Helping The Hyper Alert and Pushy Horse

Meet Moose
I did a lesson recently with Nora and Moose and thought it would be good to share. Much of what comes up in his "coping mechanisms" is very common with horses that are bigger in size.

Spooky, bolting, reactive horse help by the Remote Horse Coach

Do you have a "spooky/overreactive/hypersensitive/dramatic/flamboyant/neurotic/destructive" horse? 

You might want to read the following thoughts I shared with a client after her older horse arrived for an assessment:

Dear Sam: Horse Help * The Resistant Horse by the Remote Horse Coach

Dear Sam: Horse Help Horsemanship Series *The Resistant Horse Alternative Horsemanship with Samantha Harvey the Remote Horse Coach shares her perspective on what creates the resistant horses and contributors to "all of a sudden" behaviors. Subscribe to the Alternative Horsemanship YouTube channel or search #alternativehorsemanship #remotehorsecoach #dearsamhorseseries for all videos. In-Person Learning Distance Horse Coaching Alternative Horsemanship Video Catalog

Re-Introducing the Halter to the Fearful and Defensive Horse

This is Cinder a two-year-old horse that was rescued from a life of abuse. When she arrived she was fearful and defensive, wanted nothing to do with humans, and would try and climb over anything to get away from the human. 

The journey of reawakening her Curiosity, which will replace her fear, allows her to physically offer reasonable behavior. 

It is not one that you can make happen. It is about creating 2-way Communication, believing the horse's feet back, addressing their concern, and then allowing them the time to mentally process their new human experiences. 

This isn't about getting a halter on a horse, it is about setting the horse up for success for the rest of her life in the human world. 

Far too many people are rushing trying to accomplish a goal, rather than seeking the quality. Certainly, in the case of horses who have a history of abuse, there is nothing you will sneak past them. So the mental shift we need them to make must be 100%, otherwise, their old survival and behaviors re-emerge if humans attempt to contain them or make them comply, which will trigger the dangerous behavior.

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.

Young Horse Training and Education- Mental, Emotional, and Physical Maturity

 Gentle Reminder...

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

Heavy Horse Problems?

It is all connected

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.

Horse Education- Rescue and Auction Bound Equines by Alternative Horsemanship

Thirty years ago, I never had the intention that my "specialty" would become helping very troubled horses due to their previous human experiences.

But here I am with probably 85% of the horses that arrive, are here for mental, emotional, and physical rehabilitation and then re-education.

Refining the Liberty Act- Behind the Scenes with Alternative Horsemanship

A quick glimpse into helping local performers refine their upcoming liberty act. It will be the first time all four horses are performing together.

Horses, Time, Patience- Sweet Video of Horses

What if we allowed the horse and ourselves the Opportunities of creating Quality Conversations without society-based "have tos..." What might the interaction look like then?

Considering the Horse: Assessing the fearful and abused horse

Observing the Horse: Starting with the fearful and abused horse... by Alternative Horsemanship the Remote Horse Coach

She's 2 years old and came out of a very bad situation. She's had about 6 months off to just be a horse and gain weight. Her current owner has been unsuccessful in perking the mare's curiosity to participate to any degree with the human. 

I see far too many scenarios where a horse already is fearful and reactive, and people are continuously adding pressure in a manner that is challenging to the horse. 

These are the type of horses who will climb the fence and are seemingly unable to literally see what is in front of them when extreme flight emotions are triggered. If I approach working with her in a "have to" or "make her" manner, there will be no success and I will reinforce what she's already experienced about the human. 

The goal is not about getting her close to me but rather reawakening her curiosity which will replace her fear, which then diminishes the flee and instead she can offer thoughtful, reasonable behavior. 

I will be filming much of our sessions together and creating a course on my Remote Horse Coach video catalog site for those interested in this aspect of horsemanship. 

Considering the Horse: Movement by Alternative Horsemanship

Considering the Horse: Movement (Sound on) The pinto is 25 and semi-retired. The roan is nearing 20 and had a history of physical trauma. Different horses have different requirements and as they age the interaction needs to be adapted. Replay the video a few times to practice "seeing"- balance using the head and neck, engagement of hindquarters, lifting in of spine, pressure, and absorption in fetlock area, etc. The more you understand about the horse's movement, the better you can't recognize and decipher root causes vs symptoms of unwanted physical maneuvers.

Horse Conversations: Building Trust in the Fearful and Traumatized Equine

A Glimpse into helping the Horse by Alternative Horsemanship

Someone recently said, "Sam I love the word you use but I don't understand them. You mention things like Conversation, being mentally available, and searching. What does that mean when you're interacting with the horse?" 

Then I came across this video footage of a severe case from a horse that arrived for help last year. You couldn't get near her, touch her, she was incredibly head shy, and had a lot of PTSD from her previous human experiences. Her bad had massive scarring from a violent past. She'd been sold via video as a Beginner Safe Horse. 

This video shares a glimpse into one of the first few sessions with her. It is an example of what a Conversation with the horse can look like, the shift of when they start to become mentally available to acknowledge the human, and what searching can look like.

Horse Problems: Bucking, Biting, and Bolting - Fixing the Source not the Symptom

In this video, Alternative Horsemanship with Samantha Harvey the Remote Horse Coach shares a brief glimpse into the before and after rehabilitation of a horse that arrived with many human-created "issues." 

He appeared to his owner to have bucking, bolting, rearing, biting, and other unwanted behaviors. The reality was there were a lot of factors and contributors leading to his current dangerous behavior. This video shares how addressing the horse's mental, emotional, and physical state can help rehabilitate the once seemingly dangerous and overwhelming equine.

Dear Sam: Horse Help *Re-evaluating Horse Problems by Alternative Horsem...

Alternative Horsemanship with Samantha Harvey the Remote Horse Coach 

Dear Sam: Horse Help *ReEvaluating Horse "Problems" 

Addressing how most common problematic or unwanted equine behaviors are a symptom, not the issue(s) the horse is struggling with.


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Dear Sam: Horse Help Horsemanship Series *The Disinterested Horse

Dear Sam: Horse Help Horsemanship Series 

*The Disinterested Horse 

Alternative Horsemanship with Samantha Harvey the Remote Horse Coach discusses the topic of the disinterested horse and the factors that are leading to the unwanted behaviors. Subscribe to the Alternative Horsemanship YouTube Channel to watch new weekly videos.

Horseback Riding Lesson- Starting with a new Instructor

I've had an influx of new students lately and although folks sign up thinking they are coming for "horse" lessons... there really is a whole lot more that will be addressed.

Horsemanship: Misconceptions of the Circle by the Remote Horse Coach

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.
Whether it is for lunging, groundwork, riding one, or otherwise, rarely have I witnessed horses thinking and traveling around a circle in an intentional, soft manner.
Often there is a degree of "driving" energy from the human, along with containment via the lead rope, lunge line, reins, the rider's outside leg, etc.