Heart Mind Soul Connections - Equine Mental Health Services

19/10/2022

A better version of you makes your horse a better version of you both ❤️🐴

17/10/2022

02/10/2022

Wow!! What a great day of horsey fun we had today.
I have been working on a relationship connection with a young rider and her horse Jedda.

Em and Jedda have found their rhythm and are now working really well together…. Great work Em!! 🥰
Went out for a trail ride this morning with the husband and Em. That was just a relaxing walk to start the day right.
Then we got stuck in to some confidence work with Em and Jedda. Well…. That paid off because then they were unstoppable!! Jumping, Barrel Racing and hooning!! Just how life should be. Love horsing about soaking up the sunshine ☀️

19/09/2022

Animals are far superior to us. People need to remember that.

04/03/2022

❤️

30/01/2022

Anxiety

Being able to recognise it in your horse is something we should all learn. Sometimes they mask it with behaviour, like pig rooting, rearing, refusal to move and shut down. These are all anxiety signs.
Dealing with your anxious horse can be scary if you are unsure of how to go about calming your horse.

There are several techniques that can help you, help your horse and these can be done without even touching your horse.
🐴You can just calmly sit in the horses yard/paddock, read a book or meditate.
🐴You can, if the horse allows you, match steps.
🐴You can focus on your horse, as well as focusing on yours and the horses breathing.

All of these things will help your horse learn to calm down and be present with you instead of focusing on where his mates are or what is going on around him.

For more information please message me.

❤️🐴

23/12/2021

FOR YOUR HORSES SAKE

When you walk into the stable
Don’t try to show who’s boss
Your horse won’t understand you
And he’ll be at a loss
Instead, just go and rub his head
Be kind, and furthermore
When you walk into the stable
Leave your ego at the door.

When you walk into the paddock
You must go to your horse
Don’t think that he should come to you
Don’t chase or yell or force
Just take some feed to catch him
In this there’s no debate
When you walk into the paddock
Leave your ego at the gate

Every time you ride your horse
Think before you ask
Make it easy, always question
If he’s ready for the task
And when you have a problem
Don’t throw your weight around
Every time you ride your horse
Leave your ego on the ground

Every time you’re with your horse
Show him kindness first
Be nice and friendly always
And never think the worst
It’s sometimes not that easy
To know what’s in his mind
But every time you’re with your horse
Leave your ego far behind

Author - Neil Davies

https://www.facebook.com/FearFreeHorseTrainingWithNeilDavies/

14/12/2021

I just love how simple this question is. If you truly want connection with your horse all you need to give them is “time”.
Time to connect with you...
Time to allow you to connect with them...
Time to just be a horse 🐴
Charlie Mackesy pic credit

15/10/2021

Worth the drive.
❤️🐴

🤠Now open at 378 Auburn Street, Goulburn
🌵Opening tonight (Thursday) until 8pm
🎁 Start your present shopping early !
🎸 Wrangler, Bullzye, Cinch, Pure Western, Ringers Western

15/10/2021

Not all horses like being ridden either, but love the human engagement.
💕Beautiful words.💕
🐴❤️

You don't have to ride your horse. It's ok if you don't ride your horse. It is not a requirement of horse ownership that you RIDE your horse.

I often hear people talk -
"(name) NEVER rides his/her horse! I don't know why (name) bothers having a horse, why does (name) spend all that money on board, and farrier, and veterinarian, and vaccinations and NEVER ride their horse? What a waste of money!"

First of all, it's none of their business what (name) does with his/her horse and his/her money. None.

Secondly, so what? Who care's?? If the horse is happy and well taken care of, then it's all good. I promise you that the horse is not standing in it's pen/pasture/stall saying to itself "Oh I wish (name) would come ride me!". or "Oh goody, here comes (name) to take me for a gallop around the barrels". Horses don't function like that. Horses look for and require food, water, shelter and companionship. Being ridden is not on their list of daily requirements for survival.

To be honest, I have a lot of respect for people who don't ride their horses, but are still willing to spend the necessary money, time and effort it takes to be a conscientious horse owner.

Maybe (name) has good reason not to ride, perhaps they have physical limitations, or too many demands on their time, or perhaps they just don't want to ride. Perhaps they struggle with their confidence and prefer groundwork, perhaps they don't like to ride or work with their horse when no one else is around. Perhaps they really just like to own a horse and derive as much enjoyment just being a horse owner, providing a good life for a horse they love and want to support, for as long as they can.

Perhaps we should not judge what people do with their horses, (or don't do), as long as those horses are well taken care of.

So next time someone says to you that they own a horse, but they don't ride, don't give them that stare of disbelief, don't put them down or make snide remarks. Instead, praise them for being a dedicated horse owner, for being willing to do what is necessary for a horse to have a good life, for being a good person, regardless of what they do, or don't do, with their horse.

Horses need good people, not all good horse people ride.

09/10/2021

Monday is “Freedom Day”
What will you be doing?

27/09/2021

Counting down the days until lockdown ends.
Can not wait to get out there and work with those who need it ❤️🐴

12/09/2021

Our new shirts will be arriving soon with thanks to Anna @ Naughty Horse 🐴 I highly recommend Anna for all your horse workwear. Fantastic service 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
https://www.facebook.com/1Nhorse/

31/08/2021

I am currently taking bookings to fill my calendar when lockdown is lifted.
If you would like any help with your horse or yourself I am happy to come and help you.
From Monday - 11/10/2021 until 25/10/2021 I am offering a 20% discount 💥 to all who book in their first consultation! How awesome is that!!
Send me a message or call me on 0490 205 505
Have a great day and happy horsing ❤️🐴

30/08/2021

💖 Blondie 💖 and her 8yr old hooman 💖
This horse has come such a long way in the time I have spent with her. She has been living at our farm since May. She arrived terrified of everything. So anxious that she could not even stand still without freaking out.
She had a severe buddy attachment to her paddock friend and would lose her mind with worry if she was out of sight. This caused her 8yo hooman to become terrified of her horse. This made me sad 😞. So we worked on getting her to calm down and be comfortable with her own company. Now she is fine on her own 🥰.
We worked on connection. Her learning that hoomans are not scary and that they can enrich her life. Now she loves being with people and is very easy to catch.
I took Blondie home yesterday satisfied that she was safe enough for her little hooman to be around. I am very proud of both of them. ❤️🐴

24/08/2021

22/08/2021

Has your horse ever asked?

10/08/2021

I am currently working with Blondie, she was extremely disconnected from her humans when I met her and had no desire to be with them or be touched by them. Blondie’s human is an 8yo girl who loves Pony Club and just hanging out with her pony. Blondie has now learned that having a great friendship with her little human has some wonderful benefits ❤️🐴

08/08/2021

This is a great read and very true. If you are taking into consideration how your horse processes things then it makes sense to take as much time as ‘they’ need to get it done without forcing them to. ❤️🐴

A few days ago I was talking to a trainer. She was telling me about the pressure she felt meeting the owner's expectation to have their horses going home trouble-free under saddle in just a few weeks. She said most people expect the job completed in 6-8 weeks and Flossy to go home ready to take on all challenges with a smile.

We both agreed that when it came to starting our own horses under saddle we prefer the process to take 6 months or even longer. For most horses, it allows us to cover all the layers of learning with no gaps between them. This is imperative in making a horse reliable, soft, feeling okay, confident, and trusting for the basic job of being an all-around riding horse. It doesn’t mean the training is finished or even polished. But it does mean the basics are solid enough to be confident of a concrete foundation for what lays ahead. Yet in most cases, a trainer is expected to achieve in 6 weeks what they would choose to do in 6 months for their horse.

I know it takes very little time to be able to mount, walk, trot, and canter on most horses. When I began starting horses as a teenager I used to average the job in 10 days. If I had one ready to go home in 8 days, I thought it was proof that I was becoming more skilled as a horse trainer. But now I see the folly of youth and how naive I was as a young trainer. Most of the horses in those days went home somewhat obedient but with trouble inside them that I would not accept today. Inevitably, there were many occasions that horses went home doomed to a difficult life. They were never ready for what lay ahead.

I have seen the same issue appear time and again at the many 3 or 4-day c**t starting clinics I have watched. Those clinics are not for the benefit of the horses and I believe they should be stopped. Without exception, every c**t starting clinic I’ve witnessed has resulted in flooding horses to the maximum to induce helplessness and a sense of futility on the horses. They are anti- good horsemanship in my view, irrespective of the skill of the trainer. However, even if you disagree with this opinion, it is hard to justify teaching people to start their horse in just a few days. This is one of those times when the term “breaking in” seems appropriate.

To be fair to owners, very few people have unlimited resources to afford 6 months of training to start a horse under saddle. So how does a trainer fit 6 months of education and experience into 6 weeks? Answer: they can’t.

However, there can be compromises that make the odds of success when the horse goes home much more favourable.

It starts with every owner promising to commit to the welfare of their horse and their relationship, to the maximum of their available time and finances allow.

In that regard, I believe an owner should get involved in the process of training with the best trainer they can access This means attending as many of the training sessions as possible. It means driving your trainer nuts with a million questions at every session. It means, when appropriate, doing some of the hands-on work yourself under the guidance of the trainer. It means when the day comes to take your horse home, you know as much as your trainer about Flossy’s strengths and weaknesses and what to do about them in the coming weeks/months. It also means that after you take Flossy home you keep working with the trainer through regular lessons. It also means only choose a trainer who is prepared to work with you in this way. It means avoiding trainers who don’t encourage your visits, participation and are uninterested in offering ongoing help after your horse goes home.

I know this level of commitment by an owner works. Shortly after I changed careers from trainer to full-time clinician I spent a little time recalling the success of some owners and their horses a year after they had gone home after working with me. The correlation was black and white. Those that worked with me during and after the training period had less trouble and happier horses a year later than those that did not, by a significant margin. I know that probably seems a no-brainer, but it surprises me how few people commit to taking advantage of the learning opportunity when their horse is with a trainer.

It’s not a substitute for 6 months with a brilliant trainer, but given that is not possible for many people, it’s a pretty good compromise. This type of commitment from an owner is no less than what every horse deserves. The emotional, physical and financial investment we place in our horses means that it is more wasteful to cut corners when we start horses than to do it right the first time.

Photo: A c**t starting event.

26/07/2021

Do you have trouble connecting with your horse?
Does your horse shutdown?
Have they shown behaviours that do not appear normal?
Have you exhausted all medical and physical reasons as to why they are acting out?
I can help you navigate your way through the signals and/or indicators that your horse may be displaying and you have missed, by just not knowing what to look for.
Each horse is unique, just like us.