Where does the time go?

It's been awhile since I've written a new blog, but I didn't realize how long it's been! So much has been going on at my new training/instruction/clinic location, Free Spirit Farm, that there hasn't been much room for anything else. I had my first clinic there this past weekend. It was a huge success! Everyone, horse and human alike, learned a lot and gained a deeper understanding of one another, relaxation, confidence, and much improved partnerships! If you weren't able to attend but still want to enjoy the benefit of my "Leadership and Connection" clinics, I'll soon have the dvd of the entire weekend available on my website. You'll get the whole thing from beginning to end of both days so that you can see and apply the principles yourself and strengthen the relationship with your equine friends at home.

Other than that, I've been working with quite a few horses. They are all challenging and rewarding in their own ways. Here's something that's recently struck me as I've been working with a really wide range of horses of different ages, backgrounds, breeds, and experience...

It's really easy to mess up a horse's mind and his body.

All you have to do is scare them a few times or make them feel insecure in some way, and you've got a real problem on your hands. Now, some of you may not think the problem is that big of a deal. So Princess doesn't like to have the halter put on, or she won't let you groom her. You've got a few tricks up your sleeve. You feed Princess her grain and then slip the leadrope around her neck when she isn't looking. Sure, she pulls back and has a little fit, but then you can slip the halter on, no problem! Grooming's a cinch because you put her in the crossties. She fidgets for a few minutes, but eventually she gives up and quiets down.

We as humans can manage and cope with just about anything. Horses don't have it so easy. Every time "Princess" has a problem, it is ignored and she has to live with these feelings of anxiety. The lesson she learns is to tolerate her experience when she's with you. Unless you help her resolve her fear/anxiety, she will never improve and will most likely get worse.

I think it's our responsibility to help our horses negotiate their environments with confidence and grace. There is no reason for them to have to become resigned to the way they are being handled or treated. That causes detachment, disconnection, and stress. A horse that is stressed is not as safe to be around as one that is calm, confident, and self-assured. He's also not as enjoyable to be around, and he'll be less capable of performing well the tasks that are asked of him.

So, don't feed into your horse's insecurities by "managing" them. Retrain your horse to understand what's being asked of him. Ask him to respond to you in a way that respects his equine point of view. Help him return to a calm confident state-of-mind when he's feeling anxious, and your horse will always be a joy to be around and a true partner.