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.

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

Understanding Horse Behavior- Connecting the Thought and Movement

"Stuck on a thought" Alternative Horsemanship the Remote Horse Coach shares a video to demonstrate what this looks like.

Many people react to horse behavior, without considering the root cause that influenced how the horse behaves. I thought I'd share this slow-motion version with a three-year-old as he is learning to "think through" scenarios...

Addressing the Horse's Concern- Alternative Horsemanship the Remote Horse Coach

The Horse's Concern

What if we recognized and addressed the initial signs of concern before it erupted into:
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 ____."

Mental Distractions- Opportunities for Building the Equine Partnership

 Mental Distractions- Opportunities for Building the Equine Partnership

In this session on day 3 of the six-day Oakzanita Ranch Winter Clinic Series we embraced the distractions of nearby horses, grass in the round pen, unseen movement creating sounds coming from above, as this three-year-old learned to mentally check-in with the human.

Many people get triggered by distractions and mentally go far away from the horse as they get lost in the stories or potential anticipation of what might happen. When this occurs, they are unintentionally teaching the horse that they are no longer offering support to the equine. This then teaches the horse to take over and delegate how to protect/handle himself.

I'm constantly trying to switch the words and associations that so many people have in how they avoid potentially uncomfortable situations, and instead of using the tools of clear, specific communication to help the horse mentally work through distraction and chaos to offer physically reasonable behaviors. 

Dear Sam: Horse Help Horsemanship Series *Unrealistic Expectations

Dear Sam: Horse Help Horsemanship Series *Unreasonable Expectations Subscribe for weekly episodes and Alternative Horsemanship YouTube videos. #alternativehorsemanship #remotehorsecoach #dearsamhorseseries In-person Learning www.learnhorses.com Online Courses and Distance Learning https://remotehorsecoach.uscreen.io

Dear Sam: Horse Help Horsemanship Series *Hyper Alert Horses

Dear Sam: Horse Help Horsemanship Series *Hyper Alert Horses by Alternative Horsemanship Horses that lack confidence in new scenarios are often hyper-alert... This helps break down the behaviors and postures that indicate the difference between defensive fixation and curiosity in the horse. Subscribe to the channel for new weekly episodes.