MARK RASHID CLINC

By Linda Bartani

Hi Everyone

I've been back home for several days now, letting my week with Mark Rashid rumble around and settle in my brain I feel unusually anxious about posting this report because I want to be informative and fair but so much of what was important to me was about the approach versus the tasks themselves. Hang in there with me as I continue to sort through it all.

This report is quite long. In trying to give you as much information as I could, I then couldn't figure out where to break it off and start again and keep the flow of the thought. So, l send this on with the best intentions and the hope that you find some experiences of value

First and Foremost, it was a truly wonderful, wonderful, week. There were four of us "studying" with Mark. As you can imagine, it is a great relief to be in the company of others who can talk non-stop about horses without risking that glazed look that comes over non-horse-obsessed folks.

Secondly, since 1 have been asked by no less than 30 people so far, here is a little about Mark: yes, he is just like he seems in his books. While I have surely not seen as many clinicians as some of you, he has a little different manner than even the calmest and quietest of the clinicians I've seen. You can see that each move has been done thousands of times, but there is still a total commitment to the quietness and the gentlest touch. You'll read this again and again in this report: it wasn't that the task itself was particularly different, it's the 'attitude' and the 'feeling' that was projected that seemed different. I have been wondering if the other clinicians I admire are different in their own environment than when in a clinic setting. Regardless, there is something beyond even this that has to do with "pressure" and "respect". I hope to be able to write clearly about this in a bit.

He is a pretty quiet and thoughtful man, meaning he usually thinks a bit before he answers a question. There were lots of questions about other ways and other methods and other, etc. I have heard this done with other clinicians and it is really a tough spot to put them in. I understand students wanting to get an opinion or clarification but, wow, I feel for the clinicians who have to field these questions and try to be informative and diplomatic. The only time I saw him get aggravated with this was when a non-horse-clinic guest asked him what he thought about the practice of tying a horse's head to the saddle to get the horse to learn to bend. Mark managed to explain to the fellow 'why' he thought this was a lousy tactic, but it was not before he told the guy a little more explicitly how angry this kind of practice made him.

Before I move on to specifics, I have to tell you a few more things: Mark will be the first to tell yon that he does not have a "method". There are no outlines or books that lay it all out. He does things the way the "old man" (from his books, if you haven't read them) taught him and from what he has learned by doing this so many years. He has NO fancy equipment. I have to laugh when I type this. Imagine a cotton lead rope that is frayed, surely drug through the mud a hundred times, limp with age and use. Yep, that's what he uses. I had lots to say teasing him about his very un-fancy and un-sell-able equipment but, as 1 don't trust the humor meter on some of you reading this, I won't share the chuckles. For anyone interested in knowing, he also uses a web halter. Seems that there was a persistent questioner at the demo he did in California early this year about the merits of web versus rope. His attitude is: If it works for you, fine. This just happens to be what I started out using, it's what's comfortable for me and it has been working for me. If something else works for you, good

Mark seems genuinely surprised by the reactions of some folks to him. Good and bad. While an "aw shucks" attitude might make some of you sneer in skepticism, I did not find anything to contradict that he is just a real guy doing his thing. The books came about like so many other events in life, almost by accident. I think it was a love/hate process for him. (Anyone who has ever tried to do any writing can relate to this.) Wendy, his wife, would type up his notes for him and laugh her head off at some of the stories, asking him, "Did this really happen?" Yeah, they all really happened. There were a few instances where two horses were combined to facilitate the point but, yeah, Mark told us, it all really did happen.

The last personal note (maybe) is that Mark does come chock-full of a sense of humor. If you're willing to take it, he'll dish it out and take it back from you Frankly, this is an important part of learning for me. The week was

intense and sometimes just plain tense. I like tile opportunity to give and get a few zingers so we can all breathe again (Okay, Mark was breathing the whole time, but the rest of us were soooooo focused at times that we would forget. You know what l mean, I'm sure).

A brief overview of what we did: worked with a three y/o filly being started, a five y/o gelding with a "bucking problem", and Camino, a ten y/o Paso Fino who Mark describes as the most troubled horse he's ever worked with. We longed on line in the round pen, did ground driving, watched first saddling, first bitting, first steps. An Equine Chiropractor came one day and worked on about 10 horses. We also had several riding sessions in the arena, a few trail rides, and, an unexpected highlight, got to drive a team of Belgians 'Very, very' exciting. A ton of horse beneath each hand. <G> Personally, I never thought that kind of experience would be available to me so this was a very special event.

Some of his philosophies he discussed:

I ) "It's all about just trying to get along. It's not just with the horses; it's a way of life" If you could see this in action, you might see what I did in how Mark is different, in my observations, from others I have seen. To me, this was his attitude about the horses and their place in the world. His fundamental respect 'for them'. There were so, so many small things that he did -- personally and through the procedures at the ranch -- that played this out. From the hand-carved sign on the barn wall, "How does the horse feel about this?" to the way a lead rope is put on. I doubt he even thinks about that on a conscious level anymore, it is such a habit, a way of life for him .. but it made a huge impression on me

For instance, each time we were longeing or ground driving, the cotton rope was placed lightly over the horse's back. Not flopped over like I always do with my own lead rope on my horses. This is not an indication of right or wrong way, gang, just an observation to give you an idea of how even the smallest thing is important to Mark. To him, it's all part of building the trust between the two of you -- being consistent and reliable. Gave me lots to think about

How do I explain this 'attitude'? Here is something interesting that happened. On the second day with the filly, she would occasionally have trouble making a left turn on the lines. Someone asked if she was "testing" him. Mark said, "That's the kind of thinking that can get people in trouble. Do you think she's thinking that far ahead'? She just doesn't understand. Give her the benefit of the doubt. So far, she's only been asked to be a horse. We want to make sure that everytiling we do here she understands so that when we get on her back, she still understands".

Now. that may sound pretty basic and straightforward to you. I've heard other folks say pretty much the same thing. Pretty much. It has to do with the underlying feeling and even the choice of certain words and then the follow-through with the horse. I watched him decide to stay in the pen with one horse because he had "made a deal with this horse I won't do anything to him that he isn't comfortable with" and didn't want to let him down. With others, he stood outside or moved away. There was always an underlying attitude of respect and genuine concern about 'what was best for each horse'.

2) Mark is very big on "meeting the horse halfway".

You are working in tile arena, you ask to turn right, horse decides to go left. Fine. Go left and then go right. Don't make it a big deal. Keep on with your plan, quietly and calmly. Go back to it

Another example. We talked about what are reasonable expectations about being greeted in the pasture. I told him that I had been feeling pretty intimidated by the strong impression I had been given by several posts on this list about what 'should' happen when 1 go out to get my horses. The idea that my horses 'should' come running up to me, or walking, or whatever. The point is that if was a good horseperson, etc, my horses would come to me. I have thought this was a bit much but .. well it was nice to get some validation from someone like Mark (as well as others --- 1 haven't forgotten you, either) that if my horses are stopping and/or standing still when I come out to the pasture, that's them meeting me halfway and I am coming into 'their' home so the least I can do is meet them the other half. It was what my own gut had been telling me about my horses all along. May not be 'your' expectation and you may not agree but, hey, I felt lots better about my own give and take with my guys.

And if you skeptics are thinking he only told me what I wanted to hear, you are incorrect. I learned plenty about how to alter and improve what 1 am currently doing. He is kind enough not to blast away but, if you are willing to watch his expressions and listen carefully, there is plenty to pick up about a "different approach" to a situation. Biggest things for me were: 1 ) I had

(inadvertently/unknowingly/etc) pushed a horse too farr -- need to go waaaayyy back.

and start at a comfortable place. 2) As gentle as 1 think I have been on my horses' backs . pffftttt. And, once again, in my efforts to be gentle on their mouths, I have been giving too much slack in the reins. 3) Wait, wait, wait. Let them work it through. Trust them. 4) Be more decisive for the horse. I am not referring to being rough, pushy, or increasing pressure. I am referring to being clear about what I am asking and then clearly letting the horse know. In trying 'not' to be rough, I have been confusing. This leads to all sorts of unwanted reactions.

3) The session, task, practice, whateverÖÖ. should be for a reason. We should ask ourselves 'why' we are doing this and then 'how' we are going to do it.

The first area this came up was Iongeing in the round pen. Mark does this on a cotton line, clipped to the bottom of the halter. The primary reason he longes is to get a "connection" with the horse. He uses longeing as a training tool and feels it is the basis for everything in the future. He also moves around the pen 'with' the horse rather than simply standing in the middle and letting the horse go around and around. His attitude is, 'I'm not going to ask you (the horse) to do anything. I'm not going to do, too. I'm here with you". Yet another small example of his attitude about building trust and being dependable

I have been truly successful with Iongeing at liberty in the round pen but very unsuccessful on-line outside the round pen (uncoordinated. etc) so 1 was very curions about trying this. I was surprised at how much I could FEEL through the line this way. I have only used the regular flat nylon-type lounge line in the past. The cotton rope had "life" to it and I gained a lot of understanding about a light touch by feeling the tension and slack. Ahhh, the "connection" in the literal sense led to that "connection" in the emotional sense. Wow. I have since tried playing around with mountain climbing rope as, again, this has "life". I have been attaching the line to the end of a halter laying on the ground and flipping the rope as lightly as I can to see the wave down the line. I try to get it up to the hater without actually moving the halter. Just a game to help me with the sensation.

The next time we used the lines, it was for ground driving in the round pen. Same kind of cotton lines, 30' long. Mark helped any of us who wanted to try it by holding the ropes for us and letting us feel the movement and the tension for a turn. Then, for stopping and backing. Once the horse understood what was asked, it was amazing how light the touch could be on our end.

Since I had decided that 1 would try everything and anything I could, I plunged ahead despite my anxiety about doing something wrong or being watched by everyone else. I did make a production of something that helps me these days: imagine two buckets outside the round pen and arena. One is for me to dump my ego into and the other is for me to pick up patience and creativity. <g>

Some things I learned during these sessions: 1) Stay behind at the flank in both processes. As soon as we move up closer to tile middle, the horse will slow or stop because we have confused them as to what we want. Which brings me to 2) Know what we want before we do it. Decide where and when to turn, stop, back, etc. Pick a point and then give the signal (don't forget to give slack on the outside line for turns). The indecisiveness will confuse the horse and cause frustration on both ends. 3) Keep the lines above the hocks. 4) Wait. Trust that the horse will figure it out. Don't assume that because we are standing fixed for the stop and the horse is still moving around that he/she won't figure it out. Give the horse time to TRY. If we think they will work it out, they usually will. 5) If we get tangled in the lines or it gets under the horse, look for the easiest way out. Meaning, be calm and quiet. Sometimes we can slip it out from under their feet; other times, we can just unclip the line, straighten it out and go back to it. Try not to make a big deal out of it Mark said, "In the round pen, when something goes wrong, people often freeze because they don't know what to do. Most of the time, the best thing is to do nothing. Don't make a big deal out of it. Smile, apologize, whatever. Fix it and go back to it." 6) How long should the session last? Do it as long as we need to -- until we see that "connection" there What I saw (and felt) was a relaxation but attention as well as understanding. That, to me, was the connection There was some head dropping -- but not to the ground. There was some lip chewing and there were active ears. Mostly, it was an 'atmosphere' that just felt--- relaxed.

There is so much more but I must get to a really significant observation that has to do with pressure on the horse. This was a 'very' important difference -- in my opinion. Generally, you will see Mark decreasing the pressure rather than increasing the pressure. He says that many folks think he works too slowly. I did not see that during the week, looked like colt-starting process lots of us have seen. Still, it was different in the philosophy or, at the very least, in the delivery (in my observation).

Lots of people 'say' go slowly, take the time it takes, find the place that is comfortable for the horse, work up to the next stage. Frankly, I have just not seen it done as smoothly and considerately as Mark does it. No, it was not

"namby-pamby" or "wimpy" or anything like that.. But, it was definitely 'from the horse's perspective'. The steps forward were ever so tiny but, wow, they paid off. The horse could 'think' about it, absorb it, and relax. There was no rushing, no need to get this done today. In fact, the last day of working with one of the horses, the woman helping Mark stopped at a spot that she had been able to get past the day before. She had gotten a reaction to a flopping stirrup. She worked until she didn't get that reaction and decided to stop there for the day. Now, maybe that isn't necessary with all horses. It was important to 'this' horse. Do you see what I mean?

Often Mark's recommendation to a situation is to 'decrease' the pressure rather than 'increase' it. Go back, get the connection, work from there. Because I have been organizing the clinic here for him in October, I have heard from lots of folks with their own Mark Rashid success stories. Most of them focus on how they were given advice by trainer after trainer (yes, many of them gh/nh) who recommended, say, "driving" a horse across a scary object or showing the horse what was wanted by using the round pen to make the "wrong thing" clear. These folks told me that, at their wit's end, they would call Mark and he would tell them the exact opposite. This is a scary thing to hear alter so many others say something else. Time after time, his suggested approach worked. If we go back and get the horse's trust and we believe in the horse, most things will happen just fine.

Let me say, again, that much of what you are reading does not "sound" significantly different than what others are saying. I feel quite inadequate in attempting to convey that there was a difference. It has to do with the attitude toward the horse. Not one of superiority or need to be the alpha horse (that's another discussion that was interesting). There was an underlying RESPECT FOR THE HORSE. The little things accumulated to a huge difference. The end result may have looked the same but there was a difference in the horses. These horses THINK. They work it through.

l worked at a hospice for several years. One of the philosophies of that care is to treat people with dignity. This does NOT mean catering to every whim or feeling sorry for someone. In fact, it is most often the opposite. The dignity comes from respect for the human and that respect can often best be shown by the boundaries that are laid out. The attitude of treating a person with thoughtfulness and yet still expecting certain types of behavior is a basic for a respectful relationship. Ditto for the horses. One of the women there compared it to her own work with chemically dependent kids. Building the trust, step by step, seeing the person (horse) inside, trusting that it would happen, knowing that it takes different amounts of time.

Having said all that, let me say that what is important here is not that anyone else has the wrong technique or anything like that. It has to do with what we can do with OUR OWN ATTITUDE. The chosen method might be in a way that we've always used, technically; but the mind and heart that we go into it with can be more open and generous. We can 'be there' more for the horse. We can be dependable, reliable, worthy of the trust we are asking from the horse. And that BIG thing is achieved through all of the SMALL things we do.

There is SOOO much more but this is probably the time to stop. I hope I have represented Mark's ideas accurately. Remember, they have been filtered through my eyes. And, for any of you who think that I have been blinded by some glitter and now believe that I think this trainer "walks on water"Ö. Ha. If you get a chance, you can just ask Mark how very awed I was by him as I was kicking his tiny butt about a variety of topics about which I felt he needed to be enlightened.

If you would like more info about the clinic in October, give me a holler. In the meantime, ask any questions I have failed to address or to be clear about.

Thanks

linda

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