Alternative Horsemanship™ the Remote Horse Coach Articles and Advice Blog: 2023

Achieve Horse Goals: Tips for Building Trust and Improving Horse Skills by the Remote Horse Coach

New Year, New Horse Goals, and New Intentions

Human Intentions influence everything - creating either a positive or negative outcome with the horse.

I often hear people fixate on the long list of all the things they don't want their horse to do, rather than focusing on how they will help their horse accomplish human goals.

Horse Rider Mindset Motivation

Mindset Motivation
I often share this quote as I work to educate folks to be more supportive of the horse.

So much of what dictates the quality and success along the horsemanship journey is based on the openness of the human putting themselves "out there" to be present.

No critique or judgment towards themself.

Letting go of comparing oneself with what "others" are doing.

Groundwork: Helping or Hurting your Horse Partnership? Alternative Horsemanship the Remote Horse Coach

Dear Sam: Horse Help Horsemanship Series, the Remote Horse Coach focuses on groundwork and discusses understanding horse interactions that can either reinforce defensive, resistant, avoidant, unwanted behavior or it can teach the horse the skills to think, search, try, and offer reasonable behavior. Alternative Horsemanship™ shares insight into changing human patterns, critical communication, assessing the horse's feedback, and other tips to build a solid foundation and trust-based horse partnership.

Can you recognize defensive horse behavior? • Can you recognize Defensive Horse Beh...

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Improving Horse Skills: Mis Perceptions of the Halt

Mis Perceptions of the Halt

Many humans view the halt as a physical yielding or obedient behavior. There is little or no concept of the difference between the feet not moving versus a horse mentally present, physically soft and balanced when asked to stand.

Horse Behavior Help: Task Accomplishment or Quality Communication

What does the mounting block, walking out a gate, loading into a horse trailer, crossing over a tarp, or passing through a stream have in common?

None of them are about the actual task. Instead, they can all reflect if there is Quality and intentional, specific communication or if one is lacking having the tools to communicate with the horse. They are Opportunities to refine first engaging and directing the horse's focus, then asking for adaptable movement.

Horse Help: Defensive Equine Behavior & Re-Education by Alternative Horsemanship

"Can you recognize signs of Defensive Horse Behavior?"

Horse Skills: Mental Focus

Mind Full vs Mindful

For people who are new to my teaching and training theories, there are many questions, followed by a great deal of pondering and brooding as folks start to question “the way they’ve always done things” with their horses.

Why are you doing "that"?...

Catching the horse that way...

Grooming the horse in that place...

Mounting on that side...

Leading on that side...

Starting the ride in that direction...

Working on that specific movement...

Horse Skills & Tips: Mindful vs Mind Full

Mind Full vs Mindful

An introspective assessment, rather than seeking “answers” by imitating others, frequently leads people to an uncomfortable stage as revelations about themselves, their behaviors, and patterns during interactions with horses become apparent.

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Mechanical Obedience vs Mental Engagement

Connecting the Groundwork with the Riding

Four for Four Horse Riding Skills

Building Confidence in the Horse and Rider

Horsemanship- What am I missing?

Pressure Points: Equine Communication

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Teaching the Horse or creating Unwanted Behaviors

Dear Sam: Horse Help Horsemanship Series

Teaching the Horse or creating Unwanted Behaviors

Are you effectively teaching your horse or unknowingly nurturing undesirable, resistant, and defensive behaviors? Gain insights into human behaviors that perpetuate fear and defensiveness in horses, and explore creating mental availability to foster willing equine behavior.

Click the link to watch on the Alternative Horsemanship YouTube Channel.

New videos are posted every Friday

Holes in the Horse's Education: Lightness vs Softness

It is my job when a horse first comes in to evaluate “where the horse is at,” mentally, physically, emotionally, and experience-wise.

One of the most basic and common initial scenarios is a horse that is “light” on the lead rope (constantly offering slack on the rope, but physically tight), when led in the “normal” position (standing somewhere near his head and drawing him forward with the lead rope.)

Horse Skills & Tips: The Unloading of the Horse

Frequently, especially if loading the horse was stressful or concerning for both the human and the equine, when folks arrive somewhere they tend to rush during the unloading and "hurry" to get the horse to the stall or pasture.
The point of the prior interactions with a horse is to increase their availability to "hear" and address what the handler is asking of them, irrelevant of the familiarity of a location.

Preparing the Horse to not Hurt the Farrier

Preparing the Horse How Not to Hurt the Farrier

Two big challenges for many horse owners are trailer loading and having their horse stand well for the farrier.

Horse Skills - Refining Understanding of Pressure

Horses, Humans, and Pressure

When we work with a horse we primarily use two forms of pressure to communicate, physical (the lead rope attached to the halter, the rein, the leg, the seat, etc.) or spatial (not touching the horse but being able to influence his brain and movement.) Vocal commands are a third, less common form of pressure.
A horse’s natural response to human pressure is to flee from it, become defensive towards it, or physically “challenge” it, which causes him to be unable to “hear” the person. The horse needs to learn that pressure offered by a person can be similar to feedback he'd receive from interacting with other horses.

Author Quote: Unknown

Increasingly Chaotic & Resistant Horse Behavior

Dear Sam: Horse Help Horsemanship Series Normalizing chaotic and resistant horse behavior

Join Alternative Horsemanship the Remote Horse Coach in this thought-provoking YouTube video as she sheds light on the ongoing issue of chaotic horses and the intricate web of unwanted and resistant behaviors.

Exclusive LIVE Content with Q & A Opportunities https://bit.ly/ExclusiveHorseContent In-Person Learning https://learnhorses.com Distance Horse Coaching & Consultations http://www.remotehorsecoach.com Alternative Horsemanship Video Catalog https://remotehorsecoach.uscreen.io

Dear Sam: Horse Help Horsemanship Series Cinch or Girth Tension

Dear Sam: Horse Help Horsemanship Series

Horse Tack Tips : Cinch or Girth Tension

Discussing cinch or girth tension, tack fit, horses with past or current pain issues, types of tack, etc that affect the tightening and stability of the saddle.

Click the link to watch on the Alternative Horsemanship YouTube Channel.

Horsemanship Skills : Following a Feel

"Following a Feel"

Those words had no value to me in my initial years of riding (groundwork was nonexistent.) I interacted with the horse offering unintentional, continuous tension- on the lead rope, on the rein, in my leg, etc. There was never a pause, time for mental processing, recognizing separating directing the thought from movement, adaptability in my aids or any conscious release of pressure towards the horse (other than during a jump.)

Horse Skills & Tips : Breath and Tension

Tips for Resetting your Breathing and Releasing Tension at the Halt

Without realizing it, many riders hold their breath quite frequently when interacting with or riding the horse.

This unintentional simple act creates continuous containment of the horse due to the rigidity the human then carries in their body causing constant chaotic, miscommunication with the horse.

Horse Riding Tips: Acknowledging the Equine's Communication

Dear Sam: Horse Help Horsemanship Series

Horse Riding: Acknowledging the Equine

Alternative Horsemanship the Remote Horse Coach discusses the importance of learning equine behavior and communication to create a solid foundation in the horse rider's education.

Click the link to watch. New videos posted every Friday on the Alternative Horsemanship YouTube Channel.

Horses "Following a Feel"

"Following a Feel"

Connecting Groundwork and Riding

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,” especially in how the quality of their groundwork is, relates to their future ride.

Horse Training Help : Containment or Skills

Dear Sam: Horse Help Horsemanship Series

Tying the Horse: Are you teaching unwanted equine behaviors?

Horse Training Basics

Teaching containment or adaptability in the equine? So many unwanted equine behaviors are taught by human interactions that challenge the horse without ever teaching the horse the skills to think, search, try, and retain.

Click the link to watch on the Alternative Horsemanship YouTube Channel

New videos posted every Friday

Livestreams with Alternative Horsemanship the Remote Horse Coach

November Alternative Horsemanship Livestreams in the Locals Community

Changing mindless patterned horse interactions leads to unwanted equine behaviors.

Part 1 Mental AnticipationsSaturday Nov 5th 9am pst

Part 2 Physical Behaviors
Saturday Nov 11th 9am pst

Part 3 Specificity & Timing
Saturday Nov 25th 9am pst

Watch the November Livestreams now

Empathy and Equines

Empathy + Horses

= Weakness

There is a constant human imposition upon each other and horses...
Unrealistic ego-based demands without having accountability as to how a person's clarity of thoughts and intention, quality of communication, adaptability in energy, accuracy of timing, and everyday mindless interactions, are constantly "teaching" horses unwanted responses that people then criticize and chastise the equine for.

Horse Rider Tips- Anticipation and Unwanted Equine Behaviors

The urgency of the stories in our head...
So many good-intentioned equine enthusiasts unintentionally get pressured and distracted by the "story" of
*last time...
*that one time...
*what if...
*what others think...
*I hope...

Horse Behavior: Engaging the Mind before the Movement

Dear Sam: Horse Help Horsemanship Series

Horse Behavior: Engaging the Mind before the Movement

Alternative Horsemanship the Remote Horse Coach discusses the importance of separating engaging the horse's mind from his movement to diminish unwanted common equine behaviors that create mindless, chaotic, excessive, movement.

Click to watch on the Alternative Horsemanship YouTube Channel

New videos are posted every Friday

Horses Pressure & Release Part 2

Pressure & Release Part 2

The reality is that many riders feel like they are begging for the horse to acknowledge them. Other folks’ approach is to “make” the horse do something through physical dominance; this fuels the horse’s defensiveness. Then there are riders who learn to work “around” the horse, limiting what they ask of them to avoid potential resistance or conflict.

Pressure and release… The missing language of a quality equine partnership Part 1

Pressure and release… The missing language of a quality partnership Part 1

A majority of unwanted horse behavior stems from the animal responding with defensiveness toward any form of pressure. Spatial and physical are the most common types of pressure people use to communicate with horses. If there is physical resistance and mental distrust towards pressure, this can lead to a wary partnership between horse and human.

Groundwork and Horses

Dear Sam: Horse Help Horsemanship Series

Groundwork: Help or Hindrance

Alternative Horsemanship the Remote Horse Coach discusses the perception of groundwork, and whether it is helping to improve your equine partnership or decreasing the horse's trust.

Click to watch on the Alternative Horsemanship YouTube Channel

Are you teaching the horse anticipation and fear?

Are you teaching the horse anticipation and fear?

Most people never consider how the horse responds to just the sight of tack or notice if there are Quality Conversations while tacking up.

Each aspect of the equine interaction influences the mental reasonableness and physical softness that follows.
While the norm (often out of convenience) is to tie the horse while tacking, the degree of bother or concern a horse may have while doing so, is frequently suppressed.

Horse Interactions : Human Goals vs Quality Partnerships

Goals vs Quality
It is very easy to fall into a pattern of setting goals and getting fixated on accomplishing them to feel successful with the horse.
In more scenarios than not, the goal is frequently prioritized over assessing if there's quality during the interaction with the horse.

I will often hear people excitedly telling me about how much they have accomplished with the horse.
Then as I watch their equine's behavior and see things like: chomping on the bit
pinned ears
tails swishing
fidgeting or excessive movement
"grumpy" faces
physical tension
rigid nostrils
wide eyes
inability to stand still (mentally and physically)
avoidance at being caught/ led/ tacked/ loaded into the trailer loading or mounted
or if every time the halter is removed the horse goes running off

Helping the Highly Reactive Horse

Dear Sam: Horse Help Horsemanship Series

The Highly Reactive Horse

Alternative Horsemanship the Remote Horse Coach discusses the overlooked contributors in everyday human patterns and interactions that create highly reactive horses and unwanted equine behaviors.

Click the link in the comments to watch on the Alternative Horsemanship YouTube Channel

Behaviors Sabotaging the Human and Horse Partnership

What is the most common issue I see sabotaging the human & horse partnership?
Containment

I define it as:

When a person is physically trying to "stop" an unwanted equine behavior, which is usually the symptom and not the underlying "issue," without acknowledging and addressing all the constant equine communication reflecting holes in the horse's education or understanding.

Misconceptions of a Confident Horse

Just because a horse is going through the motions of "doing things" and is "learning" does not mean that he is gaining confidence and or more curiosity from his experiences.

The horse may "quietly" tolerate a situation a few or even many times before he starts to show more obvious signs of stress, insecurity, or fear about what is being presented if he is being pushed to physically comply with the task given.

The Human Emotional Filter Sabatoging our Equine Partnership

The Human Emotional Filter
Frequently I've had posts shared with me about how "cute" something is in a horse, mule, or donkey's behavior. Unfortunately, when folks filter their interpretation of an animal's behavior with human emotions, it clouds their judgment in learning, recognizing, or believing what the animal is experiencing and communicating.

Curiosity in the Horse and Human

Curiosity in Horses... and Humans
One of the greatest challenges I have in so many cases of Equine Rehabilitation and Re-education is stimulating Curiosity in humans.

Horses amazingly enough, despite their past trauma, in most scenarios will still try, if given clear support and communication. As their fear diminishes, their curiosity increases.

But humans? Such a struggle. They become self-absorbed with fears, anticipation, what-ifs, distractions, and stories about "last time" which often become a fixation or mental block in their ability to be present in what is happening in "real-time."

Re Sensitizing the De Sensitized Horse

Dear Sam: Horse Help Horsemanship Series

Resensitizing the Dysfunctional Desensitized Horse
Explaining the increasingly common problems with desensitizing the horse, creating dangerous behaviors because of the equine's inability to think, try, or be adaptable to change.
Click the link to watch on the Alternative Horsemanship YouTube Channel.

Fearful and Reactive Horse Behavior

Dear Sam: Horse Help Horsemanship Series

Fearful and Reactive Horse Behavior

Alternative Horsemanship the Remote Horse Coach discusses breaking down and understanding unwanted horse behavior recognizing the equine's feedback and differences between symptoms and root cause(s).

New videos posted on the Alternative Horsemanship YouTube Channel every Friday.

Click the link to watch now. https://youtu.be/_oIaZxvmj4I

Adaptability, Humans, and Horses

Adaptability

People and horses get stuck in mental and physical patterns during daily interactions. There is often a lack of clarity or specific communication offered during many familiar scenarios.

Patience, Horses, and Humans

Patience, Humans & Horses

I've had many comments over the years about how I seem to never lose patience with the horse during moments that for most people would trigger a rollercoaster of emotions... such as in the scenarios of when a horse:

Resists being caught

Difficult to Trailer Load

Bolts when Led

Won't stand quietly tied

Avoidant towards the farrier

Has excessive movement when tacked or mounted

Is sensitive about fly spray or bathing

Is buddy or "barn" sour

Alternative Horsemanship Livestream- Improving Rider Specificity and Timing of Communication

Refining Rider Biomechanics to Improve Specificity & Timing of Communication
Part 3

Join the Alternative Horsemanship Livestream in the Locals community for a discussion on the biomechanics that influence the rider’s ability to improve the specificity and timing of communication offered to the horse.

Watch Now in the Alternative Horsemanship Locals Community
Saturday, September 30, 9am pst
Replay available

PC: Cassandra Kendall

Are you teaching the horse Unwanted Behaviors?

Dear Sam: Horse Help Horsemanship Series

Teaching the Horse Unwanted Behaviors

Are you teaching the horse fearful, defensive, avoidant, or dangerous behaviors? Alternative Horsemanship the Remote Horse Coach shares insight into common human interactions causing unwanted equine responses.

Weekly LIVESTREAMS Content with Q & A Opportunities

In-Person Learning

Distance Horse Coaching & Consultations

Alternative Horsemanship Video Catalog

Horse Questions, Beahviors, and Interactions

Horse Interaction, Communication, Training, and Behavior Questions to assess the quality of the equine interaction. This BLM Mustang was Untouchable because of human "training" trauma when I met her.

Alternative Horsemanship the Remote Horse Coach shares a glimpse into what groundwork with the horse could look like when the horse's mind is engaged, without fear or flee.

Subscribe to the YOUTUBE Channel for weekly videos.

Assessing the Horse's Diet

Assessing your horse's diet

Folks often create an initial feed program with a new horse. Years later, they tend to still be feeding the same thing, without really assessing if it is appropriate for the horse's current health, work regime, health, seasonal changes, etc.

Unwanted Horse Behavior- Pain the Equine an Unaddressed Contributor

Pain - the Unacknowledged Frequent Contributor to Unwanted Equine Behaviors

Many horses and humans live with pain to varying degrees on a daily basis. If you've ever been injured or have ongoing pain, think about the all-consuming feeling and emotional state the pain triggered in you.

Horses don't "just" pin their ears when you saddle, get tight or twitch their skin when you touch them, and move away every time you go to mount. If the horse is showing concern, tension, or defensive, please, BEFORE you focus on the "training" first start with your horse's behavior, and assess it for potential pain or discomfort.

Rider Skills Finessing the Feel Livestream

Refining Biomechanics Part 2

Finessing the Feel

Discussing limiting contributors that affect the rider’s ability to have sensitivity, awareness, and availability towards the horse's communication.

Watch the Livestream in the Alternative Horsemanship Locals Community

Saturday September 23rd 9am pst

Watch Now

Replays Available

PC Cassandra Kendall Art Bonita

Avoiding Triggering the Fearful Horse

Dear Sam: Horse Help Horsemanship Series

Avoiding Triggering the Fearful Horse

Discussing Horse Help and Problems when trying to avoid triggering the Fearful and Distrustful Horse.

Weekly videos posted in the series on the Alternative Horsemanship YouTube Channel.

Horse Question Helping The Fixated Equine

Thoughts on using the Human's Body to "intervene" with a scary object.

Answer:

One of the members of my Facebook coaching group asked me about the video with a dog where the owner used their body to "show" that a triggering object for the canine was "safe." They asked if a horse had a similar response and if I would approach it using my body the same way as what they tried to do with the dog.

The simple answer is no not at all.

Changing the pattern in
the small day-to-day interactions can be a great opportunity to safely assess Holes in your Horsemanship, refine, communicate, and build trust.

If there are any "holes," it can be a safe time and place to start changing up the Conversation, and refining influencing thoughts, without the equine getting overwhelmed. All in preparation for future unfamiliar situations.

Improving the Quality of communication builds trust and reinforces your support towards the horse. Establishing this before the day of unexpected events allows for less traumatic or overwhelming scenarios for both humans and horses.

Fall Hoofprints & Happenings Alternative Horsemanship Newsletter

Enjoy the latest edition of the Fall 2023 Hoofprints and Happenings Newsletter HERE

Tying the Horse Dear Sam: Horse Help Horsemanship Series

Dear Sam: Horse Help Horsemanship Series

Tying the Horse

Discussing the commonly overlooked aspects of preparing the horse in his education that affect and influence him standing tied without offering chaos and unwanted equine behavior.

Click the link to watch on the Alternative Horsemanship YouTube Channel.

Refining Horse Rider Communication- Alternative Horsemanship Livestreams

Refining rider self-awareness to improve the quality of communication offered to the horse.

Part 1 Biomechanics of Rein Handling
Saturday Oct 16th 9am pst

Part 2 Finessing the Feel
Saturday Oct 23rd 9am pst

Part 3 Specificity & Timing
Monday Oct 25th 9am pst

Watch in the Alternative Horsemanship Locals Community
All LIVESTREAMS are available for replay.

Improving Horse Transitions

Horse Transitions- Mental and Physical

Most horses I meet fall into two categories:

*Fearful or defensive (tight, rigid, lethargic movement) when moving forward

*Hyperreactive and overreacting with fast, fleeing movement when moving forward

Pressure & Horses- Refining Human Awareness

Pressure & Horses

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 use to communicate with them. I 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.

Horse Training Discussing Pressure & Force Free

Dear Sam: Horse Help Horsemanship Series Horse Training & Pressure

Discussing horses, human communication using pressure and thoughts on force free approaches.

Does your horse understand your communication?

Dear Sam: Horse Help Horsemanship Series Does your horse understand your communication?

Alternative Horsemanship the Remote Horse Coach trainer discusses how your horse may not understand your communication creating unwanted equine behaviors.

Horse Help- Problems with Mindless Horse Training Methods

I am the first to admit that I’m quite resistant to “step by step” methods of training.

I find that although what/how you ask something of your horse may “seem initially clear” with a one, two, or three type of instruction, due to the focus on the end goal, it also limits a person’s perspective in seeing what is ACTUALLY happening in what I call “real-time.”

Weaponizing Horsemanship

Weaponizing Horse Communication

The Horse's Behaviors reflect their mental and emotional state. How often are you critical, demanding, and inserting a human emotional filter without considering what the equine is experiencing during the interaction?

4 Horse Rider Tips with Alternative Horsemaship

4 Horse Rider Tips

Are you breathing?

When riders focus they tend to hold their breath. Talk. Tell your horse what you are doing (literally, it also helps you keep track.) Sing to him or whistle. Anything!

Breath is the most underrated aspect of interacting with our horse. It affects our softness and specificity, mental clarity, muscles, and the effectiveness of our aids.

Horse Help Concepts- The Box an Alternative Horsemanship tool

The "Box"

I developed the concept of "the Box" because I was finding too many people wanting to be polite and kind in their communication with their horses, but were lacking specificity, boundaries, or spatial awareness.

The concept of the Box was to give the humans a mental image of where they needed their horse to be to communicate clearly without being distracted by the horse's counteroffers of often leaking, fleeing, drifting, or pushing into them movement.

Horse Tips and Skills Alternative Horsemanship Series

Join Alternative Horsemanship the Remote Horse Coach in this new Horse Tips & Skills series addressing a variety of overlooked opportunities in the horse interaction to improve adaptability, build confidence, increase self-awareness, refine intention, and specific communication.

Subscribe to the Alternative Horsemanship YouTube Channel for this ongoing series.

Horse Help- Improving your Equine Communication- Eliminating the Brace

Have you ever felt the horse:

Heavy on the lead rope- "dragging" the horse around?

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

The horse would not move out of your personal space when working from the ground?

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

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

When trying to turn in one direction the horse slowly “leaks” the opposite way?

When trying to ride a straight line the horse is constantly “throwing” or “locking up” his shoulder or hip towards the opposite way from which you are traveling?

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

Are you overwhelming your horse?

Dear Sam: Horse Help Horsemanship Series

Is your horse overwhelmed?

Watch the full video and hundreds of others on the Alternative Horsemanship YouTube Channel.

New videos are posted every Friday.

What topics would you like discussed?