At first glance, it might appear Teddy Bone and her horse, “Bribon,” are an extreme contrast.
The 10-year-old purebred Pasafino is a fairly young horse and–with constantly moving feet and shaking head–has the spirit to match. At 75 years of age, Bone is not who you would expect to find training the lively animal.
“I got him as a three-year-old colt, which isn’t a good combination for a grey-haired old grandma,” she said as she walked out to her barn. “When I first bought the horse, my kids wanted me to bring him back.”
But as Bone stepped into the ring, it was apparent she doesn’t lack the energy to keep up with her horse. “I count my blessings I’m able to do what I can do,” she said. “I think the thing is I was able to stay active.”
Bone has been learning the art of natural horsemanship–a method of training a horse as a companion rather than as its owner. Gradually, she has been building her horse’s confidence by befriending it rather than forcing it to follow her commands.
“I think you bond better if you use natural methods rather than forceful methods,” she remarked. “It’s a wonderful feeling when your horse bonds with you.
“The thing is to get them so they trust you and calm down,” she stressed.
Bone has just returned from a five-day stint in Dassel, Mn., where she participated in a training session to perfect her skills in natural horsemanship with the Parelli method.
Founder Pat Parelli is one of the most renowned horse trainers in the world. With instructional ranches in Colorado, Minnesota, and Australia, he’s in high demand around the world for his insight into how to teach a horse without the use of force.
“Eventually, that horse will get so that no matter where you go, that horse is going to follow you,” Bone said.
After the course, Bone and her horse completed a test and passed with a Level 1 certificate in natural horsemanship.
“‘Bribon’ is Spanish for rascal and he is a rascal,” said Bone as she introduced him.
She has spent hours with Bribon and their friendship is apparent as she runs across the ring, the horse chasing playfully after her. “I can take my baseball cap and throw it on the ground and he’ll pick it up and bring it back to me,” Bone noted
The Parelli method uses seven games to get close to and teach the horse–games that horses would play among themselves in the wild. Bone plays with her horse on a daily basis in the pasture behind her house.
“A lot of the people who train the old way would think it’s silly games but it’s all games they play with each other,” she said.
Her horse has never had a bridle in its mouth. And she would like more people in the district to take an interest in natural horsemanship, in order to treat the horses with respect as well as to have companions she can compare notes with and learn from.
“If more people are interested and you get together, it can be fun,” she enthused.
“I didn’t know anything, we just got on and we rode,” Bone said of how she used to ride horses. “We had fun but I look back and we just went about it all wrong.”
She said owners often can make their horses put on a great performance but that doesn’t mean their horse is co-operating because it enjoys it.
“They’ll win a first-prize ribbon in a show and won’t be able to get their horse in a trailer,” she remarked.
Before heading to Dassel, Bone spent two-and-a-half hours getting her horse to get in the trailer. It now takes her under two-and-a-half minutes.
She hopes she can get as far as possible with the Parelli method, and fondly watches the videos featuring instructors from the course and the complete freedom and command they have over their horses without bridles, physical abuse, or raised voices.
“He is the fulfillment of a 25-year dream,” said Bone fondly, running alongside her horse.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
