I have learned so much over my life with horses. ( I started riding at 3 and owned my first horse at 10) It has been 30 years of learning, and yet on so many levels I feel like my journey has just begun.
My ever changing path of learning has lead me to where I am today. And while there are parts of my journey I am not proud of I couldn't be where I am if I hadn't done certain things. I feel you can take something from almost every trainer out there. It could even be that you learn what you do not want to do. If you would have asked me 4 years ago where I got my inspiration from I would and could have made you a list of horse trainers. I wanted the relationship with my horses to look like the relationship they had with horses. Then one day I realized my inspiration shouldn't come from other trainers, but from my horses. If I wanted that relationship I had to work to get it. I had to be inspired by the true teachers, the horses. It was then that I really started to listen to the horses and learn. I am still learning with every new day and new session.
So how have they inspired me?
Pixie: She of course inspires me to slow down and really listen. She inspired me to look beyond my comfort zone and become a better trainer. She has shown me that if you give up trying to control and instead work with them that it all falls into place. Plain and simple this mare has made me who I am.
Jess: He inspired me to change not because I had to with him, but because he showed me what "shut down" looked liked. He inspires me everyday to try and help others so others horses don't end up mentally shut down. Since living with us he has learned he has an opinion and it counts.
Willow: She inspired me to slow down and breath. This mare is anxious and wants to go go go, but if you take the time to listen and show her she doesn't have to she is a dream to work with. She like Jess was mentally shut down and would listen if the pain was great enough to outweigh her own fear. She worked well in a shank bit, but wouldn't listen to anything less. To now see her work without a bit is an inspiration everyday. She no longer has to choice between fear and pain.
Navi: This little mare has inspired me to become softer. She has an opinion and she will make it known. She also has shown me that her heart is there and she will give her all if I do. Navi inspires me to keep doing what I am doing because she came to me a clean slate and it is rewarding to me to see her learn and be happy all at the same time. Through all my trial and errors with her she inspired me to keep going and now we are unstoppable.
Char: She inspires me to help show the world that throw away horses are worth something. At this point I don't plan on ever riding her again, but that doesn't mean she is worthless. She inspires me to never give up. She had no reason to ever trust us, but over time she has come to enjoy our company as much as we enjoy hers.
I do hope that through my actions I can inspire at least one person to try a different path and find inspiration from their horse instead of a trainer.
How have your horses inspired you?
Wednesday, January 28, 2015
Pixie was a Rockstar
Yesterday we had the chance to hit the trails with a couple of ladies from the barn. It was our first outing across the street this season. I am loving this warm January weather, but then again what horse person isn't?
I have to give Pixie credit for how well she did considering it was our first ride out in a long time and the fact that one of the other horses became very anxious and and wanted to run home. At one point we were stopped waiting while the other horse was circling. He was very amped up at this point. Mentally checked out to the point where he ran into Pixie and I. All was okay in the end, thank goodness, as I always worry about someone getting hurt when horses get that scared on the trail. At first Pixie started to feed off his anxiety, but with a deep breath from me she came back to me. After that I would click and treat while we stood still. She did an amazing job of staying focused on me and not getting worried. It was a lot for her to handle, but thankfully our training paid off. My deep breath to cue whoa worked, it served its purpose to stop her without rein pressure and to communicate relaxation. Good Pixie!
I have to give Pixie credit for how well she did considering it was our first ride out in a long time and the fact that one of the other horses became very anxious and and wanted to run home. At one point we were stopped waiting while the other horse was circling. He was very amped up at this point. Mentally checked out to the point where he ran into Pixie and I. All was okay in the end, thank goodness, as I always worry about someone getting hurt when horses get that scared on the trail. At first Pixie started to feed off his anxiety, but with a deep breath from me she came back to me. After that I would click and treat while we stood still. She did an amazing job of staying focused on me and not getting worried. It was a lot for her to handle, but thankfully our training paid off. My deep breath to cue whoa worked, it served its purpose to stop her without rein pressure and to communicate relaxation. Good Pixie!
Monday, January 26, 2015
A couple more rides on Navi
Yesterday I had the chance to put another ride on Navi. She stood like a champ at the mounting block so I hoped on. We walked a little and then worked on whoa and flexing. She is still bracing while I am riding so I got off and did some more in hand work. She was super light on the ground, somewhere I am losing the connection between ground and riding work. Have to solve that puzzle. It got to where if I got a good stop I would dismount. We would do something else and then I would remount see if I could get a light stop and then dismount. It was a lot of on off, but it seemed to work in the end. I am still riding bareback so I can easily slid off if needed. I look forward to riding her again today :)
Sunday, January 25, 2015
How and Why I became Softer
First of all I stopped using words like disrespectful, dominant, and instead I started to look for the true meaning behind the behaviors.
I started to dissect every behavior and look at it differently. I paid attention to all the little details and signs the horses where giving me. Basically I started looking at the why.
Why didn't they want to do said behavior? What could be their reasoning behind it. Was it fear, frustration, not understanding, soreness, etc...
Instead of worry about how to get them to NOT do certain behaviors I started to focus on the behavior I wanted them to do.
Horses don't do behaviors without reason. In some way that behavior was rewarded either by you or it could be a self rewarding behavior. Bad behaviors such as bucking or rearing can be self rewarding because it works to get rid of the pressure or pain caused by the rider or tack. (There can be many different reasons) Wanting to rush home is usually rewarded because in the end the ride stopped. There are two ways to stop these behaviors: 1. Make the punishment so severe it outweighs the reward they get by performing the behavior or 2. Make the reward for the correct behavior outweigh the bad behavior. The problem with the first way is that it doesn't address the root cause. By punishing the behavior you aren't asking the question of Why. And without addressing the why you can't ever completely address the issue at hand. And if you don't fix the root cause you truly are not fixing the behavior. You will see the behavior again, it may not be often, but it will happen. However, if you look for the root cause and address that issue then you will be able to make the bad behavior extinct because they won't have a reason to repeat it.
So with all that in mind, I started to change my ways. This was a long process. The funny part is I have known this for many years. When I trained dogs my specialty was aggressive and reactive dogs. When working with dogs that have behavioral issues you always back chain to find the root cause. So why did it take me so long with horses. Well because it went against everything I was taught in the horse world. Most trainers in the horse world don't brother to look at the why they only address the issue at hand. Actually I lied, they will tell you the "why" is because the horse is being disrespectful or dominant.
You don't have to take my word for it, these are my own thoughts and opinions, but if you have even the slightest want to work your horse without pain and pressure start to look at the small details. Start to analyze every part of your relationship with your horse. Start to look at how what You do effects your horse. Try to look at things from your horses point of view. Step back and take a good long look at yourself. Also step back and watch others. Start to watch how they interact with their horses. Watch the horse...sometimes watching others do the same thing you do is the biggest eye opener. Cause yes, it looks and feels the same when you do it. I know I had a real eye opener when I did all of this.
I started to dissect every behavior and look at it differently. I paid attention to all the little details and signs the horses where giving me. Basically I started looking at the why.
Why didn't they want to do said behavior? What could be their reasoning behind it. Was it fear, frustration, not understanding, soreness, etc...
Instead of worry about how to get them to NOT do certain behaviors I started to focus on the behavior I wanted them to do.
Horses don't do behaviors without reason. In some way that behavior was rewarded either by you or it could be a self rewarding behavior. Bad behaviors such as bucking or rearing can be self rewarding because it works to get rid of the pressure or pain caused by the rider or tack. (There can be many different reasons) Wanting to rush home is usually rewarded because in the end the ride stopped. There are two ways to stop these behaviors: 1. Make the punishment so severe it outweighs the reward they get by performing the behavior or 2. Make the reward for the correct behavior outweigh the bad behavior. The problem with the first way is that it doesn't address the root cause. By punishing the behavior you aren't asking the question of Why. And without addressing the why you can't ever completely address the issue at hand. And if you don't fix the root cause you truly are not fixing the behavior. You will see the behavior again, it may not be often, but it will happen. However, if you look for the root cause and address that issue then you will be able to make the bad behavior extinct because they won't have a reason to repeat it.
So with all that in mind, I started to change my ways. This was a long process. The funny part is I have known this for many years. When I trained dogs my specialty was aggressive and reactive dogs. When working with dogs that have behavioral issues you always back chain to find the root cause. So why did it take me so long with horses. Well because it went against everything I was taught in the horse world. Most trainers in the horse world don't brother to look at the why they only address the issue at hand. Actually I lied, they will tell you the "why" is because the horse is being disrespectful or dominant.
You don't have to take my word for it, these are my own thoughts and opinions, but if you have even the slightest want to work your horse without pain and pressure start to look at the small details. Start to analyze every part of your relationship with your horse. Start to look at how what You do effects your horse. Try to look at things from your horses point of view. Step back and take a good long look at yourself. Also step back and watch others. Start to watch how they interact with their horses. Watch the horse...sometimes watching others do the same thing you do is the biggest eye opener. Cause yes, it looks and feels the same when you do it. I know I had a real eye opener when I did all of this.
Great Day with the Horses
We took Willow and Pixie down first. We ended up having to ride inside due to the wind and ice. It was really warm, just not safe footing. That was okay though as we had a chance to ride and talk with another boarder and then we got to play soccer with the girls. It was a fun fun ride! Pixie and I rode in her buckle halter. The only way to know if she is responding to me and not out of fear of pressure is to remove the object that could create the pressure. I wanted to make sure she was just as responsive without her rope halter. She did really well, even with the distractions!
After our ride, I caught Navi. We are working on her position to me while walking. She is doing so well at this. If she gets a head of me I just stop and wait. She is quickly correcting herself back to be aligned with my shoulder. As soon as she gets aligned I click and treat. It has taken us a while, but she is finally learning impulse control. We played in the indoor also and had some amazing mounting block work. She lined right up and stood perfectly still while I mounted and dismounted. I am on vacation this week so I really would like to get some rides on Navi while I have the time off.
Sunday, January 18, 2015
The real reason I ride at liberty
Why do I ride Pixie with just a neck rope or sometimes 100% at liberty. Well because it makes me a better rider. I don't do it to make her better. Sure she comes out of each ride better trained (at least I hope so, lol) , but that isn't my main goal. It challenges me way more than it challenges her. Taking away all head control forces me to ride with my whole body, not just my arms. It makes me figure out ways to communicate to her without pressure. I am forced to think outside the box! It also makes me trust in her. We had a rocky start and it took me a long time to figure out that until I trusted her she wasn't going to trust in me. I had to live in the moment, not the past.
I do liberty to make me better and riding at liberty shows me where my holes are at. It will also show me where she is at mentally. Our rides vary depending on my mood and hers. And if you know Pixie you know she can be quite moody, lol. It is the harder rides though that I get the most out of. I really have to stay soft and focused because if I push to hard she will leave me. She is very clear with how she feels.
Why is riding at liberty making me better not just her, well because unlike most people I didn't wait until she was so mechanically broke that I could ride bridle-less. I did the opposite, lol, I ditched the bridle and halter to make her and I better. (I did wait until we had a solid stop with just a breathing cue. I am crazy, but not stupid, lol) I was then challenged with how to teach her to back, turn, flex and in general listen to me without the rein aids. We spent many rides just working on one thing. Now as time has past we can practice multiple things. Some days we still work on refining a certain cue/behavior, other days we just do whatever.
The other day she seemed to have lost the ability to turn right and left. Backing that day was at 110% though. So we practiced backing, then after a few minutes, and with the help of our new target we got steering back. Her lack of steering came back on me since she was willing to give me other behaviors. She wasn't being defiant or disrespectful to me because once I took a different route we had steering. I had to change how I was asking, and that right there is the reason I ride at liberty because it requires me to work with her as a partner.
I do liberty to make me better and riding at liberty shows me where my holes are at. It will also show me where she is at mentally. Our rides vary depending on my mood and hers. And if you know Pixie you know she can be quite moody, lol. It is the harder rides though that I get the most out of. I really have to stay soft and focused because if I push to hard she will leave me. She is very clear with how she feels.
Why is riding at liberty making me better not just her, well because unlike most people I didn't wait until she was so mechanically broke that I could ride bridle-less. I did the opposite, lol, I ditched the bridle and halter to make her and I better. (I did wait until we had a solid stop with just a breathing cue. I am crazy, but not stupid, lol) I was then challenged with how to teach her to back, turn, flex and in general listen to me without the rein aids. We spent many rides just working on one thing. Now as time has past we can practice multiple things. Some days we still work on refining a certain cue/behavior, other days we just do whatever.
The other day she seemed to have lost the ability to turn right and left. Backing that day was at 110% though. So we practiced backing, then after a few minutes, and with the help of our new target we got steering back. Her lack of steering came back on me since she was willing to give me other behaviors. She wasn't being defiant or disrespectful to me because once I took a different route we had steering. I had to change how I was asking, and that right there is the reason I ride at liberty because it requires me to work with her as a partner.
Saturday, January 17, 2015
Target Training
We have had the chance to play with our new target a few times now. And the verdict is...all the horses love it and so do I! I find it is an easy way to get them learn new positions. I have ridden with it twice, one time on Pixie and Willow. I look forward to riding with it more so I can have a new tool once I start consistently putting rides on Navi.
Thursday I was able to do a little target work with Willow. I found it really helped her unlock her shoulders. Moving over her front end has always been a struggle for her and having the target to follow really allowed her relax and move freely :)
Now I am super excited for spring so I will have more daylight hours to get out and play!
Thursday I was able to do a little target work with Willow. I found it really helped her unlock her shoulders. Moving over her front end has always been a struggle for her and having the target to follow really allowed her relax and move freely :)
Now I am super excited for spring so I will have more daylight hours to get out and play!
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