Horse Training Ideas

#TuesdayTips

What Should I Focus on Next with My Horse? Refinement.

By Samantha Harvey, Founder — Alternative Horsemanship™ the Remote Horse Coach

"What should I focus on next with my horse?" I frequently hear this question from students and other equine enthusiasts who are struggling to find a goal, a direction, or are simply unsure of what to focus on during their horse time. The answer is always the same: Refinement.

Irrelevant of whether you ride for pleasure or compete, or if you only work with your horse from the ground, every interaction is an opportunity to improve your and the horse's skills.

Why? Every single task — catching, leading, grooming, working at liberty, tying, tacking, mounting, trailer loading, riding out, navigating obstacles, moving livestock, roping, packing in the mountains, ponying, jumping, riding long distance — all rely on having the hundreds of adaptable skills needed to effectively communicate with the horse in a manner that does not trigger his defensiveness.

I have had so many behind-the-scenes discussions with equine professionals as we all struggle to "motivate" the public in understanding the importance of refinement. To address all current horse problems or challenges, and to achieve future goals, it is crucial to develop and refine the foundation in both the human's and the horse's education.

It isn't the "quick fix" answer, nor is it an "easy" solution sold across so many platforms peddling horse gimmicks. There are no shortcuts.

You can study theory for years, but you need the reality of in-person, hands-on experience. The more intentional your horse interactions, the more your awareness increases — and the better you can learn to understand the horse's communication, refine your aids, and improve your timing. All of this directly influences the horse's "success" in what you're asking of him.

So, where do you start?

Refining Your Horsemanship: Building the Foundation

Irrelevant of your chosen discipline, the ideal goal with each ride is to refine your horsemanship with your equine partner. This begins with creating a willing, responsive, and reasonable equine partner. If riders learn to prioritize their mental focus, they can accurately assess and address their horse in his current state.

Below is an initial checklist to reference before, during, and after an interaction with the horse. The answers can help clarify the missing pieces in your communication. Equine enthusiasts need to learn how to assess the what, who, when, where, and why of each scenario with the horse in order to identify what needs refinement.

What

This is a combination of evaluating, considering, and attempting to gauge the horse's mental and physical availability from the beginning to the end of an interaction — whether from feeding time to after a ride. The assessment can reflect triggers, anticipation, and behavioral patterns, and what root cause(s) need to be addressed while helping humans adapt their expectations of the horse.

Who

The Human — Before starting with the horse, assess your own attitude, emotional state, and physical state. If you're distracted, stressed, or working under time constraints, it will affect your focus. If you are not 100% mentally present, it is unfair to expect 100% from the horse. Equines are hyper-aware, including of a person's mental, emotional, and physical energy — which they often mirror back in their behavior.

The Horse — Where is his mind? Is his brain with his buddies? How does he look physically? Is he stiff or sore from age, health, or earlier exertion? Has he recently had farrier care, vaccinations, medication changes, chiropractic adjustments, or tack changes? Has his diet changed, or is he bothered by gut health issues? Do you see him lie down to sleep? Is he constantly moving chaotically, emotionally stressed, fixated, or fearful? Does he offer a patterned response every time he sees you?

When

The assessment should begin before the horse is even caught. Did he willingly offer to be caught, without treats? Did he flee, walk away several times and stop, or let you approach while turning his head away and merely tolerating being caught? After haltering, is he anticipative, pushy, hurried in his energy, or heavy on the lead?

Where

Passing through the gate or stall door, is he triggered? When it closes, does his attention stay present, or does he look for food? While being led, does he walk too slow, too fast, or hang heavy on the lead rope? In the grooming area, is he distracted by other horses or activity? Does he hover in your personal space? Does he stand softly, or with tension, while being tacked up — and does his anxiety or fidgeting increase as tacking progresses?

Why

Each aspect of the human/horse interaction affects the next. By the time he is ready to be mounted, the horse will already have communicated his mindset. If he displayed distracted, bothered, fixated, defensive, tension-filled, or anticipative behavior on the ground, this will transfer into the ride and affect its quality.

When handled from the ground, a horse's initial mental concerns will not diminish by demanding more physical exercise or imposing patterned interactions once mounted. Instead, this teaches the horse to become defensive toward the rider, and/or he learns to shut down mentally or become increasingly physically resistant.

The assessment continues while riding, so you can address what the horse needs support with on that particular day. Below are the foundational elements necessary to accomplish any equine-related goal with quality.

The Horse

• Softness — the horse's mental and physical willingness to follow or yield to pressure communicated through the rider's hands, seat, legs, and energy.
• Suppleness — relaxation throughout the horse's body, allowing him to independently move body parts without losing his softness.
• Relaxation — the horse's ability to focus on the physical task without retaining tension in his body.
• Engagement — the lifting of the horse's back so his hindquarters can step underneath his spine, carrying the majority of his weight behind. This allows soft, independent movement through his head, neck, shoulders, rib cage, and hocks.
• Balance — the horse's ability to carry his weight consistently by engaging his hindquarters, rather than leaning on the rider's hands.
• Responsiveness — the brief reaction time it takes him to mentally and physically respond to the human.
• Effectiveness — how quickly and softly the horse responds to a minimal aid from the rider.
• Adaptability — the horse's willingness to let go of one thought and focus on another, followed by a soft physical response.
• Awareness — the horse's ability to stay present in his surroundings while prioritizing his focus on the human.

The Rider

• Evaluation — real-time recognition of what the initial intent was, what aids were used to communicate it, how the horse responded, and whether follow-through was needed to help him find a softer, more willing response.
• Feeling — not relying solely on what you see, but re-sensitizing what you feel in the horse's movement and energy, to improve the timing of your aids.
• Adaptability — the human's ability to offer a varying degree of energy in their aids and communication, and to adapt the moment's goal to best support the horse.
• "Taking" the horse for the ride — proactively communicating the specifics of the desired response, rather than reactively critiquing the horse for a lack of initial guidance from the human.

Most people are asking unreasonable things of their horse with minimal to no consideration for just how limited the animal's education is.

The above may seem like "a lot" for many folks. The reality is that most people are asking unreasonable things of their horse, with minimal to no consideration for just how limited the animal's education is. The "holes" usually don't become apparent until the day something changes — an emergency, or someone new has to handle the horse — and then the human is left wondering why things fell apart. The kindest thing anyone can do is educate themselves and their horse.

Think of sending a seven- or eight-year-old child off to navigate city life alone. You'd laugh, and you'd think it obvious they would struggle, for numerous reasons. Yet with horses, many people carry similarly unrealistic expectations — without recognizing how unclear much of their communication actually is, mostly because addressing it feels like an inconvenience. This leaves the horse in a continuous "lost" state, potentially overwhelmed every time something more, or something new, is asked of him.

— Samantha Harvey, Alternative Horsemanship™
The Remote Horse Coach

Curious about a professional perspective?

Join me for an Intro Consult as an opportunity to discuss where you are with your horse, ask questions, and pinpoint what aspects of your equine partnership need refining to create positive, long-term change.

Book an Intro Consult Explore the Video Catalog

Labels: horse learning help, horsemanship refinement, horse training tips, horse behavior, horse foundation skills, Alternative Horsemanship™

Horse Learning Tips: The Secret to Horsemanship

#TuesdayTips

The Secret to Horsemanship: There is No Secret

By Samantha Harvey, Founder — Alternative Horsemanship™ the Remote Horse Coach

I frequently get inquiries from folks reaching out for help with catching their horse, loading in the trailer, saddling and bridling issues, or unwanted and dangerous behaviors. They ask for "just a few pointers," or ideas on what they can do to fix their horse's problem.

The good news is people have realized they need help. The bad news is their perspective. Each of these scenarios is a symptom, not the issue.

They all occur because there has been a lack of clear communication, the concept of pressure used in a positive manner has not been established, and the horse's initial minor behaviors — communicating his discomfort, fear, insecurity, or anticipation — have been ignored.

The Behavior Is Not the Issue

The horse's behaviors are a reflection of his brain and emotions. They are often the result of a build-up of increasing stress, which eventually leads to the obvious moments of resistance. But that actual behavior is not the issue.

The way many folks word their questions frequently feels like they're expecting an answer about some "secret" — some way to interact with the horse so he suddenly complies with what the human wants.

If there is any "secret" to be shared, it's this: stop approaching horses as if they are standing by to serve the rider. They are not. They have their own emotions, confidence levels, and history with humans.

The Real "Secret"

So if there were any secret I would share, it would be this: those who want to be involved with horses need to take the time to educate themselves. This does not mean watching one set of DVDs and believing you have all the answers.

Any quality horseperson will tell you horsemanship is a continually evolving journey, even for the most experienced among us. Every horse has something new to teach the human. There is no "endpoint" in the journey of learning — and that statement disheartens many folks, because society has taught us that instant gratification is a positive thing. It is not. It creates the illusion of success, without the true commitment to learning knowledge.

Start With Yourself

If you are having issues with your horse, my best advice is to start with yourself. How much time have you put into your own education? Not everything you learn, or everyone you learn from, will mesh into how you interact with your horse. Perhaps it's learning what not to do.

The average pleasure horse enthusiast doesn't have enough hours in the day, nor enough exposure to a variety of horses, to achieve the skill-set they're striving for without reaching out to further educate themselves.

So as a starting point:

• Remove the self- or society-imposed expectations that you "should" be doing X, Y, and Z.
• Eliminate the pressures of past events and occurrences.
• Delete the critique from your vocabulary and replace it with a positive alternative lingo.

Then allow yourself the time and opportunity to learn — whether you have access to a variety of horse facilities and events, or you're limited to reading articles. Start to absorb information. Question the ideas, notice where you don't have an understanding or where you have misgivings, and probe further until you find clarity.

What About Learning From Videos?

I know watching horse trainer videos seems like an easy way to learn. Here are some things I've begun to notice, as the person who has often had to "fix" what someone attempted to emulate with their horse after watching a training video:

• A. Many horse instruction videos aren't taught with clear communication, so the viewer doesn't realize what they're missing.
• B. The action the viewer is trying to learn — trailer loading, for example — is often far down the path from the interactions and communication they should be starting with their horse. (Like people trying to write paragraphs without using a full alphabet.)
• C. Many videos teach in a clear-cut step 1, 2, 3 manner. This makes the information seem easily understood while watching. Then the person heads out to practice with their horse — and the horse offers a response not addressed in the video. Now what? They don't know, because they were trying to copy a task, rather than understanding how to present the necessary conversations to accomplish it.

When people are only trying to emulate what they see, they miss the mental concept of intention. They're not understanding the nuances of when the horse is asking versus telling. They're missing all of the necessary, pre-established "tools" and options in how they communicate.

10–15 Minutes a Day

I am very well aware there is limited time in our already hectic days. But if each horse enthusiast spent just 10–15 minutes a day specifically focused on learning — without the horse in hand — there would be massive improvements in their awareness, understanding, and approach.

Yes, it may take time to sift through all the different training philosophies and mentalities out there. My suggestion: when you hear, read, or watch horse-related information, consider whether it falls into any of these three categories. If so, perhaps it isn't offering the positive support you'd like to incorporate into your own horsemanship.

• Is it ego-based versus supportive of the horse?
• Is it about "making" the horse, or challenging him to get "it" right?
• Is it focused on task accomplishment, irrelevant of the horse's behavior?

Enjoy the Journey

And last but not least — I'll be cliché — learn to enjoy the journey. Learn to quiet your mind and be present in the moment. Appreciate what you're learning, when you and your horse are trying, even if it feels like you're searching and experimenting. Acknowledge you and your horse's efforts.

In the end, this is what the real "secret" to growing into a quality partner for your horse really is.

— Samantha Harvey, Alternative Horsemanship™
The Remote Horse Coach

If this way of thinking speaks to you

Join me for an Intro Consult is a conversation. It's an opportunity to discuss where you are with your horse, ask questions, and learn to pinpoint what aspects of your equine partnership need to be addressed to create positive, long-term changes.

Book an Intro Consult Explore the Video Catalog

Labels: horse learning help, horse training tips, horsemanship help, horse behavior, horse trainer tips, equine behavior problems, horse skills, horse learning, ask the horse trainer advice, Alternative Horsemanship™

September 2026 CA Horse Help Clinic Participant Openings Alternative Horsemanship™

Alternative Horsemanship™ Clinic

Southern California Horse Clinic Participant Availability

By Samantha Harvey, Founder
Alternative Horsemanship™ — The Remote Horse Coach

A couple of last-minute cancellations came in for the September clinic in Southern California. I wanted to use to explain how these personalized clinics work.

One horse, one rider, my full attention, for the whole session.

Choose from: 1-hour private or a half day (3.5 hours), offered at your boarding or private facility.

Often, people come for help with the spook that "comes out of nowhere," the horse that's fine until he isn't, the "disinterested" horse, the one with a trailer loading "problem," or the equine that displays "girthiness." All of these are symptoms of a root cause (or causes), showing up in various unwanted, resistant, defensive equine behaviors.

The premise behind Alternative Horsemanship™: I'm not interested in teaching you a standardized technique or method. I genuinely care that horse enthusiasts learn the difference between containing or masking unwanted behavior and learning the skills to communicate effectively with the horse long-term. Prioritizing how to translate the horse's feedback, and how to adapt the time, energy, and release of your aids, allows for what I call a Conversation — rather than the typical Screaming Match — in the partnership.

Ongoing horse challenges? Unsure of "what" to do, or "how" to help your horse?

"The horse is doing the best he can based on the communication the human has provided."

A 1-hour private is often enough to gain clarity and define the root cause(s). The half day allows for time to focus on helping you recognize and "translate" the horse's communication while also learn fundamental skills to help him.

• Dates: September 2026- 18th, 20th, 23rd, and 24th
• Times:1:30–5:30pm
• Teaching location: Private or Boarding Facilities in Riverside County, Orange County, San Diego County, East County, California
• Cost: 1-hour private session — $125 each; half-day private — $450

If you have any questions or would like to participate (please include the date, location, and format preference), email me.

As always — thanks for reading, and for trusting me on your horse learning journey.

— Sam

Horse Learning Challenges- Unwanted Influences

Unhelpful Horse Opinions

Silencing the Undesired Input

By Samantha Harvey founder
Alternative Horsemanship™ The Remote Horse Coach

I was reading a non-horse related article geared towards coaches the other day, and it made me think back to many off-the -cusp remarks I have heard (and experienced first hand) over about "toughing it out" with "hard, difficult, belittling" coaches.

For people of certain eras, decades, and generations, there was a deeply ingrained mindset, to prove you had "what it takes" to be successful at something, you had to put up with (without complaint) whatever disrespectful, degrading comments, commentary, and criticism the holier-than-though coaches threw at you. While I won't dive into the human psychology of the far too many toxic coach/student relationships, or why people pay others to mentally and verbally abuse them (far too prevalent in the horse world), I did want to touch on the "what it takes" mindset.

Learning horse skills to replace the chaos

Not to burst anyone's bubble- but here's what I have found in the idealistic versus reality of the everyday horse lover:

Most equine enthusiasts are never going to be high level competitors.

If they do compete, it is usually for working towards a goal and the comradery, not trying to "move up" in the horse world to become a professional.

Most of the people who are awed and inspired by the big, dramatic, romanticized liberty acts, are never going to do such things with their horse. The same goes for the infamous scenes of galloping down the beach in some remote location with no bridle.

Instead, many horse lovers are pleased when their horse is easy to catch, and doesn't scare or overwhelm them during everyday scenarios.

Whether they enjoy interactions from the ground or in the saddle, the real fulfillment stems from spending calm, quality time with their horse.

Outside influences, unasked for comments, imposed judgment, and ill-spited critics- whether from friends, boarders, coaches, family, etc., can negatively influence one's horse time resulting from "just" a discouraging session to the outright long-term avoidance of horse interactions all together (in extreme cases) for fear of what others will say or do...

The lack of understanding how the horse communicates, thinks, and functions is the number one contributor to self-doubt and mis/lack/late aids to help and work with the equine. This leaves the human mentally distracted, emotionally triggered, and the horse without support. The result is a slow (or fast) building of distrust, anticipation, and defensiveness in both the human and horse.

As these cracks in communication continue to widen, the horse's increasingly resistant, avoidant, or unwanted behaviors begin to increase. This tends to trigger a vicious cycle of uncomfortable interactions magnified with the ongoing unhelpful input of others...

To help you focus on "what" may be missing in the relationship with your horse, below are six questions to ask yourself and honestly answer.

Do you:

• Create a safe space for the horse to learn in?
• Address his mental, spatial, and physical triggers?
• Reawaken or engage his curiosity when learning?
• Help him learn the skills to think through scenarios?
• Offer him time to search and try (without fear being a motivator)?
• Give him "new" human interactions that build his trust rather than tolerance?

Recognize that if you don't have clear answers to the previous questions, imagine what your horse is experiencing. Awareness in your potential lack of clarity is good information- it can give you a direction as to where to start to develop the skills to set the horse up for success and achieve those "uneventful" but fulfilling horse experiences while strengthening your horse's trust.

Virtual Horse Coaching with The Remote Horse Coach: Does it work?

Individual Virtual Horse Learning & Coaching

What Happens in a distance horse coaching session — and Why It Works

Samantha Harvey- Alternative Horsemanship ™ the Remote Horse Coach™

People frequently ask what is involved with individual virtual horse coaching and instruction, the process, and how it works. This is usually followed by, "Why does your way work when other things I've tried haven't?" It isn't about the format of a session, rather the quality, specificity, and relevancy of individual instruction.

The Problem with General Instruction

Too often, horse education is built around creating quickly, "simple" methods for a general audience and is focused on masking unwanted, symptomatic horse behavior, rather than teaching horse enthusiasts how to recognize root cause(s). Group Clinics, lessons, online videos, and books address a wide range of situations, horses, and skill levels at once- without the ability to adapt to the human's current understanding and skill level. That broad and generalized instruction leaves many humans thinking they understand a "task" and then find themselves in overwhelming scenarios with their horse because they are missing fundamental pieces in the understanding and communication with the animal. When a principle, technique, or concept — are offered in a "one size fits all" methodology, so many aspects are unaddressed that will affect how the horse responds to the human's aids. It doesn't not teach the human- or horse- how to think, search, and try. It misses the importance of adaptability, timing, and real-time assessment.

For many people, their assumptions, anticipations, unrealistic expectations, and lack of understanding of equine behavior (without assigning a human story to it,) are top contributors to why things fall apart with the horse.

Individual Horse Learning with Samantha Harvey

One-on-one coaching is a fundamentally different kind of learning.

The instruction is adapted to your current abilities, awareness, and skills. Most students start with an Intro Consult by telephone, ranging from 15-60 minutes, to speak with Sam to recognize the potential hole's in your horsemanship- and "where" to start to improve your equine partnership. Options like Telephone Instruction or Video Evaluation, Assessment, and Instruction creates the opportunity for students to learn the theory and put into practice things such as skill refinement, to break down once challenging scenarios with the horse and replace them with attainable segments that build the human and the equine's confidence and trust.

That online and virtual horse learning journey is different for every student. What is shared- is Sam's attention, genuine care for her students, and the quality of the instruction. Her coaching mantra is- "Helping Horses, One Human at a Time," comes from her belief in the value of individual coaching. Guidance is built around real-world experiences, rather than generalized, hypothetical situations.

The Root Cause Question

Most unwanted horse behaviors are symptoms. The tension, refusal, reactivity, avoidance, shutdown equine behaviors... The spook, bolt, buck— these are all reflecting the horse communicating missing fundamentals in his education. They are not the cause. They are the result of usually an accumulation of: fear, confusion, anxiety, unclear communication, mindless patterns, fear-based coercion, that has built up over time, and "suddenly" one day, the equine offers dramatic responses.

The teaching of masking horse behavior symptoms is far easier than asking humans to be accountable and mentally present. So, the behavior gets managed, suppressed, or worked around. And it may improve — temporarily — because the specific trigger gets contained. But the underlying condition that produced it doesn't change, and so the behavior returns in another form, usually more dramatic- and often increasingly dangerous- than the original display.

"Unwanted horse behaviors are symptoms, not causes. Learning to interpret the subtle, underlying equine communication allows you to recognize and address root issues rather than mask them."

Individual coaching is designed to find the root, not the symptom. That requires time, honest observation, and a willingness to look at the human's role in the dynamic — not just the horse's behavior.

The Human Variable

Horses respond to the specificity, timing, and clarity of human communication. The timing of a release. The quality and adaptability of an aid. The tension carried in either the human or horse's body. The habitual patterns that have developed without our noticing. Horses are reacting to and influenced by all of it, whether or not the human intended for them to.

During individual as the human's clarity, timing, or emotional state shifts — even slightly — the horse immediately responds differently. Not because anything was "fixed" in the horse, but because the human's intention has changed from a "screaming match" to what Sam calls a "Conversation."

Samantha Harvey spent decades being screamed at, yelled at, and degraded by top level international coaches and top level horse instructors- as that was "how things were done" to prove you were a worthy student. Today, her past learning experiences heavily weigh in on why she truly holds sacred creating a "safe" learning space for both the human and horse. This allows room for experimentation, and vulnerability to try the unfamiliar, without "worrying" about what others will think or say.

What Changes Over Time

Some people work with Sam once or twice and find what they need to move forward. They get clarity on a specific situation, a new way of reading their horse, a practical shift in their approach — and that is enough to change the trajectory of what they are doing.

Others stay much longer. As their skills develop, their perceptions, awareness, and understanding of the horse evolves- leading to new, more complex questions to refine their learning. What felt initially like a superficial "horse problem" in the first session becomes, over time, a much more interesting conversation about the nature of equine communication, about learning, about the quality of attention they bring to every interaction. Strengthening the equine partnership is not about reaching an "end point"- but more about the evolving journey.

The specific goal or timeline decrease in significance as the human becomes more available and considerate of the horse's communication. Connecting how the fundamental skills allow for a variety of scenarios to be navigated and accomplished with the horse, without increasing his fear, requires the kind of honest, specific, ongoing attention that individual learning provides.

Every learning session with Sam is recorded. Students then receive a downloadable link to replay the lesson as often as they'd like. This is a crucial factor in getting the most out of virtual learning- it releases the time pressure of "trying to remember everything" covered in a class. Countless times students have voiced how helpful it has been to have the option to revisit and review previous coaching lessons.

The Practical Shape of It

For those wondering what the entry point looks like:

• A quick H.E.L.P. video analysis ($20) gives you a professional assessment of a short video — a fast way to get outside eyes on what is actually happening
• An intro telephone consultation (15, 30, or 60 minutes) is a recorded conversation where we can discuss your specific situation and identify what is most in play
• The Intro Coaching Combo — the most popular starting point — combines a call, enrollment in the Reading the Horse behavior course, and a full video review for $160
• Ongoing telephone and video coaching, the Empowered Equine Partnership Series, and Private Mentorship are available for the deeper, longer-term work

The format is flexible because the work is individual. All learning is built around your horse, situation, and where you are in the process — not around a standardized path that expects you to fit it.

If This Way of Thinking Speaks to You

The Intro Consult is a conversation, not a sales call. It is a chance to discuss challenges, concerns, fears, lack of clarity or direction, ask questions, and see whether working with Sam is the right fit for you.

Book an Intro Consult Explore Individual Coaching Options

Top Five Horse Behavior Problems

Horse Behavior Problems- or is it something else?

Top Horse Help Internet Searches for Horse Problems Behaviors

Five Things People Type Into a Search Bar at 11pm

By Samantha Harvey  ·  Alternative Horsemanship™

Most of what brings people to articles like this one isn't curiosity. It's the specific, quiet kind of panic that happens after something has gone wrong. whether on one occassion, or the final interaction that triggers an overwhelming fear in the human, as you replay the event over and over, unsure of where to turn, or who to ask for help...

I've received thousands of questions over the last three decades through my orignial "Ask the Trainer" forum, during consults, in the Alternative Horsemanship™ Facebook group, etc. People usually are not asking the "right" questions- instead, they are concerned with things like, "what is wrong with my horse," and underneath that, the hard to admit, "am I good enough to help my horse," or, "is this my fault."

Below are five of the top searched horse behavior help searches (according to Google) — followed by a reframing of the question to focus on the root cause, versus symptomatic behavior(s).

1. "Why won't my horse load in the trailer?"

The searcher wants a technique. A rope trick, a physical tool to "fix" the resistance, or to be inspired by a video of someone calmly walking a horse onto a trailer in ninety seconds while the comments fill with "wow, magic touch."

Root Cause: How have I prepared my horse to trailer load- away from the trailer? I.e. how does he feel about physical and spatial pressure? Can I separate directing his through from his movement? Is he defensive towards how I am communicating? Do I address his counteroffers?

Trailer loading isn't a loading problem. It's a relationship question that happens to show up as the "stakes are raised"- pressure is increased at the trailer. He's asked to walk into a small, dark, enclosed space with no way to see what's behind him — based entirely on whether he believes the human standing there has correctly assessed that it's safe. Most horses haven't learned how to think, search, and try during their education. The trailer didn't cause an issue- if reflected the areas that have not been addressed in teaching the horse to be adaptable and willing.

2. "Why is my horse hard to catch?"

This one usually arrives with assumptions that creates a human story — "he used to be fine, and now the second he sees the halter he's gone to the other end of the field."

The symptomatic question focuses on the catching. The root cause question is: When about our previous interactions has taught my horse to anticipate, causing my presence to be something he now tries to avoid, and how do I undo that?

A horse that's hard to catch isn't being difficult or to wreck your day. He is protecting himself. If during his learning with the human, he consistently is triggered to be in a fearful or defensive state- he has learned to avoid being near people to keep himself "safe." The hundreds of seemingly insignificant moments (to the person) have repetitously reinforced his lack of trust: a slight increase of tension as the human approaches, a lifting of the head as he is haltered, heavy and slow or walking too fast when lead, fidgeting and fussing when tied or tacked- these all reflect internal chaos. Without taking the time to understand what is triggering, the horse is asked to "contain" his concern- until he no longer can... then he's typically reprimanded for acting out... from there he learns to avoid humans.

3. "Why does my horse spook at everything?"

The generalized answers tend to include things like: that's just his personality, use this type of tack, he just needs more practice going near/around/over scary things, wet-saddle blankets or more riding miles, then there's the guilt imposed phrases such as- "you just need to stay calm and he'll feel it."

What's really underneath the reactive behavior: A horse that has not learned how to "think through" what is asked of him. When the mind is anticipative, it is "disconnected" from the body- the horse literally cannot see what is in front of him. Everything becomes overwhelming. He cannot retain the "training"- no matter how many times you practice. If he is not learning while in a safe state, if the way you communicate triggers his fear, you are only hoping to survive the scenarios. Each one that scares him, fills his proverbial "emotional cup"- at somepoint, the cup will overflow, and the behavior comes exploding out.

Here's the part that doesn't get said enough: a horse that spooks at "everything" can have multiple contributors- from diet imbalance, lack of sleep, distrust of the human, pain triggers, and holes in his education- that all combined- creates dramatic, dangerous behavioral responses.

4. "Why does my horse scream / pace / lose his mind when separated from other horses?"

This search is usually typed by someone who just spent forty-five minutes trying to ride while their horse hollered for his herd-mates, and they're embarrassed, a little angry, and mostly just exhausted.

The real question: Why is the horse's search for security increaed (seeking the herd) despite the human's communication? What is missing in the interaction that leaves the horse "searching" for help from other horses?

Separation behavior gets labeled as "herd-bound" like it's a fixed setting some horses come with and others don't. In my experience, it's less about the horse being incapable of separation, and more about whether he's ever been given any other reliable reference point for "okay" besides "near other horses."

5. "Why won't my horse stand still for the farrier / vet?"

The search is often paired with words like "stubborn," "rude," or "disrespectful" — words that say more about how exposed and frustrated the person felt standing there apologizing to the farrier than about the horse himself.

The foundational hole: Why does my horse fight me on this one specific thing, when he's "fine" for everything else?

Feet are one of the few places on a horse's body where he is, for a moment, three-legged — a vulnerable position for a prey animal. The horse's entire nervous system is built to avoid, because three-legged is how you get caught. Asking a horse to stand on three legs for an extended period, head restrained, while a stranger does something he can't see, asks him to override something very old and very deep. Most horses can tolerate doing this. But there is a drastic difference in "what they can tolerate" and "this horse has been educated in a manner that prepared him" for what is being asked, leading to very different outcomes.

What do these five "horse behavior problems" have in common?

None of these are horse training problems in terms of a missing skill, cue, or relying on a piece of equipment. They're reflecting foundational holes in how the horse has been educated. If the human's communication has no meaning to the horse, triggers his fear, or creates defensive behvior, the person does not have the ability to influence how the horse thinks, searches, tries, or interacts. In each scenario, the horse is responses reflect his history, nervous system, and what he's been taught (even if unintentionally.) If the human is fixated on finding a solution to mask, contain, or create compliance in the equine, they are masking a symptom- which is why every interaction in the stressful scenario seems to make the horse's behavior worsen.

The good news if you are searching, is that you are being honest that how things have been occurring between you and the horse is not working. The first step in creating a different outcome is having the mental awareness and openness to ask for help.

Recognizing you might be "asking the wrong questions"- focusing on symptoms and not root causes, then allows you to reframe your perspective, awareness, and understanding as to "why" something is occurring. It gives you a "starting point" to break down the big picture, into smaller segments and learn where you communication and the horse's lack of understanding is a combination leading to a lack of change.

— Samantha Harvey, Alternative Horsemanship™

If this way of thinking speaks to you

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Why the Horse Training Hasn't Worked

Perspective & Approach

You've Tried the Trainers.
Here's Why It Hasn't Worked.

Your skepticism about horse professionals is probably well-earned. Let's talk honestly about what's actually going on — and what it would take to change it.

By Samantha Harvey  ·  Alternative Horsemanship™

I'm going to start with something most people in my profession won't say: if you've worked with multiple trainers and clinicians and still feel like something fundamental is missing — if your horse is "better" for a few weeks and then isn't — your instinct that something isn't right is probably correct.

That's not a comfortable thing to say, because I am a trainer and clinician. But after 30 years of working with horses and humans on six continents, I've seen the pattern repeat too many times to pretend otherwise.

The frustrating part isn't that people are trying. Most horse owners I've worked with are trying very hard. The frustrating part is that most of what gets offered in this industry is focused on the horse — on changing his behavior, managing his responses, producing a more compliant animal — without honestly addressing the variable that is actually most in play: the human.

The Symptom Gets Fixed. The Cause Doesn't.

When a horse has an unwanted behavior — refusing, tension, defensiveness, reactivity — the standard professional response is to address that specific behavior. The pulling, the spooking, the bucking, whatever it is. And often it gets better, at least for a while. The trainer addresses it, demonstrates something that works in their hands, the horse responds — and the owner leaves feeling like progress was made.

But here's what doesn't get addressed: why that behavior was happening in the first place, and what role the human's communication, timing, awareness, or emotional state played in creating the conditions for it. A horse that is tense and reactive is telling you something. Most training "fixes" the telling, not the thing being told.

"Unwanted horse behaviors are symptoms, not causes. Learning to interpret the subtle, underlying equine communication allows you to recognize and address root issues rather than mask them."

I use the word "surviving" to describe what many horse-human interactions actually look like, even when they appear functional. The rider gets through the session, the horse doesn't do the really bad thing, nobody got hurt. But neither party was actually communicating with the other. The human was managing, and the horse was tolerating. That's not a partnership — it's an ongoing negotiation between two unclear parties, and it's exhausting for both.

The Human Filter Nobody Talks About

Here's the thing about horses — they are the most honest communicators most humans will ever encounter in their lives. They have no agenda. They are not being stubborn, ornery, or difficult on purpose. They respond to what is actually being offered to them, which is why the same horse can be completely different depending on who is handling him.

What they respond to is clarity, consistency, and someone who is actually present. What most humans bring to the interaction — without realizing it — is anticipation, emotional filtering, unconscious habits, and unresolved tension from the last thing that went wrong. The horse feels all of it. He doesn't know what to do with it. He responds in ways that then get labeled as "bad behavior."

I warn students when they begin learning this: once you can see it, you cannot unsee it. That's both the gift and the difficulty of this work. Because once you genuinely start to understand what the horse is communicating, you realize how much of what you thought was happening in your interactions was actually just your own story layered over the top of the horse's real response.

What Most Professionals Are Incentivized Not to Tell You

I don't say this to be harsh to my colleagues, but the economics of the training industry create a particular kind of pressure. Clinicians who fill arenas rely on dramatic visible transformation in a short window of time. The before-and-after, the moment of connection, the horse that was "bad" and is now "good." Those moments are real. But they happen in the trainer's hands, with the trainer's timing, read, and awareness — and then the owner goes home without the foundational understanding that made those moments possible.

The result is a cycle that I see constantly: take a lesson or attend a clinic, feel inspired and hopeful, go home, things gradually slide back, take another lesson or find another clinician, feel hopeful again. The horse gets older and more confirmed in his patterns. The rider gets subtly more discouraged, even if they can't quite name it.

The students who make the most lasting progress in their horsemanship are not always the ones who improve fastest. They are the ones who become genuinely curious about the process of learning, rather than focused on arriving at specific outcomes quickly.

They stop asking "how do I get my horse to stop doing X?" and start asking "what is my horse actually trying to communicate when he does X, and what is my role in creating that situation?"

That shift in question changes everything.

What "Alternative" Actually Means

I named my approach Alternative Horsemanship™ for a reason. Not because it is trendy, and not as a marketing word. Alternative, in this context, means an alternative to the default — to the widespread industry approach that prioritizes compliance, repetition, and performance over genuine understanding of equine behavior and honest assessment of the human's role.

What that looks like practically:

• We don't label horse behavior as good or bad — we read it as information
• We address the human's timing, presence, emotional state, and clarity — not just what the horse is doing
• We look for root causes instead of managing symptoms
• We don't progress to a new skill until the foundation underneath it is actually solid
• We accept that real change in a horse-human relationship is not fast — and that's not a failure, it's honest
• We understand that the goal is a genuine partnership built on trust, not a more obedient animal

For the Person Who is Done with Quick Fixes

If what I've written here resonates, it's probably because you've already been through enough cycles of hope and disappointment to be skeptical of the next thing that promises results. I understand that completely, and I'm not asking you to take this on faith.

What I do offer is access to how I think — through articles, videos, and an introductory consultation where I can hear specifically what's going on with you and your horse. Not to tell you what's wrong or offer a formula, but to have an honest conversation about what is actually happening and whether this approach is something you want to explore further.

If you're the person who has been quietly thinking there has to be something more real than what you've been offered so far, that's probably a useful instinct to follow.

If this way of thinking speaks to you

The Intro Consult is a conversation, not a sales call. It's a chance to discuss where you are with your horse, ask questions, and see if this is the right fit for where you want to go.

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7 Questions to Improve Time with your Horse

Horse and Human Help

Improve Time with your Horse

Samantha Harvey- Alternative Horsemanship ™ the Remote Horse Coach™

I believe people can learn from many different forms of shared horse knowledge (even if it is what not to do,) BUT I find without a clear foundational basis, the constant barrage of "dos and don'ts" that drastically differ in shared horse training approaches, theories, and methods can be exhausting for the student to filter through.

Horse Learning Help - When we Stop Powering Through

Horse Learning Help

When "Powering Through" Quits Working

By Samantha Harvey founder
Alternative Horsemanship™ The Remote Horse Coach

I had remote coaching students on multiple continents this week- and the general theme was discussing breath... The students' backgrounds were drastically different, as were their ages, and horse experience.

Yet, along their individual paths of raising self- awareness to improve the relationship with their horse, each had come to the conclusion of how much "work" it was to intentionally breathe.

It sounds funny as the most basic instinctive need to survive is to breathe- and somehow, here we are as human beings, rapidly "losing" the connection between breath and our mind, emotions, and body.

Of course, this isn't just a "horse people problem," but it is magnified for those who spend time with, around, or riding the incredibly sensitive animals.

The cliche of "your horse reflects you," is an understatement.

Breath affects the human's mental, emotional, and physical state. It directly influences the quality, specificity, timing, and effectiveness of communication with the horse.

It is not something that can be brushed aside as a, "I'll work on that someday..." if the goal is to evolve the quality of one's relationship with the horse.

I've had various students describe trying to re-learn how to "breathe naturally" as:

• *Feeling like their chest was being compressed by boulder
• *The deeper the intentional breath, the more they found themselves gasping for air
• *The more they focused on their breath, they realized the tension in their muscles increased
• *They couldn't "focus" on their breath while doing any other activity
• *They could achieve softer breathing, but then as soon as something distracted them, they'd "lose" the rhythm

I'll be honest, it is very uncomfortable to reach a moment of recognizing how disconnected we have become from our bodies. Once you realize patterns in yourself, even if you don't have the energy to address them now, the awareness is a "burden."

For a lot of years (decades actually,) much of western society's "norms" have wreaked havoc on the human nervous system; unrealistic demands, distractions, expectations, time urgencies, etc. have contributed to deregulated states as the human loses any natural sense of physical awareness they are born with.

From mobility, to breathing, to intention- for many people, what came naturally as a child, dissipates the more "societal influenced" people become as they unintentionally drift away from what was once instinctive responses.

When I first started teaching, I had intentionally titled one of my web pages: "Back to Basics"- people HATED the name. HATED the reference, and I eventually gave in and changed it.

The problem with the name, based on the feedback- was people who'd spent years with horses, didn't want to have insinuated that they needed to "go back" (society's "what have you achieved by now") or that they were still needing to learn "the basics," (society's hurry up, do more, multitask, result drive outcomes need to "prove" the time/money/effort was worth it.)

I specifically created the title because so many people were coming to me with "problem horses," but themselves were missing fundamental basics in understanding, awareness, and skills-and instead were wanting to "fix" things (symptoms,) rather than recognizing or acknowledging that to help the horse, it started with their self-awareness and availability to learn. Including, inconsistent breathing.

Society rewards the mindset of "powering through" or "making something happen," which doesn't work with horses... I mean, it may temporarily appear to get desired results with a certain type/personality of horse, but then one day, "all of a sudden..." it doesn't.

So much presented societally, socially, media wise, etc. is about using literal or figurative strength to force things to occur or comply. This also doesn't work with horses... which is why you are reading posts shared on this site.

So, coming back to the idea of breath... Think of someone who lifts weights at the gym, unintentionally more often than not, they end up holding their breath as they try to engage their muscles. The personal trainers will remind them to breathe, instead, you'll see braced, tight, rigid behavior as they anticipate engaging in the activity.

It is no difference to what I see people do ALL the time with their horses. Even if not literally thinking they are "powering" through something... whether hopeful, passive, avoidant, or trying to be "believable"- they often hold their breath.

When emotions are engaged, they hold their breath... the same goes for when someone is lacking confidence, distracted, or carrying stresses from other aspects of life.

So remember... it starts with awareness.

Don't impose self-critique or judgement once you realize what your current "norm" is.

Do see every opportunity to "reset" as retraining your brain and body- which helps in all aspects of daily life, not just your horse time.

Don't expect sudden changes in yourself if you've been doing something unintentionally for decades.

Do only attempt a minute or two at a time (I'm not kidding) of intentionally breathing... initially, you'll be mentally exhausted.

Imagine all the potential positives that could occur if you treat yourself with the same kindness as you'd offer others ...

The Pitfalls of Horse Learning

Horse Learning Problems

Removing the Rose Colored Glasses

By Samantha Harvey founder
Alternative Horsemanship™ The Remote Horse Coach

My students who are most “successful” in their horse learning are not always the ones to reach “the end results” fastest. Instead, they are the individuals who are more interested and curious in learning how to develop the skills to communicate and work with the horse, rather than resorting to seeking quick fixes, or creating stories to explain away resistance or unwanted equine behaviors.

Replacing Fear Cycles in our Horsemanship

Replacing Fear

Horse Learning to build Skills and Confidence

By Samantha Harvey founder
Alternative Horsemanship™ The Remote Horse Coach

 The fear of "getting it wrong" can overwhelm people into doing nothing. Avoidance is a common "tactic" in both insecure people and horses.