Natural horsemanship or training?

Well said! (Like always.)

I knew I couldnt explain myself properly but thanks guys

So in other words.. By watching and learning and using my own techniques I can do this with my horse. I know I don't need the equipment.
Iv quickly learnt that most advertised NH is overpriced and overfrilled.

I train my horse using pressure cues, voice, body language and repetition. Sound about right?

I know like Parelli teaches you all the liberty stuff and stuff like bridless riding so what I was really getting at was how to do stuff like that?

Like her getting the horse to piaffe just by tapping with whip gently its obviously not all through body language and NH, its also through training on ground-maybe long lining- then progressing to liberty, yeah?

Yes Sarah, you understand.

Alright Speed Racer... Was just a question to see peoples opinions and stuff.. NH is very big in America and only big in England due to Monty Robert so not as many people understand the concept

I used NH before there was such a word for it. I just always called it common sense horse training.

Then the NH gurus came along and decided to make millions off of methods that they didn't invent, but packaged and gave a fancy new name, and added a lot of smoke, mirrors, and expensive gear to appeal to kind hearted noobs who only want the best for their horses, and buy into the marketing spiel.

I say you can do it all without the glitz, glitter, silly names, overpriced crap, and the gurus. There is no such thing as One Size Fits All in horse training.

Take what you can from each method. The way your horses respond will let you know if you've gotten it right or not. It really is that simple, and no carrot stick necessary!

Natural horsemanship is a non-foundational word.
We are either riders/trainers or we are horsemen/teachers.

My thoughts are these:
"What is more evident is that the rider be in ‘control’ of the horse by the influence of ‘force’ rather than asking. The difference between a rider and a horseman is the line of communication between the two. The rider demands from the horse with force in the process of learning, all the while causing the horse to brace against the rider. The horseman asks of and allows the horse to move through the process of learning, all the while allowing the horse to move freely without bracing against the rider.
The rider/trainer who is a horseman will not take up the reins in such a manner as to apply pounds of pressure to the bit, but will instead use the fingers ounces of pressure to every so softly shake the bit instead of pull on it. Such a horseman will also ‘allow’ the horse not to take the bit in the jaws, teeth or tongue…allowing in this instance means that the horseman will not let the horse have bit control through the horseman’s sympathetic responsive actions rather than the demanding reactions of applied force."

Spirithorse-just speak english like the rest of us please? My old brain cannot sort through all that wordiness to get to the point at this time of night, after a glass of wine.
As usual-well said SR, and Sarah-WATCH AHD LEARN is KEY! You will gain LOTs by doing that, as well as very closely observing horses reactions. As far as all of the "big name" folks-taking what you like and believe you can use from each-each one is like putting another tool in your tool box should you need it. After all, all horses are different. And what works on one, may totally set off another.

Okay guys, thanks Didnt really explain myself properly but oh well xx

I think it was a good question. A lot of people think all work at liberty (no ropes or tack) to be NH. But you can train horses in a lot of ways, and they don't have to be particularly nice or even bother with horse mentality: because horses are EXCELLENT learners. You can beat a horse to his knees, and teach him to bow; or you can lead him the way, gradually, using cookies. All you really have to be is consistent. Horses figure out what they have to do to!

So why Natural Horsemanship? Because humans (usually) have a high regard for intelligence, for brain over brawn. Some of us get into the philosophy deeper, like spirithorse8: it does not mean he's ridiculous, just because you don't know what he's talking about.

The big differences between types of training/teaching shows up when you don't get the results you thought you would. One solution is to get another horse (not that uncommon a solution); the other is to try to think it out from the horse's point of view. "What is this horse thinking?" That, to me, is what defines NH, not working at liberty, or riding tackless.

Excellent answer :) Thanks Beling... You understood what I was trying to get at!