Key13 Horsemanship

02/07/2025

Let us talk about NEEDS, RESOURCES and SUPPORT.

Our job as horse trainers is to identify your horse's needs and what you need from your horse and try to meet them both : I need him to behave well, I need him to side pass, I need him to lope, I need him to do true collection...
Horses' needs are simpler: companionship, food 🌿 , water💧, rest 💤, feeling safe, trust 😌 ... So if your horse needs more trust to be halter broke, if your horse needs more time to have all the pieces he needs to side pass, now you realise that training horses is more complex than it seems.

Training horses is like an onion 🧅 with layers and layers that need to fit together well and in a certain order. Without mastering the first part of the process, we can't move on to the second, and so on.
A horse trainer will also use his resources such as knowledge, techniques, behaviour modification, positive reinforcement to help meet these needs because when these needs are met we have harmony 🫶 and when we have harmony and everything is in sync we have a happy horse and a happy owner.

Finally a horse trainer will be supportive to help you on your journey with your horse. He is a support to your horse but you have to become that support because without SUPPORT and good use of RESOURCES to meet those NEEDS we will have total desynchronisation and problems 🌪️ and that for me is another way of looking at horsemanship.

If you looking to have more RESOURCES, SUPPORT to meet your horse NEEDS and find the harmony, send me a message to book for the 2025 training season !

01/29/2025

What do I work on in the winter when we can ride less ? ❄️

In a fast and busy world, winter is the time to slow down and work on the little things or problems that come up. So, I go back to the basics. It's important to go back to the basics because it's allows me to test what they have learned and what they remember.

It also avoid boredom by doing differents exercises and make us work on our communication other than in the saddle.

01/23/2025

The 21/90 day Rule.

"Let's be real. I'm really tired of 30 day c**t start requests. If it worked, I'd promote it. I'm also exhausted of the question of why is it 30 days and my horse has been barely rode and/or not all? Or why am I not seeing a lot of progress after the FIRST couple weeks?

It's the 21/90 day rule. Humans and horses I believe are fairly similar. It takes 21 days to form a habit, 90 days for a lifestyle change. I follow this rule in my fitness journey. Not saying it takes either/or that long but I do firmly believe this theory applies to horses in a fashionable timeline. How does it fluctuate? A horse that's 2 and not 5 yrs old. A horse that has been guided through the steps with trust or was it rushed? Was the foundation solid or were some unfavorable habits formed? What's the horses genetics? Are the genetics favorable in a born broke mentality horse or is he a little fearful in starting? This all plays to the 21/90 day rule. Timing is critical in horse training, just like the timing in your progression with life. I've had horses that progressed fabulously in a 30 day tune up, some I was barely riding after 30 days for a c**t start. Long story short, stop being in a damn hurry! Now I didn't say, get your horse so broke to the tarp, now hes dead to your energy. “Just make sure your horse trusts you when it's time to add the pressure."

Yours truly,
Lucia

12/24/2024

Wishing you a Merry Christmas 2024 filled with love, laughter, and joy. 🎄❤️🎅️😊

We wrapped our two most precious gifts 🎁, but we still need to wait a few months for the big surprise 🐴💕.

It was a year of growth for Key13 Horsemanship; we had many amazing horses come into our program and are excited to do it all over again in 2025.

Thank you for your continued support and trust throughout the year; it means a lot to us.

12/13/2024

Today is the national day of the horse !

11/20/2024

This 👇❤️

"Advanced training is just the basics done really well." - Ken Ramirez
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"Training often fails because people expect way too much of the animal and way too little of themselves." - Bob Bailey
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"Please just do your homework." - Fred

11/11/2024

Remember that freedom is never free and always has a price. Never forget the soldiers and animals who sacrifice their lives so that we can enjoy peace today. 🤍

I am proud to have served my own country for 2 years and I will be forever grateful for the sacrifice of those who fought, still fight and will fight for our right and freedom.

( picture : Memorial situated in Yarraman Park Stud)

🌹

11/03/2024

Surround yourself with people…

With people that loosen their cinch and pat their horse when they get off.

With people that put the grocery store cart back and hold the door open with a smile.

With people who might throw their hat under your horse but will also go catch ‘em if you don’t stick it.

With people that will keep a slot empty in the trailer for your horse and a seat empty at the table for you.

With people that tip the waitress and their hat at others.

With people that show their c**ts and kids a soft but firm hand.

With people that push you for success but also sit with you in your failures.

With people that open their bibles, hearts and homes.

You can only be as good as your company so be careful whose house you hang your hat up at"

-kerstin joy

10/13/2024

☀️ Do you practice mindfullness ? ☀️

Mindfulness is the ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing. It is a quality that every human being already possesses. Being mindful reduce stress, enhance performance and increase our attention to the others around us.

In addition to use it when I am training horses, I practice it every morning when I check the herd by watching the sunrise and enjoying my moment with them for a few minutes.

Now, you're going to ask me how mindfulness relate to horses ?

Horses are herd animals. They possess a natural ability to empathize and bond with others. This social awareness allows them to not only recognize human emotional states but also mirror and respond to those emotions.

This ability to attune to human emotions not only enriches the human-horse bond but also underscores the profound depth of emotional intelligence that horses possess.

It is essential to be aware of the mood you are in when you head to catch your horse. This isn’t to say that it’s not okay to have a bad day, that’s just part of life. However, knowing that bad emotions such as frustration or anger will impact your horse training session and performance, take a moment to come back to the present and empty your mind.

Your horse will thank you ❤️

09/30/2024

Let's talk about licking and chewing.
This is one of the most common signs we are taught to look for in horse training. But why?

Licking and chewing is a relaxation indicator. It's a sign the a horse is coming down from an adrenaline rush, stress, tension.

When horses are nervous, worried, or anxious, they'll store tension in various parts of their body -- and one of the most common places is the jaw.

Just watch a horse grazing in pasture: the moment something catches their attention, they'll look up and stop chewing. Their jaw immediately becomes locked up. The moment they relax, they'll go back to chewing.

This is an automatic response to a change in their nervous system (going from the parasympathetic system, of rest and relax, to the to sympathetic system, of fight and flight).

Similarly, when we work horses, we often stimulate the sympathetic system. But that means it's our responsibility to make sure we can bring them back to the parasympathetic system to eliminate that tension. This is why it's so important to give your horse time to process, relax, and lick and chew.

The switch between the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous system is also important for producing a well-balanced horse. Just think of the best horse you've ever ridden. Chances are, it was calmly responsive. A perfect balance of soft and forward, yet quiet and relax in any manoeuvre it performed. It was confident, self-aware, and in-control. It was calm, but not sluggish. It was forward, but not hot and out of control. It was balanced in everything.

To produce a horse like this, we must consistently balance them out between the two nervous symptoms. If our horse is entering fight or flight mode, it's our job to help desensitize them back to the parasympathetic system, letting them relax and overcome that stimulation. If our horse is stuck in the parasympathetic mode and is sluggish, dull, and lazy, it's our job to stimulate a response, but then make sure they can respond to that response calmly.

So yes, while a lick and chew is a great thing to look for, just remember there's much more happening behind that!

**tstarting

09/28/2024

Talk about baby fever 🐴 If you had to give this sweet girl a name, what would it be? ☀

09/26/2024

When spring comes, it will be time for many young horses to begin groundwork for the first time, to have a saddle placed on their back, to hold a bit, to accept a rider. If you have a young one who will be ready to get started, send me a message about 2025 training! We're booking now!

**tstarting

Positive reinforcement
Behaviour
Empathy
Equitation Science.

09/24/2024

Let's talk about mounting from the fence. It's a staple exercise in a lot of ground training, but why do we do it?

It helps our horses get comfortable with having someone above them -- before we ever get on their back.

In this exercise, we teach the horse that positioning themselves next to us is a place of comfort, of relaxation. Then we can desensitize them to the position a rider would be in, touching and handling them from above, all without a foot in the stirrup.

This method lets us to work on their confidence, and most importantly, gives them an opportunity to express themselves.

How? Well, it's their choice to stay by the fence. We can't force them there and we can't make them stay. They're free to move, to show worry, to back away if we're going to fast. But when they are confident, trusting, calm, and willing (the traits we want before we ride a horse), they'll choose to stay. Not because we forced them, but because they want to.

**tstarting

09/23/2024

As thing start to slow down, I wanted to take the time to thanks my clients, past and present, who believe in my program and give me the opportunity to train so many great horses.
I also wanted to say how grateful I am for my student and all the people who helped me ☀ Without you, it will be hard to do it all.

Looking forward to seeing what 2025 brings!🐴

**tstarting

09/22/2024

It's always fun when we have special breeds come in for training. From Canadians to Clydesdales, halflingers, and everything in between -- I find it unique how each breed often encompasses a distinctive personality, learning style, or way of thinking. Have you found this to be true with different breeds you work with?

09/20/2024

Not many people know this, but I'm also an avid photographer! Now, you might be wondering what this has to do with horse training, but it's one of the many services I offer in my consignment program. When you choose to rehome your horse through me, the professional headshots are included 📸