Horse offers to be Ridden: Liberty lining up at the mounting block

Uneventful Mounting Rose arrived defensive and anticipative about most things during the human/horse interaction. Saddling her would cause her to get twitchy, tight, and buck like she was in the rodeo. We did a LOT of digging out of her old "coping" patterns and helping her learn to stay mentally present and physically reasonable. There is always a moment where I can feel a horse is ready to mount. This was what it looked like after that moment when Rose was asked to line up at liberty at the block for the first time. For her, the slow, intentional steps are opposite from her rigid, reactive self that first arrived. No treats, nor any driving, or yielding to pressure. Rather an invitation for her to participate. This moment has NOTHING to do with lining up but rather is a reflection of all the previously established "tools" in our Conversations and how we communicate that has meaning to the horse. For many horses, asking them to think first, then move in slow, specific steps almost causes more concern as it counters their natural response to flee when unsure. Soon though you see the levels of concern dissipate as they learn to check-in with the human if the person offers specific supportive communication to the horse. In Rose's case, because so much of her past was about humans attempting to contain her, when I'm reintroducing her being ridden in a thoughtful manner, presenting a scenario like this creates a new experience for her. Did I do this the second ride? No. Every time will be different.

Helping the Dangerous, Fearful, Reactive, or Uncatchable Horses

Here's a quick glimpse into just a few of the horses who arrived for help this summer... It isn't about making the horse tolerate the human but instead helping them learn to trust and willingly offer to participate. Most equine rehabilitation or re-education scenarios I have are a result of ego-based human "training" attempts of "making" the horse comply. More often than not, this approach results in unwanted and dangerous scenarios for both the horse and the human. Everything starts with the Quality of how the horse offers to be caught. If it begins with chasing, aggressive human behavior, or the horse having to mentally shut down to tolerate the person, what will the rest of the session look like? #alternativeHorsemanship #RemoteHorseCoach #horsemanship

Ground Tying The Horse for Tacking Up

 

Liberty Horse: Lining up to the Mounting Block Video

Conversations at the Mounting Block

Thought I'd share my version of asking a horse to line up at the block.

This is not about the act of the mare lining up, this was the first time I'd asked her to do so without touching the reins. This is an example of what the interaction can be like when pre-establishing effective tools to offer two-way clear communication.

The Quality of the Conversation affects the outcome of the task, such as when mounting.

Reminder I do my LIVE weekly #chitchat from the farm video on FB on Wednesdays, 8am pdt, 3pm gmt. Join me in the private group on FB HERE . If you miss the live version, it will be available for replay at later times.

If you'd like to learn more about improving the Conversations and partnership with your horse, there are lots of Remote Horse Coaching options including video sessions, group coaching, horse webinars and more. 

Three Mares in a pasture: Curious Horse Video

This was an unexpected moment I captured in the pasture with a client's three horses. One is a rescue paint mare, another is a filly brought in from the wild, and the last is an endurance Morab mare. Each horse has their own confidence and curiosity levels that they offer in their human interaction.

Horse Help: Conversations with Horses

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What does Alternative Horsemanship with Samantha Harvey Remote Horse Coach offer?

• Equine Retreats
• Online Horse Lectures & Webinars
• Horsemanship Clinics Worldwide
• Group Membership Coaching with LIVE videos plus Q & A Opportunities
• Individual Remote Coaching Options: Equine Partnership Series, Telephone Consultations, Video Assessment & Instruction

Start your journey today Remote Horse Coach

Mentally Available and Willing Horses

Starting a Conversation 

Starting a session with a mentally willing horse. It isn't about the behavior of the horse following you loose.

It is about the opportunity to assess where your horse is mentally, emotionally and physically on that particular day.

This feedback from the horse helps dictate what needs to be expressed by you in the conversation to offer guidance and leadership that will build the horse's curiosity and confidence rather than diminish it.

No treats, no bribes. Just a simple offer "to be with me."

Would you like to evolve the partnership with your horse? Sign up for Sam's Remote Horse Coach program today!