does it. I can read his body language much better now, and my asking is much softer and we are both more patient with and trusting of each other so I don't accidentally trigger his oppositional response. I agree the price sounds steep, but I had paid more than that $50 at a time to an experienced person to train Jerry, and we ended up worse off than when we started. On the other hand, progress since we started FT has sometimes been slow, but always in the right direction.

It's probably not for everyone, but it really does work.


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