Alternative Horsemanship with Samantha Harvey

ATTN: So California Horse Lovers!!! Sam's Scheduled Meet & Greet

2012-01-11T10:30:00.000-07:00

Whew- the New Year is upon us! To kick things off Ranchos Dos Palmas will be hosting a Meet and Greet with Samantha Harvey and her Alternative Horsemanship on Saturday January 21 & 22 in Vista, CA. There will Lectures, Demos, Q&A, riding lessons and more with FREE auditing for all events! Please see the attached flyer for the schedule of events, ranch location, Sam’s background and more!

If you have any questions, would like to set up using your horse as a “demo” or participating in either a riding or ground work session, feel free to email or call me. I look forward to seeing you there! Please visit the attached link for schedule, lesson/participant sign up, fees and more! http://www.learnhorses.com/Dos%20Palmas%20DemoLectureClinic.pdf

Even if you cannot attend, please feel free to pass on the link to the event to your horsey friends!

From the Trainer’s Perspective: Feedback after session working with an insecure horse

2011-12-20T14:56:00.001-07:00

I know many students wonder “what it is like” when I work with a horse; this week I had a nine year old mustang that I worked with a few times and thought it would be a good example to share with you of an “alternative” perspective, my thought process, things that I asked of the horse and evaluation.

Most people I find are surprised that I do way less than the “normal” hour of cardiac inducing workout (for both horse and rider) when working with a horse. For me, the horse’s brain is the priority. The horse in this case was brought in from the wild a few years back, had been a stud until late in life (had a history of trying to dominate the mares) , and had a lot of excessive “movement”- pacing, weaving, etc. when tied, in his stall, waiting for feed due to his insecurity and worry.

When his current owner got him he was uncatchable- even in a small stall. He has issues with the farrier, other horses (if mares are in season), etc. No aggressive behavior towards people at all- but a LOT of excessive movement- constantly.

His current owner brought him here to the property when I re-opened it in the fall, and has been a bit shocked at the change in her horse’s personality in the past two months; just from the “energy” of a mellow facility, horses that get turned out with a laid back herd (including mares) most of the day, large stalls (single bar 24x40), and grass hay. I actually saw him lay down and enjoy the morning sun for the first time a week ago.

The following is my feedback to the owner as she was unable to watch the last two sessions I worked with her horse… Enjoy!

On Sunday even though we had sheep move past the property in the morning (which got him a bit concerned) he seemed more focused and participative. He was more relaxed about being saddled at the trailer, though we had to work on standing balanced- as oppose to all four legs in four different directions. I reviewed with him in the halter on looking to his left and right without moving the rest of his body or creating a brace, being able to “relax” into quietly moving forward, sideways or backwards from light pressure directing him through use of the lead rope. I ask him to focus on looking “around” his circle as he walked it- as oppose to careening his neck and head towards the outside of the circle. We focused on his transitions from walk to trot on the lead rope without dramatic movement (falling in on the circle with his shoulders or leaking out of the circle with his hindquarters.) Being able to “think forward” when I bumped the stirrup at his sides (similar to where my lower leg would be if I were sitting on him.) Then I worked him loose. He seemed a bit patternized and his brain was all of the place, so we worked on slowing down his gaits and getting his brain to think about what his body was doing. My saddle has leather ties at the rear and they gently smack him on the rump as he moves- he was a bit shocked at the “goosing” he was getting. He really wanted to think everywhere BUT where he was moving, or he just wanted to stop and come in to the center of the pen. So we worked with me increasing and decreasing my energy until he was able to offer a fluid walk, trot, and canter with quiet upward and downward transitions. He breathed, blew, relaxed, etc. so we called it a day. Untacking I dangled the lead rope on my arm, as oppose to tying him, and he was really relaxed and just stood nicely by the door of the trailer. I also noticed that night bringing him in from the pasture, he really wanted to “address me” instead of just trying to sneak into his stall.

Today even though he was turned out with all the other horses he came at a brisk walk over to be caught and dove his head into the halter. Again we focused on “thinking” while being tacked and not just swinging his body brainlessly around. We reviewed his “lightness” on the lead rope and then I turned him loose. Transitions were better, so we worked longer staying within a gait (he was distracted by the fruit pickers in the orange groves next door and wanted to resort to “fleeing” mode if he stayed within a gait too long). He couldn’t fathom that he couldn’t just creep in on me, stop, or reverse directions at his own whim. Then he started to realize I was “going with him” with my energy and movement in the pen and started to relax. Still a bit bothered by the leather straps flapping, but way better. So I got up on the mounting block and he sidled right up so that I was in line with the saddle, but if I waited longer than 20 seconds, he had to move. So we played with me “hanging out” on the block; touching him (really bothered by my hands running along his neck, touching towards his ears, lifting my hand above the saddle horn,) and then just standing, then leaning on him along his shoulder/saddle/rump, and finally just standing, etc. He couldn’t believe I wasn’t just going to get on. He breathed. Then breathed some more. Then he finally relaxed. Then finally let down and stretched his neck out, cocked a foot and chilled out. Then we ended the session. At the end I untacked him again, while he wasn’t tied, and let him loose to graze on the parking side of the property and he just stood there staring at me not really wanted to leave for the grass!

So the goal should be about first slowing his brain down, then engaging it so that his movement can slow and have some thought as oppose to his natural “reacting” all the time. The nice part is he can very quickly let go of his worry, concern and fear. BUT he needs to be clear on the standard asked of him; otherwise he checks out mentally and then physically starts getting busy.

The Benefits of Riding Bareback-Not just a brainless session

2011-12-08T14:51:00.000-07:00

The temperatures have definitely dropped here in the Southwest and our version of winter hit; we even had ice in the water buckets over the past few mornings…

On one recent chilly day, after doing morning chores I didn’t have much time so I decided to hop on Pico with just the hackamore and ride him bareback. I know many riders who began riding as children used to tear bareback around the field clinging to their horse or pony with sheer joy. Later, as the ground seemed farther and harder and they had less “bounce” in them, riders rarely seem to ride without their saddles.

I find though hopping on once in a while sans saddle can actually improve the quality of your feel, timing and understanding biomechanically of how and when your horse is moving underneath you. Many times a rider’s tack can actually interfere with the sensitivity of the rider, along with how, when the accuracy with which they use their aids.

One of the basic exercises I ask of my students is to first learn when each hoof leaves and touches the ground at a slow walk; then you would start to get comfortable with doing the same exercise at the trot and canter/lope. You’d be surprised at how many people have ridden for years without ever thinking about or feeling the timing of their horse’s hoof pattern. Sometimes riders are so focused on trying to feel, it just mentally messes them up and they stop feeling anything. So, a great time to practice at the walk “feeling” your horse’s movement is by riding bareback.

Many times lateral movements are ridden without accuracy due to several factors. First most riders ask a movement without clearly being able to imagine where they would like to place each of the horse’s four feet in order to perform the movement accurately. Next, the rider does not use or know how to use their body to effectively and correctly ask the horse to move a specific body part, or interfere if the horse offers an unwanted movement.

Again, by riding at a slow walk bareback a rider can actually “play” with first sitting correctly; you’ll feel if your seat bones are “plugged in” evenly or not. If not, you’ll continually feel like you are slipping towards the side of the horse that you are sitting “heavier” on. The side you are more coordinated on you are more likely to slip towards, so if you’re right handed you will consistently slip to your right.

Next you can thinking about your lower leg and how you use it. Do you find yourself “gripping” with your calf? (Is your horse constantly speeding up? If so, you’re probably trying to hold with your lower leg (from the inside of your knee to the inside of your heel.) Instead, imagine looking at a bow legged cowboy head on; you want your leg to simulate that look.

Take your toes and turn them towards your horse’s nose and imagine drawing your heels away from your horse’s rib cage, this way your upper leg (from the inside of your groin to the inside of your knee) will lie flat against your horse and will help reinforce your balance that began with your seat bones.

Now practice being able to apply your lower leg in multiple areas along your horse’s ribcage in order to influence his shoulder, ribs, and hindquarters. Keep mind as you apply one leg for your horse to yield away from, your opposite leg will need to be able to move “out of the way” of whatever body part you are asking your horse to move. At the same time that same leg that moved out of the way, will have to create an imaginary “wall” so that your horse doesn’t accidentally allow another body part to “drift” along with the one you were originally asking to move.

This brings up another topic to mention; being able to move their horse’s head, neck, shoulders, ribcage and hindquarters, independently of one another. Too many times riders have way too much motion, without accuracy. As you ride around bareback, have your goal be literally slow, baby steps of quality.

Play with picking a specific spot in the dirt (or snow) and being able to quietly ask your horse to move a specific body part to that spot. This should be able to be accomplished in a calm, quiet and great way to help your horse slow down his brain and think about what you are asking before he physically moves. It also gives you the rider, a clear intention. This in turn allows you to truly feel your horse shifting his weight or energy in response to your aid in “real time.” By being able to really feel what your horse is offering, you can then assess what and how you are asking for a movement and then perhaps change (literally) how much energy or where your leg is in order to get a different response in your horse.

By riding slow, intentional and bareback can often help you start to really learn more about the physical resistance, or brace, you might be feeling when you are working your horse. It is an opportunity to experiment with how you physically are riding your horse, and will often tell you a lot about areas of your communication that may be lacking, or where the effectiveness of your aids is diminishing.

Plus on one of those cold winter days where you may not have time for a “regular” ride or worry about being able to cool down your horse properly, you can hop on for fifteen minutes of intentional riding that can greatly influence the quality of your future rides.

The best part about riding bareback is it does not allow us a “false sense of security”, therefor forcing us to raise our focus, intention, timing and feel, if not motivated by the simple desire to “stay on.”

One last note, if you have never ridden your horse bareback before, don’t assume that he will be “okay” with it. You’d be surprised how many horses are used to their saddle, but the motion of someone “sliding” around on their backs can bother them. So you’d want to start slowly in just half way mounting and dismounting, to sitting on them, to a few steps of walk to get them used to you directly touch them with your seat and upper leg.

Also, many “warm” winter clothes are made of textures that can sound crinkly and create static when rubbed against horse hair, so try and introduce your “loud clothing” from on the ground first, or rubbing just perhaps a “loud jacket” on your horse’s body before riding in one.

Our journey of Horsemanship: Leaving Room for Interpretation

2011-10-30T14:15:00.000-07:00

I’ve never had an “English” language conversation with a horse, but over the years I feel that I’ve found some degree of a “common language” with which I communicate with them. As I try to explain to students there is no “one” way to do things, and I always tell people “take what you like, leave what you don’t” from any learning situation. I finished reading a horse blog the other day and realized that in this day and age I don’t think you can participate in any aspect of the horse world without hearing the word “pressure” in reference to communicating with the horse.

Over the past few days while worked around the property I casually watched the horses happily grazing. As they meandered about the field, I started tolling over in my head what “pressure” might mean to others; ideas and questions started to pop into my head, thus creating the platform for this blog.

Many times I have to step back and remember that most moments of every day I have horse related thoughts floating through my brain. After enough years of “the lifestyle” I often forget what it was like to NOT live this way. I believe that the qualities with which you understand and the clarity with which you communicate are reliant upon one another. As I’m sure you’ve heard me say in other blogs, I feel it is my responsibility as an equine professional to attempt to explain, help interpret and teach in a manner to those unaccustomed to spending most of their day’s energy focused on their horse.

With that in mind, the word “pressure” can have multiple interpretations as to “what it really means” such as in the scenario of the horse within the herd, in the horse’s interaction with its handler, as in to the rider, as in to the coach, etc.

I believe that the word “pressure” is just as casually “thrown out there” as often as you hear people talking about “collection.” As with most things within a language, there is always room for further clarification and interpretation. There of course is also plenty of room for lack of understanding, as what all too often happens when a word, explanation, statement or example is taken out of context. For example take religion, philosophy and written literature, how many times have documents been “re-interpreted” for better or easier understanding and clarification? I think it is human nature to “want it better.”

For me, the “wanting it better” applies to all aspects of my understanding, teaching and ability to communicate both to equine and human students. I’m continually revisiting previous thoughts, ideas, epiphanies, etc. in order to propel my “forward moving” journey of horsemanship. I find that my teaching often improves my training, just as much as my hands on training improve the clarity with which I teach.

As much as I talk A LOT, I’ve also learned over the years to ask questions of my students. To assume that they understand my words as I meant them to be taken would be wrong. So questioning the student is never done in a challenging way, but rather in trying to understand their mindset. I want to hear them have to “think through” and explain the how, why and when to be sure they are not just “repeating” what I’ve taught them, but are able to grasp the theories, which in turn will help them when they are on their own and will “have options” in how they influence changes in their horse’s brain and body.

So I want to play a bit of a game for a moment- I’m going to use one word, and I want you think of the first scenario that pops into your mind in response. Here it goes, the word is:

PRESSURE

Did you think of applying leg pressure to your horse’s side when in the saddle?

Did you think of using rein pressure?

Did you imagine a horse yielding from creating physical pressure with the lead rope?

Did you think of working at liberty and using your own physical movement as spatial pressure to influence your horse?

Did you think of your horse either spatially or physically “leaning on you” creating an uncomfortable spatial pressure from him being in your personal space?

Did you think of a horse showing physical signs of stress due to mental pressure such as swishing its tail, grinding its teeth/the bit, short/tight and inconsistent movement?

Did you think of a tool such as a lead rope, flag, or whip, to create both spatial and physical pressure to get a change in your horse?

Did you imagine changing your energy (increasing and decreasing the pressure of your seat) to influence the energy of your horse’s gaits?

Did you imagine walking past the “scary” spot and “pushing” your horse forward with pressure from your entire body?

As you can see the list can go on and on. My point being that depending on your past education, exposure, riding discipline, and experience, your interpretation of the word pressure could mean many things to you. As with all horse things, there is no definitive “right and wrong” as we explore translating a theory, word or manner of interacting with our horse.

For me, as both an ongoing student and current teacher; I don’t just accept a theory or statement. I don’t try to “beat it into the ground,” but over time I return to it to explore and experiment with the concept presented. Every encounter with the horses offers the opportunity to fine tune “what I thought I already knew.”

Someone once asked what my goals are if ride with someone to continue my own education process, and I said, “I go not to ‘work on’ a specific problem, but rather for the things I don’t even realize might be.”

Here’s to keeping an open mind,

Sam

Confessions of a Horse Trainer- Our own horses get the least of our attention…

2011-10-27T21:00:00.000-07:00

About a month ago, before I left my summer facility in the northwestern US, I had my vet come out to do my horses' annual dentistry. As we were looking at the previous year’s exam records, I noticed the date on my colt, “Pico”, said that he was born in 2004. Wait a minute. How was my “colt” seven years old??? That couldn’t be right. But with a little further investigation, it turned out that it was.

I think the old saying was, “The cobbler’s children had no shoes.” Well the horse professional’s saying should be, “The trainer’s horses are the least trained!” Now don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of trainers who have what I call “blue sky potential” horses that they put many hours into with hopes of selling or promoting, but in most barns or facilities, there always seem to be a few “project” horses that were usually acquired accidentally and somehow time had quickly passed leaving those equines pretty much as they were when they first arrived.

Now granted, in my own case, Pico finally had his “fair share” of attention this summer. I had a working student whose personality seemed to mirror Pico’s and they just clicked. It was great that the student had the opportunity to work with an “unfinished” horse. Poor Pico on the other hand was a little shocked at being “harassed” more than once every few weeks; but as he started to believe that his new “partner in crime” was relentless and NOT going to leave him alone after five minutes Pico changed his tune and soon enough the two of them were sneaking off into the woods like a pair of youngsters whose imaginations were running wild (I think “cowboys and Indians” might have been their theme.) I have a “loop” through the woods that usually takes riders about 15-20 minutes if they are really taking their time. Pico and his new partner would slink off and disappear for 45 minutes- by the time they showed up, I didn’t even ask…

Now for a moment, bear with me as I go back to the beginning when I “accidentally” wound up with Pico at three months of age. He’d been orphaned at birth and a gal had rescued him from his “get rich quick with horses owner whose stallion had gotten out of pasture and visited all the mares who were now having babies that the owner can no longer afford”. My vet had heard that I might, I said, might want a baby… So I showed up to meet the little red dun colt and of course, he came home with me. Even then, as much as babies are cute, Pico was quite plain. No real flash, no real movement, oh yeah, and that slightly clubbed foot. But as with everything, once you take them in, they’re part of the “gang” and Pico quickly fit in with my motley crew of misfits.

I think Pico was about nine months old when he made his first trip south to the warm winters of Arizona. At that time I was on a “ horse collecting” streak, and that winter I picked up a 17.2H bay thoroughbred from New Mexico that had been saved from the slaughter truck. It was so cold, icy, windy and frozen when I looked at the horse, we took him out of the stall, when I had him trot down the outdoor barn alley as chickens were flapping around and a tractor was zooming by. I asked, “Does he load?” and that is how he made his way into my life- unexpected and unintentionally of course.

He was the third horse bought from a person with the same name, so I started naming these newbies after their previous owner’s last name, and this horse, Houston, fit perfect. Now Houston had run and won over $70K at the track, and was somehow still sound and semi sane. He was just one of those “good guy” horses, but he was also very inexperienced in “the real world.”

From the moment I unloaded Houston, he and Pico fell in love. Now you have to remember Pico was nine months and very small for his age, and here was this very large, lanky thoroughbred. The two of them would pal around the pastures like they were soul mates. Talk about the odd couple. But the funniest part of it all was that Houston would follow Pico. So here was this rambunctious little colt storming about the pasture, splashing through our flood irrigation and for every short sprint or gallop where Pico gave his all, Houston would effortlessly offer a slow, long trot and easily keep up. All day long, round and round they’d go, with breaks in between to mouth, chew, rear, and climb on each other…

Anyways as time passed I dinked around with Pico, for fun. For the most part I never really felt compelled to do much as Pico’s mental, physical and emotional maturity seemed to take the “slow route.” So if I had a moment here or there we’d work ten or fifteen minutes… The day I first got on him I hadn’t even meant to. I had taught him to line up to the mounting block, as I do with all horses and was “desensitizing” him. Leaning on him, banging on him, banging on the saddle, clunking the stirrups, fussing with different “stuff.” He finally turned his head around to look at me, took this huge sigh, and I swear he said, “Just get on ALREADY.” So I did. Our first boring and slow ride (for those who have worked with me my GOAL for my students, the horses and myself when working with them is for the experience to be boring and uneventful) turned into another, and then another… and so on.

He started to be the “go to” horse I rode for “fun” once in a while because it was easy. He was light. He was a quick learner. Hey, he was actually fun. BUT his attention span was about 20 minutes or less. And honestly, in my life of training, teaching, office work, property maintenance, etc. that was all I needed for a fun ride.

Now don’t get me wrong. I knew he had some major “holes” in his education… But kind of like that diet we all talk about going on “someday,” I had the same perspective with addressing Pico’s missing links in his training. Yeah the “horse trainer” has a horse scared of plastic bags. (Pico’s enthusiasm and curiosity got the best of him as a two year old and he picked up a plastic grocery bag in his mouth. He took it to share with the other horses in the pasture, from which they all fled. He started freaking out because they kept running away from him. Then he couldn’t figure out how to “let go” of the bag.) Or the famous, “I clipped him a few years back, but now he won’t let me near him.” Or things like the water hose. WHAT??? Not my horse.

I have clients who on a daily basis bring me horses with serious behavioral “issues” and I spend hours helping them get long term changes through revisiting the basics and using clear communication in order to build their horse’s confidence so that the horse learns how to be “reasonable” in how they address life’s scenarios. Why didn’t one of my own horses have that same time put into him?

I made that diet reference earlier. How many of you have ever committed to going on a diet? Okay, now how long did it take you to FIRST mentally convince yourself that a.) you need to go on a diet, and b.) that you actually will commit to one? The same thought process went for my attitude with Pico. That little voice in my head had a million reasons (all the explanations my clients get on a daily basis) about WHY it is so important to create the quality foundation, and that time was ticking… But somehow, it just kept ticking.

Eventually as I decreased the size of my herd and I could feel Pico at first staring at me longingly then after enough of my ignoring him, he started to act like the unaddressed teenager being dramatic in his small annoying behaviors. (Example: All the horses know how to “put themselves away” and he would insist on taking an extra lap, exploring, and then, sigh, eventually heading over to an empty stall for the night.) Just little stuff. But his attitude was clear.

So fast forward to this summer and the new student who “took on” Pico. I realized after the first month that the student had ridden my horse more than I had in all the time that I had owned him. We’d do sessions together each day, and then they would head out on their own to do who knows what… But in that time, Pico’s brain, enthusiasm, and experience expanded. He started greeting us at the pastures again; he started offering a “try” without being asked. His mental endurance slowly started to increase from his “usual” 20 minutes… And yes these days, rubbing bags all over doesn't faze him...

Needless to say, I’d taught Pico to bow a few years back. Again, for those who do or don’t know, I’m NOT into teaching “tricks” but rather my goal is that I can ask anything of my horse and he can offer a try. In the case of bowing, it was asking a balance of mental relaxation and trust along with a physical yielding of his front end lowering it to the ground; to the rest of the world it looks like a bow.

Two days ago was the first time I “played” with Pico in probably two months… I hopped on and we had a great ride. The next day I worked with him from the ground on suppling exercises (even though he is petite, he is the most stiff-as-a-board Quarter Horse I’ve ever encountered.) At the end of our session I asked him to bow. He did so easily even though we hadn’t done if for a good six months or so. It was so easy in fact, that I then continued using a light “yielding to pressure” that he was familiar with, asking him to bow lower and lower until the moment I saw him switch his thought from bowing, to, saying “More?” I released and asked him to stand and we dinked around for a minute scratching his “itchy” spots. Then I asked for the bow again, and then a little more, a little more, and then he gently sighed, and laid himself down for me. He lay flat out, with the side of his head on the ground, and as I rubbed and sat on him, he started nibbling grass as if that were the most natural thing to do while having been asked to unnaturally and unnecessarily lie down. That is SO Pico. After a few minutes I asked him to get up which he quietly did, and then looked at me, and like his partner in crime from the past summer, it was as if he asked, “What next boss?” I turned him out to graze with an ear to ear smile on my face.

So the point of this blog, whether you have a “regular” job, family, life, or yes, even if you are a “horse trainer” – don’t feel bad if your training goals/accomplishment or “schedule” hasn’t gone “according to plan.” You have time, your horse has time. As long as in the meantime he gets to “act” like a horse living a balanced social life with room for natural movement, don’t beat yourself up for not accomplishing “what you thought you would have” by now. Instead enjoy the time you do spend with your equine partner and appreciate what you have accomplished. It will make each experience more positive for the both of you.

Have fun,

Sam

Blast from the Past- Then and Now: A perspective on our experiences

2011-10-24T22:52:00.001-07:00

The idea for this latest blog came about unexpectedly… This past week I was out of town attending a non-horse related event, when as with most horse people, a group of us found ourselves standing around trying to remember the “good ol’ days” of our Three Day Eventing careers and/or experiences… Out of the seven of us chatting I turned out to be the only one still involved with horses though of course my “world” today is as far removed from “that” world as could be; the other most recent rider sold her Advanced level horse three years ago and has tried to replace the emptiness with golf.

I really didn’t say much at first, just listened. What struck me as we started listing and trying to remember who had done what, when and where they were today, was to realize that during “our time” when all 25 to 30 of us “regulars” had been on the road traveling almost every weekend and competing, that somehow a good majority had “survived” (literally) and became a percentage of today’s top rated US competitors. We reminisced about our regular “dinner out” during a competition. Although of course we were competitive, it was an incredibly tight knit group of people. The camaraderie and support for one another when we crashed and burned (literally) to truly being happy for when someone won an event or championship was amazing. I really hadn’t ever thought about just how many of us had toughed it out and “learned the ropes” together.

Then amidst memory lane and exchanging “remember when…” stories, trying to remember who rode what horse, what person ended up marrying what other equine enthusiast, etc. and what horse had “made it” to the top, a friend suddenly blurted out mid-sentence, “If I ever do ride again I want a really, really broke horse. Something like, a quiet Quarter Horse.” The gal standing next her chimed in, “Yeah something with NO bucking, rearing or other dramatic issues. Something boring.”

By then, a few of them turned to me and kinda gave me a look and said, “Something like what Sam probably has at her place.” I had to laugh… The gal who had initiated this new comment had “learned the ropes” on literally “free” horses. Now I know these days it has become common to find cheap or free horses, but back then to be handed a free horse meant it had a really, really, REALLY long list of “quirks” as we politely called it back then. A few of the others in the group had experienced the “growing up with their horse,” which at the time with our trainers meant you had a 50/50 chance of either surviving the ride in one piece or not. Most of us could remember the E.R. doctors about to cut off those custom made leather boots we had saved several years for and although in more pain then imaginable, us shrieking, “DON’T CUT THE BOOTS!” no matter how much pain would be involved in trying to pull a tall, leather field boot off of a quickly swelling broken ankle or foot.

As much as we had wonderful memories and most of us wouldn’t have traded them for the world, they were bitter sweet. Among seven of us we had at least four horses that prematurely went lame or had to be put down far earlier than they should have due to excessive wear and tear from all the competitions. As much as we were proud of the high levels we had competed at, it seemed that subconsciously we winced thinking back to ALL the blood, sweat and tears we shed to get there. It was common at the time to have a love/hate relationship with your trainer and horse. They could bring you to the highest highs, but also the lowest lows. As much as we were proud of all the craziness we had survived, at the time buying into the concept that what didn’t kill you made you stronger, hindsight, being 20/20, has allowed us some distance and perspective, then of course causing you to start questioning, “WHY did I think such and such was a normal situation???”

The conversation then took another turn and others started asking what exactly is it that I do. It was funny because as I explained my training philosophy in working with the horse’s mental availability in order to get the desired physical results, I found myself staring at blank faces. It was almost like I could explain to a non-horsey person more clearly than those that had been so ingrained into believing “this is the only way it’s done” sort of riding, training and routines.

For those of you who have been involved with horses for less than fifteen years you have to remember the whole “natural horsemanship” concept, clinicians, articles, TV shows and DVDs did not exist or was not easily accessible. And back then you only rode “one discipline” and that was all that you did with your horse. And if there was someone who didn’t do “stuff” the way the rest of us did it, they were considered a little “goofy” and more often than not their ideas were disregarded before they were ever really listened to or tried.

As I was comparing a “then and now” perspective, I almost felt guilty, because my current perspective has allowed me to take off the personal blinders created by my past “mainstream” ways of training and riding. Today I think, question and try things outside the “conventional” box and have no qualms about whether I try something with a horse that works, or if it doesn’t, move on and try a different approach. Whereas the people I was talking to from the past, had no idea that “my” present day world even existed. As I was talking, a brief slide show of horse moments from roping cattle on the north rim of the Grand Canyon to this summer’s 6000’ mountain pack trip (think The Man from Snowy River snow/cliff scene) to jumping my horse over large fallen trees and splashing through creeks- everything we needed in our Three Day Event horses, that we trained and practiced and went round and round, with the inability to truly “do” in a comfortable, quiet way.

Now I’d like to make a note here- I’m only talking about MY experiences and perspective and am in no way naysaying the sport. For me, I went through these experiences and after enough years of out of control horses that I “survived” the ride on, I finally had to find a different way to do things. Don’t get me wrong- I still get a thrill watch a few navigate world class courses such as Badminton or Rolex.

I always wonder if I had been able back then to have had an instructor who taught like I do now, what would have happened. I never had anyone who mentioned my energy in the saddle. Nor did a single person ever tell me to have my horse LOOK where he was going. I know it sounds really obvious when you’re cantering at 20mph and aiming at a solid jump the size of a pickup truck! I thought it was normal that my horse was resistant, heavy and on the forehand, because hey, he was a jumping horse or he was built “on the forehand.” No one thought twice about how strong of a bit they had to use in order to resemble a level of control on cross country. We all had those experiences of just being happy to have stayed within the Dressage arena’s borders during our test.

It didn’t have to be that way. Today I taught a student who showed up in a jumping saddle and halter with clip-on western reins. We rode in an open field that had cows mooing, goats scampering about and assorted fowl crying and squawking. The grass was still damp from the flood irrigation and due to a leak there was a huge flooded section to splash through. It was the first lesson after light summer riding (they do after all experience a norm of 110+ degree temperatures) and we included things such as shoulder in, haunches in, spiral in and out, leg yielding across our “fake” diagonal, transitions and much more. It was casual, calm and quiet. We used “that red barrel lying down” as a marker instead of “E”, or that “railroad tie in line with that fence post” for our “centerline.” Were we “doing” Dressage? No. We were riding. We were revisiting the basics and yes, it was fun. No the horse was not swishing his tail, grinding his teeth, or showing other stressful or irritated behaviors. And yet, it would have been “a lot” to have done all that in a lesson during the “old days.”

But in the end, the saying that goes, ‘What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger’ I guess held true. Even for those who had been out of the sport for fifteen years, still had hands that looked like they hadn’t ever seen a manicure. I would bet money that every one of us could have backed a trailer through an obstacle course without knocking a cone over. I’m sure in their heyday they would have thought it was normal to walk three horses at the same time and have a pack of dogs ambling around their feet while “conducting business” with a client.

Out of the group chatting at the event, one is a nationally respected vet that specializes in Ophthalmology and is a professor at the University of Illinois, another is ranked among American Airlines top 150 pilots, another leads guided bicycle and hiking tours thinking nothing of covering several hundred miles in a few days with up to 120 guests in the wilderness. Another is a physical therapist who just happens to be a personal assistant to high profile business woman that allows her to travel the world coordinating and organizing.

There’s just something in the mindset of these strong people that is so refreshing, even if they are no longer involved in the horse world. As with most things, horse folk can be some of the best and some of the worst characters you meet. With this particular group you could be comfortably frank, direct and honest with no one thinking it odd or that you were “too forward.”

The conversation ended with everyone agreeing, that even though the timing wasn’t “right now”, someday, somewhere, somehow, yeah, they probably would get back in the saddle again. Like I always say, if it’s in your blood, there’s nothing you can do about it, except enjoy it! So here is to those who have endured, for better or worse, and still find at the end of the day, your current or past equine partner still brings a smile to your face and teaches you to be a better person.

Sam

How to decrease the stress of trailering/hauling horses

2011-10-07T10:07:00.001-07:00

As with most things, after each experience you become more comfortable. I'm always amazed when I meet people that have never had a pet- either as a child or adult. But animals here on the farm have become "a lifestyle" for me. That means things that I don't think twice about, such as loading up my dogs in the truck anytime I go anywhere, having the the dog ride on the back of the ATV as I drag pastures, or head out into the mountains with four of five of them is "normal" to me.

The same goes for horses. I actually find that taking the horses is "easier" than the dogs... For those who don't know for the last nine years I've hauled 1440 miles twice a year between my farm's summer and winter locations. Before that I spent years traveling to both near and far competitions, for training, horse vacations, and horse shopping trips.

As with anything, if you do it long enough, things will go wrong. Everything from broken down tow vehicles, broken axles on horse trailers, weather conditions causing travel delays, stresses, side trips, to human hospital emergencies. Some things just aren't preventable; but when it comes to hauling livestock, many stresses can be reduced or eliminated if addressed before the moment of travel- whether in an emergency to the vet or for a long haul trip.

So I've come up with a list of things that I've either experienced or have heard that makes it "stressful" for owners to travel with their horses.

1) Practice driving your trailer WITHOUT your horse. Yes, really. If you have access to a huge field, empty parking lot or even just down a low traffic country road, practice. Straight, turning (turns on the drivers side are easier to maintain perspective, so learn to become aware of your "size" when turning the opposite way,) and of course the dreaded BACKING. Most people are stressed about backing because they either haven't done it, or have had a negative experience (usually with a "helpful" spouse/family member screeching at them.)

I could write an entire blog on backing, but, I'll just highlight a few points. 1.) The tow vehicle is what you must understand first. For me, I have a very powerful truck but it has NO turning radius, to just make a U Turn on a four lane wide road takes three stop-reverse-turn series. Which means when I back with a trailer, I have to allow enough room and time (meaning SLOW) to just get my truck set up first. 2.) The longer the trailer the "slower" the reaction time. This can be good and bad. I have a 42' (12 meter) long trailer- my total rig is 60' (just over 18 meters) - this means I need enough space to allow the very slow reaction time with a trailer that long when I back. Short trailers on the other hand can "take off" on their own when over corrected, which then causes that "10 time attempt" to get the trailer "straightened out." 3.) Take the time to practice and GET OUT OF THE TRUCK to actually see where you are at when practicing with defined "points".

People get stressed about having to fuel up, and getting into a tight spot at the station, get stressed about their arrival destination not having enough room to turn around, etc. The more you stress about the "what ifs" the more tense you'll be while you drive- even if nothing has happened and it will become very tiring for you.

2.) Assess your tow vehicle AND horse trailer. Again this could be an entire blog in itself. Some people use their every day vehicle as their tow rig, but others have a designated vehicle that only tows- which means it's not used very often. Make sure your tow vehicle is appropriate for your trailer- remember towing "live" weight is different than hauling something such as a boat.

Have yearly/mileage services current. Check tires. Have a SPARE tire. Same goes for the trailer. Most common issues seem to be is the wiring- which makes most people cringe when they inspect "what the last guy did" as a quick fix and now have to find why their lights, brake controller, etc. isn't working. Don't wait until the last minute to check this. Things like axle service, check/rotate tires, etc. ARE necessary. Check for rust, rotted wood floor boards, etc.

Also this summer I heard of several people who had horses that suddenly wouldn't "load" or had dramatic behavior from their normally easy traveler when loaded. CHECK for wasp, hornet, or bees nests. Trailers seem to be "the place" for them. If your horse is suddenly acting odd about trailering, put in the effort to find out why.

3.) Invest in tow/road side assistance. Here in the States we have things like AAA. Let me tell you- whether it's bringing you that spare gas, fixing that flat tire, or having your rig (truck and trailer) towed (first 100 miles free)- they are always smiling and happy even at 3am when you're stuck on the continental divide in a blizzard with ten horses in the trailer. $50 a year is TOTALLY worth it.

4.) YOU inspect your rig BEFORE loading your horse for your trip. Even if you hooked up your rig inspect the vehicle, the hitch connection, the lights, everything!!! Don't rely on someone else. Don't wait until just before you load your horse- if you need to fix something you don't want to find out the day you're hauling.

Same goes for feed, bring more than enough feed that your horse has been eating- don't suddenly change his diet.

6.) Check weather conditions, Road Conditions, and ROUTE options. This goes for both cold and heat. Horses walk the ENTIRE time that they are being hauled, so both the cold and heat can affect them. Dehydration is the most common issue. Most horses don't drink as much as they would at home, but make sure they keep drinking. Once a horse becomes severely dehydrated things like colic and other health issues can arise. Make sure you check the temperature of the trailer, even in 10 degree weather, with ten horses in my rig, I can have all the windows open and it feels like a sauna. This is another reminder about trailering in blankets. It may feel chilly outside to you, but with all the "walking" the horse does when he is hauled, they usually get pretty warm.

Here in the northwest our "good weather" seasons tend to be very short, therefor if it's nice out, you can expect road repairs. The time I came in from a 24 hour haul and had less than 60 miles left and got held up on a Montana Hwy for 45 minutes- I was fuming. Never mind the poor horses standing there breathing all the asphalt vapors.

Don't just "trust" mapquest and other easy access online directions. Depending on where you are in the country, you may not want to take the main road or route. Talk to other horsemen who have traveled that way to get current advice.

7.) Bring drugs & medical kit. Now I'm an organic, all natural food, no meds type of person. BUT in an emergency, things like a mild sedative, such as Acepromezyne, Banimine for colic, and Bute for an injury can be a life saver. Also I always keep a sharp knife, cotton rolls and vet wrap. Horses can bleed A LOT, and you don't want to have to "start looking" for stuff to stop the bleeding if there is an injury.

8.) Keep a lead rope handy and use quick release trailer ties. Now this is a personal preference, but in the moment of emergency or the unexpected, I don't want to have to start searching for a lead rope. Quick release trailer ties can help eliminate a tied horse's lead rope from "burning" to itself making it difficult to untie the horse in an emergency.

9.) Have a map, with route alternatives, AND phone numbers for possible layover options on your journey. Don't just have one place designated. I've found that usually the initial "planned route" can change, therefor having options and contact numbers printed out ahead of time will make your life way easier. You don't want to have to call home while sitting on the side of the road, trying to find numbers of options to stay when the unexpected comes up.

10.) Practice small trips ahead of time- for you and your horse's sake. Seriously. Load up and head around the block a few times. Trailer to your friend's arena, head to the local fair grounds, etc. Especially if you have a young or inexperienced horse, this is a great way to build their confidence that getting into the big metal box is not a bad thing.

11.) Keep your cell phone charged. Today with all the technology make sure it's accessible. The worst is when you have it but can't use it!

12.) If you can, bring a buddy. It's more fun, and in general easier to have a second person whether they share the responsibilities or are just good company. Make sure they are familiar with horses.

13.) Don't drive when you are TIRED. Seriously. It's not worth it. Bad decisions, stress and increased possibility of accident.

14.) Work out your horse's trailering "issues" ahead of time. The day of your trip is NOT the day to start training your horse to load.

15.) Research what paperwork/travel documents for your horses are required for your journey. Have them ready and easily accessible.

Whew... I'm sure there are more, but these cover the basics... Many people ask me about how long I haul my horses, do I layover, etc. Every trip is different and depends on the stock I'm hauling. The other thing I want to mention is that I don't compete anymore- so that means my horses don't have to "perform" when we arrive at our destination. They usually have a week or two to recover before I "use" them. Also, the distances I travel tend to be a lot farther than the average "long haul." In my experience most horses that don't travel well are carrying a huge amount of stress before you ever get to the "hauling" part. Therefor, the hauling isn't the actual issues, but rather one in a long list of symptoms the horse is displaying due to his stress.

So on Monday I'll be heading out for another trip south... This year hopefully I'll keep a photo journal and will get it posted online after my Arizona arrival... Stay tuned!

Sam

Riding with Sam- Assessment, Awareness, Communication

2011-10-03T09:36:00.001-07:00

My opinion is that all disciplines require the same basics, from jumpers to gaming horses, from trail riders to dressage competitors. An ideal ride would be on an enthusiastic, attentive mount that responds when asked and performs as asked.

Key words and questions Sam Harvey uses to start off a ride:

· Where: Where is your horse’s mind today? Is he physically next to you but mentally somewhere else?

· How: How effective is your physical communication with your horse?

· Why: Why do you use the tack and equipment you are using? Is it necessary?

· When: When does your horse respond to you? When do you use one aid versus another?

· Can: Can you see the whole picture - or do you get distracted and focus on small details?

· What: What are your riding goals? For:

Each ride?
Short term? Long term?
What can you do to achieve them?
Are they realistic?

Sam has found that a great way to answer these questions is to ASSESS.

What, who, when and where, and why do we ASSESS?

What: This is a combination of evaluating, measuring, considering, and attempting to gauge the mental and physical status of each the horse and rider.

What can your assessment tell you about your ride? Your assessment will help you understand that although you may have certain expectations or goals for your ride that day, your horse may have other ideas.

Who: You -- Attitude Attention Emotion Physical condition

Are you distracted with: the bills you have to pay, being on time to pick up the kids from school or extra curricular activities, the errands you still have to run, deciding what to cook for dinner, stress from work, or ???

If the rider is not 100% present mentally, it is unfair to ask the horse to be. We are supposed to be their leaders, but if we are distracted or have other things on our minds, they know.

Horses are constantly assessing and reacting -- this is their instinct for survival. We humans have to concentrate to do it. As soon as the horse is caught in the field or stable, he is evaluating and assessing us. He knows when we’re not paying attention. So by the time we get on, he has already made the decision whether or not to respect us and respond to our aids.

Your Horse -- Where is his mind? How is he physically today?
Is he emotionally present?

Is his brain with his buddies? Is he stiff or sore from age, health or earlier exertion? Has he recently been vaccinated or received other medication? Is it feeding or breeding time?

When and where should the assessment begin?

· For me the assessment begins when I catch my horse. Did he come up and “happily” greet me? Did he turn his tail to me, but tolerate my catching him? Did he run away?

· As I closed the gate, was his attention with me or was his head on the ground looking for grass? As I moved away from the enclosure, did he follow promptly or was his focus elsewhere?

· When I led him to the grooming area, did he walk along happily and pay attention to where I was? Or was he distracted by the other horses or events? Did he bump into me? Did he stand still when I tacked him up or was he fidgeting constantly?

By the time you get to where you’re ready to get on, your horse will have told you a lot about the upcoming ride -- did you listen? This ground assessment can help you decide what expectations to have for your horse that day.

Why do we assess?

We assess because we view the rider and horse as a partnership rather than a dictatorship. We need to have the patience and understanding to recognize realistically what can be achieved in a ride and what might not. This is not to say that your horse is permitted to decide what you will and won’t do, but rather a way to better educate yourself about your horse’s feelings, mood, mind set, and physical state -- and how it will affect the quality and enjoyment of the ride for both the horse and you.

When we get on…

What basics should our horses have so that we can accomplish our goals?

· Lightness- carrying themselves so they are not hanging on the bit dragging you around

· Suppleness- relaxation while carrying himself with the ability to bend and give any part of his body

· Bending- starting at the ribcage flowing in two directions: towards the neck and the tail- causing the haunches and the shoulders to operate independently of one another

· Flexion- starting at the spine, a stretching of the neck while staying relaxed, light and balanced

· Balance- ability to go in any direction and carry his own weight equally

· Relaxed- no tension in any part of his body no matter what is asked of him

· Engaged- lifting of the back so that the hindquarters can come underneath the spine to shift his weight from the front end to the haunches, causing the power to come from the rear so that the horse’s shoulders and neck are free and light to bend, flex, be supple and maintain balance

· Responsiveness- reaction time to an aid

· Creation of a smile: the look on our face when the above is achieved :) and you experience a fabulous ride and have a great time

how to create clear communication with the horse and have a quality ride

· Efficient- doing as little as necessary to achieve as large a result as possible

· Effective- promptly getting the reaction you asked for

· Sensitive- feeling, seeing and sensing what is happening underneath you

· Aware- not just seeing the “now,” but being ready for what might come next

· Evaluation- constant checking of results -- self and horse -- to make future decisions

· Preparing- always expect the unexpected

· Planning Ahead- if something were to happen what would/could you do to resolve, fix, or isolate the issue and make it a positive experience?

· “Taking” the horse- are you telling the horse where to go or is he “taking” you

· Establishing Respect- does he really believe you i.e. that what you ask is what you mean

· Feeling what is happening- not just seeing and focusing on the obvious, but maintaining sensitivity to feel your horse

By teaching ourselves to become this aware and focused every time we play with our horses, their respect and desire to please increases. We also become improved riders because we are now open-minded about communicating with the horse rather than just making demands of him.

A day in the life...

2011-09-29T08:19:00.002-07:00

I laugh every time I meet a non horse person who sighs when they hear about my life and see them get a dreamy look on their face as I'm sure they're conjuring up some romantic image of what my days must be like. Then there's potential new clients who can't understand why you would need notice or deposit policies for training and lessons- as if this "horse thing" is something I do just for fun. In fact I even had family visit my Idaho facility for the first time and stood on the property and looked around and went, "Whoa, you take care of ALL this by yourself?" Until that point I was pretty sure their impression was that I just spent my days playing with the horses... In the last few weeks I have had quite a few inquiries about how DO YOU become a horse trainer... But as much as this is a 24/7 lifestyle- not just a job- there are many unexpected perks.

I'm going to use this past week as an example, although these two weeks are my slow time each year as I'm in transition of closing the Idaho facility and preparing for the semiannual move to the Arizona facility (1400 miles away.) This year I'll be taking seven horses, dogs and of course all horse, office, outdoor stuff south.

Typically I feed around 6a.m. then spend the next two hours doing office work, banking, blogging/website editing/updating, etc. I head out around 8am and start working horses. In between or while working with horses things such as cleaning the waterers (hiking up the hill to do so,) mending fences/hot wires, dragging the pastures/infields to break up manure, cleaning out the tack room, pulling weeds or spraying, gathering newly upturned rocks, cutting back the hedges, moving the jumps so that the grass in the arena isn't killed from them sitting in one place too long, picking up trash/bailing twine, raking loose hay from the feeding area, riding through the "beginner" trails assessing what branches need to be cut back again, or what paths need mowing.

Most mornings have me working with four to six horses before noon... and then teaching lessons in the afternoon. Usually a quick lunch, during which in between mouthfuls I'm again doing more computer correspondence, returning phone calls- which reminds me, I need to call the hay guy and order another ton, set a date with the farrier, confirm with the vet for the health and coggins paperwork, call the bank regarding an error, talk to that client about when they are taking their horses home...

Between the office work, website work/promotion, property maintenance (about 20 hours/wk between mowing on the riding mower, with the tractor and using the weed eater,) I could be getting paid for each of those three jobs alone. A lot of folks say, why don't you just hire someone to do that work? But as with most things, it's hard to find quality people employees who do "above and beyond" in their work. It's far more stressful for me to watch the guy on my mower (please don't run over anything or break the mower as I can't afford the time without it or the money it'll take to fix it) than to just wind up doing the job myself.

Then again, as I went out to feed this morning there were seven deer in the yard. And a few days back a young black bear was playing around inspecting the ant hill piles I have yet to remove.

Oh and there was that young moose that came crashing through the woods last week. Never mind the ever present turkeys.

Plus the pleasure of looking out in the field and seeing horses of assorted colors and breeds cruising around playing, grazing and just being horses!

Yes it's not a 9-5 job, and there is NO guaranteed salary or income or profit, BUT the opportunity for simple pleasures, appreciation of the little unexpected moments and NOT ever worrying about sitting in traffic, dealing with a boss or not having an office window make it all worth it!

Humans, Horses and Common Sense- Don't always go together

2011-09-25T21:54:00.001-07:00

People are dull. We trip, we misstep, we are clumsy, we are slow, we forget, we get distracted, we are inconsistent, we are unaware, we are insensitive. We have lost our ability to think, smell, taste, and breathe clearly and with intention. We make decisions usually within different shades of "gray" rather than seeing things in either black or white. I could go on and on. Because of this "gray" in many aspects of our life, people tend to be physically crooked or tight.

Let's look at the horse for a moment. We watch a foal born. Within minutes the newborn is "in tune" with its instinct to stand. Within days it's running in the field. At several months that young horse is doing beautiful flying lead changes, roll backs and sliding stops... Then we add the human factor and what happens to all that flowing, natural movement, balance and grace?

Fast forward several years later in the young horse's life and suddenly the horse starts losing all of its "natural" abilities that had once come so easily to it. It becomes slow in its movement, its curiosity and enthusiasm dwindles as the human "teaches" the horse things. Scenarios that the young horse originally tolerated or tried with the human's urging "suddenly" cause the horse to become dangerously "reactive," aggressive or even fearful.

Fast forward a few more years and (thanks to all the tack and "tools" on the market) we now are wondering why our horse is fighting the bit, heavy on our hands, doesn't really have a whoa, won't pick up his right lead, bucks after the jump and doesn't want to be caught.

So what happened? Now first I know many people start a lot of young horses and don't have "bad" experiences. The problem with my profession is that most people come to me AFTER things have gone really wrong. Therefore, I tend to see the "worst of the worst" rather than a lot of quality human-horse relationships. As with most things, people tend to either not be honest with themself or are unaware just how fast and how "bad" things can get with their horse. How many times have I overheard someone saying, "My horse... My horse.... My horse..."

Let's make one thing clear, no matter how "nice" or how much you "love" your horse, your horse has two to three priorities in life- breakfast, dinner and perhaps mating. That's it. There is NO horse that is going to lift his head from grazing to instead participate in working on the quality of his 20 meter canter circles, or to long trot miles to gather cattle, or to climb that steep switchback 3,000' mountain to "enjoy the view." No matter how deep his stall shavings are, how green his pasture is, how many blankets you offer him on a cold winter day, your horse was not born with a "need" to work nor does he feel "guilty" about not working. His priority is to survive.

There is no doubt horses offer humans more than we could ever offer them. They can emotionally "help", heal, offer a shoulder (literally) to cry on, give joy with the magnificence of their movement, save us in a moment of danger, and so forth. But what do we offer them?

Most horse enthusiasts I have met started riding as something to do "for themselves." Whether it was stress relieving, a distraction from "reality", etc. I've heard many times that novice horse people think that trail riding is going to be relaxing. And it is- until it SUDDENLY isn't. That is the day we realise our relationship with our horse has been based on "hoping" the horse will take care of us. Without us offering anything to our horse except complaining if he doesn't just "go along" with what we want.

Now I'm not "picking" on trail riders, it's just a common scenario. I schooled FEI level dressage horses, experienced international show jumpers, rode young race horses, competed all over the US in Three Day Eventing and not ONCE out of the hundreds of horses I rode did I EVER consider the horse. I know it sounds kind of obvious but really I didn't. I had goals, certain expectations for performance or results and that was all that mattered. I never noticed if the horse I was riding took a deep breath. Or when he blew his nose and let down. I noticed if he swished his tail, but don't they all? Yeah this horse grinds his teeth, so we ought to change the bit. Yeah this horse needs someone to hold it so I can mount it. Yeah that horse I don't walk around the barn aisle on a long rein because he bolts outside of the dressage arena. Yeah my cross country horse has NO brakes, but hey we only had one bad fall last season, so let's move up to the next level. Yeah that horse is a bit hard to catch and you have to keep a cage on its mouth when you work around it so it doesn't bite at you. Oh and that one needs to be sedated for the farrier. And to trailer. And to compete.... Hmmmm.

And nobody said ANYTHING. These were accomplished horses competing at the international level. So what if they had their little "quirks." The professionals who showed the best way to "handle" these sort of horses was to "work around them" were setting an example for everyone else to follow. So what actually causes someone to "change" how they mentally and literally approach working with their horse?

It took a long time to "undo" everything I had spent years and thousands of dollars learning how to "do." Nowadays I have to admit I can't even really remember how "bad" it all used to be. The stuff I could ignore. Now I walk up to a warm up arena at a show, and I nearly have a melt down trying to understand why these amazingly athletic and strong creatures tolerate all the crap people do to them. So, here is what I ask of you- for your horse's sake- so that he doesn't end up being one of "those" that get brought to a trainer like me...

Take a moment for a self evaluation. Why do you ride? What are your goals? What are your current "issues" with your horse? What would you change in your relationship with your horse?
Then assess your answers with the following questions:
1) Are any of your answers appropriate or fair to "put on" your horse as his responsibility?
2) Does your horse "care" about any of your answers?
3) Why are your answers what they are?
4) Based on both you and your horse's current abilities, is it fair to want your answers stated above?

So many of the troubled horses that arrive here at my facility for re-education could have been prevented had the owners quit trying to "do what everyone else was doing," and used a little more common sense along with staying aware of and trusting their gut instinct.

Good luck,
Sam

Grizzly & Horse Encounter- MUST READ

2011-09-22T17:35:00.002-07:00

*Rich Landers* The Spokesman-Review

September 18, 2011 - Updated: September 20, 1:25 p.m.

Grizzlies are high profile this year.

A lingering winter and late berry crop kept bears in proximity to humans longer than normal, perhaps contributing to a stream of headlines about grizzlies killing people and people killing grizzlies.

Meanwhile, a young lady on a big horse charged out of the pack of grizzly stories near Glacier National Park. In a cloud of dust, the 25-year-old wrangler likely saved a boy’s life while demonstrating that skill, quick-thinking and guts sometimes are the best weapons against a head-on charging grizzly.

On July 30, Erin Bolster of Swan Mountain Outfitters was guiding eight clients on a horse ride on the Flathead National Forest between West Glacier and Hungry Horse, Mont.

“It’s the shortest ride we offer,” she said Wednesday, recalling the incident. “We’d already led two trips that morning. It’s always been a very routine hour-long loop, until that day.”

The group included a family of six plus a vacationing Illinois man, who’d booked the trip for his 8-year-old son’s first horse-riding experience.

The young boy was riding Scout, a steady obedient mount, following directly behind Bolster, who was leading the group on Tonk, a burly 10-year-old white horse of questionable lineage.

Tonk isn’t the typical trail mount. Best anyone knows, he’s the result of cross-breeding a quarter horse with a Percheron – a draft horse. Bolster is 5-foot-10, yet she relies on her athleticism to climb into the saddle aboard Tonk.

“He was one of the horses we lease from Wyoming and bring in every year,” Bolster said, noting that she’d picked him from the stable in May to be hers for the season.

“He’s a very large horse – 18 hands high. That intimidates a lot of riders. But I’ve always loved big horses. He’s kind of high-strung and spooky, the largest of our wrangling horses. I like a horse with a lot of spirit, and I was really glad to be on him that day.”

Bolster has accumulated a wealth of experience on and around horses of national and even world class. She started riding at 4 years old, became a pro trainer at 15, graduated from high school at 16 in Roanoke, Va., and ran a riding academy for several years.

Seeking a more laid-back lifestyle, she wrangled in Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic before moving to Whitefish three years ago to guide tourists during the summer around Glacier National Park and ski through winter.

“It’s the country, the mountains and the idea of seeing lot of wildlife that appealed to me, ironically enough,” she said.

Bolster quickly racked bear experience, too, although until July 30, it was always at a distance.

“At the peak of the season, we were seeing bears daily,” she said. “The wranglers name them so we can let each other know where they are. Usually the bears just keep feeding in the distance or they run away when we come. Just seeing them is a treat for us and our guests.”

Because they guide around Glacier Park, bear awareness is part of thepreparation wranglers get when hired by Swan Mountain Outfitters.

“We go over a lot of wildlife scenarios in our training,” Bolster said. “We learn to watch our horses for signals of possible trouble so we can steer clear.”

That’s the key, she said: Avoid trouble with a moose or a bear.

“We can’t use pepper spray when we’re riding because that could blind the horse,” she said. “And using a gun would spook the horses and probably produce more danger than safety.”

That’s how she went to work that day: a young but seasoned pro rider on a new, huge and spirited horse, unarmed in the wilderness with eight dudes.

“It was a pleasant ride until we came around a corner on the trail and my horse stopped firm and wouldn’t move,” Bolster said. “He never refuses to go, so that caught my attention quick.”

But not fast enough to avoid the spike white-tailed deer that burst out of the brush and glanced off Tonk’s left front shoulder.

As Tonk spun from the impact, Bolster saw a huge grizzly bear crashing through the forest right at the group in pursuit of the deer. Horses panicked and guests grabbed saddle horns for the ride of their lives.

“No amount of training could keep a horse from running from a 700-pound charging bear,” she said.

Seven of the horses sensed the danger, scrambled around and galloped back on the trail toward the barn.

But Scout bolted perpendicular to the trail into the timber packing the 8-year-old boy.

“The deer peeled off and joined the horses sprinting down the trail,” Bolster said. “So the bear just continued running right past me. I’m not sure the bear even knew the roles had changed, but now it was chasing a horse instead of a deer.”

The grizzly was zeroed in on Scout and the boy – the isolated prey in the woods.

Adding to the drama, the boy’s father, an experienced rider, could not convince his horse that it was a good plan to ride to his son’s rescue.

“The last thing he saw over his shoulder as his horse ran away was the grizzly chasing his boy,” Bolster said.

With the bear on Scout’s heels, Tonk’s instinct was to flee with the group of horses. But Tonk responded to Bolster’s heels in his ribs as she spun the big fella around. They wheeled out of a 360 and bolted into the trees to wedge between the predator and the prey.

“The boy was bent over, feet out of the stirrups, clutching the saddle horn and the horse’s neck,” she said. “That kept him from hitting a tree limb.

“But all I could think about was the boy falling off in the path of that grizzly.

“I bent down, screamed and yelled, but the bear was growling and snarling and staying very focused on Scout.

“As it tried to circle back toward Scout, I realized I had to get Tonk to square off and face the bear. We had to get the bear to acknowledge us.

“We did. We got its attention – and the bear charged.

“So I charged at the bear.”

Did she think twice about that?

“I had no hesitation, honestly,” Bolster said. “Nothing in my body was going to let that little boy get hurt by that bear. That wasn’t an option.”

Tonk was on the same page.

*With a ton of horse*, boulder-size hooves and a fire-breathing blonde thundering at it, the bear came within about 10 feet before skittering off to the side.

But it quickly angled to make yet another stab at getting to Scout and the boy – who had just fallen to the ground.

“Tonk and I had to go at the bear a third time before we finally hazed him away,” she said.

“The boy had landed in some beargrass and was OK. Scout was standing nearby.”

Bolster gathered the boy up with her on Tonk, grabbed Scout’s lead and trotted down the trail.

“The boy was in shock,” she said. “I looked back and could see the bear had continued to go away through he woods, but I had another five or 10 minutes of riding before I got back with the group.”

Not until she reunited with her riders – all OK and standing in various stages of confusion with their horses – did she start to shake.

“I looked at Tonk, and he was wet with sweat and shaking, too,” she said.

She was especially concerned for the boy’s father, who probably suffered the most terror in the ordeal.

“He was fine, and I got my biggest tip of the season,” Bolster said. “My biggest hope is that the boy isn’t discouraged from riding. This was a one-in-a-million event.”

*For the next few days*, the outfitter shut down the trail rides and Bolster joined other wranglers and a federal grizzly bear expert to ride horses through the area looking for the bear.

“They tracked it for a long way and concluded that it kept going out of the area,” she said. “Judging from the tracks and my description of how high the bear came up on Tonk, the grizzly expert estimated it weighed 700-750 pounds.

“This was a case of us being in the wrong place as a bear was already in the act of chasing its natural prey. He was probably more persistent because he was really hungry.”

Bolster and the other wranglers vowed to have bear spray on their belts to make sure they can defend their guests during breaks on the ground.

“But when you’re riding, the horse is your best protection, if you can stay on,” she said.

“Some of the horses I’ve ridden would have absolutely refused to do what Tonk did; others would have thrown me off in the process. Some horses can never overcome their flight-animal instinct to run away.”

*In those minutes *of crisis, the big lug of mongrel mount proved his mettle in a test few trail horses will face in their careers.

Tonk’s grit moved Bolster. She wasn’t about to send him back to Wyoming with the other leased horses.

“Two weeks ago, I closed the deal and bought him,” Bolster said as she was wrapping up her 2011 wrangling season.

“After what he did that day, he had to be mine.”

Don’t Embrace the Brace

2011-09-18T08:28:00.000-07:00

Have you ever felt any of the following when you work with ahorse:

Heavy on the lead rope- as you were dragging the horsearound?

Loading or unloading a horse from the trailer/lorry andfeeling that you couldn’t “stop” or “move him” to a different place from whathe was offering?

The horse was to move out of your personal space whenworking from the ground?

The horse was resistant to transitions whether being workedfrom the ground or in the saddle?

The horse is pushing, leaning, heavy or dragging on thebit/bridle?

When you are trying to turn in one direction and having yourhorse slowly “leak” the opposite way?

When you tried to ride a straight line feeling that yourhorse is constantly “throwing” or “locking up” his shoulder or hip towards theopposite way from which you are traveling?

Picking up the reins and feeling a general “lethargic”response from your horse?

The list could go on and on… All of the above mentioned “issues”are a result of your horse’s resistance, which I will refer to as a brace. The brace starts mentally. The horse is mentally unavailable to “hear”what you are offering (your communication with him.)

There are different “levels” of resistance/brace a horse candisplay. For most riders “good enough” isaccepted, which is when the horse offers a level of try that he thinks is “good enough,”and the rider accepts it, whether or not it was the ideal quality the rider hadoriginally intended. Most people ridebeing “polite” to their horses, accepting good enough attitudes in their horse,because they translate in this acceptance as being “nice” or “kind” to theirhorse. The truth is, when a horsecarries any level of brace in him, mentally, emotionally and physically, “beingkind” and leaving him there, is not an actual “nice” act. It really leaves your horse in a spot ofturmoil. Horses do not have therationally to say, “I don’t feel good when I think/act like this, so let mechange what I’m doing.” So it is up tothe human to help the horse get to a “better” spot emotionally, mentally andphysically.

The horse’s nature causes him to constantly search for that “feelgood spot,” whether it’s when he’s in a herd of horses or with his humanhandler/rider. The problem is humanstypically live in the “gray” areas as far as decision making, clearcommunication, their intentions, level of awareness, etc., whereas horses live in the “black and white.” They search for what behaviors are acceptableand those that are not.

We’ve all seen such clarity and “boundaries” displayedwithin a herd; the lead horse swishing itstail or flipping it’s ears back towards a horse lower in the pecking order whenthat horse gets too close. Or the maresending her colt “away” from the herd as a disciplinary action, until the coltchanges his approach, he is not allowed back into the herd.

But most people don’t realize that they aren’t aware,assessing and are misinterpreting what their horse is asking of them,therefore, they cannot offer their horse clear “boundaries” of what behaviorsare acceptable and those that are not. The more “gray” the human is when communicating with the horse, the more“lost” the horse is. The lost’ness’ causes the horse an uneasiness because he isnot clear of what is expected of him, therefor he becomes mentally defensiveand prepares for “the worst.” The mentaland emotional defensiveness of the horse translates into a physical resistanceor BRACE. This is when the person experiencesthe scenarios listed at the beginning of this article.

Now as with anything there are different levels of brace,from the glaringly obvious, such as the horse that plants his feet and will notmove forward to the horse that may offer some of the following scenarios… The horse’s brace may appear as him tryingwhat you asked “once” and then “giving up” or resisting if you ask for adifferent response from him. Or yourhorse could be “going along fine” but always adds an extra step or two, such asin a transition. This could be yourhorse offering you a lateral movement, but if you ask him to offer a bit softer,more balanced or rhythmic movement you feel like you literally are sitting onor have put your leg against a “brick wall.” Again the list goes on and on…

My point is most times people offer either “too nice” or tooaggressive communication, it’s because they are feeling a resistance, a brace,in their horse and are unclear on a.) Where, when and what is the root cause ofthe brace to start, and b.) Are unclear as to what “tools” are necessary to communicateclearly with their equine in order to get a change in their horse’s mental,emotional and physical state.

Because of this lack of understanding in the human, peopleget distracted by the unwanted behavior their horse is offering, which is thesymptom, rather than getting to the “root” issue. They also do not understand that the physicalbehavior offered by a horse is a direct reflection of his mental and emotionalstate.

Put it into people terms; how do you physically act if youare mentally and emotionally unclear, insecure, worried, fearful, defensive,etc.? The same goes for the horse. Influence a mental and emotional change inyour horse, and you’ll achieve the ideal physical response. Now obviously this is not the “quick fix”solution and requires a huge “responsibility” on the rider’s end to firstaddress them before they ever worry about their horse.

So the more common alternative, mostly due to a “distraction”of the unwanted physical behavior is to “fix” the more blaringly obvious “brace”-the physical one. The clearest evidenceof the number of riders that experience a brace in their horse is displayed inany tack magazine or catalogue. Whatpercentage of the equipment is offered to “fix” a problem with the horse’sphysical behavior? Bits, spurs, whips, martingales,tie-downs, draw reins, etc…

This all comes back to quality horsemanship before you everget into saddle and taking the time to honestly look at the clarity ofcommunication you have with your horse from the ground before you “expect”quality in the saddle.

Good Luck,

Sam

Lifting the blinders: "Over-educated" horse owners can often lead to underthinking horsemen

2011-09-04T14:25:00.000-07:00

Clients that work with me often realize that many horse owners (usually them self included ) seek "help" from a professional only AFTER something has gone terribly wrong in their relationship and/or interaction with their horse. And most would admit that they could have "seen it coming" way before the actual dangerous or dramatic event occurred. For some reason though, people never really believe how fast or how bad a situation with a horse can get, until they've reached that point.
I was working horses the other day and non-horse person happened to be watching while his granddaughter was doing a lesson on a pony with another instructor. He was watching what I was doing (working a mare at liberty) and watching a client "catching" her horse in the pasture- but using my "hot wire" technique to help support that mare to try all of her options until she decided she wanted to come over and present herself to be caught. I mentioned a few general theories as to what he was seeing and why we were doing what we were with the horses.

As the gentleman was standing watching both of us he casually made the following remarks:
"Why would someone want to impose them self on a horse to be caught in order to work with it?"
"Why force a horse to do anything, wouldn't it get really upset if you do?"
"The bit really doesn't stop a horse does it?"

Over the years I've encountered these scenarios more than a few times. The horse "ignorant" person can make crystal clear and almost overly simplistic assessments and literally "see" what is happening with the horses.

On the other hand, all too often, the "over-educated" horse person has accidentally developed the "mainstream horse world's" imposed blinders created by too many avenues of generalized information causing a lack of clarity in understanding. Years of accepting things because "that's how everybody else does it" can lead to a lack of self imposed honestly, awareness, sensitivity and thinking therefor hindering clear communication with their horse.

The other major negative created by these "blinders" is that it consistently seems to "push down" that little voice in the back of a person's head that says things like, "Doesn't that seem like a bad idea?" therefor causing the horseman to either have a false sense of security or to ignore their instincts to NOT do something. By dismissing that voice, all too often a traumatic incident for either horse and/or rider occurs. Then the now scared, injured, frustrated, traumatized person and/or horse finds someone like me and say "please fix us." I wish these "blinders" could be removed BEFORE things get to extremes, but somehow the "hopefulness" people carry with them when they work with horses seems to outweigh the general common sense.

We always joke that hindsight is 20/20; but really for me, most incidents, issues, "vices" or dangerous behavior can usually be tracked to down to an initial point where they horse tried to communicate with the person and either was ignored, not addressed, or addressed but not helped to "let down" from what was bothering it. Too many times all three of these options occur because instead of equine "professionals" slowing down and "breaking down" and explaining what exactly is going on, why, and then offering bits and pieces in how to address it, they tend to offer a "faster" alternative with less of a standard for both the owner and their equine partner.

Without the clarity, understanding or a standard people usually 1.) don't understand what is really going on when their horse is offering unwanted behavior- i.e. they get distracted by the "big" physical movement rather than seeking to influence their horse mentally and emotionally, 2.) cannot assess why their horse is offering what he is, and 3.) do not have quality and effective "tools" in order to influence a change in their horse.

So the next time you watch something and don't understand it, don't just accept it. The next time you offer your horse something and you don't know why, stop, and figure that out before you try with your horse. The next time that little voice starts to pop up in your head, leave "society's opinions" at the door and trust your instincts.

Keeping things simple, honest and real will bring the fun back into your ride and will remove the "surviving the ride" feeling- I promise!
Sam

Connecting Ground Work to Riding

2011-08-30T08:18:00.000-07:00

One of the challenges in offering instruction is to communicate clearly with students AND horses. As I overhear, read or watch many “horse training” sessions/clinics I find that there’s a general lack of “connection” in the student’s ability to understand how the “here and now” in their ground work relates to their riding in the future. Often students come to me because they can “talk the lingo,” sounding like they’ve seen a lot, and go through steps or concepts, but are still having problems with their horse. This is usually because they unknowingly do not understand the connection between how and why their ground work affects and influences their ride.

I’m surprised when a student has an “Aha” moment from some casual comment I make, when it seems as though they had already been “getting it” throughout the session. My seemingly small comment can sometimes be the catalyst that triggers a domino effect in the student’s brain that finally connects the “links” from what they’d first addressed on the ground to what they are now using as tools to communicate with when they ride. As a teacher this is always a highlight!

It’s a reminder to me how clear I must be not only in presenting information to the student but also to confirm from the student in their own words what concept exactly did they understand and how it relates to them and their horse.

Too many students want to imitate “how it’s supposed to look,” or a specific exercise, task, etc. with no concept as to what the point is of what they are doing. In my opinion this eliminates putting the responsibility on the student to focus on being “present” in the “here and now” in order to address what is happening in “real time” with their horse.

I find it as easy for human students to get just as distracted or “lost” as their equine partners often do. People tend to see, or wait to see, the physical movement of the horse, rather than searching within themselves to offer the clear communication necessary that will allow them to present a “big scenario” but in seemingly small (mental and literal) pieces.

I continually explore a “better way” to explain my theories and concepts from my own hands-on training with the horses and my sessions in working with people. Each year I tend to start to hear myself say certain “catch phrases.” This summer that “theme” was the following:

Don’t challenge your horse into “getting it right,” but rather support him to be successful in the scenario you present.

I like to explain the how, why, when, etc. so that I’m not just sitting in the chair “instructing” every movement and decision in a session to a “brainless” rider, but rather to offer stimulating ideas that will help “arm” the rider with the ability to assess and become aware of what their horse is offering in order to communicate effectively.

My teaching theories are based on the underlying concept that says:

In order to achieve an ideal physical response from my horse, I must first influence a mental change.

I love hearing feedback from students and have discussed with many why certain “key words” or phrase(s) suddenly triggered it to “click” for them.

I believe that just like horses people learn in different styles. For me, it’s a reminder that even if I’m saying the words and explaining what the student is seeing or feeling from the horse, whether on the ground or in the saddle, if the student’s brain is “overloaded” or perhaps “ahead” of where they are physically at, distracted, unclear, etc., (yes they share this affliction just as many horses do,) they will not be able to really HEAR what I’m saying.

So even if I think I’m being clear, I have to remember that just because I offered the information, does not mean it was received by the student as I had intended it to. Oh how this relates to our horsemanship!

Many people get frustrated when attempting to communicate with their horse. Just because the person offered “something” to their horse, does not mean it was received as they had intended it to be… Have you ever experienced or watch someone try to ask something of their horse and then move on, without ever “checking” to see if the horse clearly understood? Later when there is“disobedience” from the horse- usually due to a lack of understanding, the person is frustrated saying, “But I offered the horse a., b. and c. Why are they not getting it?”

Perhaps this blurb might help make it start to click…

TEC's Hoofprints & Happenings Newsletter

2011-08-25T21:26:00.003-07:00

Please enjoy our summer newsletter and feel free to share it with your friends! TEC's Hoofprints & Happenings Newsletter

3 Day Pack Trip

2011-08-22T07:43:00.000-07:00

Bald Eagle Mountain
6100' sumit
Views of Canada, Montana & Idaho

Common Sense- You Already Have the Foundation for the Quality Relationship with Your Horse

2011-06-05T08:25:00.001-07:00

Every week I receive 30-40 Ask the Trainer requests... From unwanted trail behavior/lack of manners, to ground work issues, to equipment suggestions, to feeding options, etc. from around the world. I have a feeling that most people who quickly find my site on Google, type in their answer with the idea that they are going to get a "step by step" or "cut and dry" answer. Their focus on the physical action their horse is offering never once considers the horse's mental or emotional status.

For me, with every question that is submitted, I can usually visualize the "lost" horses by how their owners are describing their "unwanted" behaviors- kicking, biting, heavy on the bit, spooky, aggressive on the ground, kicking out when asked for a flying lead change, charging jumps, panicking at shows, herd bound issues, neurotic behavior in their stall/pasture, weight issues, etc. It is hard to imagine so many "lost" people and horses. Most people usually don't search for help until it is painfully obvious or they are no longer able to "ignore" or "handle" a behavior their horse is displaying.

I think from the way most people interpret articles in horse magazines/publications, equine related websites, and watch TV/DVD series on "training" horses- the public has become used to searching for a quick "how to" answer when having a problem with their horse. They tend to leave their common sense at home when they head to the barn to work with their horse for the sake of trying to emulate a certain "look," exercise, pattern, etc. they saw someone else do with a horse. I have to remind myself to "let go" as I imagine the scenarios described by these clouded owners and who have unintentionally "forced" ________________ (fill in the blank) upon their horses.

The following is feedback from one such equestrian from the UK who wrote in about a mare she leases that has severe and dangerous behaviors. Her response to my answer is a pretty accurate summary of LOT of the feedback I tend to receive after offering advice regarding these complicated scenarios.

"Dear Ms Harvey,

I'd just like to say a massive thank you for your detailed and insightful reply - it made me cry. I feel like I've been so deluded by trying to do things 'right' that I've forgotten about Poppy! I will groom and tack her up, often in a rush, before realising that I haven't even properly looked at her. how inconsiderate is that? No wonder she's learned to tune out to people! She's just learned that whatever she does, no one listens, and she just has to put up with whatever is thrown at her. Everything you have said is right and I think that, in a way, I've known it all along. I have been ignoring my instincts for so long that I've forgotten how - and when - to listen to them and behave accordingly. I love this horse so much and it makes me really unhappy to fully know my part in her unhappiness. I'm worried about having trouble thinking of how practically and physically to apply the attitude, perspective and way of thinking that you are encouraging, despite your very informative reply. Could I possible ask for more of your time, if you could recommend any specific scenarios or exercises I could do? And as they aren't the problem itself and only the symptoms, should I leave her hooves alone for now?
Thank you so much for your time,
Emily

My biggest problem with owners watching TV "instructional" training shows or buying the latest DVD training method, is that too many horse owners are unaware that they have "skipped" some crucial parts in both how they operate and what their expectations of their horses are. If instead of trying to "keep up" with the latest sales pitch, if owners trusted their gut instinct and used their common sense as they work with their horse, many problems would not reach the point of severity that they do, that then cause people to write to me.

If any of you have written in or read the Ask the Trainer site, you'll know I don't really give you "step 1, 2, & 3" in my answer format. Rather it is designed to help influence a change in horse owner's thinking within themselves so that the way in which they approach their relationship with their horse prioritizes focusing on communicating and influencing the horse's brain in order to get the physical desired result.

Because each person is at a different "spot" in their abilities, awareness, experiences, etc. and most people aren't always clear on "really" where they are at in their horsemanship journey, AND the room for misinterpretation is HUGE when advice is given without feedback to know if an owner is really understanding what you offering, my goal is to stimulate a change for the long term approach of the owner's thinking, rather than a "cure all" for the current "problem."

I'm not at all saying everyone is born a "horse trainer," but if people were able to search for "quality" with horse, rather than "quantity" or how much they can get out of their horse, a lot of the unwanted behaviors would not exist. You might think of taking the time for quality sessions by using your gut instinct and listening to that "little voice in your head" to guide you with your horse as a preventative measure against unnecessary negative and possibly dangerous future experiences.

Good Luck,
Sam

Full Immersion Clinic Update- Spots Available

2011-05-31T12:04:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone! This is an update for our scheduled Full Immersion Clinic June 10-12 (Fri-Sun.) Because of the EHV-1 breakout in the West people have become a bit weary to travel from far with horses. Several clients from the eastern US who had committed to participating in the first clinic have decided to put those plans on hold.

So in our attempts to get creative, be safe, and still hold the clinic, we have decided to offer up the open spots to either those people who have had their horses at home/private facility (with neg coggins and health certificate) OR for those of you who may not want to bring your horse, but would like to participate, we now have access to several local horses to use for the clinic. If you’ve ever wondered “What exactly does Sam do?” or are thinking, “How would I get as much out of the clinic without using my own horse?” Let me offer you “the sales pitch.”

The clinics are not designed to be “just another horsemanship clinic.” We don’t sit for hours on end in the saddle waiting on another participant and each participant does not “do the same exercise.” The points of these clinics are to raise people’s awareness, understanding, recognition, timing, and fine tune their communication with any horse. This could be your horse or someone else’s.

Too many people get distracted by unwanted or “unmanageable” physical issues in their horse (browse through the hundreds of Ask the Trainer Q&As on the website)- but not a lot of people spend time focusing on their horse’s brain. We have individual time, group time, LOTS of discussions, cover tack fitting, etc. Each session is to be used as the stepping stone for the next session. Each participant will “participate” at an appropriate level that they are comfortable with- all level riders/ages are encouraged to participate. This is supposed to be a safe and fun learning experience- for you and the horse.

So what is the concept of these clinics? Let me put it into people terms. If I were to give you a task and asked you to just physically act quickly, without any mental participation, your physical actions would probably be sloppy and unspecific without much clarity or intention. The same goes for when we ride our horses. How many people get on their horse and just start “riding?” Then they wonder why their horse doesn’t have a clue as to where they are going, with how much energy, and what the “plan” is. Instead if we all rode like we drove our vehicles (hopefully) – first we make a decision as to where we are going, then we start to commit GRADUALLY by turning the steering wheel, and THEN we add gas (slowly) to get to where we want. Let’s exchange that car for a horse and what do you most often see? People adding the “gas” first, then turning the “wheel” without much clarity as to where they are going, and then eventually LOOKING! Yikes. No wonder our poor horse has to keep guessing at what we want, until eventually they get tired of always “getting it wrong” and start ignoring our aids. Instead of addressing the horse’s brain, we reprimand the unwanted actions with foreign devices- harsher bits, spurs, tie downs, etc. Because we tend to ride in a “rush” just as we address most other things in life, people tend to focus on “fixing” the symptoms rather than the addressing the issues themselves that are the real CAUSE of the unwanted behavior.

Why should you really participate? In a clinic here you’ll learn to start to assess your horse before you ever catch him. You’ll start to recognize how and when you can begin influencing the quality of the ride as you’re leading him in from the pasture. You’ll see the “signs” of your horse “telling you” if he’s going to be “heavy,” draggy (not thinking forward,) resistant, etc. and then learn how to influence a change in your horse’s brain to set the tone for the upcoming ride. We’ll talk about YOUR brain, energy and intention. Through lectures, hands on participation, and watching others- you’ll start to have those “Aha” moments when you’ll connect the “pieces.”

How does this apply to you if you don’t have your own horse here? I often switch horses and people are amazed to start to see “the same problems” that their own horse usually displays surface with their “new” horse. So is it really “your horse” that has the issue, or perhaps maybe your own lack of awareness, clarity and understanding?

Every year people say “next year.” Or they say, “yeah, but that’s not the sort of riding I do.” I do blur the lines. From my cutting students to my trail riders, from my dressage enthusiasts to my “working horse” riders there are many, many parallels in regards to the BASICS. Yes, the basics. Many people may have ridden for years, just as many horses that have a lot of “miles” and “exposure,” and yet all too often there are major “holes” in both the person and the horse’s education. So here at TEC I try to create a “safe” and nonjudgmental environment (we leave our egos at the door) where people and horses get to “experiment” outside their “normal” routines and comfort zones, in order to find perhaps an alternative way of viewing and interacting (Alternative Horsemanship with Samantha Harvey) with their horse- or any horse for that matter. If you keep doing the same thing, your horse will keep offering the same response. Instead learn how to change your perspective, and watch your horse let down, relax and appreciate your newfound clear perspective and communication.

Whew- okay enough of the sales pitch. If you’re revved up and would like to come out and spend three fun fill days that will change a lot of what you thought you were clear on and make interacting with the horses fun again- please email or call me ASAP.

Samantha Harvey
The Equestrian Center, LLC

Flying with Horses: Link to Article

2011-05-28T07:10:00.000-07:00

Even if you'll never be one of those people who needs to have a horse flown to/from a destination- have you ever wondered how it's done? This is a quick read article that was sent to me recently and might cure your curiosity!
http://www2.equigaia.com/horse-transport-by-air/

Enjoy!

Unwanted Behavior: Horse Grazes Constantly while on Trail Ride

2011-05-26T08:21:00.000-07:00

Topic_Info: Grass eating on trail
Website_Info: yahoo
Location: TN
Date: May 13, 2011
Question:
I have a 7 yr. old TWH, who is having only one problem. That is when we start out on trail, he ABRUBTLY, without prior notice, stops and starts eating grass. It's a fight to get his head back up, and when I finally do, he may take 10 or so steps, and again without notice, stops and eats. This is the only bad habit he has. He out in pasture from 4:00 pm until 6:30 am and then put in his stall.

He is not under-fed. Most times other riders are back at least a horses length from me, and his quick stopping usually ends up in a rear end collision.

Vet says I need to use spurs on him. Others say, carry a crop and smack him when he does this. I'm not into smacking him. What can I do?

Thank you for your time.

Bruce

Answer:
My philosophy is that a horse's actions are a direct reflection of his mental and emotional state. If he THINKS about something he can then physically commit to it. Right now your horse is displaying signs that his brain is "unavailable" and more committed to thinking about the grass on the trail, therefore his body tries to go after the grass. Keep in mind the trail grazing is a symptom, not the issue, which is lack of clear communication from you and therefore a lack of respect from your horse towards you. My guess is that this is not the "only" unwanted your horse offers, but rather, this is the only seemingly "unmanageable behavior." I'd say you might have assess the standards and quality of what you ask and what your horse really offers before ever thinking about the trail/grass symptom. Waiting for the moment your horse is offering you an unwanted behavior is too late, instead, you'll need an effective set of "tools" when you ride that offer clear communication so that as your horse starts to show signs of mentally checking out, you can influence his thoughts away from things such as grazing on the trail, rather than waiting until he is committed and then reprimanding him for it.

Your goal for when you ride is for your horse to offer "What would you like?", rather than displaying his current, "Why should I?" attitude. Physically trying to "force" a thousand pounds of horse forward and not to graze is not going to happen. Crops, spurs, etc. and other "training" devices may temporarily help, but your horse will eventually learn to "tune out" and resist those foreign aids too.

Horses are herd animals, so when they aren't getting "what they need" from people, their brain tunes them out. Too many times people get distracted by unwanted physical behavior (such as the grazing), rather than slowing down and assessing where the horse's brain is. If the horse understands, trusts and respects you, he'll mentally be "with you" and therefore physically participate in a "happy" manner.

The physical signs of resistance such as prioritizing eating versus paying attention to you are ways of your horse telling you he is having a problem. Typically horses show small signs of resistance before they reach a point of physically completely ignoring you, but if they have been ignored by a rider who "pushes" them on without recognizing the horse is asking for help, even if he isn't physically acting out - yet the horse soon learns to tune out the rider. The horse starts to learn that his pleas to be addressed and not just reprimanded will be ignored, so he mentally and then physically "shuts down" and becomes more resistant in listening to his rider's aids.

You'll need to step back and review the basics to find where the lack of clear communication between you and your horse starts. I would say as of the moment your horse is displaying symptoms that show that he is pretty convinced he can "tune you out" and continue with what he'd like to do. Keep in mind horses don't "just randomly" do things.

Finding a "safe" place such as a round pen and starting while working him from the ground you're going to need to re-establish clear communication using effective "tools" that you will eventually transfer over to using when you are riding. You may work at liberty (with your horse loose) and/or you may work with your horse on the lead rope (using the rope as if it were like a rein when you ride.) When you do something, it must MEAN something to your horse. If you are hopeful (meaning you ask something and then wait and see if your horse eventually addresses you after he has quietly tuned you out) when you communicate with him and allow for him to ignore or "take advantage" of you on the ground, the same behavior will continue in the saddle.

You'll need to be able to "break down" asking your horse to first look (literally) at different "things" without moving. This is asking for a mental commitment. He'll need to learn that ignoring or tuning you out when you're specific, doesn't work and that he must address you mentally. Then you'll need him to understand to "mimic" your energy so that as you increase or decrease your energy so should he. If he can first mentally address, and then physically "softly" move towards what you've presented, you're on the right track for creating a quality ride.

He'll need to understand to change his energy by either a physical aid (such as bumping the stirrup by his side) or a movement from you. Most people stand still or sit still in the saddle hoping the horse will figure out what speed they want. Instead, you must "take your horse for the ride" by offering what you want him to do. I tell people within each gait there should be ten different energy levels. This should first be established from you working your horse on the ground. If he's unclear with you on the ground, he will not just "figure it out" when you're in the saddle.

Too many people are unclear in what, where and how they communicate with their horse. They "challenge" the horse into guessing what they want; reprimanding the horse every time he can't figure it out. Or they present the same manner of communication repetitiously driving the horse bonkers until he accidentally figures out what the person is asking. The more the horse has to "guess" at what the person wants, the more they tune out the person's aids or communication.

The more specific YOU can mentally be in presenting literally one-step-at-a time scenarios, the more your horse can "get it right." The more he realizes he can be successful when addressing you, the more he'll want participate and offer you. One quality step will turn into three and then 10 and then eventually a whole circle and then the entire ride. But it takes clarity and awareness of riding every single step to "help" your horse find the right answer, rather than forcing him to guess. The more clear your communication is, the more your horse will respect your aids, the less effort it will take from you to get him to happily participate.

Good Luck,

Sam

Getting my horse on the bit- NOT a bit/equipment issue

2011-05-24T16:03:00.000-07:00

Topic_Info: getting my horse on the bit

Location: Australia
Date: May 05, 2011

Question:
I go to pony club on a 15yr old appy mare and I been riding since I was 7 now I am almost 18. and every time I go to these shows I never get anywhere as my horse will not go on the bit. She can do it in walk to trot but not neatly and not in canter. everyone else has a Pelham bit with a double bridle they all tell me to use one but I want to know if it would work I'm always soft and caring towards my horses and I know Pelham bits are hard on them but I want to know if it would work with practice.

Answer:
Thanks for writing! Many times people work with horses to try to create an outward appearance of what the person visualizes as the "ideal" look in how their horse bends, engages or uses his body. Everything physical you see your horse doing with its body is a reflection of what it is feeling on the inside. The easy fix is to use stronger or more severe training aids to get the "look" a person would like to see in his horse, but over time this creates a resistance in the horse. The person then needs to use harsher aids to get the same "job" done.

Let me put this into people terms. Let's say you were stressed from your job. Every day you woke up with a certain amount of tension in your body day after day because of the consistent stress. You have a friend who is a masseuse who can see your body is compensating because of the tightness caused by your stress at work. Your friend could physically work on your body, and you might relax by the end of the massage. You might have even loosened up in some of your tight spots (your neck, lower back, etc.). But if you went home that evening and started thinking about work and feeling the emotional turmoil caused by your job, how fast do you think your muscles would reflexively tighten up in the areas that had just a few hours before been relaxed? Now let's imagine instead of your friend giving you a massage, your boss called you in to acknowledge what a great employee you were. Your boss had noticed your job was quite stressful, and she wanted to discuss how she could lessen your work load to decrease your stress. In each of the scenarios you could perhaps relax and release some of the emotional tension, which would then relax what you were physically feeling, but one of these ways might offer you a more long term and influential change.

The same goes for when we work with our horses. We can use different bits, aids, "training devices," etc. to attempt to change the way our horse is physically moving or carrying herself. I would offer instead for you to work towards influencing your horse's emotional and mental status that will then be reflected in her outward movement. The act of "relaxing the poll" is one of many behaviors we would like to see in our horses.

But let's step back to when you first greet your horse. Was she relaxed then? Keep in mind there is a difference between a relaxed horse and a tolerant horse. Horses can "deal" with things for along time that might be disturbing them until one day "out of the blue" they blow up or have a melt down. First, does she live in a "happy place" or does she struggle to live in a stall or find his rightful place among the other horses? Does she have plenty of "free time" during each day to move about a large paddock or field? Is there tension in her before you arrive? Is she happy and relaxed when greeting you? If tension has already developed by this point, I would say this is where the outward "resistance" has started.

If she is relaxed from when you first approach her, will she voluntarily come to you from a distance of 20 or even 50 feet? Do you have to catch her or go to her? If she's in a stall, will she turn to face you and walk to you, or do you have to go to her? If she comes on her own willingly, can you notice if there is a certain point during your grooming and tacking up that starts to indicate or initiate discomfort in her? Does she paw, fuss, breath inconsistently, etc. or do anything but stand quietly?

Example: A horse came to us with the explanation that she had terribly sensitive skin and the previous owner's instructions were to use only the softest brushes on him and to use them in a light manner. If you used a curry comb or hard brush, the horse would pin his ears, shake his head, bite at the air, paw and show an overall discomfort. We quickly noticed that if you groomed him after a ride, he would stand completely relaxed and half asleep no matter the severity of the grooming tool. His outward physical appearance of anxiety towards grooming was really a reflection of his anticipation of the upcoming ride. As soon as the ride was over, he could relax mentally and emotionally and therefore stand quietly for his brush down. We changed how he felt about being ridden and now he stands peacefully for grooming before and after a ride.

Will she ground tie and stand without fussing as you groom and then tack her up? Does she stay relaxed until you step in the saddle? Can you start to recognize subtle areas of resistance when you lift your right rein and ask her to think, look and step to the right? If you ask her to halt, does she offer to halt by shifting her weight onto her hindquarters to stand square and relaxed, or does she try to push through the bit forcing you to "hold her" to maintain the halt with her weight on the forehand?

When riding, all of these little areas influence the quality of your ride when asking more difficult movements. That's why we talk about "back to basics." If you are having a lack of clarity and communication between you and your horse while doing the "small" tasks, you have not created enough relationship to ask more difficult maneuvers of your horse. The true quality ride comes from recognizing the almost undetected communication between horse and rider in order to create a two-way conversation to create the ideal fluidity in a ride.

You might need to step back and offer your horse a "clean slate" with no expectations as to what she may have been able to do or had accomplished in the past and revisit some of the "basics" when riding. As she regains a confidence in you as her partner first with your ground work and then during the ride, her trust will increase which will cause her mental, emotional and physical availability to try what you are asking when you ask for more difficult movements and collection.

Finding a "safe" place such as a round pen and starting while working her from the ground you're going to need to re-establish clear communication using effective "tools" that you will eventually transfer over to using when you are riding. You may work at liberty (with your horse loose) and/or you may work with your horse on the lead rope (using the rope as if it were like a rein when you ride.) When you do something, it must MEAN something to your horse. If you are hopeful (meaning you ask something and then wait and see if your horse eventually addresses you after her has quietly tuned you out) when you communicate with her and allow for her to ignore or "take advantage" of you on the ground, the same behavior will continue in the saddle.

You'll need to be able to "break down" asking your horse to first look (literally) at different "things" without moving. This is asking for a mental commitment. She'll need to learn that ignoring or tuning you out when you're specific, doesn't work and that her must address you mentally. Then you'll need her to understand to "mimic" your energy so that as you increase or decrease your energy so should he. If her can first mentally address, and then physically "softly" move towards what you've presented, you're on the right track for creating a quality ride.

Too many people are unclear in what, where and how they communicate with their horse. They "challenge" the horse into guessing what they want; reprimanding the horse every time she can't figure it out. Or they present the same manner of communication repetitiously driving the horse bonkers until she accidentally figures out what the person is asking. The more the horse has to "guess" at what the person wants, the more they tune out the person's aids or communication.

The more specific YOU can mentally be in presenting literally one-step-at-a time scenarios, the more your horse can "get it right." The more she realizes she can be successful when addressing you, the more she'll want participate and offer you. One quality step will turn into three and then 10 and then eventually a whole circle and then the entire ride. But it takes clarity and awareness every single moment you interact with her in order to "help" your horse find the right answer, rather than forcing her to guess. The more clear your communication is, the more your horse will respect your aids, the less effort it will take from you to get her to happily participate.

Good Luck,
Sam

Ask the Trainer: Panic Problem & Dangerous Behavior

2011-05-24T10:12:00.000-07:00

Topic_Info: Panic Problem & Dangerous Behavior
Location: Alabama
Date: April 08 2011
Question:
I bought a new horse about six months ago and he is a super sweet boy. He is five years old and there is a good chance he was abused before I bought him. The only problem he had when I bought him was that he would stiffen his front legs and panic when you tightened his girth. I found that if I took my time, left him untied, and walked him during the process he would do fine. Last week, I was taking him to a trail ride and when I started to load him, he pulled back, panicked and threw himself over on his back. He has done this one other time also, when he was tied to the trailer. Panic, then right over backwards! I really love this horse but I'm starting to get afraid that he will panic and flip over under saddle. This is a hard problem, do you have any advice?
Answer:
Your horse is mentally "checking out" when his stress, panic, worry, fear, insecurity, etc. takes over. Horses don't just randomly one day start acting out dramatically, so my guess would be he probably showed signs of stress that you either didn't recognize or were not addressed in a way that made him feel better so that he could mentally and emotionally "let go" of the worry and replace it with confidence. The scenarios such pulling back when tied, panicking when the cinch was tightened, etc. present that your horse is having issues with pressure- towards him, on him, around him, etc. The issue itself is not dramatic or unwanted behavior, but rather why his brain is getting so stressed that he's acting out as he is.

Horses are herd animals, and especially with young ones, they need a confident leader in you who offers them clear communication to help them mentally slow down and address any concerns they have. Naturally they physically react to something, then stop and mentally address. For the sake of both our and their safety, and in teaching our horses to be reasonable when they are having a problem, we need to teach them to stop, address, think and then move.

Right now your horse is mentally unavailable to "hear" you and does not currently ask "What would you like?" Instead he "takes over" in a situation as a matter of self preservation- not because he is trying to be "bad."

If your horse has felt "ignored" by you or other people in his past, he now makes decisions on his own with no mental availability towards you when he is having a melt down moment. A horse's physical actions are a direct reflection of his mental and emotional state. The more "warm and fuzzy" he feels on the inside, the more he'll look relaxed on the outside. The more stress he is carrying inside of him, the more stress you'll see in his physical behavior that can lead to dangerous behavior.

Your horse does not want to reach a point of "panic" but he's probably pretty convinced at this point that people are not there to help him through a stressful scenario. The more dramatic the behavior, the worse the horse is feeling.

I'd say you're going to have to go back and revisit the basics and assess the quality of clear communication you have with him (or the areas that may be lacking) so that you can establish effective "tools" when you work with him. You're going to have to offer him a "clean slate" and assume he knows nothing so that you can find the "holes" in his training and address those in order to get him mentally, emotionally and physically feeling better about life.

Trying to address your horse the moment he is physically exploding is too late and after the fact. You're going to need to be able to influence his thoughts, energy within his movement, respect of personal space, etc. You're going to need to recognize when your horse starts showing the slightest signs of being stressed and stop and address them. Many times people "push" a horse through a situation they think is "no big deal" not realizing even if the horse "goes along" with being forced through it, that he is still carrying a lot of internal stress that continues to build until he can no longer handle it. This is where you hear people say "he blew up all of a sudden." Well no, it wasn't all of a sudden. The stress may have started a month ago, last week, or this morning, but because it wasn't addressed in a way that the horse could diffuse and let it go, it had to come out at some point- like the "needle that broke that camel's back."

You want to be able to influence your horse ahead of time, rather than being reactive towards what he offers and always reprimanding him for getting something wrong. People who try to be "nice" or "loving" to their horse create a "gray area" in communication- the horse operates in the black and white. He needs to learn where the boundaries are so that he can operate within them. If you're not consistent, then he'll always have to be searching for what you want, which will lead him to soon ignoring you. The more you are clear, specific, and intentional by addressing every step with him, the better he'll feel about life. The more his confidence will increase and the dramatic and dangerous behavior will dissipate on its own.

Finding a "safe" place such as a round pen and starting while working him from the ground you're going to need to re-establish clear communication using effective "tools" that you will eventually transfer over to using when you are riding. You may work at liberty (with your horse loose) and/or you may work with your horse on the lead rope (using the rope as if it were like a rein when you ride.) When you do something, it must MEAN something to your horse. If you are hopeful (meaning you ask something and then wait and see if your horse eventually addresses you after he has quietly tuned you out) when you communicate with him and allow for him to ignore or "take advantage" of you on the ground, the same behavior will continue in the saddle.

You'll need to be able to "break down" asking your horse to first look (literally) at different "things" without moving. This is asking for a mental commitment. He'll need to learn that ignoring or tuning you out when you're specific, doesn't work and that he must address you mentally. Then you'll need him to understand to "mimic" your energy so that as you increase or decrease your energy so should he. If he can first mentally address, and then physically "softly" move towards what you've presented, you're on the right track for creating a quality ride.

He'll need to understand to change his energy by either a physical aid (such as bumping the stirrup by his side) or a movement from you. Most people stand still or sit still in the saddle hoping the horse will figure out what speed they want. Instead, you must "take your horse for the ride" by offering what you want him to do. I tell people within each gait there should be ten different energy levels. This should first be established from you working your horse on the ground. If he's unclear with you on the ground, he will not just "figure it out" when you're in the saddle.

Too many people are unclear in what, where and how they communicate with their horse. They "challenge" the horse into guessing what they want; reprimanding the horse every time he can't figure it out. Or they present the same manner of communication repetitiously driving the horse bonkers until he accidentally figures out what the person is asking. The more the horse has to "guess" at what the person wants, the more they tune out the person's aids or communication.

The more specific YOU can mentally be in presenting literally one-step-at-a time scenarios, the more your horse can "get it right." The more he realizes he can be successful when addressing you, the more he'll want participate and offer you. One quality step will turn into three and then 10 and then eventually a whole circle and then the entire ride. But it takes clarity and awareness of riding every single step to "help" your horse find the right answer, rather than forcing him to guess. The more clear your communication is, the more your horse will respect your aids, the less effort it will take from you to get him to happily participate.

Good Luck,
Sam

From the Client's Perspective: "Not Knowing What Was Missing..."

2011-05-19T08:41:00.001-07:00

This post comes as a result of a recent client's feedback. She'd initially brought her horse for some specific training, thinking that his foundation and basics were up to par and that he was "such a good boy." He was young but very willing and very mature for his four years. He'd injured himself superficially on his hind leg and was a saint about being "tended to." Didn't care about other horses coming or going, tied, ground tied, bathe, fly spray, etc. Quiet while he was tacked up and so on. But...

He was a quiet version of "knowing" the routine or pattern that was expected of him. Basic things like come over and present yourself to be haltered, rather than just turning and facing me were a little shocking. The round pen to him was just a place to brainlessly move- even if he wasn't dramatic about it- he still was mentally unavailable. When I got him, as much as he understood look, then step, once there was forward movement, his brain checked out and he just "meandered" through the motions, rather than stepping with intention. As soon as he started moving at a faster gait, there was only one energy level within the gait. If he started moving more quickly, the quality of his brakes deteriorated rather quickly.

None of his movement or behavior was malicious, just rather a result of being unclear or not having been presented with "boundaries" of what behavior works and that which does not when interacting with a person.

Three weeks later his owner came out to ride and work with me and her horse to "get on the same page." I rode around and she said, "I've never seen my horse look like that..." Which is a nice compliment, but for me, the goal is not for the horse to perform for me, but rather that the owner can achieve the same results with her horse, because when they get the horse home, they are going to have to understand what tools and clear communication is needed to not only maintain but also expand quality sessions with their horse.

So the owner hopped on and I gave a very brief overview of increasing and decreasing your energy, visualizing riding "straight" as if you were on a tightrope- this does not mean not turning, but rather riding a straight line on a turn which begins with your horse thinking around the turn then physically moving. We talked about having intention when you ride, although every few steps your specific direction may have to change. We talked about not adjusting to our horse constantly, but rather through slow, specific and intentional mental and physical steps to establish clear communication using our seat, hands. legs, energy and brains.

The owner was in totally shock by the simple act of just changing the energy within her posting how much of a change her horse offered her. She also started to recognize when her horse would get mentally distracted and how she could simply tune his brain back in by wiggling a rein. The concept of"taking the horse for the ride" rather than just "going for the ride" where the horse dictates what happens helped her to assess and make decisions to influence the horse before he was committed to an unwanted behavior.

Day two of her working with her horse gave her even more confidence that she could be "believable" and that whatever she wanted to ask of her horse, he could offer it immediately rather than with the "slow" and "teenager" like delayed response.

A week after she brought her horse home she sent me the following note:
"Thanks again for everything you've done with me and my horse. Riding has become more fun rather than a battle. I now look forward to going out to ride, rather than wondering what might happen."

Initially, when this client brought me her horse, she didn't even recognize that she was "battling" him when she rode. It wasn't until the "standard"was raised that she then could realize how much had been "missing" in the communication and intention between she and her horse.

For those of you who've read some of my Ask The Trainer answers, many times you'll see that I sound like a broken machine repeating myself in saying that the "issue" the person has written about with their horse is usually a symptom of an issue, rather than the real problem itself. The same goes with the above mentioned horse. I could have given you a list of ten physical behaviors that most people would have considered "issues"- but instead, by addressing the horse's brain with clear communication through using "tools" I could change the unwanted behavior by engaging the horse's brain to slow down, think, commit and have a "standard" in his mental and physical participation.

As you know riding and our relationships with our horses is an ongoing journey. To me, it's exciting that there is no "end point"-there's always room for improvement and expansion in just how far we can create a quality and lasting partnership with our horse.

Unwanted Behavior: Lowering Head At the Lope

2011-05-03T18:43:00.000-07:00

Topic_Info:    lowering his head at lope
Website_Info: google
Location:      Sedona AZ
Date:          May 03, 2011

Question:
How do I prevent my horse from lowering his head while loping?

Answer:
When a horse carries his head at an unusually low height while moving it is typically a sign of them "avoiding" what is being presented... It can mask insecure or worried feelings and so instead of looking ahead with intention as to where the horse is about to move, he is "going through the motions" without mentally participating in what you are asking of him. A horse's physical behavior is a direct reflection of his mental and emotional state. When your horse feels good about what you are asking of him, he will move in a fluid, balanced and natural manner. When he is worried, concerned, unclear or fearful he will move in an unnatural state. Also you need to realize that most unwanted behaviors are not the issue themselves, but rather a symptom of an underlying issue. In this case your horse's lack of thinking and participating to move forward may be the issue, and his low head carriage the symptom.

I would slow down and review the quality of your walk, jog, trot and transitions. You should be able to get multiple different "energies" from your horse within each gait. You'll want to assess if you increase the energy at one gait, does your horse start to show signs of stress which could include: shaking his head, "grabbing the bit," swishing his tail, grinding his teeth, taking short and fast "sewing machine steps" as oppose to quality forward steps using his hindquarters to push him forward, etc. As you gradually increase or decrease your energy in the saddle, he should match the change in his energy willingly and without any abruptness. Horses who are avoiding thinking and literally looking forward as they move tend to react as if they are being "pushed" forward. This may be from a rider's heavy hands, inconsistent aids, fear of speed when ridden created in the horse from not moving balanced, and a multitude of other factors.

First a horse must be able to offer relaxed, fluid and consistent changes of energy within a gait, then quality transitions from one gait to another and then I start asking for more energy in the faster gaits. If the horse starts to "dive" down on the bit or forehand as I increase my energy in the saddle (this does not mean kicking him forward or relying on spurs or whips as an aid,) if I just pull back on the reins I'm offering him something to resist- the bit. If I offer a "consistent resistance" challenging my horse to a game of tug-o-war guess who will always win? The horse.

Make sure as you ride that your intention in your own mind is clear and that you are "taking your horse for the ride" as oppose to waiting to see what he'll offer you and then telling him if he's reacting wrongly. Your goal is to get your horse to think forward, then he'll move forward. It's a bit like the child's game of "hot and cold." You'll need to quickly and effectively convey to your horse that his reaction to thinking and then moving forward cannot be addressed by his diving downwards as you increase your energy. The faster you can communicate that when he tries to dive that his behavior will not work, the faster he will "let it go" and quit diving on the forehand.

There are many ways to communicate that "a behavior your horse is offering isn't going to work," and it comes down to clear and effective communication. Again a foundation of clear aids or "tools" needs to be established so that when you need to show your horse that something he is doing isn't going to work, he can understand and accept the aid, rather than becoming defensive towards the aid itself. Too many times people think they are correcting a horse, when in reality they don't have enough tools to work with to clearly communicate with their horse. So when they try to reprimand the horse, it just creates "another issue" that adds more confusion to the horse, which typically creates a defensive demeanor in the horse towards the person.

One such example of showing a horse his behavior is unacceptable (assuming there are quality tools established ahead of time) is by using an indirect inside rein. If the aid is used correctly with accurate timing and an appropriate energy of the rider's hand, the rein will "tap into" the horse's brain and ask him to shift his weight and rock back onto his hindquarters. In order to do this, he will lift his withers and lighten his weight off of the forehand. As he moves in a more balanced state, he will then offer to carry his head at a more normal and natural height.

The problem is, too many people do not understand all of the many options in how, when and why they use their reins. They do not asses their own sensitivity (or lack of) when trying to communicate to the horse. They do not understand the difference between a direct and indirect rein. They do not understand when to recognize and accept a "try" or effort from the horse, and when to ask more. So too many times people wind up "picking a fight" with their horse when they are trying to correct an issue.

Good Luck,
Sam

Balking in Young Horse When Ridden

2011-05-03T06:10:00.000-07:00

Topic_Info:    Balking
Website_Info: google
Location:      Bulverde TX
Date:          May 02, 2011

Question: I have been working with a young horse for the past year (Just turned 4 last week). I feel like I have moved very slowly with him. I worked for approximately 6 months in the round pen before mounting him. I started riding him about 4-5 month ago. I was still lounging 2 to 3 days a week and riding him on the weekends after about a 10-15 minute lounge. I was at my trainers about 2 weeks ago and we had moved from the round pen to riding in the large arena. He did wonderfully and we had just finished up and I was walking him out when he suddenly stopped. He just would not move. The trainer even came over and tried to hand walk him and nothing. I dismounted and walked him out of the arena not thinking much about it. A few days later, I lounged for about 10 minutes and mounted and he would not move. He drops his head to the ground and would not move a muscle. You can pull his head from side to side but the hooves do not move. I took him back to the trainers this past weekend and same thing. He lounged beautifully and once mounted, he just feels like the life has been sucked out of him. I can not imagine that he was pushed too far...I must have worked basic walk/trot skills, spiraling in and out on the lounge line for over 3-4 months before even asking for the canter. The first time mounted, he was wonderful. The trainer was there to hand walk him. We gradually proceeded to to a lounge line while mounted and within about 2 weeks~ we started riding in the round pen on our own. I am complete lost! I have put him up and thought maybe I need to give him a break and see what happens in about a month. I have never run across this before and really don't know what to do. I thought I had built up the respect with all the lounge work. He listens to all my verbal skills and is really well mannered. He is such a sweet horse but I fear that I have really gone wrong and am fearful of creating a habit so I am at a stand still. I would appreciate any help or suggestions that you might have. Brandi

Answer:
Many times horses are willing to do something the first time or two that we ask them, but then when they realize what something is going to be like, they learn if they are defensive and prevent a rider from asking they can then "protect" themselves from an unwanted experience.

I'm glad to hear of someone who really took their time with their young horse. But from what you've said, I'm gathering that your horse has become "patternized." He has learned to expect the routine of what will be asked of him in the round pen, with the lounge line, etc. and has learned to offer a conditioned response to your verbal cues. The problem with this is when you change what you are asking, such as when you are trying to ride, your horse is not mentally available to hear, think, or offer a physical try. Now that you've changed the pattern and want to ride him, he is saying "This isn't how we do it..." and therefor has become both mentally and physically unwilling to participate and address the "new" scenarios you are presenting.

Here are a few thoughts:
Lounging typically teaches the horse a conditioned behavior and winds up being a physical exercise as oppose to a mental one. In my opinion the point of the round pen is not to physically exert the horse, but rather it is a safe place to teach a horse to become mentally available as if he were saying, "What would you like?"

Horse's physical actions are a direct reflection of their mental and emotional state. If a horse is feeling warm and fuzzy he'll be physically relaxed on the outside. If he is stressed, worried, insecure, etc. you'll see dramatic or resistant physical behavior.

Your horse is not being stubborn, dull, or disobedient. Rather he is asking for help. Somewhere along the way, your aids in teaching him how to yield and respond to both your energy and physical pressure on the ground were unclear, therefor by the time you mounted him, his understanding decreased even more.

A horse can feel a fly land on him, but what you do has to MEAN something to your horse. Right now it seems there is a lack of clear communication and so when your horse is unsure, he is "doing nothing" (by physically balking and not moving forward) because he is mentally unclear.

Also keep in mind people's timing in how, when and what aids they use rarely make clear to the horse when he is "getting it right," (it being what ever you are asking of him,) and when the horse is offering the wrong behavior or action. Too many times people don't assess what they are doing (how, when, why and with what level of energy,) and therefor cannot make a change in themselves which then prevents them from getting a change in their horse.

Also keep in mind the physical resistance you are feeling is a direct reflection of a mental lack of understanding, it is not your horse being bad. He is trying his "options" when unclear, and his "balking" is the result.

watch" you when you are on the ground, what happens when you are in the saddle trying to communicate with him? These are all scenarios that allow you to assess the true quality of your relationship before you ride.

The good news is you haven't "wrecked your horse," you just need to review the quality and clarity of the basics in how you are communicating. A consistent concern I find with those horse people who try to "go slow" for the horse's sake is they wind up becoming hypersensitive and too "nice" in how they interact with their horse, causing their communication to drift into the "gray" area, rather than what I call the black and white. Horses are herd animals, they are used to "rules" in the herd. They need to know the "boundaries" of what behaviors work, and those that do not, in order to "operate" successfully within the herd. With people, when we get too polite with our horse, which in our mind is being "nice" or patient, we tend to accidentally let our lack of clear communication cause our horse's understanding to drift into the gray area. When the horse isn't sure, he has to start guessing at what we want. The more he has to guess, the more he "takes over" mentally and then physically, which leads to unwanted behavior towards the rider.

So as much as you are interacting with your horse slowly, there may not be the level of quality that you need to establish in order to build confidence for when you ride him. You'll need to start assessing you first, experiment with whatever you're asking of your horse from the ground and watch for a change in your horse's behavior. If he ignores your changes in energy, he's telling you he's unclear. If he is "helpful" by doing a task "ahead of time" (or before you have asked him to) he is taking over and making the decisions, which can lead to trouble later. If he is "slow" in his response, he is lacking understanding.

Your horse will tell you when "you're doing it right" by the softness and lightness of his response to your aid. Too many people are "going for the ride" and are "waiting to see" what they horse offers, then they try to convey to the horse if they like it or they don't. But this is "after the fact" and too late. I want to "take my horse for the ride" by offering and influencing the ride ahead of time with my communication. But this requires me to mentally and physically ride every step. Most riders mentally check out until "all of a sudden" their horse is displaying unwanted or dangerous behavior. Nothing happens with horses all of a sudden, most riders just tend to miss the initial calm and slow display of mental and then physical resistance.

By creating clear communication you'll build confidence in your horse that will encourage him to want to participate mentally and physically and will make a rewarding ride for both of you. In the beginning you may be riding only a few quality steps and then leave your horse alone. Each time he realizes that you are acknowledging a quality effort from him, the more effort he'll offer your when you present something new. Instead too many people tend to take "advantage" of a young horse's efforts and cause the horse to feel like no matter how much they try they can't "get it right" and therefor the horse mentally and physically checks out.

One last comment which again is a personal opinion is voice commands. I don't like to teach my horses conditioned responses because it creates a level of anticipation and mental "shut down." With a green horse, I'm looking that the horse is responding to my energy (if he will not address your changes of energy from the ground first, it will be even more difficult to get a change from when you're in the saddle.) Until my horse's brain is saying, "What would you like?" he is mentally unavailable. If he is mentally unavailable to address what I'm offering, he will be physical resistant and offer unwanted behavior.

Good Luck,
Samantha Harvey
The Equestrian Center, LLC

Falling Off- Humurous Perspective

2011-04-18T07:07:00.001-07:00

The following was recently sent to me in an email... Enjoy!

Stage 1: Fall off pony. Bounce. Laugh. Climb back on. Repeat.

Stage 2: Fall off horse. Run after horse, cussing. Climb back on by shimmying up horse's neck. Ride until sundown.

Stage 3: Fall off horse. Use sleeve of shirt to stanch bleeding. Have friend help you get back on horse. Take two Advil and apply ice packs when you get home. Ride next day.

State 4: Fall off horse. Refuse advice to call ambulance; drive self to urgent care clinic. Entertain nursing staff with tales of previous daredevil stunts on horseback. Back to riding before cast comes off.

Stage 5: Fall off horse. Temporarily forget name of horse and name of husband. Flirt shamelessly with paramedics when they arrive. Spend week in hospital while titanium pins are screwed in place. Start riding again before doctor gives official okay.

Stage 6: Fall off horse. Fail to see any humor when hunky paramedic says, "You again?" Gain firsthand knowledge of advances in medical technology thanks to stint in ICU. Convince self that permanent limp isn't that noticeable. Promise husband you'll give up riding.

One week later purchase older, slower, shorter horse.

Stage 7: Slip off horse. Relieved when artificial joints and implanted medical devices seem unaffected. Tell husband that scrapes and bruises are due to gardening accident. Pretend you don't see husband roll his eyes and mutter as he walks away.

Give apple to horse.

Alternative Horsemanship with Samantha Harvey: Breaking down the philosophy and training theories in Ask the Trainer Q&A

2011-04-06T16:01:00.001-07:00

Over the past two weeks as the weather has warmed in most parts of the world, I have received an increase of varying Ask the Trainer “problem situations” regarding horses offering unwanted behavior and their owners at a loss as to what to do. Typically horse owners who write in asking for help with their “problem” horse are doing so from a mainstream perspective searching for a “how to” or quick fix answer to change their horse’s behavior. This means that generally the questions are asked with a sole focus on the unwanted behavior these horse owners are seeing, experiencing, or trying to change. They are trying to STOP the unwanted physical action of the horse. Sorry but I’m the wrong person to offer what I call the “McDonald’s Fix” solution- in my mind, you cannot work with horses in a “standardized” manner with a step by step solution.

I have included several of the Questions sent in to me. As you read through each of the presented scenarios I want to preface your thoughts with the core of my philosophy and training style.

If you notice I have termed my philosophy as Alternative Horsemanship- this is because what I offer is not to address the horse’s unwanted behavior, but rather to get people to open their minds to begin a search for how they can communicate clearly in order to influence their horse’s mind. If you can get your horse to THINK about what you are asking of him, he will physically address and “try” whatever scenario you have presented to him.

Too many times though, in all of the cases included below, the person is attempting to STOP an all ready occurring behavior. This means the person is trying to “fix” the symptom rather than the real issue at hand. By the time a horse is responding dramatically- biting, kicking, resistant to going forward, difficult to handle/ride, etc. the horse has already spent a long time asking for help. In too many cases horse owners have either missed, ignored or not correctly translated all of the times their horse did ask for help in a “reasonable manner.” The more the horse was ignored, the more he felt he was “alone” when having a problem. Eventually confirmed that people are not “there” to help him, he will then resort to any “naturally” defensive behavior that may help “protect” him in his mind. A horse’s unwillingness to participate reasonably, respectfully and confidently with/towards people is because people don’t make him feel GOOD about life.

The first priority needs to be for horse owners to assess their own mental clarity, patience, and persistence in order to “play detective” with their horse in order to search for the ROOT CAUSE of the real ISSUE that is creating the unwanted, dangerous, disrespectful behavior that they are experiencing from their horse.

Whether you are the person who wrote in one of the questions below, or a fellow horsemen enjoying this article, take a moment and attempt to assess each of the questions/scenarios presented and try to “dissect” the so-called issues (which are really symptoms) into what might be the real issue at hand.

Until people learn to address the horse’s brain FIRST, they are only being “hopeful” about getting a change in the physical behavior/action of the horse. Instead of offering a step-by-step “Answer” to the questions submitted, my goal is to stimulate horse owner’s thinking, raise their awareness, and encourage them to step back and re-evaluate the relationship they have with their horse.

There can be many ways to influence a change in a horse’s brain- depending on the confidence, experience, and clarity of communication from a person using spatial pressure, physical pressure or in some cases vocal pressure.

But the real foundation comes from a person’s ability to “ignore” the flamboyant and distracting movement the horse is offering (which is the horse’s most natural defense when not sure, worried, or insecure) and look at all the signs in which the horse is TRYING to communicate with the person.

For most scenarios that people “present” or ask a horse to address the horse could care less about. In fact, most scenarios people present only make their horses feel worse about life. So in order to build that ideal trusting partnership based on clear communication that both you and your horse can enjoy you’ll need to SLOW DOWN- STEP BACK- EVALUATE (you, your horse, your aids, your intentions, your standard, your clarity- physically and mentally in how you interact with your horse, etc.) and you’ll most likely be able to start to find the missing or skipped parts in your horse’s education or lack of understanding.

People need to raise their standards- first within themselves and then for their horse. The ride begins when you THINK about going for a ride. Every moment, every step, you are setting the “tone” for your interaction with your horse.

When you go to catch your horse (from pasture, stall, etc.) does he come to you? Does he lower his head for the halter? Does he get heavy on the lead rope as you walk off? Does he move at whatever pace you set? Does he stay out of your personal space as you stop, turn, walk off, open/close the gate? Does he stand quietly tied? How is he when he is groomed, tacked, led to where you will mount? Does he look to participate when you climb aboard- i.e. line up for the mounting block, shift his weight so he is standing balanced when you climb on, etc. Can he stand quietly with you sitting on him? Can he literally look towards a direction (whether asked from the ground with a lead rope or in the saddle with the reins) without having to just “move” without mentally committing to where he is going? Do you understand that liberty work in the round pen or your ground work should be a MENTAL warm up/exercise not a physical “burning off of energy”- there should not be brainless movement with your horse running round and round. Can your horse look and take ONE step at a time? Does he respond to your energy in the saddle? Can you have varying degrees of energy within each gait? Does your horse anticipate the “routine” of your ride? If your horse is distracted can he “let it go” with just a wiggle of the rein or lead rope from you? If your horse is having a problem- does he react and move “big” or can you ask him to stop and literally look and address what is bothering him? Can you ask everything you’d want when riding your horse from the ground first? Do YOU understand the relationship in preparing your horse from the ground (a safe place) and how and the way in which you communicate should translate to when you are asking the same things from in the saddle? Do YOU understand the bit does not stop the horse? Do you realize that a horse feels a fly land on him- so every move you make when you touch your horse, from your breathing, to your aids, to your mental intention your horse FEELS? Lazy horses, horses without “work ethic,” dull horses, etc. are the same as horses that cannot stand still- they are all insecure about what will be asked of them- one group “avoids” going forward to not “feel bad” and the other wants to “hurry up and get it over with” so they can quit feeling bad. Spurs, whips, tie downs, martingales, etc. do NOT help give you better “control” of your horse- only the false illusion that you have control until the “dramatic” moment you find out they don’t work. Do you recognize that every aspect and level of quality you get from your horse starting from first catching him is setting the “tone” for the upcoming ride? Do you use every “opportunity” you can to HELP your horse or do you demand his participation without true quality communication and support from you? Your horse’s general attitude towards you is a reflection of his mental and emotional feeling about his history of working with you- if he comes away from each sessions feeling “defensive,” it sets the tone for the next session for him to anticipate another worrisome experience.

The list goes on and on. Trailer loading, crossing water, standing on the tarp, desensitizing to the plastic bag, pulling back, misbehaving for the farrier, ground tying, jumping, chasing/roping cattle, lateral movements, leaving the herd, trail riding spookiness, rearing/kicking/biting, and many more “problems” people have with their horses come from HOLES in the foundation of the horse’s education (and the owner’s) and therefore neither party has clear quality “tools” in order to communicate effectively (when you do something, it must mean something to the horse) in order to influence the horse’s mind to get a change in his physical action.

Horses don’t “randomly” do things. Nor do they do things “all of a sudden.” Believe your horse when he shows any sign of concern, worry, fear or that he might be having a problem. Put yourself in your horse’s spot- if you were having a major problem, worry, fear, etc. and every time you asked for help you were not only ignored but reprimanded, how would you start to feel or react? They are operating with two motivating priorities in life- survival and eating. Horse’s are herd animals- they NEED a leader. When you and your horse are together you create a herd. Guess who needs to take responsibility as the leader? YOU DO. Don’t try to “be nice,” “love your horse,” or be “hopeful” when you interact with your horse. Instead, be clear in what, when and how you offer communication with a priority on your horse’s brain and you will create the desired physical change.

Lastly- don’t let people’s concept of “time” influence how you work with your horse. Look how many years it takes to educate people. The same goes for horses, it’s a lifelong journey. It’s a constantly evolving process. I always say ten quality minutes versus an hour of mediocre can make all the difference.

No matter what, where, how, when or why, if I ask something of my horse he needs to mentally address me and offer a mental and physical effort or “try.” He may not be great at what I ask, but I’m looking for the mental participation- this will lead to building confidence emotionally that will lead to physical relaxation which then creates the “ideal ride.”

Good Luck,
Sam

For more “detailed” answers please visit my Ask the Trainer page. To find out about Sam’s Full Immersion Clinics or bringing her to your facility to teach her philosophies and theories please email her directly.

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Topic_Info: Shetland stallion behavior change
Website_Info: By accident
Location: Scotland
Date: April 04, 2011

Question:
26 year old Shetland stallion. Outlived his purpose & was to be p.t.s so I took him in. Background history: very nervous, wont tie up for grooming, never had a rug on, never had feet trimmed properly. Had he for 5 months now, managed to get anti midge rug on him after a very bad bout of lice & sweet itch? Trusted me explicitly, managed farrier twice with me holding a feed bucket of carrots whilst getting done. This month his behavior has changed. He pushes at me in stable, moves sideways and bolts backwards when I groom him and overall very fidgety and impatient. Still cannot tie him up as he panics and working with him outside is a certain no (even grooming). He feels safe and secure in his stable. He is on no hard feeding now that the spring grass is through. In at dawn and dusk for midges, ad lib hay when stabled. Behavior change was sudden. I have never owned a stallion and wonder if it’s to do with breeding time? Has pastured on his own (fights with other ponies apparently) strip grazing paddocks, no other ponies nearby, grass is short and sparse due to rotation frequently

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Topic_Info: Riding problems
Website_Info: searched for it
Location: TN
Date: April 02, 2011

Question:
I just recently got my quarter horse, thoroughbred cross mare broke she is about 3 years old, she rides well but refuses to gallop or trot when I kick her or ask her to do it. She throws her ears back and stops and some times tries to kick; this is something recent she has started to do... She also does this when I try to exercise her in the round pin she doesn't like to pick speed up, I know she can run because she does with her mom, but she will not for me. I think it is because her mother, whom she is in the field with she acts badly all the time. I was wondering if I took her out of the field would she act better when I ride her. She is a sweet horse and this is a concern.

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Topic_Info: ground work
Website_Info: internet
Location: Google
Date: April 02, 2011

Question:
I wanted to free lunge my new mare the way I do with my other two horses, but when I took the whip to the center of the arena to use as a prop, she moved right up next to me. It was as if she was trained to do that. I don't know very much about her and can't ask the owner, so her behavior is a bit confusing to me and I want to understand her behavior. Is this training you are familiar with? My other horses are trained to move away from the whip, she moved into the whip? In fact, I can't get her to move away from me?

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Topic_Info: She’s inexperienced
Website_Info: Google
Location: Port Hope ON CA
Date: April 02, 2011
Question:

I have just started riding at a new barn and the horse I have chosen to part-board is inexperience and only has a few miles riding time on her. She isn’t dangerous or anything, in fact she has a very kind heart, but I wanted to know if there were any trust building exercises other then join up as we have already had success in that. Thanks!

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Topic_Info: Horse anxiety
Website_Info: Google
Location: MI
Date: March 31, 2011

Question:

My horses have separation anxiety, and today it had gotten so bad that my horse had almost gotten hit by a car. I was riding one horse while the other was tied on a lunge line where the horse I was riding could see it. Well, the tied horse purposely broke the rope, and ran out to the road, causing the horse I was riding to buck so I could not climb off safely. What should I do to prevent this from happening? I have tried everything and nothing is working.
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Topic_Info: biting and disrespecting people
Website_Info: just typed in a question on internet browser
Location: Ontario
Date: March 29, 2011
Question:
My 2 year old paint gelding is constantly biting, I bought a grazing muzzle for him, tried disciplining him, have a trainer that has been working with him for 2 months and he isn’t getting any better. Last night he tried to bite me with the muzzle on so I slapped him which makes him rear, strike and threaten me...tried everything don’t know what else to do

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Topic_Info: bad attitude
Website_Info: search
Location: Bakersfield
Date: March 17, 2011
Question:
I have a Morgan quarter horse cross; I have only had her about 3 months. She is terrible on the lead rope bucking jerking trying to bolt. She always acts like she is in a bad mood, and it’s a fight to get her to do anything. She is 15 years old. I have done a lot of ground work with her, including round pen work. I was able to get her to "pony up" after a month of hard work. She jerked me so hard on the lead rope the other day that it felt like I bruised a rib, I made her back up (the circles make it worse tried that too) and she quit for a brief moment then starting crow hoping. I need help I love her but I don’t want her or I to get injured. Please help

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Topic_Info: riding problems with new horse
Website_Info: Search Engine
Location: Val
Date: March 16, 2011
Question:
I have a Tenn. Walking Horse who I cannot get to move forward without another horse in front of him. I have tried starting with a squeeze from my legs and working up to kick and I still can't get him to go. If other horses are tied at the end of the arena he will just stop. When I try and turn him he will toss his head and side step. Should I try reinforcing the cue with a tap with a crop behind my leg? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

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Topic_Info: horse training
Website_Info: just looking around
Location: Kansas
Date: March 16, 2011

Question:
I have a very lazy horse and every time I want him to trot or canter behind me- just following me, he will pin his ears the whole time but he will still do it. I know it’s a respect issue but how can I get his respect in this area? He'll do everything else I want him to do just fine...

Rearing- NOT a physical resistance

2011-04-01T07:18:00.000-07:00

Question:

Have a 6 years old Arab paint horse she was a harness horse. She has good ground work but when you get in the saddle she will go so far then she will rear up. When you ride back to the barn she goes with no problem. What am i doing wroung.Thank You or your Help.

Answer:
My outlook is that I treat horses emotions and mental stability similar to that of humans. The more I get a horse or person to trust me, the more confidence they gain and the increased "try" they will have when addressing whatever I may present. Their respect will increase as they find that the "risks" they are willing to take in "trying" new things or actions help them wind up in a better place mentally, emotionally and physically.

You mentioned your ground work was "good" but you may have to go back and assess just how clear your communication is with her from the ground. Everything you'd ask of her from the saddle should be established first on the ground. Here are a few things to consider in your evaluation:

Beginning from the ground I would start to make assessments of your horse. Is she happy to greet you when you catch her? Does she stay respectfully out of your space as you lead her or does she barge past you? When being groomed or tacked up, does she stand relaxed and still, or is she constantly fidgeting, fussing, and moving side to side? Is there a change in her demeanor when you bring out the tack? Do you wind up working her in the same "routine" (same time of day, ride in the same place, etc.)?

I personally hate using the word "dominance" because it has a negative canatone. I'd rather you think of your time with your horse as the same balance she would find if she were in a herd. There is only one leader in the herd. So you have the option that either your horse or you can "lead." If your horse leads, her priority sounds like it would be for her to return to the barn. But, if you give your horse clear scenarios presented in a "safe" setting such as a round pen, where she can start to learn what behaviors will work and those that will not when she interacts with you, she will start to mentally learn how to "learn" and "try" to address what you are asking of her.

Remember horses are big and strong animals, but their emotions and mental stability are just as sensitive as it is with people. Also as with people, your horse's actions are a reflection of her mental and emotional status. IF you can get your horse to slow down and "think" her way through something, her body will stay far more relaxed and compliant. But, if you physically try to dominate the horse and push or force her through something you will never change how he feels about what you have asked her to do, and so each time you present the same scenario she will become increasingly resistant. By the time a horse is rearing, they have tried other "quiet" ways of asking for help and were usually unintentionally ignored, so they have to resort to dramatic, dangerous behavior. The rearing is a symptom, and not the issue. If instead of focusing on the rearing, you can instead influence your horse's worries, insecurities, misunderstandings, etc. that CAUSES the rearing, the act of rearing will disappear when she learns how to deal with her stress in a more reasonable manner.

If you try to use force to get your horse to comply, which you may be able to do for a while, over time it will take more and more artificial equipment (open any magazine or go to any tack store and you'll see thousands of "short cut" aids) to get your horse to do what you would like. Even if she starts to "give in" and may not act "huge" or dangerous anymore, there may still be an internal resistance and frustration inside of her that will increase every time you interact with her. It may be a month or years later, but she will reach the day when she can no longer be "forced" to do what you have asked and will "all of a sudden" freak out or act up.

It will take clear communication, patience, effort, availability and time from you in the beginning to build a quality foundation with your horse, but it will affect her entire outlook towards interacting with humans. Instead of having the teenager perspective of "Why should I?" which is how most horses operate, with trust and respect your horse will offer you a "What would you like me to do?" attitude which will be safer and more rewarding for both of you.

Once your horse's brain is with you she will have to learn how to take (literally) one step at a time. Especially racehorses, harness horses, etc., their brains anticipate what is about to happen, so many times you ask for one small response and they give you an over-the-top reaction. Instead your horse will have to learn to have a sliding scale of energy in her movement (reflective of how much energy you have in your body- whether from the ground or in the saddle.) The more available your horse is to hear what you are offering, left, right, slow, fast, wait, etc. the more he will be able to physically comply with what you are asking AND feel good about it.

Good Luck
Sam

My horse won't lead!!!

2011-03-28T07:13:00.000-07:00

Question:

Hi I picked up two horses last week in bad health. The mare is awesome and very well behaved but the gelding has a bad problem. He is fine to catch but when I go to lead him anywhere he is either very pushy pulley or won't move. At first I thought it might have been due to the state I got him in. He is very under weight but I can put his food out and he will still stop and not move. The mare I got from the same place in the same condition. She is fine she will walk when asked stop when asked. I am not sure of his age but was wondering if there is anything I can do to help this horse trust me. When I try to pat him or give him a brush he strikes at me. I don't want anything bad to happen to him; he is a beautiful horse he's just been mistreated and is lacking trust in people. If you could please advise on anything it would be great- thanks for your time.

Answer:
First you will need to establish clear communication when using the lead rope from the ground. When you do something it must MEAN something. Most people work with horses and are hopeful that the horse will figure out what is being asked of them. Instead you will need to offer black and white clarity towards what behaviors your horse offers that work and those that do not.

The gelding's defensiveness towards you is his way of showing his lack of trust and insecurities. You will not be able to force yourself upon him. If right now patting and grooming him doesn't make him feel warm and fuzzy about life, then leave him alone. You first need him to just want to be near you without fear or worry.

Your goal should be to influence your horse's mental and emotionally availability in order to create a physical change. You will start to see how little of an action can create a positive change in how your horse as he begins to trust and respect you will. This will be the beginning of you working WITH your horse, rather than each of you tolerating one another. Timing, awareness, energy, sensitivity and clarity are all things you will need to establish in order to start seeing positive results with your horse.

There needs to be a clarity of physical communication (because when leading him you are using a lead rope, so this a physical way of influencing him,) he needs to understand your energy and literally match that, if you want to move out in a big walk, he needs to too, or if you would like to "creep" along, he needs to make that adjustment to remain "with you." When you stop he needs to respect your personal space and stop immediately, rather than to "fall" into a stop.

Your horse needs to understand when his thoughts work or if they do not. Most times when people catch a horse the horse goes "brainless" on the end of the lead and is literally drug around. The horse may be physically complying but is mentally resistant. The day will come that if there is enough stress presented, if the person working with the horse does not have enough "tools" in how they use their lead rope and a clarity of communication in how they use their rope, the horse will get just as "big" on the rope as if they are loose.

You should be able to ask your horse to think, look and then step in the designated direction (left, right, forward, backwards, sideways, etc.) You should be able to do all of this without having to lead your horse or "drive" him (with a whip, stick, etc.) in order to get an attentive, light, mental and physical response. Remember the goal is for your horse to ask "what would you like?" instead of tolerating being told what to do every step of the way. The more confident he feels that you are listening and helping him when he is having a problem the more he will turn to you rather than coming up with his own way of avoiding what you are presenting.

Once you can ask your horse to first look (to address what you are presenting) and then literally take one step at a time towards whatever you have presented you will then have the tools to help your horse address what you are asking.

For example let's say that you are presenting the gate in your arena. Before you ever get near the gate you need to see how focused (mentally) your horse is on you. If you ask him to stop, back up, step forward and so on is there a delay in his response, does he step into your personal space, and is he walking forward but looking somewhere else? These are all things you will need to address and clarify if there is any delay, lack of understanding or resistance from your horse before you present an obstacle.

Remember that the more you can break down crossing the gate into baby steps the more confidence he will gain in "trying" to address what you are asking. The more he believes he can "get it" (it being whatever you are asking of him) right, the more he will try when you present new things.

By the time you present the gate, grooming, standing tied, etc., you will have enough tools in just using your lead rope, if you can ask your horse to walk up to the gate and stop and address it (smell it, look at, etc.) Then you would imagine that you are presenting an imaginary line that you would like your horse to follow as he crosses the gate. First he has to be looking at this "line." In most cases if he is worried or insecure about the gate he'll try and avoid it by looking at everything EXCEPT the gate. So you'll need to address helping him focus using the aid of your lead rope by being able to establish looking specifically at the gate. He will not cross the gate with a "warm fuzzy feeling" until he decides to literally look at the gate.

Once he looks at the "line" you want him to walk on, you increase your energy (probably using the excess of your lead rope - but NOT driving him or chasing him) across the gate, literally one step at a time. You do not want your horse to "survive" crossing the gate, rather you want him to think and feel confident with each step he is taking as he crosses the gate. As he is on the gate you want to feel that you could stop his movement or pick a specific place that you would like to have go.

After you successfully help him address and cross the gate from both directions (with plenty of breaks and rests in between) you might ask him to focus on something else and then present the gate again later in the session. The slower you can have him think about what you are asking, the better the quality of his performance will be.

Remember, your safety is a number one priority, if you hear that little voice in the back of your head telling you not to do something, listen to it. Too many horse related accidents occur because people are "hopeful" that it will all work out.

Good Luck,
Sam

Eventing Radio Episode 122 by Bit of Britain – New Zealand’s Golden Boys

2011-03-21T16:12:00.000-07:00

Eventing Radio Episode 122 by Bit of Britain – New Zealand’s Golden Boys

Headshy Horse

2011-03-21T07:57:00.000-07:00

Question
I have a 19 year old thoroughbred x who has become head shy since Ive got him which was about 4 months ago, originally it was just his bridle he didn't like but now he wont let me halter him either.

I have had his teeth checked etc by a vet and all OK, just wondered if you could give me any advice as every time I go to halter or bridle him he now puts his nose to the ground and swings his head around to the side out of my reach, it was actually easier when he threw his head up as I could hold his head down.

I would be really grateful of any help you could give me.
Thanks
Lyndsey

Answer:
Thanks for writing. There could always be a million reasons why a horse "suddenly" starts to behave in a certain manner. I would guess he did not start this over night, but perhaps he showed more subtle mannerisms or resistance when you attempted to touch his head in the past, and so you may have not noticed.

Instead of being distracted by his head tossing (which is a symptom and not the issue itself) you may have to investigate and "break down" the big picture to understand why your horse is doing what he is. Head tossing is typically a mixed sign of frustration and a bit of a aggressiveness. The aggressive behavior masks the insecurity he is currently feeling (if he is more offensive rather than defensive he may be able to protect himself better.)

Because I have not seen you and your horse interact, I can only offer you some thoughts and perhaps an alternative perspective in viewing your horse's behavior. The seemingly drastic "sudden change" in your horse's behavior is a common occurrence between horses and humans. Many times we create a relationship with our horse that is so attentive it can be on the verge of overbearing in a horse's mind. The horse may appear calm and quiet and interested on the outside but may be stressed internally with feelings of doubt, fear, worry or insecurity.

Were you ever able to work your horse at liberty or was he only worked while restrained with a halter and lead rope or while being ridden? If you were able to work him both loose and while on the lead, was there a difference in his stress levels, attitude, willingness, availability in his mind and how much "try" did he offer you?

How much interaction and what kind of relationship do you have with your horse? Horses are wonderfully adaptable creatures and can rather quickly "get used to" or learn to "tolerate" situations without acting aggressively or in an ill behaved manner despite their internal feelings. Their true feelings about situations do not surface until they are "allowed" an opportunity and freedom to communicate with a person. You'll need to create scenarios where your horse wants to participate rather than tolerating you. At 19 he's pretty confirmed in his opinions about people. You will have to learn how to present scenarios in a new and interesting way that will renew his curiosity and encourage him to trust you.

Right now may be the only opportunity that your horse has to convey to you (by remaining physically distant) that he may not be feeling as warm and fuzzy inside about his relationship or interaction with people. Most people do not notice a horse attempting to tell them that he is having a mental or emotional problem until the horse does something so physically obvious, disruptive or unmanageable that the person cannot ignore the behavior.

I suggest each day that you work with him, you approach him as having a "blank slate" education, experience and history wise. This may feel disheartening to you after all the "progress" he made with his training. In my mind, I would rather have a horse that can convey his honest feelings regarding his attitude towards me and work with him towards making him "feel good," rather than force him to tolerate whatever it is that I'm asking of him, with no regard as to how he feels about it until the day he can no longer "deal" with me and acts out dangerously, reactively, or aggressively.

So how to proceed from here? Ask 20 people and you will get 20 different answers. I would say you would need to get you and your horse into a "safe" place such as a round pen (even if it's a bit ugly to catch him to get him there) and then start with a clean slate. Assume he knows nothing (do not worry, his "training" will not be lost or forgotten) but with the guidance of someone who can help you and your horse work together, you will need to start talking "with" your horse rather than "at" him.

You'll need to revisit the basics in areas such as pressure: spatial, physical and vocal. With the guidance of someone who can help point out his body language so that you will begin to become aware and understand that there is a reason why your horse does every single thing he does. You will have to learn how to take what he is offering and be able to clearly communicate so that you can influence a change in his future behavior, rather than correcting him "after the fact." In a calm, quiet and clear manner, your goal should be to be able to influence your horse emotionally and mentally, which in turn will affect his outward behavior and attitude towards you. Once he learns to respect, trust and try- symptoms such as "head shyness" will dissipate on their own.

Good Luck,
Sam

Age to Start a Horse

2011-03-19T07:43:00.000-07:00

Question:
I have a 16 month old Paint that I have bonded with very well she accepted the bridle and now saddle, but at what age can I actually get on her back? Thank You Terrie

Answer:
Hello and thanks for writing. Horses tend to look big and strong at a young age but it takes a LONG time before they mentally, emotionally and physically mature. Each horse should be assessed as an individual in where their maturity is and when they are ready to ride. Also keep in mind that the initial foundation of the first few rides is only the beginning of a continuously ongoing long term project in educating the horse.

In too many situations a person will "steal" the first few rides on their young horse. Then you hear stories that the next time they went to get on "all of a sudden" the horse starts to act up. People tend to get distracted by the physical goal of getting on the young horse the first few times, rather than addressing where the horse's brain is, offering quality clear communication and building confidence and trust in the young horse.

Your horse's physical actions are a direct reflection of her mental and emotional state. Part of the horse's maturity process is waiting for her to mentally grow up. Your horse needs to be mentally and emotionally available AND participative so that when you teach her to accept a rider the sessions seem "boring." You want the experience to be a positive one so that she has those "warm and fuzzy" feelings towards you and wants to participate the next time you want to work with her.

There is a LOT of preparation that should go into educating your horse before you ever think about getting on her for the first time. A few things to consider and evaluate include: having her stand quietly while you "fuss" around her, being respectful and clear how to yield to physical and spatial pressure, being able to accept your weight in one stirrup as you simulate the beginning of mounting, etc. She'll need to be desensitized to movement not only where the saddle would sit, but also around her head, sides, barrel, legs, etc. She'll need to understand how to respond to the aids you present from the ground which should be similar to the ones used to communicate when you ride her.

You need to think of getting on her for the first few times separate from what you might term "riding her." The first few sessions you may just get on and off a few times, walk and turn a bit and then put her up for the day. A successful ride should be "BORING." No stress, no worry, etc. from either you OR the horse. Always end the session on a positive note. As your horse gets more comfortable and balanced with you sitting on her, she'll tell you when she's ready to learn more.

There is no "common" age for most horse's knees to be closed- it varies according to their particular breed and individual growth. With the horse's well being prioritized, nowadays it is common for them to be ridden lightly a few times, then turned back to pasture until they mentally and physically mature.

For me personally, I'd rather take my time when starting horses by working with the horse and offering what they can benefit from, rather then using a "standardized training program." My goal is for LONG TERM quality and rewarding experiences with the horse. Rather than force a lot of them early on, with the risk of them becoming overwhelmed and frustrated emotionally which can cause them to break down physically later, I look to create small doses of quality that will help build the horse's confidence which encourages his curiosity and desire to participate with a positive attitude in future training.

Good Luck,
Sam

BLM Burros for Adoption- Letter from Activist in Yuma

2011-03-18T07:42:00.000-07:00

I'm writing you is because there are 3 other special lady burros (these 3 and the other 3 at Chino are all part of the original herd I got involved with) still here in the desert around the Imperial Dam north of town, and if BLM ever does another roundup out here then I would really like to know of a place where they would be welcomed. All these ladies are just so special to me that I hope to be able to find a home for them, and also one where I can visit and continue to have them in my life. When we spoke before you asked that I send you information about them, so I'm sending some pictures as well. I have no idea the age of any of them, but I've been involved with them at least 10 years, so they're at least that age. They all seem extremely healthy and all these girls are used to being around people.

This lady is my No. 1 favorite (along with Emma at the sanctuary) Jordan and she's such a mellow lady, loves to be hugged, brushed, and the people contact. Here she is with her current baby girl Tilly.

Below is a better picture of Jordan with a previous little girl.

This lady is a favorite too, named Jenny, and she is the most beautiful lady out here. She also has a teardrop birthmark under he left eye. Here she is with last year's little girl. She has another spittin' image little girl this year.

This lady is the third favorite, Lizzie. I'm thinking she could be older than the first two ladies, and is painfully shy. I've brushed her in the past but I don't know how I ever got it done cause she is so darn shy and won't let you touch her (I keep trying), altho she is friendly and is used to people.

My greatest hope is to someday be able to reunite these 6 girls, as they are all gal-pals and traveled together in the desert here before BLM did their darn roundup in December 2003 and unfortunately snagged the 3 ladies I adopted (Emma, Princess and Betty).

If you would know anyone at all Jennifer who would be available to give them a home if and when BLM does another roundup, I sure would like to know of them. I've learned so much about burros just by being around them and watching their ways, and I've grown extremely fond of them. Two years ago I discovered the dominant male dead at the water's edge of Senator Lake and, much to my horror, he had been shot. For a dominant male, he was one heck of a sweet guy and I had just seen him 2 nights before.

Lana F (please click the link to email)

What is a horse worth? Potential Buyer Perspective

2011-03-17T08:13:00.000-07:00

Topic_Info: buying a horse Website_Info: Through google
Location: Michigan
Date: March 16, 2011

Question:

I am going to purchase a 9 year old APHA registered sorrel tobiano paint mare. she is trained (not professionally trained) in western specializing in trail and pleasure, also English pleasure and dressage and has also been jumped 2'3". She has never been shown. No health problems what-so-ever. Perfectly sound. No kick, bite, rear, spook, or buck. How much is she worth?

Answer:

Hi there. My answer is based on factors to consider when pricing a horse from a potential buyer's perspective. There tend to be two common types of buying- rational and emotional. There are people who will justify a price depending on several different factors- some rationally based and some emotionally motivated.

The most obvious way to price a horse is to base it on the horse's "proven" background (show record, breeding, racing, etc.)

The next could be based on the horse's blue sky potential (the future possibility of what the horse might do someday in the arena, breeding, etc.)

You'll have to also HONESTLY decide what YOUR goal for buying the horse is. Is the horse currently at an education/training level that is appropriate for your abilities and intentions or will you have to invest money is training, show exposure, etc. to get the horse up to par for your needs/ability. If all you want is a trail horse, but are looking at one with a lot of show experience, there is no "real" value to you- other than for future potential re-sale value.

Physical soundness of the horse can greatly affect the price. Again depending on your goals will affect the soundness of the horse. Are you basing soundness on the horse's physical history, x-rays (if so how in depth), etc.? Even if a horse has something show up on an x-ray, it might not matter or affect your goals for the horse. The appearance of a potential physical issue can affect price.

Also to consider is if you are buying the horse from a private party or from a "show barn" type facility. The private party will usually always offer a lower sale price than a barn that perhaps bases their prices depending on the reputation of other sale horses from their barn or has a high turnover of horses. There are certain barns that specialize in "sales prep" and solely focus on tuning up a horse for the sale market, rather than having a long history associated with the horse.

The current economy (or lack of) is a huge factor in today's horse market. Horses have depreciated due to our current financial crises and the now flooded horse market that has been affected by both the removal of slaughter laws and the "quick sale" or "free" horses offered by owners who no longer can afford to keep their horses.

Next is location, location, location. Horses that used to be worth $5000 are now advertised at $1500. The problem is, even if the sale price has been dropped, you need to watch what horses have been actually SOLD. You can have the same horse listed for sale in New England, Florida and Arizona and get three very different "values." If you take some time and look at local horse publications and skim the classifieds section you'll start to get an idea of how much horses are being offered at according to their age, experience, education, etc.

Then there's the emotional side of buying a horse. Many people wind up owning a horse because they "fell in love" with the horse or the idea of the horse they are trying out. This isn't always a practical decision with many people winding up with "too much horse" because they were "hopeful" the horse would eventually become something suitable for their needs, goals, etc. Someone who is emotionally basing their desires can usually justify spending more money on a horse than someone rationally deciding.

So you'll need to evaluate your priorities, goals, and current ability to decide what value you can put to this particular horse you are trying out and then decide FOR your needs what you can justify. Remember, as the buyer, you can ALWAYS walk away, and there are ALWAYS more horses out there.

The owner typically is emotionally basing their price on their horse- they're past efforts, training, showing, initial buying price, etc. and that is how they come up with the value they are offering their horse for sale. Even if you offer the owner a price that is rejected, leave your contact info and in many cases they'll contact you and sell the horse at a price closer to what you have the horse valued at in your mind.

Good Luck,
Sam

Anti Social Horse

2011-03-16T07:49:00.000-07:00

Question

Hi Samantha,
I hope you have some helpful advice! I've read books, talked to many, observed, studied, watched RFD TV, DVDs, attended a clinic, etc., yet can't find an answer anywhere to what seems to be a unique problem ... HELP!

I bought an orphaned 3 day old Palomino filly in 2/05. I cared for her and loved her like a Momma, feeding her mares match around the clock until she was old enough to be introduced to solid food. From there I taught her ground manners, and worked our way up to breaking her myself. I've been riding her for the past 2 years, Western pleasure and on Trail Rides. My now,

four and a half year old filly is a smart, willing, good partner for me, particularly considering she's still young - - however she is extremely territorial on trail rides and very anti-social to all other horses. If any other horses come near us, along side of us or behind us on a trail ride, (reasonable distances), then my horse pins her ears back, acts extremely territorial, agitated, and anti-social to the other horses.

My horse has jolted as though in fear, and acts nervous when horses come up from behind, or even beside us. She's not relaxed in any normal horse traffic on rides, and has also kicked another horse once.

At first I thought she might be acting like this due to fear of the other horses on rides. I thought this as a possibility because she was the only foal on our ranch without a Mare the spring she was born and ultimately pastured with our brood mares and their foals. This placed her as the low man on the totem pole in the peck-in order, thus I've regretted since the possibility that this may have been a factor in her social skills and development with horses. Also keeping in mind she spent great amounts of time with me as a foal vs horses as well. Maybe her early years retarded her social skills with other horses, or maybe it's her fear of the other horses that might be playing itself out.

I'm not certain, as I'm not a horse psychologist. I've also thought of the possibility that she was being overly protective of ME, her "Momma-rider". To my amazement, my Farrier suggested the same concept in his thinking.

Now what???
How do I break her anti-social, mad, pinned back ears, overly territorial, protective attitude and negative behavior to other horses on rides? I would like to enjoy the rides, and not have to be concerned about a potentially dangerous situation?!

Any advice, suggestions or help would be greatly appreciated!
Seeking Happy Trails,
Claudia

Answer:
The first concept I'd like to introduce is that your horse's actions are a reflection of her mental and emotional status. Most horses that have a hard time interacting with others, whether a person is around them or not, has to do with their own insecurities. Although your horse may respect and accept you as the "leader" of her herd, she still has worries that have not been addressed. There are two parts to your question- the first is what is she insecure about? The second is even if she is feeling insecure she needs to learn how to deal with her concerns in a "reasonable" manner.

The reasoning behind her worries are probably a combination of issues. She probably is a bit anti social because of how she was raised, but it's pretty hard to "take the horse out of the horse." You may have to try different horses with her to find an "accepting" or less threatening buddy horse that she can interact with.

Also, even if she's been a "quiet ride," there is still a lack of trust towards you when other horses are present. You would like that your horse asks "What can I do?" rather than having the "Why should I?" attitude when working with her. If she's worried she should feel confident to ask you for help. Instead her nasty attitude and aggressive actions are a reflection of emotional and mental frustration and she is using them as an "outlet."
The first thought that comes to mind is that perhaps when life appears to you as "good" for your horse, it may still be lacking a "warm and fuzzy" or confidence building experience.

You mentioned that she normally rides out nicely. Not knowing how you work with your horse I'd ask if there is any possibility of a patternized or routine behavior you and/or she have together when going for a ride. If the location is a familiar spot you ride at do you always mount and dismount in the same place, do you always head down the same trails, if you are riding with another horse do you ever present "unexpected" questions to your horse?

People and horses easily fall into comfortable riding behaviors especially on a trail ride where most people are looking to "let down and relax." Our horses may appear to be well behaved and having fun until we change what they are used to, and then we "suddenly" find a problem in our partnership.

Even if your horse has never displayed extreme signs of stress, frustration and worry that she showed when you uncountered other horses on the trail ride, does not mean that she may not be carrying those feelings around with her all of the time.

The first thing I do translate from what you have described is that when she does reach his "melt down" point she is unable to emotionally, physically or mentally deal with a scenario- and she is not turning to you to ask for help. The second, is that perhaps there are times when you believe your horse is okay and perhaps she is not.

This in turn means that there needs to be a re-established level of clear communication between the two of you so that no matter however minor or major an issue may arise, when your horse has a problem, she should ask you how you would like her to deal with it rather than to make decisions on her own, such as what she showed on the trail.

The other horses passing you on the trail, whether it is geldings or mares in heat, are irrelevant. Whenever we work or ride our horses their brains ought to be with us at all times (which is an attention demanding task on both of our and the horse's level of participation.) You may have to take a step back and assess the quality of the relationship between you and your horse- starting on a "good day" with simple tasks. Below are a few things you might consider:

How sensitive and available is your horse to address and listen to your aids with you do as little as possible and him offering you as much as possible without any stress?

Can you interrupt your horse as he is doing something you asked and "suddenly" present something else? Is she willing to let go of what she thought you wanted to try the new task?

How is her confidence with a scenario that has never been presented to him before? Does she turn to you to help him or does he "take over" trying to figure out the task at hand?

Many people say "Move the horse's feet in order to influence the brain." I actually present the opposite theory, "Influence the horse's mind to get a physical and emotional change." It does not matter what physical task you ask of your horse whether you are doing circles, serpentines, figure eights, backing, transitions, etc. The point of the task is to ask for the mental availability, participation and then commitment with her physical movement.

Let's say you are presenting a circle. The horse should be able to tell the difference when you are asking her to first LOOK towards where you might want him to turn. (So many horses go through the motions of movement without ever thinking or looking about where they are going.) Then if you ask her to step towards a specific direction, the front leg closest to where you would like her to step should move first- and only ONE step at a time. (This is important because it means she has shifted her brain and then her physical balance to prepare to "follow" her thought towards the designated direction.)

Next there should be a softness and intention in her step and a bend in her body if she feels "good" and is committed to where she is moving. (If not it will feeling like you are sitting on a board and you will feel her "leaking" out the shoulder opposite from the direction you would like her to move.) If there is a "drag" in her step she is not thinking about moving forward. This is common in horses that are insecure because they become so worried about understanding or anticipating what the rider might ask of them wrong, that they offer two extremes- they would rather not try anything rather than make a wrong movement and get reprimanded for it at all OR they try everything they can come up with that might be the "correct" answer.

The quality of a physical pattern you present to your horse should be the foremost priority. You may only get three steps of a quality circle until there is clarity between you and your horse and availability in her brain to hear what you are asking of her. If at home or in a "safe" scenario there is any holes in your communication or her mental try, whenever you add stress, such as the above mentioned trail ride, you will only get even less of her to "hear" and address what you are asking of her.

Get the basics as quality as possible so that whatever scenario presents itself along the way you will be able to address it in small quality steps (mentally and physically) with a horse who has the confidence and trust to believe that what you are asking of her will make her feel better. Horses typically "take over" as a self preservation mechanism, not because they are trying to cause havoc and stress to their rider.

Good Luck,
Sam

Separation Anxiety

2011-03-15T18:15:00.000-07:00

Question

I have a 6 year old Arabian mare. I also own her mother. the 6 year old has never been broken or separated from her mom. Her mom has been broken and has no problem being separated. How do I get the 6 year old to settle down so I can work with her, when I pull her away from her mom or restrain her in the pasture where her mom is- she gets very anxious, stopping, snorting, rearing. She will not stand still for brushing or general grooming. I am not sure what to do to get her to settle down. We bought both horses for riding, and do not want to have to get rid of the 6 year old but if we cannot ride her I am not sure I can justify keeping her She is a very friendly nice mannered horse except when trying to work with her she comes, eats out of our hands, lets us pet her just not work with her I am desperate for help. Please help me. PS I cannot afford to send her to a trainer

Answer:
It sounds like a basic lack of clarity in communication, understanding and confidence with your six year old that is causing these scenarios to happen. Certainly because your horse is young (they take quite a while to mentally and emotionally mature even if physically they look "grown up") there will be a constant asking from them towards you "Do you really mean it?" This is not done in a challenging way, but is rather their way of trying to discover the boundaries of what behavior will "work" and what will be unacceptable. Many times when horses appear "sweet" and want to be near us physically we are interpreting this as affection and care. In a lot of cases it is actually the horse that feels she is "dominating" the person in the situation, even if they do not seem dominant or aggressive towards the particular person that they are near.

Your horse's physical actions are a reflection of her mental and emotional status. It sounds like when you interact her she may be physically next to you, but is still mentally with the other horse. There could be a few different things going on at the same time but it may look to you as if it is one big scenario. Below are a few ideas to think about when addressing your horses.

A.) Lack of respect towards you and/or any other human.

B.) Lack of understanding of personal space and awareness towards people.

C.) Lack of emotional and mental availability to ask a person, "What would you like?" They are rather filling in the answer themselves with what they think is right.

D.) Lack of "try" to understand when working with a person (such as being caught, led, tied, groomed, tacked, etc.) that they need to focus on the person rather than "everything else" going on in life.

E.) When they experience insecurity they need to feel or find leadership from the person who is working with them. If the young Paint was asking your husband for "help" and you did not realize it, your horse begins to show signs of stress and agitation.

Keep in mind that most times when a horse's behavior becomes apparent or "big" there were usually many warning signs of frustration, insecurity, worry, fear, or otherwise ahead of the "dramatic" behavior. Especially when working with young horses, every moment, every step, every thought matters. It is a lot of "work" for a person to be aware constantly of both what they are doing and offering their horse and how their horse is receiving and interpreting this information. You will have to address some of the issues I mentioned above separately and independently before trying to attain the "whole" picture.

You will need to be able to start to offer your the horse the opportunity to gain and build confidence. This can be done in many "small" and "simple" ways. Ideally to have a safe place such as a round pen, where she can be loose in a small area you can help her learn how to narrow down her options without having to manhandle her.

She will need to learn how to present herself to be caught, how to walk respectfully on the lead rope, how to stand quietly anywhere whether she is tied or not while you groom and saddle her, etc. All of this ground work is SO important because it sets the tone and attitude for the ride. If she is showing anxiety while you are working with her from the ground, you are getting a preview of how the upcoming ride will be. By learning how to communicate clearly to help her address what is worrying her, and then helping her learn how to "let it go," you are creating a trusting relationship which will then blend into your aids when you help her from the saddle. If you let the "basics" go from the start, every time you ride her you'll only be "hopeful" in surviving the ride. To me, horses are too strong and fast to be hopeful. I want to know that I have the tools necessary to work WITH them to sort out a situation.

My outlook is that I treat horses emotions and mental stability similar to that of humans. The more I get a horse or person to trust me, the more confidence they gain and the increased "try" they will have when addressing whatever I may present. Their respect will increase as they find that the "risks" they are willing to take in "trying" new things or actions help them wind up in a better place mentally, emotionally and physically.

Think of your time with your horse as the same balance she would find if she were in a herd. There is only one leader in the herd. So you have the option that either your horse or you can "lead." If your horse leads, her priority will be the other horse. Then her priority will be sticking by or finding the horse. But, if you give your horse clear scenarios presented in a "safe" setting such as a round pen, where she can start to learn what behaviors will work and those that will not when he interacts with you, she will start to mentally learn how to "learn" and "try" to address what you are asking of her.

IF you can get your horse to slow down and "think" her way through something (whether it be how slow she steps, stepping in a specific spot, teaching her to stand and wait, etc.,) her body will stay far more relaxed and compliant. But, if you physically try to dominate the horse and push or force her through something you will never change how she feels about what you have asked her to do, and so each time you present the same scenario she will become increasingly resistant. Rather if you change how she feels about what you are presenting, then she will be able to address it and move in with that ideal "warm fuzzy" feeling.

If you try to use force to get your horse to comply, which you may be able to do for a while, over time it will take more and more artificial equipment (open any magazine or go to any tack store and you'll see thousands of "short cut" aids) to get your horse to do what you would like. Although she may not act "huge" or dangerous, there will be an internal resistance and frustration inside of her that will increase every time you interact with her. Finally it may be a month or years later, she will reach the day when she can no longer be "forced" to do what you have asked and will "all of a sudden" freak out or act up.

It will take much more patience, effort, availability and time from you in the beginning to build a quality foundation with your horse, but it will affect her entire outlook of life with humans. Instead of having the teenager perspective of "Why should I?" which is how most horses operate, with trust and respect your horse will offer you a "What would you like me to do?" attitude which will be safer and more rewarding for both of you.
The last part is to evaluate if you have the time, ability and mental clarity to help your horse. If you cannot offer 100% when you work with her, you cannot expect her to participate fully.

Good Luck,
Sam

Ask the Trainer: Rearing

2011-03-14T21:03:00.000-07:00

Topic_Info: rearing

Website_Info: came across it when looking up info on rearing
Location: Livermore falls, Maine
Date: March 14, 2011
Question:
My horse had been rearing a lot. The footing in my field isn't that good, she had been fine all summer then got her shoes off, the ground got hard, and then she started. Then when the first snow came she was fine for a month or so, then when the snow got hard, uneven, and high she started again. Do you think she is doing this because of the footing? It's very aggravating and I try to bring her head to my knee and make her go forward but I can't she's too powerful. I have been doing groundwork with her for now until she gets her shoes back on, and the snow is gone. I'm hoping she will be better.

Answer:
If all possibilities of pain have been ruled out (such as sore feet- have a farrier or vet use a hoof tester to see if she is experiencing any soreness while barefoot) in all the cases of aggressive behavior that I have dealt with, such as rearing, the footing would not be a big enough issue to cause the dramatic behavior you are experiencing.

The horse's brain is what needs to be addressed. A horse's physical action is a direct result of their mental and emotional state. When they feel good on the inside, they are relaxed and compliant on the outside. When they are stressed, worried, insecure, etc. on the inside, they display unwanted and often dangerous behavior.

Something somewhere in her experience with people has caused a level of resistance within her brain that perhaps when it was first displayed probably appeared in a rather mild manner. As her "pleas" for help went either ignored or unnoticed, she had to start acting "bigger" until she got your attention and was finally addressed. By the time she is "consistently rearing" she is pretty convinced that people are NOT there to help her, and therefore she must make decisions to "protect" herself without considering the rider.

The rearing is a symptom; it is not the issue itself. You're going to need to step back and assess the quality and clarity of communication you currently have with your horse. You're going to need to address when you start being "hopeful" - these moments cause you to "survive the ride" rather than "taking your horse for the ride." This creates neither the horse nor you making decisions that result in a positive experience. Then both of you come away from the ride with less confidence which then sets a pattern in expecting a lack in quality in the next ride.
Horses are herd animals. There's only one leader in the herd, if you are not clear within your own mind of what you want, how and what aids you use and with what energy level, there is no way your horse will be clear on what is being asked of her.
Too many times a horse has tried multiple options when they are bothered, fearful, insecure, etc., but are ignored by their rider, until the horse finally displays drastic behavior. People tend to wait until their horse is behaving unreasonably to attempt to address the horse, and by then, it's too late, the horse already has mentally checked out, emotionally melted down and physical become unreasonable or dangerous.

Rather than consistently reaching this dramatic point in a ride by acting like a passenger, you'll need to first establish clear communication tools and then learn how to watch for the signs of when your horse starts telling you that she is feeling bothered about life so that you can then INFLUENCE what happens rather than attempt to survive it. You're going to have to offer your horse a clean slate and assume nothing.

BELIEVE your horse. Whether you're attempting to catch her, tack her up, mount, or hack out- if there is any level of stress, agitation, worry or fear- hard to catch, fussy when tied, fidgeting when mounting, tail swishing when you apply your leg, grinding teeth, "grabbing" or leaning on the bit, slow to respond to an aid, etc., you'll need to put your initial intentions or goals for the ride aside to address the current concerns your horse is having. Even if you don't think "it’s a big deal" or if your horse has "done this a million times before," pay attention to her concerns. If you don't respect and address her worries- however insignificant they may seem to you, and you continue to "force" her to "just deal with it" (it being whatever is bothering her,) you're creating a ticking bomb. It will not be a matter of "if" but rather "when" she explodes mentally and then physically- such as with her current rearing.

By focusing on your horse's brain when she is having a problem and helping her learn how to mentally work through her concerns, she will physically respond in a reasonable and safe manner. She'll learn to trust you when you use your aids with clear communication because they will mean something to her. This is the beginning of teaching a horse how to learn how to "try." When she has concerns or if she is having a problem rather than naturally responding defensively be being "reactive" which causes a dramatic result and only instills more fear in both horse and rider, we'd like the horse to pause (mentally and physically) and ask, "What would you like?" to its rider.
Obviously this is not a quick fix solution. But the rearing is not going to go away on its own. Don't be hopeful. Even if you were strong enough to "manhandle" your horse into giving you her head and she quit rearing, her current mental and emotional stress would then manifest itself into another form of dangerous behavior. Take the time to address the issue, and the dangerous symptom, in this case the rearing, will disappear on its own.
Good Luck,
Sam

Clinics: Thoughts on participating & auditing- Getting the Most for your Money

2011-03-02T16:01:00.000-07:00

Clinics: When to, why should you and with whom?

When To Clinic

When training with same person for a long period of time.

As a tune-up if you ride by yourself.

To polish-off finishing touches before a competition.

To gain new solutions for issues and problem areas.

Why Should You
New ideas and training methods
Different perspective about issues
To avoid pitfalls of oversights by a too familiar instructor
To hear things said a different way
To get another opinion
Potential exposure for horse in new location

With Whom
Suggestions from trainer
After Auditing a previous clinic with the same clinician
Articles in Magazines & Internet

Clinician’s TrainingFind out the background of the clinician: Not just in their own accomplishments but their experience as a quality level instructor

Rating a Clinician
Do they treat riders individually?
Are they quick to make statements?
Are they open minded?
Do they listen to the rider?
Does their teaching style accommodate the level and experience of both horse and rider?
Do they teach using detailed and clear explanations?
Do they want to “fix” the problem by getting on the horse immediately?

Getting the Most out of a Clinic-Personally
Dress in light colors (all black is hard to see).
Do not use new or different tack on the day of the clinic.
Do clean your tack and horse ahead of time.
Find out if you should be warmed up before your session.

Do not make excuses…
Get plenty of sleep the night before.
If driving to a location get clear directions ahead of time.

Getting the Most out of a Clinic: Hints
If you can- bring a mega-phone or some hearing device in the case you cannot hear the clinician.
It is a waste to spend the money and to not hear half of what is being said.
Wear a watch.
Be on time.
Don’t forget your checkbook and pay all fees BEFORE your first session.
Watch other people’s sessions if possible. You can learn by watching other people. It can be easier to watch someone who is having the same issues as you and see how they fix them, as opposed to when you are in the saddle and are trying to address multiple issues as you are learning from the clinician.

Getting the Most of a Clinic- Videotaping
Videotape your ride- make sure the video can clearly record the clinician’s voice.
Bring a friend to film.
Have the person filming “figure out” the camera before the clinic and the type of taping you like.
Bring extra batteries and film.
Bring tripod.

Getting the Most out of a Clinic: Afterwards
Write down the main issues addressed in your session, how they were addressed, and any other key points.
Watch your video a few days later to see with a “clear” mind your ride and the clinician’s instruction.

Pre-cautionsBe aware that one clinic lacking in quality and respectful instruction can easily digress a rider and horse rather than helping them progress.
To have a positive experience you should remember that it is okay to not agree with everything being said.
Take what you want and leave what you don’t like.
Just because an issue seems to be fixed in the clinic does not make it permanently resolved.

It is Your Right to Say No
JUST BECAUSE A CLINICIAN…
MAY BE WELL KNOWN
HAS A LOT OF RESPECT WITHIN THE EQUINE COMMUNITY
IS OF INTERNATIONAL CALIBRE
IS LIKED BY YOUR TRAINER, FRIENDS, ETC.
DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE INSTRUCTOR WILL BE RIGHT FOR YOU.

Remember
You should always feel safe, comfortable and positive with what is being asked of you.
IF AT ANY TIME YOU FEEL OVERWHELMED OR UNCOMFORTABLE-STOP IMMEDIATELY.
Trust your instincts- don’t do something you do not want to do- speak up.
Most people who have had bad experiences is because they did not stop when they knew they should have.

Potential Positive Experiences to Gain
New ideas and techniques to improve you and/or your horse
New exercises
Possible changes in tack and equipment
A reality check
Goal re-evaluation
Improved self-esteem
Problem awareness, explanation and clarity

Have fun!!!

NOTICE: Two Stalls Available in Horse Trailer Heading North

2011-02-28T07:27:00.000-07:00

This year we will have two stalls available in our trailer heading north in the spring. If you have a horse you need shipped part or all of the journey please contact us ASAP.

Departing: Yuma, AZ
Date: May 8 or 9, 2011

Arriving: Sandpoint, ID
Date: May 10 or 11, 2011

Email for Details

The Basics of Balance: You & Your Horse

2011-02-23T08:23:00.000-07:00

Rider:
When the rider has the ability to use all of his aids independently of one another without interfering with the horse.

Horse:
When the horse has the ability to “carry” himself with his hind quarters engaged without “relying” or physically leaning on the rider.

Why is it important?
An unbalanced rider is uncomfortable physically and unclear mentally therefor they are unable to "take" their horse for the ride and are more likely to be "hopeful" that the horse complies.

Being balanced allows you to influence or react quickly, efficiently, and calmly to all situations presented.

Do you have balance?
Start self evaluation while riding on the flat

Exercises:
Ride a straight line- Can you pick a point and ride your horse straight towards it, or do you find yourself physically leaning in the saddle to try to "drag" your horse towards the chosen destination?

Maintain a consistent rhythm- Does your horse constantly change his rhythm within a gait? Have you noticed if you are offering the desired rhythm with your energy in the saddle or are you "waiting to see" what your horse offers?

Transitions- Abrupt, abrasive, draggy, jumpy, etc. these are all signs that you have not offered your horse clear communication through effective aids that can only be offered when you are riding physically balanced while preparing for a transition whether it is within a gait and decreasing and increasing the energy or from one gait to another.

Adjusting your horse’s stride- How much "work" does it take you to get a change in your horse's step? What aids do you have to use and how many times do you have to ask before you get the desired results? If you are incorrectly balanced, you cannot offer light and effective aids to offer clear communication which will cause a resistance in your horse adjusting his stride.

Responsiveness of your horse- How much of a delay is there from when you ask your horse to do something to the time he actually does it? If you are unbalanced your timing and effectiveness of your aids will cause your horse to not believe that when you do something, it means something, and he must try to participate.

Mental Clarity

2011-02-21T07:26:00.000-07:00

Assess yourself before you critique your horse.

When did your ride really start? Your ride should begin when you THINK about going for a ride. You need to raise your level of awareness that at everyone moment you are interacting with your horse (starting with when you catch him) you are influencing the "tone", energy and attitude for the upcoming ride.

Distraction, stress, goals, patience, sensitivity, work, family, “real life.” Leave "reality" at the door. If you're not 110% available for your horse, there is no way you will be able to offer clear and effective communication with your horse. If you're not completely "present", then there is no way that your horse will be.

Intention-Purpose-Self Analysis Do not brainlessly go through the motions, even when catching, grooming and tacking up. Have an initial "plan"- though this will change numerous times throughout the ride. If you set small goals (even just for every three or four steps of the ride) you will be able to break down what you are offering, what your horse is doing in response, and what changes you'd like to create a better quality ride.

If something is NOT working, try creating a change in you in order to find one in your horse. Many people think that repetition is the way to teach a horse something. Put it into people terms. If someone were trying to teach you something, and you didn't understand, if they kept saying the same thing over and over, louder and louder each time, you STILL would not understand. They would have to change how or what they were saying to find a way to offer you a better explanation. The same goes for riding. Even if you think you're being clear, you need to address each time your horse isn't clear, which may mean diverting from the "original" goal, in order to set the necessary foundation in order to accomplish the end goal.

Brainlessly offering the same movement over and over until your horse accidentally or finally figures out what is being asked of him, decreases his confidence and willing to try and learn the next time you offer something new.

TEC Full Immersion Camps- Offered 3 times for 3 days in June and July 2011

2011-02-20T18:50:00.000-07:00

We have had many requests for "camp weeks" for those individuals who would like to experience more than a one-hour training session with their OWN horse. We will offer a full immersion course with sessions continuous Friday through Sunday focusing on Assessment, Ground Work & Riding. We are restricting this course to a maximum of eight riders. For one price the following will be included: daily unmounted theory discussions, tack/equipment fitting & usage, individual and group instruction and pasture board (grass or alfalfa hay) for your horse. Sessions will begin at 8 a.m. and will end at 5 p.m. Horse arrival is to be on the Thursday night prior to the first day of the course.

Beyond this basic outline the structure and focus of the clinic will depend on the participants and their interests. Our goal is to help both riders and horses to raise their level of awareness, increase their clarity in communication with their horse, to be safe and have fun! Riders of all ages, disciplines and levels are welcome. For registration info & details: http://www.learnhorses.com/Clinics/tec_registration-non-java.html

2011 Clinic Camp Dates:
# 1 June 10-12
# 2 July 15-17
# 3 July 29-31

Effective Riding

2011-02-20T08:24:00.000-07:00

Using an aid to create clear communication between rider and horse. “Feeling a fly.” Your horse can feel a fly land on them- they can feel every shift, movement and breath you take. If they are "ignoring" your aids, there is a lack of clarity between what you think you are offering and what your horse is "receiving."

Reason- Assessing what your horse is currently offering you

Purpose-What you would like to change

Energy-Offering an appropriate physical pressure of aid to get desired result

Reward-Acknowledging the “try” from your horse and allowing him a moment of “let down”

The ideal goal is to help our horse and not just critique.

Wanting to be a horse trainer... Q&A

2011-02-15T08:11:00.000-07:00

Over the years I've had many people approach me regarding "how do you become a horse trainer?" Below is a Q& A of the most recent interview...

Hello Sam,

My name is Jerah im 15 years old and I want to be a horse trainer/ breaker when im a older. I want to know which courses and subjects I will need to take. My apologies if im wasting you time but I have a maths assignment called maths in the workplace, where I have to choose a career that I would like to do when I'm older and research it. One of the questions is to interview someone. I would interview the people at my riding school but I wanted to talk to a professional.

1. Q: What do you do in your job?

A: First and foremost there are many versions of “what I do” for a living. There are people who work as trainers underneath someone else, there are people who are hired by a facility to offer lessons or training, and then there are independent operators like me who own, run, and work ALL aspects of operating a farm and offering training, lessons and clinics. Depending on what your situation is will affect the lifestyle (hours of work necessary to keep your facility going,) pay (are you having to pay someone else to use their facility,) risk factors (do you have to continue to generate clients or do other people find them for you,) financial planning/income (the cost of running your facility versus having someone responsible for all of the overhead,) etc.

I personally have to take care of every aspect of both running a facility and offering instruction. This includes hours of maintenance on fences, weekly mowing and weed wacking, maintaining pastures and the horse trails in the woods, painting jumps, etc. I have to work in the office answering phones, dealing with clients planning/scheduling lessons and training, online maintenance for the website/blog and emails that help promote my business, keep up the book keeping, paying bills, etc. I also do all of the training, instruction and clinics. I also do all of the feeding and maintaining of both my own horses and those that are in training.

9. Q: On average, how long are your working hours?

A: My work schedule is not a 9-5 job. This is a lifestyle that I chose to participate in which means I’m on the “clock” 24/7. There is never a time when I can “disappear” and be done with work. There are pros and cons to working this way. Financially- it’s a lot of work for little pay. All of the hours of maintenance there is no pay for. All of the office work there is no pay for. But in this day and age- finding someone quality to work for you is an ongoing issue for all of us small business owners. You have to look at the cost of hiring someone who will only do a mediocre job that you’ll probably have to “redo” yourself and it’s not worth paying someone else so when it still requires you to do the actual work or fix what someone else wrecked.

AS for working with the horses, I specialize in rehabbing problem horses. People come to me based on my reputation and the quality of instruction and training that I offer. This means I can’t just have someone else handle the horses without having the same mentality as I do when I work with them. I have had many working students over the years but this too is a frustration because you offer a lot of time, energy and effort and then people think they are then “educated” and want to go and work on their own. So you’ve invested your time in someone who then leaves and there is no “return” for you.

The horse industry is not like having a “regular” job. Horses are a “luxury” sport and therefore potential client’s preferences, desires and demands are what affect your job. There are thousands of trainers who offer instruction or training in numerous aspects of the industry whether it’s by breed, discipline, level of riding, etc. Depending on where you are in the world also affects what you do. In the United States, anyone can hang a sign up advertising that they are a trainer. In other parts of the world schooling, testing and structured “levels” must be passed before one can work as a professional. Again, for my answers to you, I will answer based on the fact that I teach here in the US now.

7. Q: Do you own and compete on your own horses?

A: I spent years competing, but that is a completely different “world.” When you open the magazines and see the glossy pictures of the world class riders, the only thing those trainers focus on is competing. Even the horses they take in for training are handled, tacked up, warmed up and cooled down by someone else. Riding is an incredibly demanding lifestyle because even if you win a competition, you must continually keep proving that you can win. So there is usually a “team” of people behind the trainer showing a horse. Those trainers do nothing but ride.
For me riding for the recognition of the competitive world was not enough. When I was living and working in Europe I got fed up with the drugging, politics of the industry, abuse of the animals and financial strains that caused trainers to make bad decisions for the well being of the horse. So when I chose to open my own facility, it was with the priority of the horse’s well being in mind. Eight years ago I opened The Equestrian Center, LLC based in northern Idaho which remains open from April through October. Then in the winter I move my operation to Arizona where I teach out of someone else’s facility. In past years I’ve brought approximately ten horses back and forth- all of the horses are “projects” that I re-educate and then sell eventually. But because of the current economy I’ve had to downsize my herd to two horses.

3. Q: How do you define financial literacy?(mangement of money) Do you think it is an important skill to learn?

A: Whenever you have no boss or “job security” you must plan ahead for the here and now, for the short term and the long term future, and still leave room for the unknown. Having an initial “strategy” (with backup or alternatives in case things don’t work out as ideally as you hope) and set realistic financial goals as far as what you need to run your business versus what you would like to have must be defined. Assessing the costs required to run your business versus several options of income (based on economical times, popularity of your services, weather, location of your facility, etc.) will all affect how and what you choose to spend money on. The biggest concern with this industry is that no one HAS to have riding lessons or training in their life, it is a luxury. This means you will NEVER have a guarantee that you have earned “x” amount of money until it is in your hand. This in turn affects your decision making in the type of financial “risks” and commitments you may make in business decisions and futuristic planning. Too many people make business based decisions by being “hopeful” that they will earn “x” amount of money and therefore over commit themselves to too much debt and cannot get out of it if the money does not come in as planned.
Currently the horse industry is experiencing the largest depression it’s ever known in the US. Between general economic hardship, the slaughter laws which have completely devalued horses, exorbitant fuel prices and the increase on the demand in hay, people have to choose between their mortgage payment or horse training- guess which wins? Competitions at all levels have had a huge drop in participation which affects trainers, farriers, sponsors, and others whose business are affected by the horse industry.
2. Q: What maths do you use everyday within your job?

A: According to your business plan and strategy will affect how you choose to spend money. It costs a lot of money to maintain anything to do with horses and one must have a budget and “plan” for the daily, weekly and monthly maintenance of their situation. Basic math and daily updating of the books will keep you aware of where you are financially which will then affect how you choose to spend money and make financial decisions.

4. Q: What courses did you need to take in school to get qualifications?

A: As I said, here in the US anyone can be a trainer, which has caused a lot of problems for unsuspecting horse owners who get involved with inexperienced “trainers.” You’ll open any horse magazine and get the impression that you need to attend an equine related college in order to work in the industry, but the truth of the matter is you need real life quality experience versus theoretical classroom learning. In the past I had hired people who had graduated from so called horse programs from universities throughout the US and have not been impressed. The more hands on, real life, and varied exposure you have in the horse world the better rounded your education will be which will make you a better trainer. Now obviously if you are looking to focus on a certain aspect of the industry you’d want to be a working student or apprentice under someone who is successful in that area of focus or discipline.
Honestly in terms of education from a university, having a business degree would be most helpful, because you will be running a business and you’ll be selling your product, which will be you.
My personal background includes everything from working at race tracks, hunter/jumper barns, Dressage facilities, apprenticing under Gold Medal Olympians in Three Day Eventing, working on ranches with cowboys and focusing on starting colts, etc. I’ve worked with all breeds of horses, all levels riders, all disciplines, etc. The more varied you are in your exposure and experience the more you have to offer the public as a trainer.

5. Q: What year level of maths did you complete at school?

A: In University I completed Calculus II. But that sort of math has been irrelevant in my lifestyle. To me it’s not about the difficulty of the math, rather it’s about understanding what the numbers represent and making sure you can create an appropriate “formula” that is realistic for your business.

6. Q: Do you use calculators in your job? Which ones? (Basic, Scientific or Graphics)

A: No I was drilled at a time when you had to be fluent in running numbers either in your head or by long hand.

8. Q: How old do you think people should start working?

A: The more experience the better. I left home at 13 to train and compete but that was extreme. You can never get enough experience with the horses and you can never learn enough, even for us professionals, this is an ongoing education process- every horse and student has something to teach YOU.

Q: If you could also write a breif discription of what I willl need to be able to do to become ahorse trainer, that would be great :)
A: I think I’ve answered this above, but if you need more information let me know.

Spring Preparation for YOU & YOUR horse

2011-02-11T08:38:00.000-07:00

Even if you can’t yet feel the change in the weather yet, we all know just around the corner the temperatures will warm up and the beginning signs that another long winter is over will begin to appear…

In the meantime while you may be housebound more than normal why not make the best of it and start mentally preparing for the upcoming “to do” list the weather will initiate once the thaws begin.

Below are some ideas on things to consider. Some of them may not apply depending on whether you keep your horse at home, board him, etc. but they are all things for you to be aware of.

• Safety check on the horse trailer

• Conditioning Plan: Horse and Rider

• Assessment of Feed

• Tack check/cleaning

• Tack Fitting Assessment

• Check Arena/Riding Area Footing

Yuma, AZ Games Day

2011-02-06T16:33:00.002-07:00

When: February 26th, 2011
Sign Up: 8:00 Classes Start at: 8:30am

Cost: $1/Class (less than 3 classes) or $10/day

Each Class Winner takes home 1/2 the class entree fees!!!
Where: Burchbrook Farms, 4679 E County 13th ½ St., Yuma

All level riders (English & Western) welcome! Classes will be varied in difficulty, individual and team competition, riding and unmounted. This is a fun filled opportunity to “break up the routine” with your horse! All riders must wear an ASTM approved helmet- we have extras if you need to borrow one!

More Info

THE MISSING LINK: Understanding and Connecting the Actions of your horse

2011-02-06T11:13:00.000-07:00

Question: What does trailer loading (problems), spooking, crossing water, jumping a fence, making a turn on a gaming course, asking for a flying lead change, trail riding, herd anxiety and turning a cow back have in common? The horse’s brain.

Question: What does a horse refusing or kicking out when asked to canter or lope, a horse bolting, a horse “leaning” on the bit, a horse become aggressive when worked with from the ground, a horse fidgeting in the cross ties, a horse that won’t stand quietly to be mounted have in common? The horse’s brain.

Question: Okay, okay so you’re getting the idea. The idea for this article came about from the number of people who send a question to my Ask the Trainer page- “horse issues” from around the world including the UK, Australia, New Zealand, the USA, Canada, etc., are very similar no matter the various backgrounds and experience of the people and horses. As I review question after question, and start composing answers in my head, most days I sound like a broken record with my answers.

There consistently seems to be FOUR missing links with the most common issues or “problems” that people ask for help with:

• Lack of Awareness (in both horse and person)
• Lack of Understanding of the horse’s actions
• Lack of Clear Communication, and therefore
• Lack of Mental Availability from the horse

Most “issues” that people write about are not the problem itself, but rather a symptom of the underlining issue. How many times have you heard or maybe said yourself, “MY horse does (or doesn’t)…” or maybe, “It was all going fine and then suddenly…” or how about “My horse is really great but he just has one little problem with...” I could go on and on with these scenarios.

Lack of Awareness: So many times the person does not recognize, put value to or address their horse’s behavior until it gets dramatic enough that it cannot be ignored. The horse is not randomly acting out. If he does something, you need to believe that it means something! By then, the horse is pretty confirmed that the person is not there to help them through the scenario.

Lack of Understanding: Have you ever seen the magician move the three cups around with one cup covering a small ball. The object is for you to try and watch and follow the cup shielding the ball. The distraction of the movement tends to confuse the person watching and they usually pick the wrong cup at the end.

The same goes for horses. People tend to watch the “big” and “dramatic” movement instead of watching or noticing the small ways their horse is constantly communicating with them. Then they take the unwanted behavior of the horse as a personal offense and react emotionally instead of rationally by mentally backing up “through time” and trying to break down at what point did the horse start showing signs of the unwanted behavior. This lack of understanding causes the people who write in about their horse’s “issue” to not realize they are only attempting to address the symptom.

Lack of Clear Communication: If you spoke English and were attempting to communicate with someone who spoke Russian who had no understanding of the English language, it wouldn’t matter how many times you repeated yourself, how loudly you spoke or how much you changed your tone of voice- they STILL wouldn’t understand you.

This too often is the case of how people interact with their horse. First their behavior, energy or aids have no meaning to the horse. Then the horse who doesn’t understand appears to “ignore” their aids so they then keep asking in the same way until they get frustrated by the lack of change in their horse. Then they start using “stronger” aids (harsher bit, longer spurs, whips, etc.) and wonder why their horse still isn’t getting “it.” Then they start randomly using the same aids, with increasing severity, doing the same thing and are shocked to find no change in their horse- in fact usually a remission of “forwardness” or “success.”

Lack of Mental Availability: If you’ve ever been asked to do something that you really didn’t want to do, you can remember the feelings of physical resistance inside your body because of the mental stress you were experiencing?

The same goes for horses. When a person has demonstrated they have a lack of awareness towards their horse, then they have a lack of understanding when their horse does something, and then are not clear in how they communicate with the horse, the horse has no alternative but to mentally “shut down.”

AS many of us say, horses don’t have problems until you add people into their lives. Why should a horse demonstrate any level of willingness to “try,” to learn or to trust a person if the above three actions – or lack of – occur? Without the horse mentally participating there will only be “surviving the ride” and “hopeful” experiences- neither of which will make either horse or rider come away with a positive and motivated feeling for the next ride.

So the basic issues, “gaps” in the horse’s training, and lack of general communication between rider and horse ALL stem from the same missing fundamentals. How many times have you witnessed or experienced a “difficult” horse and stopped to actually notice where his brain was?

Have you ever watched a horse not wanting to load into a horse trailer- and noticed his head turned in the total opposite direction from the trailer? How will he ever get into the trailer if he is completely avoiding THINKING about the trailer?

Have you ever tried to turn left and had your horse “leak out” to the right? Notice where his eyes are looking? To the right. He’ll never make a quality and balanced left turn if he isn’t THINKING about turning left.

Have you ever watched a horse working cattle that kept “missing” its turns and therefore allowing the cows to run past? Notice where the horse’s brain is- if there is a lack of confidence, understanding or clarity the horse won’t/can’t do his job well.

Have you ever felt your horse “shift gears” and noticed you were hopeful that he’d slow down- wondering if you needed a more severe bit? Until that horse THINKS about slowing down, he will not, not matter how strong the bit is.

Have you ever been riding in a group and gone to leave the group and have your horse have a complete emotional melt down? Until you horse can THINK about riding down the trail with intention, his brain will be with the group of horses that left and therefore his body will try to follow his brain back to that group.

I’ll close with mentioning another key “tool” missing from most horse/people relationships: QUALITY. Too many times it’s not until “the day you need it” that a persona suddenly and randomly demands quality from their horse- without ever having offered it or asked for it beforehand. Don’t wait until the moment you NEED to get the job done to ask for quality from your horse- it starts with YOU. Every day, every moment you interact with your horse. If you’re not offering it, don’t “hope” for it from your horse.

Finesse- Fine tuning your energy in the saddle

2011-02-05T21:25:00.000-07:00

Topic_Info: Trying to get the horse to walk/trot/canter more slowly.

Website_Info: Google
Location: NY
Date: September 05, 2010

Question:
I've been riding a 14 year old mare. She was previously ridden by a person who continuously ran her and ran her shortly after she was broke (she was broken at the age of 10) and I have extreme difficulty getting her to walk slowly. When I'm working on the ground with her/grooming, she is a completely calm horse who seems very relaxed. She stands still even when she's being saddled.

However, when I try to mount her, she gets a bit antsy and starts to walk. If I pull in the left rein to keep her head turned toward me, she still walks in a circle and when I finally get on top of her, she tries to walk as fast as she can. If I slack the reins, she tries to break into a trot. A horse trainer helped me for three days and by "playing with my hands", I got the horse to walk a bit slower, but it took a lot of effort. That was last year. This year, even when I "play with my hands", she either throws her head forward or slows down for a second, and then speeds right back up. (I use a hackamore because her mouth is small, and bits tend to end up cutting her.) When I do get into a trot, it's faster than a normal "trot" should be, and it's the same with a walk; unless I keep a tighter rein on her, she tries to trot faster or get into a canter. When I canter her, she tries to go as fast as she can. I'm not an experienced rider, but I'm slowly starting some natural horsemanship, and when I lunge her on the ground, she walks and trots nicely.
Sorry if this all seems disorganized!

Answer:
Horses can very easily become patternized. This means that once a certain behavior, manner of interacting with them, or certain expectation of a type of performance is established, they begin to "automatically" respond without really mentally considering what their rider is asking of them. (Have you ever been in the shower and been distracted thinking about something else, when you suddenly stop and have to think if you already shampooed your hair or not?) They wind up going through the motions of a ride without ever thinking. The day you ask something "new" or "different" than what they are used to, is the day you start to find "holes" in their training and education.

Your horse's physical actions are a direct reflection of her mental availability. As long as she is "unavailable" to hear your aids, your ride(s) are going to be a constant source of frustration for both of you. For a moment you'll have to forget about your long term goal of a "quiet" canter, and focus on your horse's brain.

My goal when I ride, no matter what horse, no matter what background, no matter what the scenario is, I want my horse to ask "What would you like" This allows me to offer direction, influence their performance, and achieve that ideal quality ride because we are both on the same page.

Horses can easily and quickly establish patternized responses based on past experience and what has been expected of them. Right now I would guess that your horse is pretty sure that she knows what is being asked of her, and instead of being mentally available to understand what you would specifically like (in this case a slow lope)- your horse is mentally unavailable to "hear" your aids, so there is no opportunity for you to offer her an alternative idea- liking cantering slow. Think of her mind set as that equivalent to a teenager that is going through the stage of "knowing it all.

So even though your horse has been ridden for years, you may have to go back to some of the basics and re-evaluate you and your horse. In your case I would gather that there is general lack of clear communication between you and your horse. There are many ways to break down her lack of willingness to canter at various speeds. Because he is currently confident that when asked to canter it must be at a full out speed, that is all he thinks he needs to offer you. You are going to have to be able to influence his brain with alternative ideas, clarify how and what aids you use, and help him start to gain confidence when he mentally addresses you so that he can then offer alternative physical responses, rather than the current conditioned brainless responses.

First look at yourself, you will need to evaluate what aids you are using, how (specifically,) when you are using them, and with what amount of energy (on a scale of 1-10)? This will help you break down exactly at what point does your horse mentally "tune you out." Remember that a horse can feel a fly land on her skin, if you are creating a lot of "activity" with your aids (in this case the see sawing with your hands) and not getting a response, your horse is tuning you out. You’re job is going to have to “tune-up” your horse’s current level of insensitivity towards your aids.

Most people ride as “passengers” waiting to see what their horse is going to do, and then AFTER the fact, tell the horse if the behavior was “right or wrong.” I call this reactive riding. Instead you need to be “taking your horse for the ride”- mentally preparing ahead of time how, what and where you’re going to ask something of her. The more mental clarity you have ahead of time, the more accurately you’ll use your aids to communicate more clearly to your horse what you’re asking of her. She should be a mirror image of your energy in the saddle. But you’re going to have to take a few steps to establish this before you ever get into the saddle and certainly before you’re cantering and wanting to be able to influence her.

Many horses are what I call "shut down" (mentally unavailable) due to boredom and routine rides. It will take a lot of creativity to create interest in your horse so that she will begin to enjoy participating in the ride rather than tolerating the ride. You will also have to establish black and white lines that clarify which of her reactions to your aids and what behaviors will be acceptable and those that are not. The faster you can catch an unwanted response, the faster she can "let it go" and try another response.

The faster you acknowledge that she achieved your "ideal" response, (giving her a break, move on to something else, etc.,) the more confidence she will have to increase her level of mental availability and physical performance. As you increase your own awareness and thought process you will begin to be able to pin point where and when you need to do something different in order to get an alternative response from your horse.

Also you need to become aware if your horse only has a hard time slowing at the canter, or perhaps you may not have noticed, but I would guess, that asking her to perform various energy levels within the walk, trot, she probably also has a difficult time doing- this only becomes worse the faster she moves, which is why at a canter she feels slightly out of control.

To take it a step further back- I'd start with evaluating her ground work and how "light" she is on the lead rope. Does she barge past you at one pace when you're leading her? Does she display a "heaviness" on the lead rope as you go to turn? If you slow or increase your pace on foot, does she acknowledge this or does she ignore you? Everything she "displays" towards you on the ground will only become magnified once you are in the saddle and certainly the faster you ride.

Many times when working on a repeated exercise, horses try to please us by trying to do what is "right" ahead of when we have asked them. Depending on your horse's background, in your horse's case all she knows is to run, so rather than waiting for specific cues or direction from you, she "takes over" and offers what she thinks you want. There is not going to be a quick fix to undo years of established patternized rides by the previous owners. You need to have her mind available at all times to consider what you are asking. If you can influence her mind, then you can change her physical actions. The more she realizes you are helping her throughout the ride, rather than fighting to control her speed, the more sensitive she will be to listening to your aids.

Last but not least. Keep in mind that race horses run their fastest when they are straight... Mentally many horses are way ahead of where there are physically at; so if your horse is moving too fast, offer an “interruption” (such as a circle, a turn or specific task) as an alternative task to focus on, this will act as something to get her brain to slow down, and tune back in to where she currently is at. You can slowly make the task more specific, until she offers to slow down... then continue on with your ride as if nothing interrupted you... Soon it'll only take one rein to offer her a circle, turn, etc. and she'll slow down... Again, check your body language... If your weight is forward, similar to that of a jockey, you are offering your horse to run faster... If you weight is back in the saddle you are offering her to slow down...

With patience and clarity you will start in small steps (literally) to begin creating the opportunity for a two way conversation. This will allow both you and your horse to gain confidence in one another which will then lead to a trusting and fulfilling partnership that will allow you to both enjoy a quality ride. Remember, when your horse shows signs of rushing, nervousness, concern, worry or stress she is not trying to act naughty, rather she is asking for your help.
Good Luck,
Sam

Ask the Trainer: Difficulty Leading Horse & Respect on Ground

2011-02-02T13:41:00.000-07:00

Topic_Info: Leading My Horse

Website_Info: searching online
Location: CT
Date: January 27, 2011
Question:

Say that I am taking my horse out of a pasture (through a gate) or leading my horse around. If the situation arises where my horse becomes spooked or just misbehaves, (bucking, kicking out, rearing, and running ahead of me, hard to control) what EXACTLY should I do in that situation? How should I control my horse? Should I turn them in a tight circle or back them up? I am clueless!

Note: I do not own my own horse/ride often, this is a bit of a beginner question, but this happened to me a little bit ago and I was clueless on what to do. Thank you!
Answer:
First you are going to need to offer your horse a "clean slate" and assume she knows nothing. Second you're going to need to raise your level of awareness and sensitivity. The time to influence a horse's brain and then movement is not in the moment when you most want them to stop what they are doing, but rather ahead of time. A horse never randomly does something, so you'll need to become aware of the first signs your horse displays that she is having a problem, AND believe her when she shows them. Something has obviously been missed in your horse has been educated and communicated with and she has resorted to "protecting" herself by taking over and fleeing.

Most people work with horses and are hopeful that the horse will figure out what is being asked of them. Instead you will need to offer black and white clarity towards what behaviors your horse offers that work and those that do not. You will need to establish clear communication when using the lead rope from the ground. When you do something it must MEAN something.

Your horse's defensiveness towards you (her fleeing or bolting) is her way of showing her lack of trust and her insecurities. You will not be able to force yourself upon her. You first need her to just want to be near you without fear or worry before you add any level of "real world."

Right now your horse is "making" the decisions because there is a lack of mental availability towards you. You need to get your horse's brain to slow down and address you, and then she will physically comply. Your goal should be to influence your horse's mental and emotionally availability in order to create a physical change. You will start to see how little an action can create a positive change in how your horse reacts as he begins to trust and respect you will. This will be the beginning of you working WITH your horse, rather than each of you tolerating one another.

Timing, awareness, energy, sensitivity and clarity are all things you will need to establish in order to start seeing positive results with your horse.

There needs to be a clarity of physical communication (because when leading her you are using a lead rope, so this a physical way of influencing her,) she needs to understand your energy and literally match that, if you want to move out in a big walk, she needs to too, or if you would like to "creep" along, she needs to make that adjustment to remain "with you." When you stop she needs to respect your personal space and stop immediately, rather than to "fall" into a stop.
Most times when people catch a horse the horse goes "brainless" on the end of the lead and is literally drug around. The horse may be physically complying but is mentally resistant. The day will come that if there is enough stress presented, if the person working with the horse does not have enough "tools" in when they use their lead rope and clear communication in how they use their rope, the horse will get just as "big" on the rope and as in your case, bolt.

You should be able to ask your horse to first stop and think, then look and then step in a designated direction (left, right, forward, backwards, sideways, etc.) You should be able to do all of this without having to lead your horse or "drive" her (with a whip, stick, etc.) in order to get an attentive, light, mental and physical response.

Remember the goal is for your horse to ask "what would you like?" instead of tolerating being told what to do every step of the way. The more confident she feels that you are listening and helping her when she is having a problem the more she will turn to you rather than coming up with her own way of avoiding (bolting) what you are presenting.
Once you can ask your horse to first look (to address what you are presenting) and then literally take one step at a time towards whatever you have presented you will then begin to establish the necessary tools to help your horse address what you are asking.

For example let's say that you are presenting walking through the gate in your arena. Before you ever get near the gate you need to see how focused (mentally) your horse is on you. If you ask her to stop, back up, step forward and so on is there a delay in her response, does she step into your personal space, and is she walking forward but looking somewhere else? These are all things you will need to address and clarify if there is any delay, lack of understanding or resistance from your horse before you present an obstacle.

Remember that the more you can break down crossing the gate into baby steps the more confidence he will gain in "trying" to address what you are asking. The more she believes she can "get it" (it being whatever you are asking of her) right, the more she will try when you present new things.

By the time you present the gate, grooming, standing tied, etc., you will have enough tools with just using your lead rope, if you can ask your horse to walk up to the gate and stop and address it (smell it, look at, etc.) Then you would imagine that you are presenting an imaginary line that you would like your horse to follow as she crosses the gate. First she has to be looking at this "line." In most cases if she is worried or insecure about the gate she'll try and avoid it by looking at everything EXCEPT the gate. So you'll need to address helping him focus using the aid of your lead rope by being able to establish looking specifically at the gate. She will not cross the gate with a "warm fuzzy feeling" until she decides to literally look at the gate.

Once she looks at the "line" you want her to walk on, you increase your energy (probably using the excess of your lead rope - but NOT driving her or chasing him) across the gate, literally one step at a time. You do not want your horse to "survive" crossing the gate, rather you want him to think and feel confident with each step he is taking as he crosses the gate. As she is on the gate you want to feel that you could stop her movement or pick a specific place that you would like to have her move.

After you successfully help her address and cross the gate from both directions (with plenty of breaks and rests in between) you might ask her to focus on something else and then present the gate again later in the session. The slower you can have her think about what you are asking, the better the quality of her performance will be.

Remember, your safety is a number one priority, if you hear that little voice in the back of your head telling you not to do something, listen to it. Too many horse related accidents occur because people are "hopeful" that it will all work out.
Good Luck,
Sam

Ask the Trainer: Ex Harness Horse- Aggressive mare- on the ground & when ridden

2011-02-02T09:17:00.000-07:00

Topic: OUT OF CONTROL MARE
Website GOGGLE SEARCH
Location: PA
Date: February 01, 2011
Question:
I HAVE A 6YO OFF-TRACK HARNESS STB RACER. SHE'S HAD 7 MO UNDER SADDLE TRAINING. SHE USUALLY FREE LUNGES WITH NO PROBLEM. LATELY SHE HAS BEEN COMING AFTER ME. SHE WON'T LISTEN WHEN I TELL HER TO GO OUT, SHE COMES AFTER ME TRYING TO KICK ME. AFTER ITS ALL OVER SHE IS THE MOST LOVING HORSE EVER. LATELY SHE'S ALSO BEEN COW-KICKING WHEN ASKED TO GO TO A TROT. HAD THE VET UP YESTERDAY AND EVERYTHING SEEMS FINE. I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON AND I DON'T WANT TO GIVE UP ON HER BECAUSE OF THESE NEW ISSUES SHES HAVING.
Answer:

Thank you for writing and I am sorry to hear of your situation. First I am glad that you are searching for help. Second, there are so many variables that could affect what you are seeing/experiencing, what your horse is seeing/experiencing and what may actually be happening so my answers will be more to offer you ideas and perspective rather than a "fix it" solution.

First I'd like to address your initial statement of "free longing." For me, the round pen is a place where I'm looking for the mental availability of the horse, rather than accomplishing physical results. If the horse's mind is "open" to "hearing" what you are asking or suggesting, you then will see your horse physically perform as desired.

Instead, a more common train of thought when working with horses is to attempt physically control, direct or micromanage them, in order to get a change in their brain.

To put it into people terms, if you are physically resistant to doing a task because that task causes you emotional or mental stress, until you change how you FEEL about doing the task, you will never be able to accomplish to task to your full abilities. The same goes for horses.

The round is not a place to create dominance. In my mind, the round pen is a controlled and "safe" setting to work with your horse. You mentioned that when you ask your horse to move she charges, bucks and kicks. You need to first get her "thinking" forward, then her body will physically move forward, THEN you can become more specific as to where you would like her to move to. It would be the same as turning your steering wheel in a car as hard as you can, but if you don't have the car engine on and are not using gas, the wheel does you no good. Until she can be soft in how she thinks and moves forward, I would not worry as to which direction she may or may not be going.

As for your horse's actions of bucking, kicking or charging, she is trying her options. If she is resistant to go forward, most likely she is worried, insecure or fearful about what is being asked her. You may think "we've done this a hundred times before" but horses can be very good at either "stuffing their emotions"- not showing their real concern when bothered until one day "all of a sudden..." they offer some sort of dangerous or unwanted behavior. The other thing to keep in mind is your horse may have been "telling you" with small signs of resistance that she was starting to have a problem, worry, concern or fear- and you may have missed or ignored her mild pleas for help until her behavior become obvious enough to finally realize your horse was have a melt down. Her way of not "getting IT wrong" ("it" being whatever you are asking) is to not want to move.

But if you "force" her with enough pressure, her alternative is to eliminate what is causing the pressure and discomfort, in this case, you. So therefore she will charge you, if that gets you literally out of the pen, then the act of charging has accomplished eliminating a source of discomfort. The more that behavior works, the more she will resort to it.

Not knowing your horse's full history, she may really have either bad feelings associated with the round pen, or because of a lack of clarity from a person, find that the pen causes her stress. Typically, ex race horses of any discipline move out of fear and not "because they love to run." If you watch a horse in the wild, they only run when it's life and death. So, depending on how she was started under saddle after her racing career, she may have been taught to "keep it in" (not to move) when she had a problem. This may have made her seem physically compliable, but mentally and emotionally whatever was troubling her, was still troubling her even if she wasn't flamboyant in her movements.

Either way, her physical actions and resistance are a reflection of her mental and emotional status. You need to connect your ground work and your riding. Your ground work should be setting the tone for the upcoming ride. It is a safe "opportunity" for your horse to show you if she is having a problem, and for you to HELP her by addressing her problem, rather than forcing her to deal with it on her own. If you don't address the resistance, insecurity, etc. on the ground, you will then "feel" it when you're in the saddle.

As for the cow kicking at the trot and the "draggy" (backwards thinking or resistance to moving forward) attitude, these are the signs of the beginning stages of a troubled horse who does not feel that their rider is gong to help them feel better about life. Therefore, they'll need to "take care of themselves," thus the defensive behavior such as bucking, kicking out, etc. Horses do not "out of the blue" react drastically towards a person.

There needs to be a clarity of physical communication starting from the moment you catch your horse (because when leading her you are using a lead rope, so this a physical way of influencing her,) that when you do something with the rope, it needs to mean something to your horse. She should be able to think left, right, forward, backwards, sideways, etc. all by how you use your rope. She needs to understand your energy and literally match that, if you want to move out in a big walk, she needs to too, or if you would like to "creep" along, she needs to make that adjustment to remain "with you." When you stop she needs to respect your personal space and stop immediately, rather than to "fall" into a stop.

Your mare needs to understand when her different thoughts of work or if they do not. Most times when people catch a horse the horse goes "brainless" on the end of the lead and is literally drug around. They horse may be physically complying but is mentally resistant. The day will come that if there is enough stress presented, if the person working with the horse does not have enough "tools" in how they use their lead rope and clear communication in how they use their rope, the horse will get just as "big" on the rope as if they are loose.

You might be wondering how come she seems like a "loving" horse afterwards- well I'm sure there are times when your relationship with her does have quality, and so when she feels "warm and fuzzy" towards you on the inside, physically she can let down and appear relaxed on the outside. Your goal should be how find those moments no matter what you ask of your horse.

The more you are able to see and experience just how little of an action by you can create a positive change in how your horse trusts and respects you, will be the beginning of you working WITH your horse, rather than each of you tolerating one another. Timing, awareness, energy, sensitivity and clarity are all things you will need to establish in order to start seeing positive results with your mare.

So it sounds like you may need to seek the help of a trainer who can appreciate and respect working with the horse's brain in order to get a change in mental and emotionally availability. Remember, your safety is a number one priority, if you hear that little voice in the back of your head telling you not to do something, listen to it. Too many horse related accidents occur because people are "hopeful" that it will all work out.
Good Luck,
Sam

Winter Hoofprints & Happenings Newsletter

2011-01-25T08:49:00.001-07:00

Take a few moments and enjoy our winter issue of Hoofprints & Happenings. This issue includes "Ask the Trainer" questions regarding bits and an out-of-control trail horse, creating the Unviversal vs. Goal Oriented Horse, Sam's Top 10 Free ways to gain Exposure and expand your horse knowledge, and much more! If you've enjoyed our publication or know of someone who might feel free to pass it on!

Happy New Year

2011-01-01T08:43:00.000-07:00

Have a Happy New Year and may your journey with your horse be a rewarding and succesful partnership in the 2011 season. Stay tuned for upcoming events, clinic notices and more!
Samantha Harvey

Winter Feed & Supplements

2010-11-06T09:42:00.000-07:00

Topic: Winter Feed
Location: Alberta

Question:
Hi there,
I have been feeding my mare hay that is a mixture of Timothy and something else. I feed her twice a day. I am wondering if adding a mixture oats/carrots to her afternoon feed would help her keep healthy and full of nutrients for winter? Also if i could add apples? Please let me know what your thoughts on this are. How much (measurement) would also be helpful. Thanks! :)
Answer:
Feed depends on many issues, just as with people, each horse needs an individualized program, especially if they'll be in severe weather. The age, condition of the horse, fitness and work schedule for winter, boarding situation (pasture vs. shelter/stalled,) also affect what nutritional needs must be met.
Oats, apples, etc. are all sugars that will do nothing except give your horse more "energy." The first thing you need to address is the quality and type of hay you are feed. All hay is not the same, and you'll need to find out what the percentages are of nutrition in what you are feeding- usually sending a sample to your local Ag center at a University can check this. Also, your horse's dental needs should be up to date. Because horses are eating processed feed, their teeth are not used as they were meant to if they were foraging for food in the wild. Keeping his teeth floated on a regular basis will allow him to get the most nutrition out of his feed by chewing properly without pain.
Horses are well adapted to cold weather. As long as they have shelter from wind and wet, horses can stay comfortable when the temperatures plunge. A south-facing three-sided shelter with straw bedding will see a well-fed horse through the roughest winter weather. However, make sure the shelter is wide rather than deep or you'll find horses low on the pecking order afraid to go in.
Stabled horses need blanketing when they're turned out during the day, but the best blanket for an outside horse is his own full winter coat. If you do blanket your horse, make sure you take it off and brush him often. Also, realize that a blanket that is not warm enough is worse than no blanket at all. In cold weather, the hair coat stands up to trap additional warm air close to the body. A blanket keeps the coat flat.
When temperatures dip, the best heat source for your horse is extra hay. You'll want to make sure your have enough good hay to last through until next year's hay crop. To calculate how much you need, figure on half a square bale per horse per day then add some to cover for the occasional moldy bale or extra cold weather.
If your horses are kept in a pasture, to help make sure that all of your horses get their fair share of hay, spread out one more pile than the number of horses. That way when the boss horse keeps thinking another pile looks better than the one he's presently eating from, the other horses can move to new piles too.
A horse shouldn't lose weight in the winter. In fact, a little extra layer of fat to fend off the cold won't hurt. A thick winter coat can easily hide weight loss so it's important to use hands as well as eyes to monitor winter weight. By the time you see that the horse is getting thinner, it's too late.
One of the most important and sometimes not emphasized enough factors is maintaining the availability and easy access of water to your horse. Depending on your situation, a stock tank heater keeps the water above freezing. Some people believe horses can get by on snow. "Get by" they might, but so could we. Horses require a lot of water to digest dry feed. How much snow would they have to eat to provide the 5 to 10 gallons of water they need? The problem with most horses that have health issues in winter is not enough water- causing an impacted stomach- or colic. Once a horse becomes dehydrated (which they can even in cold temps) they will not want to drink. This can cause severe long term and life threatening health issues.
Below are some options for "weight gain/maintenance" without adding too much sugars or carbohydrates to the diet.
Consider adding a multi-vitamin/mineral supplements if you're feeding lower-quality hay. "Be careful when buying special 'winter supplements.' .Most of these are just multi-vitamin/mineral supplements, but cost more because they are called 'winter supplements. Really, any multi-vitamin/mineral will do as long as it is formulated for horses. Some vitamin and mineral supplements are formulated based on the type of forage that is provided for the base of the diet (grass or legume hay, pasture, etc.). Make sure to read the label closely before purchasing and match it to the bulk of your horse's diet.
In other words, there aren't any specific nutrients you should supplement in cold weather vs. warm weather; supplementation is just based on the seasonal change in forage nutrient intake that occurs in horses on pasture (Just as long as the horse is normally on a balanced diet.)
When choosing a supplement, check the label and only buy something that tells you the actual ingredients. For example, something that claims to have high levels of antioxidants, probiotics, vitamins, and minerals in a 'special formula' is a little fishy and would be best to steer away from. Stick with something that tells you specifically what vitamins and minerals are in the product and how much.
How quickly a supplement begins to produce an effect depends on the type of supplement. If its base is water-soluble, then only a couple of days to a week is needed. If it is fat-soluble, it may take a couple of weeks to months.
In addition to increasing hay rations, some owners prefer switching from oats to corn or a sweet feed in the winter. The change from oats to corn or a sweet feed is based on the impression that corn or sweet feed is a 'hotter' feed than oats. This concept of oats being a summer feed and corn a winter ration has some merit, but also has some flaws.

One pound of corn has more energy and is lower in protein and fiber than one pound of oats. But not only does corn have more energy per pound than oats, corn also weighs more per unit of volume. One coffee can full of corn has about 45% more calories than the same coffee can full of whole oats. So if a horse goes from one can of oats to one can of corn, his energy intake (from grain) is increased by about 45%. This has led to the idea that corn is a 'hotter' feed than oats. Actually, because of the higher fiber level in oats, oats produce more internal heat during digestion than corn.
Although corn or oats alone provide adequate calories, they do not offer adequate protein, vitamin, and mineral intake. Horses do better, winter and summer, on a high-quality, balanced diet of good-quality hay and a high-quality, fortified commercial feed.
Rice bran can also be added into the winter diet. Rice bran is beneficial to the horse that could use a little extra weight, or is still in training, because it adds energy in the form of fat and extra fiber to the diet to increase heat of fermentation. Rice bran is very palatable, so it will also stimulate a picky horse to eat and will increase the energy density of the diet.
Through some trial and error you'll find the "right" balance for your horse.
Good Luck,
Sam

Settled in for the Winter

2010-10-31T18:37:00.000-07:00

I've settled in after an uneventful drive with abnormally beautiful and warm fall weather throughout the 1440 mile drive. Our field is coming in nicely and after seven years of maintenence on the property here in Yuma it's finally looking "neat and tidy"- even after a six month absence - instead of the normal human size tumbleweeds and overgrowth. I will resume teaching next week. Feel free to email to schedule lessons and training.

Word of the Day: Trust

2010-10-07T08:12:00.001-07:00

Trust- the quiet, confident relationship established between a person and horse using clear two-way communication that allows the horse to mentally, emotionally and physically be available and receptive to requests and direction from a person. The more the horse can trust the person, the more "try" (mentally, emotionally and physically) he will offer during any circumstance. This helps decrease the level of "reaction" from the horse in a situation that bothers him, and instead it can become a confidence building experience.

Newly Updated Website!!!

2010-10-03T18:53:00.000-07:00

If you've never browsed our website http://www.learnhorses.com/ or if it's been a while since you last perused it we have made LOTS of changes, updates, re-organization and additions! In the last few weeks we have spent hours upon endless hours trying to make it more user friendly and easier to navigate. Make sure if you've visited it before to refresh the pages or delete your old cookies so that all of the changes will appear! If you find any issues or problems be sure to send us an email and tell us what you think!

A Happily Ever After Story...

2010-09-28T18:36:00.000-07:00

Hello Sam,

We purchased Honest from you last fall. My daughter calls him Q.T. I thought I would send you a little update.

She has spent the past year getting to know him. He had to learn how to be a family guy, we made him nervous for months for no apparent reason, nothing crazy he just always had his guard up. He now knows we all love him and he is safe and he is relaxed.

He is Kolby's ( my daughters) best friend and I trust him now too. She has competed in 4h with him this year and will add reining next summer and then they will join the high school equestrian team fall of 2011. (she is just in 8th grade) She has it all planned out LOL. They were a big hit at the Spokane Fair too!

She has to learn to work his gas pedal, that boy can move.... they did some gaming in 4H and had a blast. He changes leads like melted butter for her in western eq patterns. I don't even ride him anymore. He works better for her and he likes/trusts her, they are a team. He will follow her around like a dog. When she is having a bad day you will find her in the barn talking to her horse.

I am attaching a couple of photos for you to see them together. Thank you for picking us to be his family.

Sincerely, Ronda

Real World- Having to Medicate an Insecure and Defensive Horse

2010-09-26T08:01:00.000-07:00

Sometimes there comes a point where we don't have the option to interact with our horses in the "ideal" situation. Below is an example scenario showing that even under less than ideal circumstances, you can still "help" your horse without making him defensive- and get the job of medicating done.
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Hello Sam,

I have a friend who speaks fondly of your experience and your approach with horses. So I am hoping you can help me. Currently I have a horse with infectious conjunctivitis (sp?) aka Pink Eye. He is not trained and rather strong willed but well natured and wants to please we just don’t seem to be able to communicate with each other.
I am currently trying to get medicine in his eye and he is refusing, so far he has been backing up, turns his head or throws his head really high. This is not my preference but his eye is pretty bad and I have to get this medicine in his eye, I think he has already lost his sight.

Here is what we have tried to get him to succumb. Twine under the lip, unsuccessful lip twitch (Romeo knew what that was and refused altogether) I am worried I pushing him too hard. So we stopped asking our neighbors for help and I am just trying to get him to relax and trust me, again. Not going well, so now that I am well aware of the fact I have truly screwed this whole thing up I don’t know what to do. Tonight he was a little sheepish avoiding me (I think he is mad at me) and he back himself into the corner of his stall (it surprised me, he actually looked rather defeated). Fortunately, he did finally let me pet him, brush him and rub my hands on his face.
If you have any suggestions or ideas that will help me I would really appreciate your feedback.

Romeo is 5 years he has not been broken, I bought him year ago, with big dreams of breaking him myself and training him. He was a rescue horse that was left in a stall to starve when the owner abandoned the home.

I have to say “my bad” I got caught up in the whole childhood “Black Beauty” fantasy, only to realize at 41 truth of the matter it is a much bigger project requiring someone who is much more trained than me. He is a bright strong willed horse with a real sweet side. Unfortunately, I am the only one who sees it. I truly believe he has so much untapped potential.Thanks M

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Sam's Response:
Hi there… I’m sorry to hear of your/your horse’s situation. Sadly it’s become very common - the person falls in love with the blue sky potential of a dream and the horse pays the price. But never the less they are incredibly forgiving and most can “come around.”

You’ve got a lot of stuff to address- without the ideal “take your time” mentality because of his current eye condition. So this will be slightly “crash course” advice rather than the ideal long term. Trying to manhandle your horse into submission won’t work- certainly not if you’re going to try and get any ointment in his eye. The conjunctivitis would have to be really severe to cause blindness- he may also have other issues going on. I’m not sure if you’ve had a vet’s opinion- although Yuma is lacking for any quality equine vets- there is a clinic in El Centro that brings in good vets from San Diego once a month. If you’re looking to physically help the horse you want to be sure you’re aware of all possible health issues. Starvation and lack of nutrition in horses can have very long term affects depending on the severity of the situation.

Number one thing you’re going to have to attempt is recognizing pressure. There is spatial pressure and there is physical pressure. Right now I’m sure your horse has only been around physical pressure- holding on to the lead rope, rubbing on him, etc. Just as people like personal space, so do horses. I would start of with desensitizing “101” by having a halter and lead rope on him- leading him around, stopping, rubbing on whatever body part he presents- (head, side of face, under jaw, neck near head, etc.) and as soon as it seems to feel good, walk off and let him follow you. Too many times people “love” their horses and hover around them, constantly touching and “harassing” them and it drives the horse nuts. The length of the time you are rubbing him may start off at 3 seconds or less. As he shows signs of becoming more relaxed to your touch, you’ll touch him slowly increasing how long you’re rubbing on him before you walk off. I’m sure right now he’s pretty convinced that when you’re handling him it’s to do something that makes him uncomfortable, and therefore he acts defensive towards you to avoid having his eye messed with.

I also have a feeling a “pattern” has emerged in how you interact with him and how he responds to you. Horses are great people trainers. You’re going to have to establish that when you do something, it means something. Like when leading him with the rope, if you walk off, he should be right with you. If you halt, his feet should stop as soon as yours do. Too many times horses have a “teenager” attitude and only offer the bare minimum and people accept that. Until a situation like trying to get eye ointment on arises, people don’t see the “holes” in the level of respect or lack of from their horse towards themselves.

You’re going to have spend multiple short periods daily (3 to 4 minutes or less to start in each session with him) catching your horse, rubbing on him and then turning him loose again, because you’re going to have to re-establish you’re not catching him ONLY to medicate him. You’re going to need to establish being able to rub with your hand and rag ALL over his face, neck, etc. without him trying to “slam” you with his head, knock you away, or flee from the “pressure” of your hand touching him. You’re going to need to establish him yielding to the pressure of the lead rope. If you draw it towards you, he should follow the pressure of the rope, as soon as he does, you should be releasing the pressure the rope is causing, to show him you’ve acknowledged his effort. You’re going to need to establish if you draw his brain (and head) towards your left or right, he needs to lightly turn his head towards or away from you… If you send a “feel” down the rope (having the line ripple until the snap under his chin pops him the jaw) he needs to stop immediately what he’s doing.

All of these tools you’re going to need to get ointment in his eye. Because every time he tries to avoid you- you’re going to have to have multiple “tools” of communication that MEAN something to him, in order to address what he comes up with as an “alternative” to when you’re trying to medicate. After he runs through his “options” and you’ve addressed each one, he’ll finally stand and let you medicate him. Again, by the time he’s reached this point of being pretty confirmed that being around you means discomfort and stress, it’s going to take a bit to “undo” that mentality and build trust so that he can stand quietly for you. Short and multiple sessions of working with him- not hour long “harassment.” You want your horse to want to participate. Remember, always end on a good note- if your horse “tries” you MUST acknowledge it by leaving him alone. Too many times a horse finally “tries” for a person, and then the person takes advantage of the effort and demands more from the horse.

Good Luck,
Sam
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Horse Owner's Response:

Samantha,

I just wanted to give you a progress report as to how Romeo and I are getting along and the small steps I have been taking to re-establishing trust. Early this morning when I cleaned his stall I just gave him his space and feed him. He pretty much avoided me like the plague. However, after I finished with all of the horses I headed up to the house and returned about 30 minutes later to see how he was doing, fortunately, he came to the fence and let me tickle his nose and pet the left side of his face I let it go at that and left the area again. I returned again and this time walked into his stall with a halter he walked to the other end of the stall. I decided to approach he didn’t move or refuse so I haltered him we walked the field and worked on some basic commands, he was receptive. I remained only on his left side since he is very cautious of his right side. After a little while, I did push a little bit, (because time is an issue in this scenario) I tied him to the tree so I could give him a bath. He seemed receptive, I started on the left and gradually worked my way to the right, at first he was very leery and defensive then he realized this was a good moment. I am not sure he truly relaxed but it was a turning point. After he was done with his bath I rewarded him by letting him pasture for awhile and return to his stall on his own. I gave him his space.

A couple hours later I returned again, casually waiting outside his stall for him to approach to be scratched this time I didn’t have to wait so long. I gave him some affection and then moved on by using this opportunity to give my other horse a bath and check her eyes (so far so good – knock on wood). As I returned to my stock area I would take a few minutes to pet and scratch Romeo, after a few trips I could rub my hands on the right side of the face but only for a few seconds. After about an hour of grooming and cleaning Chelsea I wanted to try haltering Romeo again, so I entered Romeo’s stall he returned to far end of his stall this time I didn’t follow instead I stood, halter in hand waiting patiently for Romeo to come to me. He was puzzled but came forward cautiously trying to figure out what I was up to. I just waited until his head was practically in my chest ready for me to halter him. At this point, I placed the halter on his and we simply walked around then tied him up in his stall. This time I applied fly spray using a cloth so I had to touch his body with a cloth and my hands. The sound from the spray bottle made him a little uneasy but I backed off and let him think about it when he took a step toward me and leaned in I continued. He was fine at this point. When I removed the halter he followed me wanting more affection.

We have not attempted the medicine, however I was able to wash his eye and I figured I could attempt some medicine on a cloth tomorrow and see how reacts. I figured after three days of fighting he deserved a break. I am sure medically this may have been a bad decision but we were getting nowhere and relations were taking a drastic nose dive, so I made judgment call. If you have any suggestions beyond your prior advice or believe I am missing the point I would appreciate your feedback especially before I return to the scene of the crime.

Again, I really appreciate your feedback.
M and Romeo

Ask the Trainer: Introducing a new horse into the herd

2010-09-26T07:50:00.000-07:00

Ask the Trainer: Introducing A New Horse
Location: New Jersey
Date: September 23, 2010

Question:
What is the best way to introduce a gelding into the herd (3 other horses)? My horse was the alpha horse until he was injured and had to be separated for 6 mo. He has recuperated and now needs to go back with the other geldings. He still thinks he is the alpha horse. There was one new addition, added a couple of months ago, which my horse has never been with. When we turned them out it was not good. My horse is not mean but wants it known he is the alpha horse. The newcomer also thinks he should be the alpha horse. I can give you other additional info because I have had someone send me a trainer's advice I did not like.

Answer:
I personally think the more socializing horses do, the happier and healthier they are mentally, physically and emotionally. But at the same time if a "new" (in your case returning) horse is creating a stress or is stressed, being with the herd can cause a continual stress and anxiety.

Whenever introducing one horse into the herd I like to take the lead horse away from the herd and let the new horse and one of the "low man on the totem pole" horses from the herd get to know each other without the distraction or overconfidence from the rest of the herd. Once the first two horses get to know each other then I would add another "low man" from herd. I would keep doing this until eventually you have introduced all horses with the lead or dominant horse last. This way, if the lead horse challenges the "new" horse, the "new" horse has a few buddies already in the herd and will be able (if space if not an issue) find a balance to "hang out" without confrontation from the lead horse.

Below are some other things to keep in mind before re-introducing your horse.

Separating the sexes:
I typically keep my mares and geldings separate so that we don't have any "ego" issues with the geldings when the mares are cycling (which they tend to do at the same time).

Young and older horses:Generally the older the horse the more confident they are. The young horses are going to be like "little brothers" that are constantly testing the boundaries of where they fit into the herd. Do not be surprised if you see them physically reprimanding the youngsters for a few days until they sort out the pecking order.

Pasture size:
The size of the pasture should be plenty adequate for the number of horses you are planning on having turned out... There will always be one or two horses that typically prefer spending time away from the herd, and you would want to make sure there is plenty of room in their pasture that they can do so without being bothered by the rest of the group.

Fencing:
Depending on the quality and safety of your fencing and how much the horses respect it I would rather not have new horses messing around over the fence trying to meet their new neighbors...

More accidents and injuries have happened with horses kicking or trying to climb over fences when introduced to new horses... Although there are also plenty of horses that show up somewhere new and could care less about their neighbors... Arabians usually are very curious about life and wind up "inspecting" everything and anything new... Remember that even if your horses have been "okay" with mediocre or not horse friendly (such as barbed wire) fencing does not mean that the new horses will be just as okay or safe in it.

Feeding time:
Make sure if you are feeding in the pasture that you space out the piles of feed and always add one more extra pile than the number of horses eating. You don't want to have "warfare" at feeding time because the more confident horses are worried about getting enough feed and are constantly chasing off the less confident or "low man" horses. Battles at feeding time can cause numerous long term issues both physically and emotionally to the insecure horse being chased away.

Change in diet:
Also be sensitive to any sudden changes in diet with the new herd. If they have been kept in stalls all of their life and you suddenly change them to grazing 24/7 if their bodies are sensitive you could have health issues. You mentioned a few of the horses were older, I'd check every body's teeth to make sure they do not need any dental care so that when they transition from their old lifestyle to the new one they at least do not have any physical concerns.
The list can go on and on of things to keep in mind but above were a few basics.
Good Luck,
Samantha Harvey

Possible Full Immersion clinic with Samantha Harvey

2010-07-01T06:55:00.002-07:00

I’ve had quite a few people write to say that the dates I had for the first two Full Immersion Camps were too early in the season. So this is a feeler email for a possible five day clinic that would be held here at TEC in Sandpoint, ID from Wednesday August 4th through Sunday August 8th. Participant fee is $700 – includes clinic instruction, pasture board and grass or alfalfa hay. The auditing fee is $40/day or $150/wk. If you would be arriving from out of town Tuesday night arrival is suggested. All out of state horses negative Coggins and Health Certificate required. Horses do not need to be shod as we are on all sand footing. To find out more about the camps please view the above link. If you have any questions feel free to email or call. If you are interested a 50% non-refundable deposit will be required.