Two topics in this post - first, I promised that I would reveal what Dr. Temple Grandin shared with me about why she believes horses buck at the canter when first saddled. This is a long one, so apologies in advance. I'll try to make it worth your time.
If you have read "Animals Make Us Human" it will be much more clear. Also, if you read my interview with Dr. Grandin in the Parelli Savvy Times - in both of those places, Dr. Grandin describes what she and most animals experience with new stimuli - either situations, experiences, visual elements, anything sensory and new - they create a unique "file" like on your computer, that she describes as a "sensory picture." And every experience goes into a unique "sensory picture file" - only when there are enough similar sensory pictures does a horse begin to generalize them into another "file" which is also assigned a heading of either "Safe" or "Might Kill You."
Does that make sense so far? If not, get her book - she goes into more detail.
Now think about putting the saddle pad on your horse. That's a unique sensory picture. It's not a bad one, so he doesn't react much. Then your horse goes from walking to trotting and the sensation of the saddle pad changes. A new sensory picture. Then you introduce the saddle - while the horse is standing still - completely unique feeling, completely unique sensory picture. Then you walk the horse around a little in the saddle - new sensory picture. Still it's not so bad, because we're just walking. Then a little trot - new sensory picture - and sometimes you'll see signs of concern here - VERY VERY subtle signs. A lot of transitions between walk and trot and halt will help these sensory pictures begin to generalize in the horse's mind more quickly. As Pat & Linda say, quoting Walter Zetll, "A THOUSAND transitions." But most people don't do those 1,000 transitions. Most people go from standing to walk to trot to hurry up, go canter - and that's when they get the buck. So the horse gets a series of unique sensory pictures, each more frightening than the last - each one has more constriction of his ability to take flight as the saddle goes from being extra weight to tight at the chest to interfering with his shoulder (with most people's saddle placement). By this time he's ready to canter and get the heck out from under this thing that's on his back, and realizes that he can't get out from under it, he's trapped and he panics. And bucking is the only reasonable option - Get! This! Off! My! Back!
What does Dr. Grandin recommend? First, 1,000 transitions. Halt, walk, trot, walk, halt, trot, halt, walk - for as long as you can - making sure that you include DWELL in this mix. Remember how important of a reward it is to just stand with your horse and give him a scratch. Take the saddle on and off and on and off and on and off - again keeping breaks and dwell time and a good scratch or a treat in the mix. The goal is to recreate the sensory picture as many times as possible so that the horse begins to generalize and create the "safe" file regarding being saddled and wearing a saddle and moving in a saddle. Then (and this is the funny part, to me) she said, "Get yourself a saddle that you don't care one bit about" - this is in case he bucks or rolls or does whatever, it won't matter to you. Put it on and just leave it on while he moves around. Use your transitions again - but more quickly (but without YOU hurrying up your energy - ask more OFTEN, not FASTER) ask for walk, then trot, then halt, then trot, then two steps of canter, then walk, then two steps of canter, then trot, back up, stand, and so on. Again, the goal is to create as MANY of those unique sensory pictures - saddle on his back at the canter - making sure that the pictures INCLUDE coming back down calmly to a slower gait and being rewarded - include taking the saddle OFF as often as you can stand it in this series. He'll get a file full of positive sensory pictures that include saddle, canter, staying calm, and getting relief and be able to generalize them more quickly than if you were to stick a saddle on him and simply let him 'buck it out.'
That's her theory. I think it's amazing.
Now for a little bit about Disney's "Secretariat" - I was able to see a special preview screening of the film and loved it in the moment. But I'm a writer and we writers like to mull. What I came to was this - the film really should be called, "Penny Tweedy." Now obviously, I’m a sucker for any movie about horses. And “Secretariat” more than satisfies my horse-loving spirit – although it is every bit the Disney style that you would expect, uplifting, lightly comic, with not one element of surprise. Still, it succeeds both in spite of and because of that cinemagraphic, formulaic beauty. The racing footage is gorgeous, exciting and suspenseful, even though we know the outcome – like a great roller-coaster ride, we want the experience again. I must admit that I was fully present in the ‘70s during Secretariat’s reign and I recall this ‘super horse’ and his amazing wins. How could you miss his multiple magazine covers at the time (Time, Sports Illustrated, Newsweek)? But the story of his owner, Penny Tweedy (Chenery) is really the focus of this version of the story – elegantly portrayed by Diane Lane, who is gorgeous every moment. Penny begins the film as a Denver housewife, deftly handling her family’s demands in teased coif and great wardrobe. When her father’s breeding business falls into her hands, she picks up the reins and lucks into possession of the uber-horse that she calls “Big Red” via a coin toss (great scene, by the way). She is a force of nature herself as she manages Red’s future – directing the trainer (played for comedy by John Malkovich), his race schedule, even connecting with him on a more psychic level when he’s ‘off his feed.’ The actual Belmont win is worth watching on YouTube if you’ve never seen a horse win by an unprecedented and unmatched 31 lengths. The unfortunate realities of the time are skimmed over lightly – the Vietnam war, Nixon’s tragic administration, women and minorities were still kept ‘in their place’ – after all, it’s Disney. Plus there are inaccuracies that only horse lovers will notice and be annoyed with as Disney attempts to please a larger audience. I will also gently ignore the anachronistic errors in favor of the greater good. I do question the need for Sham’s trainer, Pancho Martin (Secretariat’s archrival) to be portrayed as an arrogant braggart, but Disney does need its villains.
Bottom line: I’m happy that this amazing horse (sire of 653, with 57 Stakes Winners) is remembered and honored. And I hope this film can come from the back of the pack, where Secretariat liked to hang out, and surge to victory in its DVD sales so that the studios will be encouraged to make more films about the great horses in our lives.
Special thanks to Ken Dobbs for the rodeo photo!
I met up with another who deals with the autistic...she turned me onto Temple Grandin. I have all her books in my equine library. They are a must. But even before this (here comes my point) I have long felt that horses not only think in pictures but have little capacity for past or future but instead receive these impulses of feeling. How long have we all known we don't recall so much of what we learned but how we felt when we experienced the learning? I liken it to what I call 'wet pavement'. Explained thus: the pavement is always there just a look away. The water on top is 'in the now'. They have all these pictures RIGHT THERE and anything and everything that we dismiss as no big deal in fact is a very big deal for the horse. As in perceptions of life or death. Or as TG would say, "Safe" or "Might Kill You." Thanks for some more great motivation and inspiration.
Posted by: Jeanne Lucas | November 19, 2010 at 04:37 PM
I have not read Temple Grandin's new book, so thank you for mentioning it!
Petra Christensen
Parelli 2Star Junior Instructor
Parelli Central
RESPONSE FROM BLOG: Check out my review of "Animals Make Us Human" - http://heartanddesire.typepad.com/heart_desire/2010/05/advice-is-kinda-like-a-fresh-pot-of-chili.html
Posted by: Petra Christensen | October 12, 2010 at 03:37 PM
Now I really enjpyed your post this week! I have read everything Temple has written again and again.(You really must do this as you gain more and more each time) I agree 100% with her comments about the "buck".Isn't it nice to have a unique perspective available to help convince everyone to look at another being's point of view thus reducing conflict in the world.
Thank you. Also, I too am lookin gforward to seeing the movie "Secretariat" as I was also around at that time and watched the Triple Crown series over and over. It was amazing!
RESPONSE FROM BLOG: Thank you! And you're so right - "Animals in Translation" is on my nightstand as a permanent fixture.
Posted by: Jan Lynn | October 09, 2010 at 12:26 PM