Coming Summer of 2008
The Behavioral Accreditation Program

Dear Applicant,

I would like to thank you for your interest in the Behavioral Accreditation Program.  This program is unlike any other training program offered in the United States. It addresses the most pressing issues in the horse industry today, and allows you the opportunity to explore the deeper connection that happens when man and animal are finally able to communicate successfully.

The Behavioral Accreditation Program (BAP) addresses the following questions. What do you do with a horse that is unwanted or abused and where can you find the knowledge to behaviorally rehabilitate these animals? Most unwanted horses are unwanted because of their behavioral issues. These horses are often unsuitable for the average horse trainer to deal with, so they get labeled as rogues, broncs, crazy and many other inaccurate terminologies. The BAP addresses both these issues in a unique way. It provides the horse industry with specialists who have been taught to look beyond the normal means of training, to see the issues from the horse’s point of view and specialists who can correctly diagnose and address those behavioral problems without the use of fear or intimidation to gain control.

Until today there was no method that could address the complex behaviors that the conflicted horse presented. These still viable animals were shuffled off to be locked away from human contact and all too often sent off to slaughter.  The BAP gives you the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of these horses. Like a stone thrown in a pond your decision will ripple out and change how the horse community perceives you and the behaviorally challenged horse.  The decision to participate in this program will introduce you to the most exciting and advanced training program in the United States.  Connective Horsemanship.

The principle goal of horse training is to have a controllable and predictable horse. The methods which are utilized to train the horse are said to differ from one discipline to the next; some riders rely on the traditional methods of the old west and yet others rely on the well trodden traditions of Europe. While these two styles of training may seem entirely different, they both hold an inherent similarity of principle. Western and English training both rely on the same principle qualities Basic Control, Lightness, Rhythm, Line, and Connection to the rider. These five qualities assess the level of responsiveness from your horse to your cues. Connective Horsemanship represents these five qualities.

Connective Horsemanship is a unique training process. Its mission is to understand and communicate with young, misunderstood and behaviorally challenged horses. Connective Horsemanship is an accumulation of over a decade of research and development. It stands apart because it addresses the importance of the cueing language between the horse and rider. It is through this connective language that an understanding is built and communication exists.

This training process emphasizes the importance of the go and stop commands. I believe that all behavioral problems exist due to a lack of responsiveness to one or both of these commands. This program identifies the differences between those pressure related signals (cues) that are used to control our horses and those signals that the horse learns purely by association (body postures), then gives you a guideline from which to teach these cues.

The cueing language which we utilize to train our horses must be clear, concise, and consistent. When we fail to follow these simple guidelines the horse instinctively falls back to its root drive; fear. The horse embodies fear. Its survival instinct is the strongest and most readily available emotion the horse possesses. All behavioral issues are tied completely to this response. By redefining the cueing language you are more likely to rehabilitate the behavioral problems associated with them.

I have been fortunate to train and associate with many great horsemen. These great horsemen have taught me much of what I know, so what I teach is not solely my own, but a reflection of my experience and education and the experience and education of those great horsemen. Those that came before me have furthered my experiences and education and their words have shaped me in to who I am. They have taught me to be patient, kind, and honest but mostly these great horsemen justify my philosophies. I am a horse trainer, a behaviorist, a coach, a friend, a husband and father. I am simply a man, who has been given a gift that I must share for that is what brings me joy.  I look forward to sharing with you the knowledge that created.  The Behavioral Accreditation Program is located at the National Equine Behavior Center in Troy, Missouri.  Read the enclosed material and complete you application today.  Thanks again for your interest.

Ryan Gingerich
President