Last month, I had a lot of questions about bits. First and foremost, the bit you choose needs to fit your horse's mouth and be the proper size. A more severe bit will not solve behavioral or riding issues. Good horsemanship will.
Every bit you will put in your horse mouth needs to serve a purpose and needs to be used correctly. That s includes your hand's position, release and timing. Your choice should also include your horse preferences.
A lot of different ways to introduce a bit to a colt exist. I always start them on a halter. When it's time, I like to use a 3-piece snaffle with a dogbone or a roller.
Usually, as an introduction, I will be using a simple bridle without reins and let him feel it while lunging. When he is ready for the next step, I will ground drive on the bit which will introduce him to the feel of it when we turn, stop or back up.
Finally, I will apply all these to riding.
Riding with a bit is not mandatory and a lot of alternative options exist. Bosal is popular and I finally bought one. Nash tried it for the first time in this video.
Do you prefer using a bit or alternatives? Let us know in the comments.
#horsetraining #horseriding #bosal #horsemanship #horsetrainingtips #albertahorsetrainer #sorrelhorse
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!🐴
#horsemanship #horsetrainer #coltstarting #horsetraining #horses
You probably didn't know this about music and horses 👀🎼
But to start off, you probably DID know that horses can experience stress, whether from environmental or social factors, such as training, improper diets, or poor living conditions. And this stress can lead to health and behavioural issues, ranging anywhere from ulcers, to teeth grinding, to resistance to training, and to learned helpness. This is why, as a trainer and owner, one of the most important parts of my job is to manage stress in horses.
So how do you do that?
By finding the level where the horse can learn and retain the information we provide, without becoming disinterested (too low of stress) or panicked (too high of stress).
This means that I have a number of tool to reduce the stress of the horses I train... and one is MUSIC 🎼
And no, I'm not kidding here! Boehringer Ingelheim not only completed a study on the impact of music on horses, but also developed a music track designed to reduce the stress on equines. In conducting the study, they played specific frequencies and tempos to horses in different environements. They observed the results and found that playing specific music can help balance equine behavior. Why? Because it helps mask outside sounds and vibrations, allowing the horse to release stress behaviors.
In this video, we can see Remi, one of our untouched horse enjoying a piano piece, and Horton (in the back), who came closer to enjoy it, too.
If you're curious about the music track they developed, here is the link!
https://youtu.be/66Z1cGh3qi0?si=a6ulIFMqE2c40UN0
Try it out with your horse and let us know their reaction!
#libertytraining #coltstarting #horsemanship #horses #naturalhorsemanship #horsetraining #horsetok #animalsandmusic #edmontonhorsetrainer #albertahorsetrainer #albertanaturalhorsemanshiptrainer
Our program focuses on transformation. Transformation through trust, confidence, and leadership using positive reinforcement and behavioral sciences.
And Horton is just one of the many horses we've helped transform. If you want to see these changes happen in your own horse's journey, send us a message, we'd love to help ☀
#horsemanship #horsetraining #naturalhorsemanship #albertahorsetrainer
It's the small things. The things we overlook, disregard, or don't feel the need to emphasize. When we put our focus on those, the connection we have with our horse changes.
Their thought process changes, their willingness increases, their confidence becomes stronger, their view of us as leaders improves -- small things that are teh different between a 'good' horse and an incredible, life-long partner.
If you want the small things done with your horse so the big things will be just as correct, message me! We're now booking for spring training in 2025!
#horsemanship #horsetraining #horses #albertahorsetrainer #liberty #naturalhorsemanship
It's time for an update on Evie.
This weekend I started to work on her front feet. As a horse that was unhandled with them, we focus on using the rope to get her comfortable with touch, pressure, and release. It's an important tool for their mind and manners, while building up confidence from a distance.
But more importantlly, roping the feet produces...
Trust. The horse needs to trust you in order to give you the control of their legs.
Balance. They need to learn how to balance themself on 3 feet.
Safety. Roping their feet and handling their legs will make them lean into the pressure, rather than fighting it which will reduce the potentiel of injury. It will be also safer for the handler and farrier as they will work around those feet and legs.
Health. They need to have their feet trimed on a regular basis to keep an overall great health. In case of injury, you be able to doctor at a very low level of stress and using medecine or soaking it.
#horsemanship #horsetraining #horses #farrier #horsetraining
August is coming to an end, which means lots of training horses are getting ready to head home! So what happens during their last few sessions with me?
I will do an evaluation both under saddle and on the ground. Then, I focus my time on what needs to be worked on or what was not well understood. Those evaluation will also allow me to make a final report to the owner with recommandations or suggestions to keep going forward with the training when horses going home.
Here, Shady is demonstrating what what I like to see on the ground: softness on the poll when asked and a nice stop which immediately turned into a back up (a cue I didn't ask for which means she is associating the two together!).
Good job, Shady! We're excited to see what your owner continues to do with you!
#horses #horsetraining #horsemanship #horsesofinstagram #albertahorsetrainer
The "pick me up" exercise is much more than just a cool trick to teach your horse.
I like to teach the horses I train to move the three parts of their body -- their shoulder, rib cage, and hind end -- on the ground before doing it on saddle.
When I teach this, I train in both directions: away from me and toward me. Moving towards you is often more confusing for hores at first, but just as important.
Having these parts moving together, but also separately, is necessary for suppleness, understanding cues with our legs, and achieving more advanced manouvers.
#horsesofinstagram #horsetraining #horsemanship #coltstarting
"When we said, 'stay consistent, be clear in what you expect, keep working even on the bad days and the hard days and one day it will all click and get into place,' this is one of those days."
Shady is finishing her 2 month of training with us at the end of August. Amen to the good horses. ☀
#horses #horsemanshiptraining #dapplegrey #coltstarting #albertahorsetrainer
"How do you start working with an untouched horse?" This is a question we get asked all the time, so let's break it down!
In the video, you see Evie, a mare who came into our program completely untouched.
When we started working with her (or any other horse at this level!), our first goal was to have her comfortable around us.
We do this by introducing ourselves to her through low-stress techniques. We'll spend time around her, handfeed her, and let her become familiar with her environment and our routine.
Next, we'll introduce the halter to her by having her eat through it in a bucket of oats. Our goal isn't to put it on yet, just to let her become familiar with it. We want a positive association build up between being fed, the halter, and lead rope.
Afterwards, I used Nash (one of my saddle horses) to rope her. We do this so there's not only minimal stress for the horse, but so another horse is there for confidence. Through this, we started teaching her the very basics of pressure and release, and once she was confident with that, we started introducing the halter. We use soft pressure and release, rubbing it on her face, putting it on, and removing it -- over and over until she felt confident and comfortable with it.
For the rest of the week, we used oats and a small piece of baler twine to form a positive association when clipping the lunge line on her. Afterwards, we began leading her around the round pen, building up our pressure and release. Afterwards, we started introducing physical touch to her neck and shoulder, and once she was comfortable with that, we began desensitizing and sensitizing!
Stay tuned for more Evie updates!
#halterbreaking #coltstarting #horsemanshiptraining #untouched
We still have a few training spots open for July in Barrhead, Alberta! If this is the transformation you want with your horse, make sure to reach out! ✨
But for Horton, feral might have been an understatement 😮
When Horton arrived at Key 13 Horsemanship, he was terrified of absolutely everything. And I mean everything. Halters, ropes, people, brushes, things that moved, things that didn't move... the list just seemed to go on and on. But we really can't blame him. Horton had grown up roaming with a herd of 250 other horses, living a feral life out on pasture, with very minimal human interaction.
But just after three weeks in our program -- with patience, respect, and behavioral-based training -- we've seen a brand new personality come out. He's gone from scared and reactive to calm and thoughtful. He's been able to handle new challenges with relaxation instead of reactivity. And while he still can be fragile in his confidence and has lots more to learn, he's getting set up for success in the right way.
If you have a horse like Horton, we're here to help, just reach out! 💛
#libertytraining #coltstarting #horsemanship #horses #naturalhorsemanship #horsetraining #horsetok #edmontonhorsetrainer #albertahorsetrainer #albertanaturalhorsemanshiptrainer
You probably didn't know this about music and horses 👀🎼
But to start off, you probably DID know that horses can experience stress, whether from environmental or social factors, such as training, improper diets, or poor living conditions. And this stress can lead to health and behavioural issues, ranging anywhere from ulcers, to teeth grinding, to resistance to training, and to learned helpness. This is why, as a trainer and owner, one of the most important parts of my job is to manage stress in horses.
So how do you do that?
By finding the level where the horse can learn and retain the information we provide, without becoming disinterested (too low of stress) or panicked (too high of stress).
This means that I have a number of tool to reduce the stress of the horses I train... and one is MUSIC 🎼
And no, I'm not kidding here! Boehringer Ingelheim not only completed a study on the impact of music on horses, but also developed a music track designed to reduce the stress on equines. In conducting the study, they played specific frequencies and tempos to horses in different environements. They observed the results and found that playing specific music can help balance equine behavior. Why? Because it helps mask outside sounds and vibrations, allowing the horse to release stress behaviors.
In this video, we can see Remi, one of our untouched horse enjoying a piano piece, and Horton (in the back), who came closer to enjoy it, too.
If you're curious about the music track they developed, here is the link!
https://youtu.be/66Z1cGh3qi0?si=a6ulIFMqE2c40UN0
Try it out with your horse and let us know their reaction!
#libertytraining #coltstarting #horsemanship #horses #naturalhorsemanship #horsetraining #horsetok #animalsandmusic #edmontonhorsetrainer #albertahorsetrainer #albertanaturalhorsemanshiptrainer
If you need a feel-good post, this one is for you 💛
Meet Horton. He's only 3 years old, but already has a lifetime of stories.
He came into training with us just 3 weeks ago. Before that, he was roaming with a herd of 250 other horses. Now, that might sound dreamy, but in reality, the studs in that herd had been picking on him relentlessly. He was beat up, covered in bite marks everywhere and in need of some TLC.
Now, Horton did have some human interaction in the past, but it hadn't led to very positive associations. Because of that, he was terrified of human touch, of halters, of saddles -- of us and anything associated with us.
It took me 10 days alone just to gain his trust. 10 days to slowly and patiently communicate with a horse that had so much trauma to work through, so much self-preserving behavior.
But today, he wore the saddle. He was relaxed, confident, calm. He was trusting and willing.
These three weeks have been focused on using behavioral-based training to teach him that humans can be trusted, that we're reliable, safe, kind, and consistent leaders. That we can provide safety and comfort. That he doesn't have to do things by force, that he has a choice, an oppinion that matters, and is listened to.
Stay tuned for more Horton updates 💛
#libertytraining #coltstarting #horsemanship #horses #naturalhorsemanship #equinebehavioraltraining #h#horsebehavioraltraining #horsetraining #horsetok #Albertahorsetrainer #edmontonhorsetrainer
