Pro-natural
Sticks are very common in the natural horsemanship world. A training stick is an extension of your human body. Horses have long bodies where humans have tall bodies. This is due to the fact that horses have four legs and humans only have two. Trying to match the length of your body to your horse's body can prove difficult and usually results in an accident. Having an extension that can reach out above and around your body can keep you at a safe distance should your horse become excited.
With that said, training sticks are a useful tool in the saddle to encourage turning, speeding up, and respecting the pressure of your leg. Training sticks are not meant to be used with excessive force or in an abusive manner.
Con-ventional
Whips are common in the conventional riding world. They come in different sizes and have many names. Crops, Halter whips, Dressage whips, bats, over and unders, etc. Whips are meant to aid the pressure of your leg (i.e. the horse doesn't go faster when you squeeze with your leg so you tap his rump with your whip). The problem with whips is that people don't just use them to reinforce their leg ques. Instead of training a horse to be more sensitive to leg pressure a conventional person uses a whip to make their horse go faster. Whipping does nothing but reiterate that humans are predators and horses are prey. Would you run faster if someone was whipping you? Of course, but would you still love and respect that person after they stopped. Not likely. Humans are not allowed to touch their dogs in an agility ring and yet a barrel racer is allowed to whip her horse every stride...
Are you ready to become a pro?
 Stacy Westfall Stick and String - $42.95 Stacy Westfall Stick and String this must have product is used during horse training and aids in natural horsemanship techniques. This light weight aid is perfect for extended use by any trainer. |
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