Horse Problems- "What should I focus on next with my horse?"

I frequently hear this question or am asked by students or other equine enthusiasts struggling with having a goal, direction, or unsure of what to focus on during their horse time... the answer is always the same, "Refinement." Irrelevant of if you ride for pleasure or are competitive (or if you only work with your horse from the ground,) every interaction is Opportunity for improving your and the horse's skills.

Refining Ground Work with the Horse

 

Whenever I show up to work with a horse I go through a mental checklist assessing things such as:

Where is the horse’s mind today?

How is the horse looking/feeling in his postures, breathing, and movement?

What was the feeling or energy he offered when greeting me in his pasture or stall?

Does he seem mentally available as I ask to halter, lead, and stop at the gate?

If I ask for him to change his focus, "let go" of a mental distraction, decrease/increase his energy, step on/at a specific spot, or pause while I "fix" something else, is he getting defensive for my opinions or his he willing to try?

Horse Training and Desensitizing: Quit Driving the Horse Nuts by Alternative Horsemanship

Horse Training and Desensitizing Alternative Horsemanship with Samantha Harvey the Remote Horse Coach discusses the dangers of not believing the horse's fear, defensiveness, and concern and how some training approaches can create dangerous behaviors in the animal. 

Addressing the misconceptions of "making" the horse comply versus teaching the horse how to learn. How "desensitizing" can cause the horse to become mentally defensive and physically dangerous.

Horse Trailer Loading: The Young Horse by Alternative Horsemanship with Samantha Harvey

Horse Trailer Loading 

So many people make it a stressful, fearful, and Traumatizing experience for the horse. All from a human-created ego and urgency, often without any preparation in the skills taught to the horse in how to think through, search, and try. I'm sharing the final aspect of teaching BLM mustang filly Calamity Jane about trailer loading. I initially taught her to load and Unload (backing out) with the lead rope to offer specific and clear communication. Then I present the trailer in a new way giving her an Opportunity to be curious about.

Young Horse and the First Farrier Experiences

Alternative Horsemanship with Samantha Harvey recounts the young horse's education of BLM mustang Calamity Jane and the first few farrier learning experiences and Opportunities. 

Explaining how preparation and skills can help make new and unfamiliar scenarios not overwhelming to the young horse and build their confidence. 

Subscribe to the Alternative Horsemanship YouTube Channel for weekly videos in the ask the horse trainer Dear Sam: Horse Help Horsemanship Series, watch insight in the #tipswithpippin horseback riding series, and enjoy other weekly equine behavior videos. 

Dear Sam: Horse Help Horsemanship Series *Having Fun with Horses

Dear Sam: Horse Help Horsemanship Series *Having Fun with Horses by Alternative Horsemanship with Samantha Harvey the Remote Horse Coach New Episodes uploaded weekly, subscribe to the channel to get notifications of all videos posted.