Dear Sam: Horse Help Horsemanship Series
Horse Problems, Unwanted Equine Behavior & Uncomfortable Discussions
Click the link to watch the latest episode on the Alternative Horsemanship YouTube Channel.
Do you have horse behavior questions? Do you want to improve horse horse skills? Alternative Horsemanship™ with Samantha Harvey the Remote Horse Coach shares her horse training philosophy and coaches horseback riders of all experience levels. Offering horsemanship clinics worldwide along with distance horse coaching, instruction, and consults. Visit her horse video learning catalog offering webinars, courses, classes and more. Find her on all social media platforms #alternativehorsemanship
Ponying the Horse Tips
Ponying the Horse- Continuing Quality Conversations
I find when ponying, many folks focus on getting the ponied horse to follow the movement of the ridden one. This can create mindless movement in the ponied horse and contributes to what seems to willingly compliance (as long as nothing specific is asked of him) but he is not thoughtful, mentally directable, or physically adaptable.
Horse Goals & Interaction Tips
What intentions do you have for you and your horse? What are you doing to work towards them?
Refining Groundwork with the Horse
Refining Ground Work with the Horse
Whenever I show up to work with a horse I go through a mental checklist assessing things such as:
Where is the horse’s mind today?
How is the horse looking/feeling in his postures, breathing, and movement?
What was the feeling or energy he offered when greeting me in his pasture or stall?
Does he seem mentally available as I ask to halter, lead, and stop at the gate?
If I ask for him to change his focus, "let go" of a mental distraction, decrease/increase his energy, step on/at a specific spot, or pause while I "fix" something else, is he getting defensive for my opinions or his he willing to try?
Human Emotions Sabotaging Equine Partnerships
I've had many comments over the years about how I seem to never lose patience with the horse during moments that for most people would trigger a rollercoaster of emotions... such as in the scenarios of when a horse:
Resists being caught
Difficult to Trailer Load
Bolts when Led
Won't stand quietly tied
Avoidant towards the farrier
Has excessive movement when tacked or mounted
Is sensitive about fly spray or bathing
Is buddy or "barn" sour
Resists being caught
Difficult to Trailer Load
Bolts when Led
Won't stand quietly tied
Avoidant towards the farrier
Has excessive movement when tacked or mounted
Is sensitive about fly spray or bathing
Is buddy or "barn" sour
Pain, Horse Health and Soundness issues
Dear Sam: Horse Help Horsemanship Series
"Adrenaline overriding the Horse's Pain"
Discussing contributors regarding Horse Health and overlooked Soundness Issues. Sharing how the mental and emotional state of the horse creates equine behavior changes. Raising the question of the human's awareness to recognize if their goals outweigh the ability to offer empathy to acknowledge the horse's physical health.
Click the link to watch on the Alternative Horsemanship YouTube Channel. New videos are posted every Friday.
Are you unintentionally "teaching" the Horse unwanted behaviors?
Frequently, in an attempt to show kindness, folks try to pacify, mask, and cloak unwanted interactions with the horse.
Limited Time & Learning Horse Skills
Whether limited due to work, school, family commitments, weather, etc. I encourage people to spend any and as much Quality Time they can with the horse.
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