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

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

Considering the Horse: Movement by Alternative Horsemanship

Considering the Horse: Movement (Sound on) The pinto is 25 and semi-retired. The roan is nearing 20 and had a history of physical trauma. Different horses have different requirements and as they age the interaction needs to be adapted. Replay the video a few times to practice "seeing"- balance using the head and neck, engagement of hindquarters, lifting in of spine, pressure, and absorption in fetlock area, etc. The more you understand about the horse's movement, the better you can't recognize and decipher root causes vs symptoms of unwanted physical maneuvers.

Horse Transitions- Mental and Physical by Alternative Horsemanship

Horse Transitions - Mental and Physical 

Most horses I meet fall into two categories:

*Fearful or defensive (tight, rigid movement) to go forward

*Hypersensitive and overreacting with fast, fleeing movement 

Over various sessions here are some of what I look to address in re-educating the horse.

Physio Connections influencing Unwanted Horse Behavior

 It is all connected This is such a great visual example of the "strings" I often talk about throughout the horse's body. 

The trickle-down effect of how one body part influences another, even if literally at the other end of the horse. 

 I've used the analogy of the string on a dog food back, where you start pulling one end, and the whole thing become unraveled. 

I find when people tell me about a horse that is heavy on the bit, resistant in the backing, have difficulting holding a canter or lope lead, etc. that they are other factors contributing to the unwanted physical behaviors. 

Example: I talk about when there is a heaviness in the horse pushing on the halter or bridle, and noticing and addressing unlocking the physical brace- or locked up feeling- in the horse's hocks, students are shocked. 

This image is a great demonstration of that. Learning to help each body part then influences the quality of the overall movement and softness of the horse, which of course starts with his mind first.

 PC: The Equine Documentalist