Horse Training Help : Containment or Skills

Dear Sam: Horse Help Horsemanship Series 

Tying the Horse: Are you teaching unwanted equine behaviors?

Horse Training Basics

Teaching containment or adaptability in the equine? So many unwanted equine behaviors are taught by human interactions that challenge the horse without ever teaching the horse the skills to think, search, try, and retain.

Click the link to watch on the Alternative Horsemanship YouTube Channel 

New videos posted every Friday 

What does Horsemanship mean? By Alternative Horsemanship the Remote Horse Coach

 Horsemanship... (my random morning thoughts)

Isn't a "thing" or a fad... it is a mindset influencing a way of being.

Young Horse Education- Mental Availability vs Physical Obedience

"Just" a horse standing in front of an open gate...

When I met this two-year-old Andalusian he was bolting off, kicking, biting, and striking when led by his owner.
His answer to everything was to get big, flamboyant, and have his legs go in four different directions at the same time.
He was literally trying to climb out of the round pen the first few times I did sessions with him.
He saw no value in the human and was very defensive towards them, trying to avoid them at all costs.

Dear Sam: Horse Help *Preparing the Young Horse for Riding

Alternative Horsemanship with Samantha Harvey the Remote Horse Coach shares her perspective on what it takes to prepare the young horse for riding. She shares video footage of ground trying, straight tying, long lining, saddling, ponying from a horse and bicycle, dragging branches, lining up to mounting block, and a variety of other scenarios to help educate the horse, maintain his curiosity, and increasing his exposure.

Horsemanship: Teaching the Young Horse to Tie

So many people set the horse up for failure because they don't teach a horse the necessary skills to understand what is being asked of him. Alternative Horsemanship with Samantha Harvey shares her perspective on when addressing the horse's brain affects his physical behavior to create "uneventful" scenarios, such as tying.

(Sound on)

Ponying the Young Horse by Alternative Horsemanship with Samantha Harvey

In this brief glimpse into a session, Alternative Horsemanship with Samantha Harvey shares her perspective on ponying the young horse and breaks down the communication happening between the horse and rider.

The Young Horse: Dramatic, Reactive, Dangerous Behavior

 The MisUnderStood Horse

 This is a two-year-old Andalusian who I just started working with recently. He reflects so many horses that I meet that are often deemed "bad, aggressive, stubborn, resistant," and all these other human-based emotional judgments, which have nothing to do with what the horse is experiencing or why his behavior is as it is.

Tacking up the Young Horse by Alternative Horsemanship

Alternative Horsemanship with Samantha Harvey the Remote Horse Coach shares a glimpse into a session with a 5-year-old she started a few weeks back...

Equine Communication: What did the horse experience? After the session Assessment

Alternative Horsemanship with Samantha Harvey the Remote Horse Coach shares a glimpse into after she finished a session with a young horse. She discusses the importance of assessing the horse's feedback in their behavioral responses reflecting their mental and emotional experience during the training session.
 

Young Horse Training- When are they old enough?

Gentle Reminder...

Although most equine enthusiasts want to do right by their horse, many people are pushed into starting to ride horses at far too young of an age.

Humor: Thoughts on Buying the Young Horse by Alternative Horsemanship

Romanticized Idealism vs Reality 

Goodbye Calamity Jane thoughts on Young Horse Education and Interactions...

Alternative Horsemanship with Samantha Harvey shares her final thoughts on working with young horses such as BLM mustang filly Calamity Jane. She addresses the human mindset and how it affects the quality of the interaction and preparation of the horse for future learning.

Curiosity in the Young Horse by Alternative Horsemanship with Samantha H...

Meet Blackie He's a two-year-old colt who was born in the wild on a private land reserve designated for this particular group of horses in the early 1900s. His owner went and adopted him after being up here at a clinic and meeting Chloe, (remember the horse I rode the bicycle with?,) a filly born in the same band. Do you remember the video of the colt Montana playing in the water? He's also from the same band. The minds on these horses are pretty incredible... No, he's not a mustang... In the background is not mist or clouds, but rather smoke. Can you see the 6,000' mountains behind the trees? No? Neither can I for the last few weeks. The wildfires are still raging around us...

The Quality Conversation with the Young Horse

During a lesson the other night we captured this shot... a young horse learning to be supported by the handler...

Learning the conversation skills that will last a lifetime. Without that key mental factor, the conversation between human and horse becomes limited and patternized.

It isn't about the obvious physical scenario presented, but rather the quality of the conversation.

Without two way conversations the equine experience becomes "hopeful" on the human end and anticipation builds in the horse.

Find out how Sam can help you and your horse negotiate the conversation! Click here for more on her Remote Horse Coaching program.

Ask the Horse Trainer: Balking in Young Horse When Ridden

Ask the Horse Trainer: Balking in Young Horse When Ridden

Topic_Info:    Balking
Location:      Bulverde TX

Question:  I have been working with a young horse for the past year (Just turned 4 last week).  I feel like I have moved very slowly with him.  I worked for approximately 6 months in the round pen before mounting him.  I started riding him about 4-5 months ago.  I was still lounging 2 to 3 days a week and riding him on the weekends after about a 10-15 minute lounge.  I was at my trainer's about 2 weeks ago and we had moved from the round pen to riding in the large arena.  He did wonderfully and we had just finished up and I was walking him out when he suddenly stopped.  He just would not move.  The trainer even came over and tried to hand walk him and nothing.  I dismounted and walked him out of the arena not thinking much about it.  A few days later, I lounged for about 10 minutes and mounted and he would not move.  He drops his head to the ground and would not move a muscle.  You can pull his head from side to side but the hooves do not move.  I took him back to the trainers this past weekend and the same thing.  He lounged beautifully and once mounted, he just feels like the life has been sucked out of him.  I can not imagine that he was pushed too far...I must have worked basic walk/trot skills, spiraling in and out on the lounge line for over 3-4 months before even asking for the canter.  The first time mounted, he was wonderful.  The trainer was there to hand walk him.  We gradually proceeded to a lounge line while mounted and within about 2 weeks~ we started riding in the round pen on our own. I am completely lost!  I have put him up and thought maybe I need to give him a break and see what happens in about a month.  I have never run across this before and really don't know what to do.  I thought I had built up respect with all the lounge work.  He listens to all my verbal skills and is really well mannered.  He is such a sweet horse but I fear that I have really gone wrong and am fearful of creating a habit so I am at a standstill.  I would appreciate any help or suggestions that you might have.  Brandi