Where do I find the bonder with a lead line (which tape?) I have a friend that is going to help me with my app and she also agreed that I should not get on his back unless I have the respect on the ground first. I also explained to her that he will not let me halter him and turns his butt towards me he is difficult to "catch".
In what I have read with marv's site that the bonder will solve this/these particular problems? Am I correct in that assumption?
Also what signs do I look for in detecting that he is too much for me to handle? I not experienced and fear is big with me right now in dealing with my horse. I would like to try the lead line bonder since I have no access to a round pen and that I am boarding on someone elses property and can't really build something in her pasture.
My final question is should I do the bonder else where other than the pasture. The barn owner has a side lot that I can use only if it is on a lead line do to no fencing in this lot. thanks for the suggestions!
Ideally you want to do the bonder in an enclosure that is large enough to keep the horse far enough away from you so that it cannot reach to kick, bite or strike while keeping it close enough to control until it obviously shows it is respectful, compliant and focused on you.
Ideally the best enclosure is a round pen because it has no corners for the horse to hang in. A cornered enclosure can be used but you have to work a little harder to keep the horse from hanging in the corners.
Ideally you'll want the horse to be totally free and halter less. Horses seem to have a different mind set when wearing a halter. Even though nothing may be connected to it, they seem to feel its influence.
Now then, we have been whipping the word "ideally" around quite freely. Some times things are less than ideal and we just have to improvise, adapt and overcome.
If a leadline is all we have then a leadline can be used. It's better than nothing.
However, because the horse is so close to you you will have to be very careful that you do not get in a position where you are easily kicked or bitten. When doing the bonder on a leadline you should understand the concepts and the goal of the bonder more thoroughly than you would need to in less close quarters.
As you are directing the horse to go around you will want to keep the horse somewhat bent in the line of travel while staying at a sharp angle to the horse's inside shoulder.
When changing the horse's direction you bring his head to the inside across in front of you while you quickly move across his path and send him around in the other direction.
For instance, if he is going to your right take the leadline in your left hand and pull the leadline to your left as you move back to you right. Once his head goes past you circle him to the left.
Each direction change is two fold. You bring the horse across in front of you AS you move to the other side of the horse.
Since you wisely acknowledge that fear is a major concern for you, doing the bonder on a leadline should only be a last resort. I often construct temporary enclosures on the spur of the moment by using anything I can get my hands on - jump standards, boards, hay bales, rope, what have you. The object is to put obstructions that will make the horse think twice about going over or through. Since you will be distracting the horse by giving it directions, it *usually* is contained by the makeshift enclosure.
The bonder itself really corrects little. What it does is establish a leader / follower connection. It is the leader / follower connection that allows the leader to do things to and with the follower one would not normally be able to do. It is the connection that resolves the huge majority of problems.
The bonder allows the human to become the "herd leader" and reestablishes the leadership position when it becomes shaky, if it does. Horses do not display their butts or show disrespect to leaders.
Once you understand the concept of the bonder you will see that it can really be performed anywhere you can give the horse a series of directions AND make it comply.
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