You are more than welcome Anonymous--nothing like video of people trying to hang on to a mechanical bull while David lectures about galloping position to put life in perspective.
that certainly takes me back! thanks for the memories, John
I finished reading all of the archives that I missed before I became a regular EN addict...the only reason why I'm posting as anonymous today. Must...get...back...to...work.
If I wanted to ride a mechanical bull, I'd participate in a rodeo clinic. If I wanted to do natural horsemanship, I'd go to a NH clinic. I thought the O'Connor's did eventing? (I know, I know - that's part of their training philosophy.) Not my bag of tea.
I'm no expert, but the whole point is to get the horse to be more attentive and respond to a gentler aid. Could be handy in eventing.
NH is for backyard horse owners that otherwise wouldn't do anything with their horse. All of my horses have better manners than people I know that have level 3 perelli horses. Also I have had two freinds (trailriders) that have been seriously injured riding GREEN horses with a halter or whatever Perelli has convinced them that was more freindly to the horse. OC's have learned one thing from Perelli....Charge out the *^&$ for lessons, clinics. The bull thing? another Perelli gadget? Sounds like Johns last ride could be more exciting than a mechanical bull over fences!!
I have one of those too.
The Parellis can be whack jobs but that doesn't mean all natural horsemanship sucks. Go back to some of the early practioners for a history lesson--as an end to itself, it can be a gimmick, a way to feel all sugary toward your horse without actually, say, riding it, but as a means to an end it's a very efficient tool. If you can learn to control the horse's front and back ends from the ground, you can also have better control in the saddle. So at camp we spent an hour working our horses on the ground, and then proceeded to dressage, and later jumping, with some of the same concepts in mind.
Sadly, it turns out that the ropes and sticks AREN'T magic.
As for the bull, later incidents aside, it's a pretty useful way to learn body position for drop jumps and downhill gallops without scaring yourself half to death or annoying the bejesus out of your horse. Last year, after she went to OCET camp, my daughter competed in her first event, where there was a big long downhill section that most of the riders in her beginner division couldn't handle--they either walked down, or galloped headlong and crashed. My daughter came down at a happy balanced and controlled canter that was a delight to see. She told me later, "Mom, I just kept telling myself, 'ride the bull, ride the bull.'"
Captions at Hahahorses.com
Thank God (and John) for Eventing Nation. Not sure how I would have gotten through work today without it.