Alternative Horsemanship™ the Remote Horse Coach Articles and Advice Blog

Horse Help- Understand and Communicate Clearly

In Conversations with the horse, we are asking them to mentally "search" for what is being presented, and then to physically act upon those thoughts.

The Effective of your Horse Communication

I find that sometimes making comparisons outside of the “horse world” helps folks better see/believe when they are with their equine.

In many training approaches, the moment a horse does something unwanted, the response is correction. The focus is only on stopping, blocking, and criticizing the equine behavior, to “teach him a lesson.” This leads to what I call “surviving” the experience/ride.

Horse Help- Improving your Equine Communication- Eliminating the Brace

Improving your Horse Sense- The Three A's

Assess(ment)- Of the horse to evaluate the mental availability, emotional state, and physical softness. Assessing is a foundational key to build a partnership with your horse because it gives the human a "starting point" of what needs to be addressed to help the horse.

Chasing the Horse Dream

I meet horse people wherever I go in the world, whether or not I’m traveling for work or by random happenstance. More often than not, I hear stories of how they chose to leave the mainstream rhetoric/perceptions of working/thinking/interacting with horses to explore and develop their individual quality long-term equine relationship.

Improving Horse Rider Balance- Raising Awareness

It all starts with Awareness

I just finished doing a 12 hour drive drive. I encountered horrendous fog, hail, pelting rain, light snow, sun, strong wind gusts, and just about any other weather you can think of.

Throughout the drive, I would audibly exhale, reset my fingers on the steering wheel, notice the tension in leg muscles from the incessant shift through the high mountain, twisty road climbs, and "open" my toes in my shoes, I'd observe if I was "hard" staring at the road or if I could zoom in and out at various degrees on the details of the surroundings. I "checked in" with my shoulders- if they were scrunched up and together toward my neck, or if I could rotate the muscle onto the scapula and "open" my chest to have a soft breathing. I noticed if my tongue was "stuck" on the roof of my mouth or rested without tension...

Hurried horse behavior problems

A lot of humans anticipate "what will happen" when with their horse.

There is a fine line between being aware of your surroundings and things that are occurring at the moment, but also not fixating on potential unwanted outcomes.

I suggest that folks notice their own thought patterns. Whether it is occurring before they are with their horse or in a moment with the equine, to learn to notice when their mind gets "stuck on a thought."

Horse Skills and Improving the Equine Partnership

Nothing is too “basic.”

To demonstrate how repetitive interactions or behaviors can lead to mindlessness, I’ll sometimes ask students if they’ve ever been showering and suddenly stopped, and thought to themselves, “Did I already wash my hair?” People will chuckle at the “guilt” of realizing they might have had a similar experience...

Learning New Horse Skills- the Uncomfortable Learning Curve

Letting Go: Why Learning a New Approach Can Feel So Inconsistent

When learning horse skills, many people focus on the mechanics to get the horse’s obedience or compliance, with little to no self-awareness of how their mindset and behaviors will influence the equine's responses. Anticipative, hopeful, or distracted thoughts decrease the ability to reset breathing and release tension in real-time, limiting one's adaptability to help the horse.

Horse Learning without Guarantees

The only consistent thing I have found to be true is humans ARE seeking connection.

Repeatedly, social media videos that “do best” show the horse that is willing to interact with people, offering an emotional connection. The promise gives viewers hope, triggering interaction… A great motivator for change, or to “activate” people- whether to react, sign up, or buy into a belief system- is to engage the human emotion of hope.

Tips for the Insecure, Anxious, Anticipative, or Timid Rider

The timid/unsure rider comes from a place of feeling "surprised" by what the horse does or feeling ineffective towards their horse.

I'm very aware that this time of year can stir up a particular kind of mental static. It’s the inner critic, tallying up the "not yets" and the "I should haves" with your horse.

Let's name it: Horse Guilt. It’s that feeling that you didn't do enough, "fix" enough, ride enough, or progress enough.

Guilt is not a motivator; it is a paralyzer.

Why Short, Flexible Coaching Might Be Exactly What You Need Right Now

The holidays are a beautiful mix of celebration, reflection, and—let’s be honest—stress. Between busy schedules, winter weather, family expectations, and year-end pressure, it’s no surprise that many riders and horse owners feel overwhelmed or stuck this time of year.

But the end of the year also creates new opportunities:
A chance to reset your mindset, refine your goals, and start the new year with clarity and confidence—without locking yourself into long-term coaching commitments.

That’s exactly why I created H-E-L-P, a short-format, easy-access coaching service available through remote horse coaching.

What Is H-E-L-P?

H-E-L-P is a targeted coaching option designed for equine enthusiasts and horse owners who:

Need help fast
Don’t want lengthy coaching programs
Prefer flexible, short-term support
Want expert guidance without pressure, contracts, or subscriptions

It’s the coaching version of “I just need someone to walk me through this right now.”

Whether you’re facing a behavioral issue, confidence dip, training block, or simply want clarity on your next steps, H-E-L-P gives you direct support—quickly and without obligation.

No long commitment.
No monthly billing.
No complicated program structure.
Just clear, supportive, actionable guidance when you need it most.

The end of the year tends to amplify challenges:

Less riding time
Weather interruptions
Schedule chaos
Horse behavior changes
Rising stress + lowered confidence
Pressure to “start the new year right”

This is often when riders feel most alone in their struggles.

But you don’t need to push through it solo.

H-E-L-P lets you tap into quick, expert support exactly when something pops up, without having to commit to a long-term coaching relationship. It’s a tool you can use once, occasionally, or as needed while navigating the season.

What You Get With H-E-L-P

Every H-E-L-P session is built to be:

✔ Short & efficient

Focused sessions that deliver clarity without requiring hours of your time.

✔ Flexible

Use it when you need it. Skip it when you don’t.

✔ No long-term commitment

Perfect for riders who just need targeted guidance or a quick problem-solving session.

✔ Completely remote

No hauling horses, rearranging schedules, or dealing with winter footing.

✔ Personalized to your situation

Your horse, your goals, your challenge—no cookie-cutter advice.

Alternative Horsemanship™ Remote Horse Coach H.E.L.P. Coaching Program

Holiday Special: Give Yourself (or a Friend) the Gift of Support

This season is all about care—so why not extend some of that care to yourself and your partnership with your horse?

H-E-L-P is a perfect holiday boost:

For seasonal horse time interruptions
For owners dealing with sudden changes in equine behavior or training issues
For anyone entering the new year wanting clarity and direction
For gift-givers looking for something meaningful and practical

Sometimes the most valuable gift is simply help—the right help, at the right moment.

Ready to Start?

If you’re craving clarity, encouragement, or a step forward—without commitments or pressure—H-E-L-P is ready when you are.

👉 Visit RemoteHorseCoach.com/H-E-L-P to reserve your session.

Step into the new year with confidence, support, and a clear plan for you and your horse. You deserve that—and your horse will thank you for it, too.