Alternative Horsemanship™ the Remote Horse Coach Articles and Advice Blog

Evolving Journey of our Horsemanship

Some days everything may go as planned and then there are days where nothing seems to be able to be accomplished. My personality is to "will" things to happen, but it has taken a lot of years and intention to realize that wasn't going to work when it came to the horses.

Horse Skills: Tying a Rope Halter Knot

Rope Halter Typing & Fitting Tips

Most people using this type of halter are not tying the knot correctly. If incorrectly tightened, the halter slips and loosens after a short while. This can become dangerous if the bottom section gets "stuck" around the horse's jaw and he panics.

Horse Rider Tips: Resetting Breath

Tips for Resetting your Breathing and Releasing Tension at the Halt

Without realizing it, many riders hold their breath quite frequently when interacting with or riding the horse.

Heavy Horse Behavior Help

It is all connected

[Photo Credit: The Equine Documentalist]

This is 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's body.

I've used the analogy of the string on a dog food bag; you start pulling one end, and the whole thing unravels.

When people tell me about a horse that is heavy on the bit, resistant in the backing, difficult to hold a canter or lope lead, etc., there are usually multiple other factors contributing to the unwanted physical behaviors.

Every week I receive 20-30 "Ask the Trainer requests"... From unwanted trail behavior/lack of manners to groundwork issues to equipment suggestions to feeding options, etc. from around the world. People often expect a "step by step" or "cut and dry" answer. Their focus is on the unwanted physical action without considering the horse's mental or emotional status.

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...

I’ve never had an “English” language conversation with a horse, but over the years I feel that I’ve found some degree of a “common language” with which I use to communicate with them. I explain to students there is no “one” way to do things, and I always tell people “take what you like, leave what you don’t” from any learning situation. I finished reading a horse blog the other day and realized that in this day and age I don’t think you can participate in any aspect of the horse world without hearing the word “pressure” in reference to communicating with the horse.

Horse Riding Tips: Letting Go of Physical Tension

Riding Tips - Letting go of Physical Tension

A rider's physical tightness usually starts with clenched seat bones. This tension creates rigidity that travels up the spine between their shoulder blades, into their neck and shoulders, down the upper and then forearm, ending with gripping in their fingers on the reins.

Horse Skills Help- Human Anticipation

In my recent remote coaching sessions working with students across multiple continents, the latest discussion has been about the human's anticipation and how it directly affects the horse.

A common challenge many equine enthusiasts face is struggling with the anticipation of "what will happen" when with their horse.

There is a fine line of being aware of your surroundings, and things that are occurring at the moment, but to also not fixate on these and the potential outcome.

Join Alternative Horsemanship™ the Remote Horse Coach in the March 8th, 2025, Horse Skills: Releasing the Grip Livestream. The event will focus on recognizing triggers leading to unintentional gripping by the human in unmounted and mounted scenarios. It will offer insight into re-setting one's focus and physical behaviors to change patterns in the interaction.

If you miss the LIVE event, please visit the LIVESTREAM REPLAY page to view all livestreams filmed in the current month.

Horse Hoof Handling Skills Livestream Replay

Taught by Alternative Horsemanship™ the Remote Horse Coach

The focus will be on:
Assess Horse Behavior
Address Tension
Raise Body Awareness
Develop Adaptable Communication

Click the post link 🔗. Paid event. Replay will be available during the month of March.

If you miss the live event, the replay can be found in the Livestream Replay category on the Video Catalog.

Decreasing Stress: Horse Trailer Unloading Skills and Tips

The Unloading of the Horse

Here are some things I've noticed over the decades of watching horses unload.

Frequently, especially if the loading of the horse was stressful or concerning (for both human and horse,) when folks arrive somewhere they tend to want to rush when unloading and "hurry" to get the horse to the new stall or pasture.

If during prior interactions with the horse a common language of communication has been established, the equine will have the availability to "hear" and address what the handler is asking of them, irrelevant of the location.

20 Horse Health Questions every Equine Owner should be Asing

20 Horse Health Tips, Questions & Assessment

Below are some basic questions to ask in regard to your horse’s health.

I suggest keeping a horse health journal making note of diet changes, farrier care, odd behaviors, etc. It can be used as a future reference point to learn from and find what works best for the horse.

Taking pictures from both profiles, front, and rear every six months can also be a good reference.

For those who experience dramatic seasons and environmental changes and for those who have had the same horse(s) for a long time, patterns often occur out of convenience in the horse’s maintenance program.

Unwanted Horse Behavior: Eliminating the Bracy

Horse Help- Improving your Equine Communication- Eliminating the Brace

Have you ever felt the horse:

Heavy on the lead rope- "dragging" the horse around?

Loading or unloading a horse from the trailer/lorry that you couldn’t “stop” or “move him” to a different place from what he was offering?

The horse would not move out of your personal space when working from the ground?

The horse was resistant to transitions whether being worked from the ground or in the saddle?

The horse is pushing, leaning, heavy, or dragging on the bit/bridle?

When trying to turn in one direction the horse slowly “leaking” the opposite way?

When trying to ride a straight line the horse is constantly “throwing” or “locking up” his shoulder or hip towards the opposite way from which you are traveling?

Picking up the reins and feeling a general “lethargic” response from your horse?

Horse Riding Skills: Indirect vs Direct Rein- More than Mechanics

Rein usage- The Indirect vs Direct Rein Practice

What you'll need:

Chair, desk/table, string ( or something similar such as baling twine, clip-on reins, etc.), strainer/pot with two handles, something slightly heavy- box of rocks, etc.

Attach the "reins" to the handles of the pot or strainer.

Place the box or weighted object in the middle between the pot and where you are sitting- with it resting against the pot.

Sit in the chair with your forearms resting on the table, and hold the reins as you would when you ride with your thumbs up.

The pot is your horse's head. The weighted box is his neck.

Indirect rein:

Starting with your hands parallel to one another, draw the right rein in towards the "middle" (or your left).

Watch the pot's right handle over-rotate to the right and then it will start to move back towards the box.

Imagine if this was the horse; his head would be overturning towards the right and then his neck would be shortening towards his right shoulder. The pressure from his head pushing into his neck would cause a diagonal weight onto his left shoulder, causing him to compensate by moving his right hind leg up under his stomach, and stepping towards his left side to maintain balance.