GaWaNi Pony Boy?

VeganVienna · Yearling

GaWaNi Pony Boy?

Barnmouser Ash · Grand Prix

I've never heard of him; whereabouts is he from? Could you tell us a bit more about his techniques? :)

Goatgirl · Advanced

I've seen some of his books. Great photography....
Weren't the First Nations of the Prairees known for their horsemanship???

Jackie Cochran · Advanced

I read "Horse Follow Closely" when it came out. It was very interesting, a very different viewpoint toward riding.

He was promoting riding bareback. Since I have MS it is not safe for me to ride bareback. However I used to ride bareback quite a bit decades ago, especially during the summer. To feel secure bareback I had to ride bare-legged, a hiked up roomy skirt or hot pants. When I looked closely at many of Pony Boy's pictures in the book I noticed that he wore leggings that left the inside of HIS legs bare, all the way up to his crotch (wearing underwear is fine.) If you are going to copy his riding bareback I would follow his lead in this, and have as much of the skin on the gripping areas of your legs as bare as possible and as high as possible on your leg. Bared legged I felt secure enough to do just about anything, but riding bareback in pants I kept to slow gaits and moderate moves.

I also did not see any way I could really replicate his method on the heavily fenced and closely settled East coast of the USA! We just don't have much riding room here.

VeganVienna · Yearling

I Just finished "Horse, Follow Closely" last night, and I have to say that I loved it. I recommend any rider to go to the library and check it out. Even if you disagree with his techniques, the photos are worth it!

There are 11 stages or exercises explained in depth in his book. He says that there are three ways we communicate with our horses: vocal, physical and focus. He says focus is the most important one, where you and your horse are thinking as one (I know it sounds kind of ridiculous, but my explanation is awful compared to his. He doesn't mean it in an Avatar way). He describes how Native Americans understood that a horse is a horse. Not a cat or dog, not a human. So you need to communicate in a way the horse understands.

The book is a great read, I suggest you all read it! Pony Boy also has other books like "Of Women and Horses" which goes in depth about the bond experienced between us ladies and our mounts. I haven't read it, but I'm interested to see what a man could've written about that.

shaiarabs · Well Schooled

I have been following him for a few years...I don't follow a specific method entirely, his was the one that resonated the most to me.

it has led me to think deeper than I ever thought I could go and move beyond it...

he was in an accident, I cannot remember his injuries, but it was a little while ago now and from what I heard he is ok.

Barnmouser Ash · Grand Prix

I will definitely have to check out his books. He sounds like my kind of "trainer" (for lack of better words). :)

justice · Grand Prix

I had a perhaps atypical experience with him personally, during an Equine affaire event a few years ago. It had nothing to do directly with horses at the time but not knowing what to expect from him, I found myself left confused by his attitude and behaviour. Lost interest in learning about him further as an equine practitioner. Ah well....Nobody is perfect : ) Most of us know that. Most of us accept that. I would have written it off as a bad day for him, an isolated incident but he was pretty consistant about a variety of things the entire week we had to deal with him. Again, there might be truth to the real horsemen not having any people skills : )

-- Edited by justice on Monday 2nd of May 2011 08:11:24 AM

Nikki Salo · Grand Prix

I'm neutral about Pony Boy, he was a big deal a few years ago (in my area). I will credit him that he impressed me at a clinic when the horse he was supposed to work with came into the arena lame and be proceeded to ask the owner if they realized that their horse was lame and than asked them to take the horse back to the barn and take care of it. aww