Showing posts with label horse behavior. Show all posts
Showing posts with label horse behavior. Show all posts

Are you unintentionally "teaching" the Horse unwanted behaviors?

Frequently, in an attempt to show kindness, folks try to pacify, mask, and cloak unwanted interactions with the horse.

Honesty of Horse Conversations by Alternative Horsemanship the Remote Horse Coach


One of the things that keeps me “motivated” in working with horses is their honesty. The interaction is not about whether I "like" what their behavior is telling me, but rather recognizing they are offering real-time feedback as to what they are mentally, emotionally, and physically experiencing.



Horse Behavior: Imposing at the gate


In this horse learning video, Alternative Horsemanship The Remote Horse Coach shares a young horse who is imposing upon the human as they approach the gate. This Dear Sam: Horse Help Horsemanship Series episode highlights the importance of recognizing the dangers involved with a horse that is constantly spatially imposing on the human, especially for future scenarios if the equine is emotionally triggered, and how this can evolve into increasingly dangerous behaviors. 

Watch now: https://youtu.be/gCOzmjk_hd8?si=kBO1WCVSFR4pGZ-I

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... 

Alternative Horsemanship TikTok / alternativehorsemanship Alternative Horsemanship IG / alternative_horsemanship 

Reading the Horse Behavior Online 7-part Course https://remotehorsecoach.uscreen.io/c... 30% off through Dec 31, 2023 Remote Horse Coach Courses
Use discount code: REMOTECOACHCOURSES 

LIVESTREAMS with Q & A Opportunities https://bit.ly/ExclusiveHorseContent In-Person Learning https://learn

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.

Improving Horse Skills & Refining Communication 

 


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... 

Teaching the Horse or creating Unwanted Behaviors


Dear Sam: Horse Help Horsemanship Series
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.)

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.

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

Connecting the Groundwork with Horseback Riding

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 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.

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.

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

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.
 

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

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?

Pushy or Charging Horses


 Dear Sam: Horse Help Horsemanship Series 

Pushy and Charging Horses

Discussing Aggressive, Charging, "Pushy" Equine Behavior, what creates it, and where the human interaction begins to create safe boundaries.

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

Click the link to watch now along with the hundreds of others addressing common horse and human challenges and problems.