Mattea Kersnovski - Young Horse Specialist

11/04/2024

Good training examples start from birth 😍

10/12/2023

For the weekend…………….

05/11/2023

01/11/2023

100% yes!

One of the most valuable things I had to accept when working with horses of all kinds, is the concept that behavior is communication. ALWAYS

Especially with problem horses or horses causing problems, get to the root. Very rarely is a horse behaving badly because he’s just spoiled and naughty… it all started somewhere…

What is a spoiled, naughty horse?

A spoiled, naughty horse is the byproduct of one or both of these things…

1) He doesn’t understand what you want
2) He’s not comfortable doing what is asked
3) He has learned behaviors due to 1 or both causes above.

If you didn’t educate them on how to do it and they behave “naughty” that’s a cop out and your blaming the horse for your lack of preparation. It’s that simple. If you have taught it and they still won’t do it and you call them naughty, you are foolish. Foolish because if a horse understood and they were comfortable enough to do it, why would they still choose to put so much effort into being a jerk?

Horses are wired to seek the easy way out. That’s why it’s so easy to teach them bad habits. When they know it and they can do it easily and comfortably, there’s no reason to be a jerk about it. They aren’t taking advantage, they aren’t naughty, they are simply being a horse who doesn’t understand or isn’t comfortable. Be more intelligent than the horse, don’t let the horse outsmart you 😉

When people don’t listen to behavior, horses attitudes are blamed. People who don’t like mares can be the worst for this… Tje horse behaves accordingly and then gets treated like their attitude. Treat them the way they treat you is a recipe for further putting fuel on that fire. Sure you can punish a behavior and on some, it’ll appear to have worked and on another the behavior just gets worse. The horse that gave up, hasn’t given up, all you did was prove to the horse that you don’t care so they stop talking. Want to have a good relationship with those parameters? Good luck! 😡

Behavior is communication in horses! If you want to create nice, happy, compliant and willing horses, STOP punishing behavior! Learn what the behavior means and adjust your approach. Fill in the gaps, it’s that simple.

29/10/2023

08/10/2023

30/09/2023

This lovely girl is at 355 days pregnant today! Any guesses how far she'll go?

25/09/2023

Just because that’s the way it’s always been done, doesn’t mean there isn’t a better way to do it.

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tkh5 at checkout

13/09/2023

This morning's view from the swag... not long now until this mumma pops! Anyone else waiting for babies?

05/09/2023

PREACH! Horses that are easy to handle on the ground are welcomed everywhere by everyone. If you want a horse like this, reach out. I can teach you how.

“Manners”

You can tell much about the level of someone’s basic horsemanship by the way their horses lead.

A horse should stay next to you, not pull you or be dragged by you. A horse should respect your space, and not crowd against you, maybe step on your feet.

This is known as “having manners.” A horse that won’t lead is like a dog that jumps up onto furniture, it hasn’t been taught right from wrong.

I recently read something by a well respected western clinician. He said, “People want their horses to love them so much that they think they are being mean if they create boundaries.”

Horses weigh half a ton. They can easily hurt a puny human if they lack manners and boundaries, Heck, they can easily hurt us if they DO have manners.

People who treat horses as though they were some sort of fuzzy pets can create animals that can do a lot of damage. Creating boundaries doesn’t mean whipping and beating, but it does require that when you say “no” you mean “no.”

Standing at the mounting block, standing for the farrier, picking up its hooves, letting itself get bridled, so many basics that make the difference between a mannerly horse and one that shoves you around.

As the clinician said, “letting a horse walk all over you won’t make him love you more.”

30/08/2023

Please read the attached, and read it well.
Every horse I take in is handled using John Chatterton Affiliative Horsemanship ways.
Never trap the horse. Never frighten the horse. Absolutely never hard tie and "desensitise" the horse.
Never chase them around to "get the bucks out" because that just puts the bucks in.
Instead, teach the horse that you are a safe and comfortable friend.
Teach the horse that to stand still is safe.
Teach the owners and handlers to always pay attention to the eyes.

"An animal's eyes have the power to speak a great language." ~ Martin Buber

04/08/2023

YES!
Horses are not dangerous, if they were truly dangerous there is no way that we would have partnered with them initially, and continued to do so throughout history.
Humans can make horses dangerous.
Please don’t be that human.

I love it when I rattle a cage somewhere!

For years I played small, didn’t shine my light, was careful to express opinions that might rattle others. It used to terrify me that someone might not like what I said.

I am grateful for the guidance and mentoring I have received, helping me learn that it is OK if people don’t agree with me.

Today I stated that “I” (that is Me-my personal opinion!), yes, I, believe that it is not normal that we are getting so hurt by horses.

It is not normal that riding is considered a Top Three Dangerous Sport.

I believe “Gravity” is dangerous. Any time we defy it by taking our feet off the ground or loosing our balance in a way that makes it easy for “Gravity” to bring us to the ground because we aren’t aligned, Gravity might play her (or maybe Gravity is a he?) wicked game and bring us to the floor.

We can minimise risk of “riding” by LISTEnINg to our horses. By learning to read little signs. By not pushing the boundaries. By knowing when to stop.

🐴By making sure our horse isn’t like a Watermelon wrapped in Elastic Bands.🐴

A horse that is “dangerous” is really a frightened, confused, traumatised, boundary-less, instinct driven, adrenalin fueled (or cortisol maintained) animal.

Gadgets, straps, force, pain, harsher management don’t fix that problem… they only sweep it under the rug.

…. and then, one day we trip over the bump under the rug and we are surprised. 🤷‍♀️

You want a safe horse to be around? Make sure IT (him/her/she/them!) feels safe.

Want to know what it takes to make sure your horse feels safe? Write to me. I would love to walk you through it. It all happens even BEFoRE you touch your horse.

No jargon. No scientific references. No big words. No mathematical
argument whether what I do is Positive or Negative, either.

And to the person I rattled by commenting I don’t believe horses need to be dangerous… Insend you lots of love and wish you safety! 🤗❤️

Photo: First steps to a “Safe Horse”.

19/05/2023

The horse will tell you if you learn to see…

For the weekend.................

12/05/2023

"Common mistakes at the testing stage: Losing patience with your horse! Failing to recognize that for him, it doesn’t feel like the same request in this new situation. Failing to change your priority from obedience to shaping a calm and willingness mindset where your horse can be successful. Always make the game winnable for your horse."
Thanks Kendra DeKay Equestrian Ethos

During the testing stage of training, you are asking your horse to perform a skill he knows in a new situation. For example, you ask him to back up off of a trailer, or back up while a group of horses are riding away from him, or back up while his pasture mate is running around in the field next to the arena. He knows how to do it, but now you’re asking for him to back up in a more challenging situation.

It may feel like he suddenly “forgot” his lesson, but something is just keeping him from being able to give you the answer.

As humans, we are very prone to become frustrated until we can shift our perspective. This is where horse psychology is so important: you need to be able to see from his point of view what is keeping him from responding to your request… is he nervous? Distracted? Unmotivated? Overwhelmed? What can you offer him to get his brain back on your team?

You may have to abandon your original request until you have him focused and calm. Get his mental state right again, and the skill will magically re-appear!

Common mistakes at the testing stage: Losing patience with your horse! Failing to recognize that for him, it doesn’t feel like the same request in this new situation. Failing to change your priority from obedience to shaping a calm and willingness mindset where your horse can be successful. Always make the game winnable for your horse.

Feeling a horse “own” a skill you have taught him, and “answer” your aids calmly, obediently, and with confidence and enthusiasm is the best feeling! I wish it for you, and I hope recognizing the stages of training helps you as it has helped me understand my horses’ development and learning processes.
________________
Kendra DeKay
Equestrian Ethose
"If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together."

02/05/2023

Being a little uncomfortable is a sign of growth. However when training horses it is vital that it is growth and not fear we are developing.