Departing: Yuma, AZ
Date: May 8 or 9, 2011
Arriving: Sandpoint, ID
Date: May 10 or 11, 2011
Email for Details
Alternative Horsemanship™ with Samantha Harvey the Remote Horse Coach shares horse training and horseback rider coaching, philosophies, and approaches she has developed over three decades. Offering horsemanship clinics worldwide, distance horse coaching instruction, equine consultations, equine re-education and rehabilitation, colt starting, and lessons. Follow her #alternativehorsemanship on all social media platforms.
NOTICE: Two Stalls Available in Horse Trailer Heading North
Departing: Yuma, AZ
Date: May 8 or 9, 2011
Arriving: Sandpoint, ID
Date: May 10 or 11, 2011
Email for Details
The Basics of Balance: You & Your Horse
Rider:
When the rider has the ability to use all of his aids independently of one another without interfering with the horse.
Horse:
When the horse has the ability to “carry” himself with his hind quarters engaged without “relying” or physically leaning on the rider.
Why is it important?
An unbalanced rider is uncomfortable physically and unclear mentally therefor they are unable to "take" their horse for the ride and are more likely to be "hopeful" that the horse complies.
Being balanced allows you to influence or react quickly, efficiently, and calmly to all situations presented.
Do you have balance?
Start self evaluation while riding on the flat
Exercises:
Ride a straight line- Can you pick a point and ride your horse straight towards it, or do you find yourself physically leaning in the saddle to try to "drag" your horse towards the chosen destination?
Maintain a consistent rhythm- Does your horse constantly change his rhythm within a gait? Have you noticed if you are offering the desired rhythm with your energy in the saddle or are you "waiting to see" what your horse offers?
Transitions- Abrupt, abrasive, draggy, jumpy, etc. these are all signs that you have not offered your horse clear communication through effective aids that can only be offered when you are riding physically balanced while preparing for a transition whether it is within a gait and decreasing and increasing the energy or from one gait to another.
Adjusting your horse’s stride- How much "work" does it take you to get a change in your horse's step? What aids do you have to use and how many times do you have to ask before you get the desired results? If you are incorrectly balanced, you cannot offer light and effective aids to offer clear communication which will cause a resistance in your horse adjusting his stride.
Responsiveness of your horse- How much of a delay is there from when you ask your horse to do something to the time he actually does it? If you are unbalanced your timing and effectiveness of your aids will cause your horse to not believe that when you do something, it means something, and he must try to participate.
When the rider has the ability to use all of his aids independently of one another without interfering with the horse.
Horse:
When the horse has the ability to “carry” himself with his hind quarters engaged without “relying” or physically leaning on the rider.
Why is it important?
An unbalanced rider is uncomfortable physically and unclear mentally therefor they are unable to "take" their horse for the ride and are more likely to be "hopeful" that the horse complies.
Being balanced allows you to influence or react quickly, efficiently, and calmly to all situations presented.
Do you have balance?
Start self evaluation while riding on the flat
Exercises:
Ride a straight line- Can you pick a point and ride your horse straight towards it, or do you find yourself physically leaning in the saddle to try to "drag" your horse towards the chosen destination?
Maintain a consistent rhythm- Does your horse constantly change his rhythm within a gait? Have you noticed if you are offering the desired rhythm with your energy in the saddle or are you "waiting to see" what your horse offers?
Transitions- Abrupt, abrasive, draggy, jumpy, etc. these are all signs that you have not offered your horse clear communication through effective aids that can only be offered when you are riding physically balanced while preparing for a transition whether it is within a gait and decreasing and increasing the energy or from one gait to another.
Adjusting your horse’s stride- How much "work" does it take you to get a change in your horse's step? What aids do you have to use and how many times do you have to ask before you get the desired results? If you are incorrectly balanced, you cannot offer light and effective aids to offer clear communication which will cause a resistance in your horse adjusting his stride.
Responsiveness of your horse- How much of a delay is there from when you ask your horse to do something to the time he actually does it? If you are unbalanced your timing and effectiveness of your aids will cause your horse to not believe that when you do something, it means something, and he must try to participate.
Mental Clarity
Assess yourself before you critique your horse.
When did your ride really start? Your ride should begin when you THINK about going for a ride. You need to raise your level of awareness that at everyone moment you are interacting with your horse (starting with when you catch him) you are influencing the "tone", energy and attitude for the upcoming ride.
Distraction, stress, goals, patience, sensitivity, work, family, “real life.” Leave "reality" at the door. If you're not 110% available for your horse, there is no way you will be able to offer clear and effective communication with your horse. If you're not completely "present", then there is no way that your horse will be.
Intention-Purpose-Self Analysis Do not brainlessly go through the motions, even when catching, grooming and tacking up. Have an initial "plan"- though this will change numerous times throughout the ride. If you set small goals (even just for every three or four steps of the ride) you will be able to break down what you are offering, what your horse is doing in response, and what changes you'd like to create a better quality ride.
If something is NOT working, try creating a change in you in order to find one in your horse. Many people think that repetition is the way to teach a horse something. Put it into people terms. If someone were trying to teach you something, and you didn't understand, if they kept saying the same thing over and over, louder and louder each time, you STILL would not understand. They would have to change how or what they were saying to find a way to offer you a better explanation. The same goes for riding. Even if you think you're being clear, you need to address each time your horse isn't clear, which may mean diverting from the "original" goal, in order to set the necessary foundation in order to accomplish the end goal.
Brainlessly offering the same movement over and over until your horse accidentally or finally figures out what is being asked of him, decreases his confidence and willing to try and learn the next time you offer something new.
When did your ride really start? Your ride should begin when you THINK about going for a ride. You need to raise your level of awareness that at everyone moment you are interacting with your horse (starting with when you catch him) you are influencing the "tone", energy and attitude for the upcoming ride.
Distraction, stress, goals, patience, sensitivity, work, family, “real life.” Leave "reality" at the door. If you're not 110% available for your horse, there is no way you will be able to offer clear and effective communication with your horse. If you're not completely "present", then there is no way that your horse will be.
Intention-Purpose-Self Analysis Do not brainlessly go through the motions, even when catching, grooming and tacking up. Have an initial "plan"- though this will change numerous times throughout the ride. If you set small goals (even just for every three or four steps of the ride) you will be able to break down what you are offering, what your horse is doing in response, and what changes you'd like to create a better quality ride.
If something is NOT working, try creating a change in you in order to find one in your horse. Many people think that repetition is the way to teach a horse something. Put it into people terms. If someone were trying to teach you something, and you didn't understand, if they kept saying the same thing over and over, louder and louder each time, you STILL would not understand. They would have to change how or what they were saying to find a way to offer you a better explanation. The same goes for riding. Even if you think you're being clear, you need to address each time your horse isn't clear, which may mean diverting from the "original" goal, in order to set the necessary foundation in order to accomplish the end goal.
Brainlessly offering the same movement over and over until your horse accidentally or finally figures out what is being asked of him, decreases his confidence and willing to try and learn the next time you offer something new.
TEC Full Immersion Camps- Offered 3 times for 3 days in June and July 2011
We have had many requests for "camp weeks" for those individuals who would like to experience more than a one-hour training session with their OWN horse. We will offer a full immersion course with sessions continuous Friday through Sunday focusing on Assessment, Ground Work & Riding. We are restricting this course to a maximum of eight riders. For one price the following will be included: daily unmounted theory discussions, tack/equipment fitting & usage, individual and group instruction and pasture board (grass or alfalfa hay) for your horse. Sessions will begin at 8 a.m. and will end at 5 p.m. Horse arrival is to be on the Thursday night prior to the first day of the course.
Beyond this basic outline the structure and focus of the clinic will depend on the participants and their interests. Our goal is to help both riders and horses to raise their level of awareness, increase their clarity in communication with their horse, to be safe and have fun! Riders of all ages, disciplines and levels are welcome. For registration info & details: http://www.learnhorses.com/Clinics/tec_registration-non-java.html
2011 Clinic Camp Dates:
# 1 June 10-12
# 2 July 15-17
# 3 July 29-31
Beyond this basic outline the structure and focus of the clinic will depend on the participants and their interests. Our goal is to help both riders and horses to raise their level of awareness, increase their clarity in communication with their horse, to be safe and have fun! Riders of all ages, disciplines and levels are welcome. For registration info & details: http://www.learnhorses.com/Clinics/tec_registration-non-java.html
2011 Clinic Camp Dates:
# 1 June 10-12
# 2 July 15-17
# 3 July 29-31
Effective Riding
Using an aid to create clear communication between rider and horse. “Feeling a fly.” Your horse can feel a fly land on them- they can feel every shift, movement and breath you take. If they are "ignoring" your aids, there is a lack of clarity between what you think you are offering and what your horse is "receiving."
Reason- Assessing what your horse is currently offering you
Purpose-What you would like to change
Energy-Offering an appropriate physical pressure of aid to get desired result
Reward-Acknowledging the “try” from your horse and allowing him a moment of “let down”
The ideal goal is to help our horse and not just critique.
Reason- Assessing what your horse is currently offering you
Purpose-What you would like to change
Energy-Offering an appropriate physical pressure of aid to get desired result
Reward-Acknowledging the “try” from your horse and allowing him a moment of “let down”
The ideal goal is to help our horse and not just critique.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)