Horsemanship Webinar Series: Self-Awareness Improves our Horsemanship

Improving our Horsemanship: The Human

Working with horses sometimes appears like a magic act. We can get distracted by their big, dramatic, unexpected behaviors, unsure of when, how, or what caused them to begin. This leaves folks unsure of how to influence a different outcome or response in the animal.

By learning how to first slow down our intentions and awareness, we can begin to peel back the layers in our interactions, to better understand the domino effect of how we can influence the horse's thoughts and emotions impacting his behaviors.

You can start by asking yourself these questions in regards to the interaction with your horse(s):

*What do you see?

*Where are your thoughts?

*When do you get distracted?

*When do you rush?

*When do you avoid?

*When do you anticipate?

*When do you become "hopeful?"

*When do you critique?

*When do you quit?

We are not always 100% mentally and emotionally present even if we are physically standing next to or interacting with the horse. It takes intentional effort to raise our awareness and learn how to change our patterns in our thoughts and behaviors, which then influences the quality of interaction with the horse.

Whether you think back to past events with your horse or the next time you head out to spend time with him, start to slow down and repeatedly ask yourself the above questions.

This isn't about self-critique, or if you are doing something "good" or "bad", rather it is a starting point to help you learn how to break down the big or dramatic moments of "chaos" that seem to suddenly occur, into you recognizing the initial minor ways the horse is attempting to communicate with you.

Valuing where your own thoughts are will help you understand how many of your own physical responses are reactionary to the horse, rather than pro-active. The more you slow down your thinking, the increase in "time" you'll experience to assess yourself and the horse and then offer specific communication.

This takes effort, intention, honesty within yourself, and practice. It helps to peel back the layers of "stuff" that often convolute the human ability to "see" the horse without critique and judgment.

Unsure of where to start? Join me in the upcoming 3-part Horsemanship webinar series https://bit.ly/horsewebinarseries