Horse Learning- Patience with the Horse by Alternative Horsemanship

Patience with the Horse

Dear Sam: Horse Help Horsemanship Series *Getting the most out of Horse Learning

Dear Sam: Horse Help Horsemanship Series 

*Getting the Most out of Horse Lessons and Learning Opportunities 

-The story -Rider Anticipation 

-Ego based instruction 

-Learning as an adult 

Subscribe for weekly episodes and other equine behavior videos on the Alternative Horsemanship YouTube Channel.

Horse Instruction and Coaching- Tips for Equestrian students to learn best?

Here are a few tips on how to get the most out of your horse learning experiences.

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.

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.

In the Moment-ness with the horse- Improving your Horsemanship

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.

Horse Tips with Pippin: Uneventful Tacking Up- Quality Equine Partnerships

Horse Tips with Pippin: Uneventful Tacking- Quality Partnerships

Horse Training and Desensitizing: Quit Driving the Horse Nuts by Alternative Horsemanship

Horse Training and Desensitizing Alternative Horsemanship with Samantha Harvey the Remote Horse Coach discusses the dangers of not believing the horse's fear, defensiveness, and concern and how some training approaches can create dangerous behaviors in the animal. 

Addressing the misconceptions of "making" the horse comply versus teaching the horse how to learn. How "desensitizing" can cause the horse to become mentally defensive and physically dangerous.

Horse Trailer Loading: The Young Horse by Alternative Horsemanship with Samantha Harvey

Horse Trailer Loading 

So many people make it a stressful, fearful, and Traumatizing experience for the horse. All from a human-created ego and urgency, often without any preparation in the skills taught to the horse in how to think through, search, and try. I'm sharing the final aspect of teaching BLM mustang filly Calamity Jane about trailer loading. I initially taught her to load and Unload (backing out) with the lead rope to offer specific and clear communication. Then I present the trailer in a new way giving her an Opportunity to be curious about.

Horse Trailer Loading: The Mustang Filly First time on the Lead

Why does offering the horse time matter? If you've been following BLM mustang Calamity Jane's journey you'll have been hearing about her progress from wild to mild. The initial building of clear, specific communication, short and segmented sessions allowed her Time to learn how to think through what is being presented and have a willingness to try and trust... This was the first day I played with her at the trailer. We did a couple of slow approaches, hanging out "thinking in" the trailer, asking for one foot in, then asking her to put it back. Then moved away and did something else as a spatial and mental release from the pressure of the trailer. Then this happened... Imagine if when horses experienced new scenarios it remained this low stress... #alternativeHorsemanship #trailerloading #blmmustang

Young Horse and the First Farrier Experiences

Alternative Horsemanship with Samantha Harvey recounts the young horse's education of BLM mustang Calamity Jane and the first few farrier learning experiences and Opportunities. 

Explaining how preparation and skills can help make new and unfamiliar scenarios not overwhelming to the young horse and build their confidence. 

Subscribe to the Alternative Horsemanship YouTube Channel for weekly videos in the ask the horse trainer Dear Sam: Horse Help Horsemanship Series, watch insight in the #tipswithpippin horseback riding series, and enjoy other weekly equine behavior videos. 

Dear Sam: Horse Help Horsemanship Series *Unrealistic Expectations

Dear Sam: Horse Help Horsemanship Series *Unreasonable Expectations Subscribe for weekly episodes and Alternative Horsemanship YouTube videos. #alternativehorsemanship #remotehorsecoach #dearsamhorseseries In-person Learning www.learnhorses.com Online Courses and Distance Learning https://remotehorsecoach.uscreen.io

Misconceptions of Moving the Horse on a a Circle

 Misconceptions of a Circle 

One of the most misused "techniques" I have found is how people present asking the horse to move around a circle. 

Dear Sam: Horse Help Horsemanship Series *Hyper Alert Horses

Dear Sam: Horse Help Horsemanship Series *Hyper Alert Horses by Alternative Horsemanship Horses that lack confidence in new scenarios are often hyper-alert... This helps break down the behaviors and postures that indicate the difference between defensive fixation and curiosity in the horse. Subscribe to the channel for new weekly episodes.

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

Pressure and Release Re-Educating Horse that Bucks by Alternative Horsem...

This mare has a history of bucking (and a very traumatic past,) so part of her re-education is to assume nothing and rebuild from the ground up. I thought I'd share a short clip of what preparing a horse to be saddled looks like for me. In this case, I'm looking for feedback from the horse as to what may be triggering her anticipation, physical tension, or mental avoidance. This is the first time we did this. Practice first noticing how many different forms of pressure are being presented. Assess the horse's focus, breathing, movement, the stance at the halt, etc. Watch for how she interacts with my communication. What do you see? Everything is a learning opportunity if you commit to seeing beyond the superficial "obedient goal" and search for quality interactions. **Please do NOT go and randomly try this at home- you and your horse could easily and quickly get into a wreck if you haven't established the fundamentals that go into the "bigger picture."

Horses: Pressure and Reviewing the Release

 Horsemanship: Reviewing The Release

As with everything much left to interpretation when it comes to terminology in association with horses. I try to be clear and precise in the words that I'm offering, but there still can be a gray area in the human student's understanding.