Are you your horse's human?

There are a lot of different training methods out there. So many varying opinions.

I wont say our Training Trainability method is perfect, because no single training method is perfect without adaptation (and we aim to provide that flexibility and adaptation within the membership).

But I will say ours gives something most others don’t - connection.

And connection is a vital part of what our horses desire, with the added bonus of providing forgiveness when we don’t get something right.

Horses, by nature, live in herds. They need a community, a dynamic of relationship, to provide them protection, friendship and even - ocassionally - to put them back in their place. The herd confidence in their alpha sets them up for the best harmony. They have spent centuries evolving this way.

With that in mind, we can’t expect our horse to behave any differently with us. The path of domestication hasn’t taken out that particular need - so that means we must tailor our own interactions to be more herd-like.

Cue funny picture of humans grazing… maybe not.

We should, however, be considering how we can become a part of the herd - in a way that is managable, allows our horse to easily slip into a process with us, knowing they are protected, have a companion, and know their boundaries. Even if they do test them sometimes.

That level of interaction takes us from just being their leader to creating a deeper connection. It means that you will have a horse that wants to spend time with you, just quietly hanging together, just within breathing space or even slightly touching.

Connection is what makes us our horse’s human.

And I wouldn’t want it any other way.

Our biggest take away from the Stronger Bond Workshop

One of our biggest take aways from our stronger bond workshop is having permission to get quiet, get still and wait longer.

When we are working on connection with our horses we need to start from a place of relaxation.

When we push, rush or force our horses into something that’s where we start to disrupt that connection and trigger our horses emotional resistance.

Maybe they need to take a moment to deal with their fear. Or maybe then need a moment to deal with their resentment or frustration of being made to do something they don’t want to do.

Whatever the reason is we have found that giving the horse the space to process that emotional resistance and return to the state of relaxation and then choose to do what we ask of their own accord then we deepen our connection and our relationship with our horse.

This does require an extreme amount of patience. And letting go of the idea that all nos are our horses being naughty. Some nos are our horse legitimately trying to tell us something. Ie they have a problem like pain or discomfort or not understanding or not being able to do what we’re asking. For a lot of the horses I get called out to work with, the most important thing the are looking for to deescalating behaviour deemed naughty and dangerous is just that we listen to their nos.

Once we figure and remove all reasons for a no then we can start working on our yes. Part of how we get our horses to say yes is to bring them back to that state of relaxation by focusing on their breathing and allow them the option to say yes or no. We teach this with our consent cue. When our horses have the option to say yes I’m ready for the next ask, this is where true willingness is and we are working on a level of mutual cooperation. To get there we as their trainer need to take a deep breath, have some patience, be quiet, be still and wait a little or a lot longer.

Want to know more we have a free training in our free facebook group of getting quiet and still both on the ground and in the saddle with our horse.

Biggest Take Aways From The First Do No Harm Summit

We are very excited (and still somewhat recovering) from an epic weekend.

That’s right - the First Do No Harm Summit concluded on Sunday just past, with an awesome attendance and presentations from some amazing fellow equestrian professionals.

So we thought we would sum up some of our biggest take aways from the event - just to get you thinking as well!

(Missed the summit? Click here to binge watch until May 18th 2020, or join the Facebook Group to access them after!)

The Key to a Stronger Bond

Equestrian Movement

This is one we discuss often, and the condenced version of the Equestrian Movement Stronger Bond Workshop revealed there are 3 key things we need to be providing our horses: consistency, confidence, and consent.

Thinking Business In A Changing World

Full Strides Solution

Even the smallest ‘extra income’ solution, whether it is agisting (boarding) friends horses or making horse hair jewellery should be approached with a business mentality. Simply having an outline of what happens in case of an event has the capability of staving off exorbitant legal fees - and loss of relationships!

Bit Fitting - Avoiding Wounds

The Bit Fitter

Well, besides having everything I was ever taught about a bit thrown out as myth, I learnt that I seriously need to look at my horse’s mouth more closely! However, there are a few great tips to getting a bit to fit correctly and comfortably.

Owner’s Hoof Care Checklist

The Glorious Hoof

There is so much about the anatomy of the hoof that can change so quickly, and impact our horse’s posture and movement - but there are many things we can pick up early if we know what to look for. Also, the well known 6-8 week cycle we tend to use is too long for most horses.

The Fundamentals of Aromatherapy

Evoke Aromatic

Aromatherapy can help us create a connection with our horses by working on both their and our emotional states. So, so loved her breakdown of the horses olfactory system and how it has direct access to their emotions and trainability.

3 Secrets to Improve Your Dressage Riding

Equestrian Movement

Katie shared so many free tips, but I definitely resonated with the idea that more forward does not equal faster - in fact, the way to create more forward in your horse is to create more slow!

Boundaries for Better Horsemanship

Savvy Horsewoman

Treat your horse like every day with them is the first day with them. No expectations, just work with what you are given.

The Importance of Correct Halter Training

Stokers Ridge Ranch

A horse can be trained to have a “default” - their reaction to a particular stimulus. By creating more positive neurons than negative, focusing on softness, and breaking down the training to the very basics - all the way down to halter training - gives them the best chance to change that response.

Rider’s Posture & Fitness

@PhysioZane

“Perfect” posture is not always possible, because bodies are made differently. The focus should be on your optimal posture, and how you can tailor that to your riding. I have a new trick to try on my next ride as well!

Strengthen & Supple Your Horse

Equine Muscle Matters

Helping to create balance in your horse can be as easy as one small pole exercise, that can be done on the ground! Also, the correct way to apply carrot stretches.

Worm Your Way Into Your Horses Heart

Equestrian Movement

Ok, so I presented this one. But I did learn that when you refer to tapeworm segments as mini ravioli sacs, people never want to eat ravioli again…

The biggest take away, though, is that all our horses should be treated as individuals. Just because it works one way for one horse doesn’t mean it will work perfectly for all horses. Tailoring your work to your own horse, and to yourself, will result in the best success.

Getting a stronger bond with you horse

Do you wish you had a stronger relationship with your horse?

Does it just not feel right or like there’s something missing?

Are you looking for answers to behavioural issues?

Maybe if my horse liked me more it wouldn’t be so skittish and spooky or bargy and pushy?

Developing a relationship with our horses is the long road seldom travelled. Because once you know how to make or manipulate a horse into doing what you want it to you don’t really need to rely on the relationship anymore. The better you get at making horses do things and hanging on to their outbursts the less you need them to be willing because well they actually are willing and the more their willingness comes because they have no other option.

At some stage we will hit a plateau with our horse. At this stage we may sell and try a new horse hoping the next one will be our answer. This can happen several times over, always seeking but never finding that magic that we are looking for of complete union in the saddle.

What your lacking is called connection. It is when your horse is interested and engaged in the learning process, it enjoys moving in harmony with you and its attention and focus is on you always. When you head to the paddock they come to the gate to greet you. When you dismount they give you a soft knicker in appreciation of the ride. Its not this constant fighting and battle that leaves you exhausted and makes just the idea of tacking up feeling like your pulling teeth.

That connection starts with us. We have to put the time and the effort into building a relationship and rapport with our horses. Not leave them feeling like they are a cog in the machine.

When was the last time you sat with you horse just to enjoy being with them?