Confidence- just because a horse is going through the motions of "doing things" and is "learning" does not mean that he is gaining confidence and feeling secure 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.Alternative Horsemanship™ with Samantha Harvey the Remote Horse Coach teaches horse behavior, horse training, and coaches horseback riders of all experience levels. Offering horsemanship clinics worldwide, distance horse coaching instruction, horse video learning catalog, equine consultations, equine re-education and rehabilitation, colt starting, and lessons. Follow her #alternativehorsemanship on all social media platforms.
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Horse Trainer Advice: Build Trust in the Fearful Horse Part 1
Dear Sam: Horse Help Horsemanship Series
Build Trust in the Traumatized Horse Part 1
Horse trainer Thoughts & Perspective on the Traumatized and Fearful Horse, building trust to replace unwanted equine behaviors.
Click the link in the comments for the Alternative Horsemanship YouTubeAlternative Horsemanship YouTube video- subscribe for weekly videos in this series.
Horseback Riders and Equine Enthusiast Tips- Stop overwhelming Yourself
It is very easy to become overwhelmed by everything that "isn't" or is challenging, frustrating, and exhausting with the horse.
Unrealistic expectations, hopefulness and continuously comparing ourselves or our horses to what "everyone else" is/can do, is detrimental to the Quality of our interactions and leads to less-than-ideal scenarios.
I wish more folks gave themselves permission to literally and figuratively focus on being present and addressing themselves and their horse in small segments. Each segment of Clarity in Communication can connect to the next, which influences how the "final" piece of accomplishment is experienced by the horse.
What is it like being a Horse Trainer? Thirty years later
The Human Intention- Influencing the horse's mental, emotional, and physical responses
Dear Sam: Horse Help Horsemanship Series *Why Quality Comunication Matters
Addressing the Horse's Concern- Alternative Horsemanship the Remote Horse Coach
Bucking
Bolting
Kicking
Spooking
"Over-reaction"
Biting
Fixating
Fleeing movement
Biting at the Air
Pawing
Jigging
Stomping
Weaving
and so many other moments responded to as, "OH, he just does that, he's being a ____."
Horse Health: Assessing the Roll by Alternative Horsemanship
Horse Health: Assessing the Roll So often by taking a few minutes and observing the horse, can give us insight into potential physical health issues.
Dear Sam: Horse Help Horsemanship Series "Why does my horse..."
How do Improve your Horsemanship with Limited Time: Equine Learning
Whether limited due to work, school, other commitments, weather, etc. I encourage people to spend any and as much Quality Time they can with the horse.
Horse Behavior- Reviewing the Release by The Remote Horse Coach
As with everything, there are many interpretations when it comes to the terminology associated with horses. I try to be clear and precise in the words that I'm offering, but there still can be a gray area in the human student's understanding. This often comes from their level of awareness, background, and unintentional anticipation/expectation of their mind "getting ahead" of wherever they are currently at with their horse.
Learning from the Horse- Self-awareness Opportunities
The Best Teachers
Time with horses can be our greatest learning moments; they reflect our thoughts, emotions, energy, intentions, fears, insecurities, and so much more.
We can learn about our behaviors, habits, patterns, mindset, anticipation, and triggers that may be sabotaging the clarity of communication and limiting the Quality of the Conversation in our equine partnership.
I just read a great quote,
"Those in pursuit if WHY are inspired to do right." SimonSinek
Have you ever considered if your goal and priorities are to do "right" by your horse, or if you are hopeful that he'll do "right" by you?
#Equi-Quality Horse Challenge Improving the Equine Partnership
Each day Sam will share a Daily Tip that you can incorporate into your horsemanship. Join her on INSTAGRAM and participate in each of the day's topics to enter to win a free 1:1 Coaching Session.
Goodbye Calamity Jane thoughts on Young Horse Education and Interactions...
Ground Work with Horses "Following a Feel" Alternative Horsemanship
"Following a Feel"
Those words had no value to me all the years I interacted with the horse unintentionally offering continuous tension- on the lead rope, on the rein, in my leg, etc. There was never any true release of pressure towards the horse (other than during a jump.)
Tacking up the Horse with Quality
Most people never consider how the horse responds to just the sight of tack or notice if there are Quality Conversations while doing so.
Each part of the 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 frequently is suppressed.
I suggest practicing tacking the horse without tying him. The goal is not about getting tack on.
It is an Opportunity to notice how your horse feels about standing while you are moving around him.
It also allows you to observe for things such as:
Does he mentally check out as you go to groom?
Does he pin his ears, shake his head, swish is tail, or display any other defensive behavior as you groom?
Does he step away or backwards when you swing the pad or saddle on?
Does he constantly avoid the tacking by diving down for grass?
When you tighten the cinch or girth does he swing his head at you, try to walk off, back away, etc.?
Does he act differently if you tack from one side versus another?
If you change the location of where your horse is as you tack does he suddenly act differently?
None of this is about the unwanted behaviors. Instead the undesired responses could be an indicator as to potential pain issues, holes in the foundation of the equine partnership, reflection of concern towards the upcoming ride, etc.
If the ride is prefaced with an experience (in this case tacking up) causing the horse to be in a state of anticipation, defensiveness, avoidance, flee, etc. how might that influence everything asked of him during the ride?
There is never a convenient time to address the horse's concerns, but the longer you avoid helping him, he is being taught he is own his own. This will cause him to start taking over and dictating how the interaction will go based on the lack of support, or even criticism from the human.
The horse only has so many subtle, reasonable behaviors to display his fear, concern, or anticipation. If you're not addressing it now, then when?