Paw Inspiring Equine

02/01/2024

Hi everyone, as it is New Year I thought I would re-introduce myself with a bit about me . I am a Provisional Clinical Animal Behaviourist and member of the APBC and a Family Dog Mediator. I am passionate about positive wellbeing for all animals and a total horse and dog behaviour geek. I utilise a trauma -sensitive integrative approach incorporating a biopsychosocial and trans-species psychology approach as well as Kim Brophy’s L.E.G.S model. This model looks at all of the elements that contribute to your animal’s behaviour including what makes them unique. LEGS stands for Learning ,Environment , Genetics and Self . If you choose to work with me, I will:

🐴🐶Never use fear or intimidation in training or interactions

🐴🐶 I will not use aversive and painful gadgets or tools such as prong or e-collars or dually or be -kind headcollars or whips. If you are utilising any of these tools I will help you to wean off of them.

🐴🐶Help you to read and understand what your horse or dog is trying to communicate

🐴🐶Support you to meet your horse or dog's species specific and individual needs.

🐴🐶Always go at your horse or dog's pace

🐴🐶Offer you management strategies straight away that will help you moving forwards. These are based on non- violent principles and evidence based approaches if training is required.

🐴🐶Give you on-going non-judgemental support every step of the way through What’s-App or telephone support between face to face sessions as required.

🐴🐶Work closely with vets and other professionals to support your animal in a holistic way

🐴🐶First and foremost to the best of my ability prioritise your animal's and your sense of safety.

What I cannot do is promise a quick fix as behaviour change takes time both for your animal and for you. It is also not possible to fully eradicate fears or promise that your horse or dog will never react negatively. I will do my upmost to collaborate with you to find the best solution that suits you and your animal.

All animals are unique with their own combination of life experiences, genetics preferences and dislikes. There is no one size fits all approach or method that will universally work, so I will support you to find what works for you, your animal and your situation. If you are looking for support please drop me a message

24/12/2023

Christmas Musings

If we can shift our perspective one tiny bit away from HOW do I STOP my horse or dog from doing this unwanted behaviour ? Or HOW do I MAKE my horse or dog do this behaviour ? to WHY is my horse or dog doing this? WHAT need are they trying to meet and WHAT are they seeking relief from? Or if we are wanting to train a behaviour start asking WHO is this for does it benefit me or my horse or dog or both of us? We and our animals will benefit.

References and Resources

Argent, G. (2022). Can You Hear Me (Yet)?—Rhetorical Horses, Trans-species Communication, and Interpersonal Attunement. In The Relational Horse (pp. 34-50). Brill.

Bekoff, M. (2022). Time to stop pretending we don’t know other animals are sentient beings. Animal Sentience, 6(31), 2.

Bradshaw, G. A. (2009). Elephants on the edge: What animals teach us about humanity. Yale University Press.

Brophey, K. (2018). Meet Your Dog: The Game-changing Guide to Understanding Your Dog's Behavior. Chronicle Books.

©️ Jessie Sams (2023) Animal Behaviour and Trauma Recovery Service

26/11/2023

This

😏 SELF-VALIDATION OR THE NUMBER OF FOLLOWERS ON SOCIAL MEDIA IS NOT EVIDENCE OF COMPETENCY.

I recently submitted an article for a veterinary journal and this article has to work through the peer review process in order to be published. Peer review is where suitably qualified persons (far more qualified than myself) read your work and decide whether it is adequate enough.

I've had two pieces of work be published after successfully working through this process. Despite already being a peer reviewed author, I have had my article returned for 'RADICAL REVISION'. Amidst the overall constructive feedback, some words used that hit me hard and caused my stomach to knot were 'UNACCEPTABLE' and 'POOR'.

Ouch.

😩

I recall similar feelings while getting feedback on my assignments during my Masters Degree. There were times where my initial response to feedback was 'f**k it, why do I bother?'.

But then I'm left with the choice of throwing away all of that time and effort I've put in because I cannot handle criticism ...

OR

I accept the fact that I am learning and that learning sometimes involves failing.

Of course, it would be lovely if the feedback didn’t feel so brutal! But, would I try as hard on round two if the reviewer was focused on not hurting my feelings and not used those particular words to help me understand how much work I needed to do?

I am responsible for how I perceive and respond to this feedback. I have to remind myself quickly that it is not a personal attack on me. It's there to help me be better!

While applying for my accreditation(s), which includes assessment on my practical training skills, I felt those familiar feelings of vulnerability.

On one practical exam, I had to keep my cool and stay sharp coaching a client and their dog for up to an hour, with two very highly qualified and experienced examiners sitting within 2 metres of me. Not easy!

“What if I fail?”

The easiest option would be to not open myself up for that potential outcome by not applying in the first place and to carry on telling myself I am up to standard. Perhaps using reasons like ....

⏰ Time
💰 Cost
🤔 Not aligning with all aspects of that particular organisation.
🤷‍♀️ Feeling like industry regulation is never going to happen, so why bother?
🧍‍♀️ 🧍‍♂️ My clients, recommendations and reputation are already evidence of how good I am.

BUT! By NOT doing ANY examination or assessment with an organisation run by highly qualified and experienced peers, you are potentially missing out on a valuable self-improvement process.

It's potentially going to hurt your ego, but if you push through it and are successful, you'll come out the other side feeling accomplished!
You now have UNBIAS validation from peers.
This is VERY different to validation from loved ones, friends clients or followers.

Whether it's a dog training competition, an academic course, a practical training exam, being assessed for accreditation with an organisation or submitting written work for acaedmic journals....subjecting yourself to external review from peers is an important UNBIAS way of learning about our ability as dog trainers and/or behaviourists.

BIAS VALIDATION means NOTHING! Being externally assessed by peers on our knowledge AND skills is important.

But do note…..Great practical training skills don’t equal adequate knowledge on behaviour, nor does adequate knowledge on behaviour equate to adequate practical training skills.

DOG OWNERS: When choosing a professional to help you work with your dog, please take these things into consideration. If they have only recently (or ever) assessed themselves, how do we know whether they are truly good enough?

👀 Look for qualificatons that you recognise (the use of word 'qualified' alone doesn't guarantee you anything!).
👀 Look for oragnisation acronyms and then go and look at that organisations code of conduct/ethos and see if it aligns with you.

ASPIRING DOG PROFESSIONALS: Want to learn how to be a dog trainer or behaviourist? Make sure you are learning from someone who has pushed through failure to improve their knowledge and skill.

If there is no evidence of education or assessment then how the heck do we know if this individual/company's education is adequate?

It's just insanity that in this industry we see unqualified and unaccredited ‘experts’ offering courses on how to become a professional dog trainer, having never been assessed by anyone!

In some instances, they even have the nerve to call it a University!

We cannot take people's word for it that their internal self- validation process is unbias enough and therefore, adequate.

A suprising number of people struggle with saying "I got it wrong" or "I can do better".

Learn from people who open themselves up to feedback and who demonstrate they are prepared to take criticism on the chin.
Please be aware that that followers on social media are not evidence of this process.

The same goes for when we are training dogs. Whilst errorless learning is desirable, errors are feedback to us as trainers and can make us do better. The dog (or learner) is never wrong, for their behaviour is a mirror of their environment, and you are likely a significant part of that.

So, I'm going to be piecing together my damaged ego and start working on my article. Historically, they've always passed on the second submission and I'm hopeful this one will too.
If it doesn't, I'm sure I'll learn a lot from the feedback provided- because I always do.

If you aren't sure which organisation to go to here in the UK for a dog training professional, head over to The Animal Behaviour and Training Council (The ABTC).

25/11/2023

I love this the language we use matters

We believe in promoting positive attitudes towards animals through mindful language! By encouraging our students to consider the words they use, we can help shape a more compassionate society. Animals deserve respect and understanding, so it's important to consider their moral status in our discussions. Let's foster empathy and appreciation for animals, opening the door to stronger relationships with them.

23/11/2023

This

21/11/2023

Fluey brave pants thoughts. What are your horse or dog trainer red flags?

Horse Trainer and "Behaviourist" RED FLAGS 🚩🚩🚩

Choosing a trainer or behaviourist is a total minefield in a world where the term “ behaviourist” is not protected this means ANYONE can claim to be one regardless of qualifications AND experience both of which matter. Do not be afraid to ask your trainer / behaviourist about their qualifications and experience. There are many courses and ”methods” available not all of which are created equal so please ensure that the behaviourist you choose is up to date on the following ( this is not an exhaustive list)

🐴Equine ethology ( the behaviour of horses under natural conditions),

🐴Equine wellbeing and welfare ( ie the Five Domains model) including assessment

🐴 Equine body language and the recognition of affective states, pain, arousal and stress signs

🐴 Attachment theory

🐴 Endocrinology in particular how stress and arousal influence behaviour.

🐴 Neuroanatomy and physiology

🐴 Horse / human interaction

🐴 Learning theory

🐴 Behaviour assessment utilising approaches such as the biopsychosocial approach , psychobiological approach (Mills,2017), formulation and differential diagnosis.

🐴 Understanding human behaviour

🐴 In addition they should work as part of a vet led team and as far as possible ensure that pain or medical issues have been as far as possible ruled out BEFORE proceeding with any behaviour change. They are also able to offer behavioural first aid advice and support you prior to your vet examining your horse if their behaviour is unsafe as a result of fear or high stress during veterinary procedures.

🚩🚩🚩Examples of Red Flags include

🚩🚩🚩Discusses dominance theory in relation to the horse/ human relationship. This has been disproved and is discussed extensively here (Hartmann et al,2017).https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jevs.2017.01.015

🚩🚩🚩 Refers to the “ alpha “ stallion or “lead” mare (see above paper)

🚩🚩🚩 Does not recommend that you speak to your vet to rule out pain or other medical cause.

🚩🚩🚩Utilises flooding techniques (exposes your horse to the scary object or situation at full intensity while preventing escape but tries to pass it off as systematic desensitisation. This is a gradual process of exposing a horse to a situation they are afraid of at a rate they can cope with. As a caveat for severe cases systematic desertion may not be enough in isolation and a multi-pronged approach beyond training may be needed.

🚩🚩🚩Utilises aversive equipment such as rope halters, dually halters, other gadgets including for riding draw reins etc. It is important to understand that these types of equipment work as a consequence of causing pain. There is little evidence for their effectiveness and they carry a risk of creating negative associations with us. (See Ilchi et al 2018,2020). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2018.05.011, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2020.105101? In addition even if they were more effective which they are NOT, why would any of us want to cause fear or pain to the animals we love?

🚩🚩🚩 Utilises flags, bags on sticks or whips. They may refer to a whip as a guide ( one that hurts if you ignore it). They may use terms such as bonding, connection or be the boss or the horses’ leader but the horse may appear highly stressed or withdrawn .(Fenner et al,2019).https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jveb.2018.05.003.

🚩🚩🚩Describes the whip as an extension of your arm

🚩🚩🚩. Fails to acknowledge signs of fear stress, pain . or frustration.

🚩🚩🚩 Is very task-oriented and does not prioritise the horses' emotions.

🚩🚩🚩 Uses rolkur (See Von Borstel et al,2009) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2020.105101 or Tilley et al,2023 https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13101714

🚩🚩🚩Punishes your horse.

🚩🚩🚩 They fail to account for your horse’s age and developmental stage.

🚩 🚩🚩 Promises a quick fix and complete resolution. Addressing emotional state and changing behaviour takes time. Behaviour is complex all horses are individuals and outside factors can influence outcome. They should be realistic about what can be achieved.

🚩🚩🚩 They utilise join up and other similar exercises . These are extremely detrimental to equine welfare and the horse/ human relationship. See Fenner et al,2019 They use techniques such as forced head lowering . There is no evidence that forced head lowering decreases heart rate in horses, instead they are just anxious with a lowered head! In an attempt to encourage relaxation. For example if you were petrified of heights and standing near cliff edge if you were in a " relaxed "posture you would still be anxious.See Waran-Smith et al, 2007 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jveb.2007.04.003?

🚩🚩🚩 They do not collaborate with other allied professionals.

🚩🚩🚩 They do not allow you to be present during training. They make you feel stupid or inadequate for asking questions. They tell you what to do rather than the process being collaborative.

Whether you are working with a behaviourist or coach do not be afraid to ask about their background, qualifications or experiences.
For a behaviourist they should be a member of or working towards membership of one of the following organisations
• APBC
• FABC
• ABTC
• EBA
🚩🚩🚩What red flags would you add?

©️ Jessie Sams (2023) Animal Behaviour and Trauma Recovery Service

18/11/2023

What an important study

Nouvel article !
Nous venons de publier avec mes collègues spécialistes du transcriptome et du microbiote un nouvel article qui montre à quel point l'agressivité et les stéréotypies (les tics) n'ont rien d'anodin.
Ces chevaux présentent des anomalies au niveau de l'activation de leurs gènes, mais aussi un microbiote particulier. Sur l'image, vous pouvez voir les gènes suractivés chez les chevaux agressifs : ils codent notamment pour l'inflammation et l'apoptose (la mort cellulaire).
Cette étude vient une nouvelle fois confirmer des études que l'on a déjà réalisées par le passé et qui font le lien entre mal-être, activation de ces gènes, microbiote et santé.
Cela confirme sur des bases physiologiques que ces chevaux sont dans la douleur : ils ont besoin d'un diagnostic et non de punitions (CB).
De quoi voir différemment les chevaux mordeurs ou tiqueurs, non ?

Merci à mes collègues Aline Foury, Alice Ruet, Nuria Mach, Marie-Pierre Moisan pour ce travail.


ifce_officiel

Foury, A., Mach, N., Ruet, A., Lansade, L. & Moisan, M.P. 2023 Transcriptomic signature related to poor welfare of sport horses. Comprehensive Psychoneuroendocrinology 16, 100201. (doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpnec.2023.100201).
50 s

18/11/2023

Join Up , Lunging and Arousal

Elevating arousal by encouraging faster movement such as lunging or chasing an already stressed and anxious horse leads often to a more distressed horse and also a horse that is too over threshold to learn whatever it is you might want to train . In addition if your horse is still over-aroused and tense after lunging that should tell you the lunging did NOT work and approaching your horse’s over-aroused from another angle could be beneficial . One way to do this is to ensure your horse’s needs are met including friends, forage , freedom and positive interactions with people , the Five Domains Model is an excellent guide for this (Mellor et al,2020). It is essential to also rule out pain.

Whilst lunging may work for “some” horses it is not for EVERY horse and even if you do feel your horse improves it is important to read and interpret correctly the level of stress that your horse is experiencing when in this heightened state of arousal . Movement is not in itself bad quite the contrary it is integral to their wellbeing they evolved to eat and move . So instead of dysregulated movement aim for relaxed and calm movement this allows them to relax and then be ready for whatever it is you want to do . It is also important to understand that if your horse is experiencing anxiety or stress when you are together this can have implications for your relationship as you become associated with the environment and the accompanying feelings within it .

If you find you don’t feel safe when riding your horse seeking support from an equine confidence or mindset coach may offer you some support to feel more secure.

This excludes incidences like veterinary assessment and when we might see post-inhibitory rebound after confinement such as box rest this is where behaviours that a horse couldn’t carry out such as movement is suppressed and then when they get the opportunity to move again they do so more rigorously. Other behaviours that can also rebound include eating after a period of restriction ( think if a pony is on a patch of restricted grazing and then gains access to grass) or even in rebound sleep after periods of sleep deprivation.

This post is also not intended to imply not appropriately warming up horses who are cold backed . It is just important we pay attention to stress and body language and not exacerbating stress by either forcing a horse who needs to move o stand still or chasing a horse who is already over- aroused.

References

Bell, C., Rogers, S., Taylor, J., & Busby, D. (2019). Improving the recognition of equine affective states. Animals, 9(12), 1124.

Fenner, K., Mclean, A. N., & McGreevy, P. D. (2019). Cutting to the chase: How round-pen, lunging, and high-speed liberty work may compromise horse welfare. Journal of Veterinary Behavior, 29, 88-94.

Hartmann, E., Christensen, J. W., & McGreevy, P. D. (2017). Dominance and leadership: useful concepts in human–horse interactions?. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science, 52, 1-9

Henshall, C., & McGreevy, P. D. (2014). The role of ethology in round pen horse training—A review. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 155, 1-11.

Mellor, D. J., Beausoleil, N. J., Littlewood, K. E., McLean, A. N., McGreevy, P. D., Jones, B., & Wilkins, C. (2020). The 2020 five domains model: Including human–animal interactions in assessments of animal welfare. Animals, 10(10), 1870.

©Jessie Sams (2023) Animal Behaviour and Trauma Recovery Service

16/11/2023

This is such a valuable resource

Here's The Equine Ladder of Aggression that I showed in the 'Understanding Aggression in Horses' webinar for World Horse Welfare yesterday.This is a visual aid that I have put together based on general ethology, equine ethograms, behavioural studies, and personal observations.

The purpose is to illustrate the complexity of equine communication and the fact that aggressive behaviours are not all-or-nothing. Overt aggression is almost always preceded by warning signals of gradually increasing intensity.

The 'green zone' behaviours are the earliest signs that your horse isn't comfortable with whatever is currently happening. These are so-called 'appeasement' or 'calming' signals, used to de-escalate and resolve potential conflicts. If you heed them, there will never be any need for your horse to escalate further into more overt aggression.

Please feel free to save it, share it, and use it, just remember that it's a tool, not a bible 😊 Not every horse will show all these behaviours in exactly this order, but the general pattern of escalation from very subtle changes in facial expression and posture to more overt aggressive behaviours will be there.

16/11/2023

This is one of my most favourite resources from Calming Signals & Scentwork Horses. Every information pack I send out to clients contains these downloads . Thank you Rachael Draaisma for your generosity in making such vital information available

🇬🇧 During my study of Calming Signals of Horses I have analyzed 220 films of domesticated horses. Among others I have observed the ear, tail, head and body position. I have looked at the shape of eyes, nose and mouth. The communicative signals and features that I have seen at least 35 times in various situations

I have linked to tension levels and put into a graphic ladder. This enables you to more easily recognise various behaviours and features of your horse. You can see if his tension stays level, lowers, or rises. If the tension does not lower but rises, you can step in and help your horse. Which will improve his welfare, socialisation and training.

Did you know that you can download this communication ladder for free on my website? This way you can print it out and take it with you to your horse. I hope to make it even easier to recognize calming signals and tension levels.

🇳🇱 Tijdens mijn onderzoek naar Kalmerende Signalen heb ik heel veel films geanalyseerd van gedomesticeerde paarden. Ik heb onder andere gekeken naar de stand van de ogen, oren, neus, mond en staart, de hoofd-halshouding en lichaamspositie.

De communicatieve signalen en kenmerken die ik in dit onderzoek minimaal 35 keer in verschillende situaties heb gezien, heb ik gekoppeld aan spanningsniveaus en weergegeven op communicatie ladders. Zo kun je in een oogopslag kijken of je gedragingen en lichaamskenmerken van je paard herkent. Je kunt kijken of zijn spanning hetzelfde blijft, gaat dalen of stijgen. En waar mogelijk je paard helpen om zo hoge spanning te vermijden en zijn welbevinden te verbeteren. Alsook zijn socialisatie en training.

Wist je dat je deze communicatie ladder gratis kunt downloaden op mijn website? Zo kun je hem uitprinten en meenemen naar je paard. Ik hoop het zo nog makkelijker te maken om communicatie signalen en spanningsniveaus te gaan herkennen.

11/11/2023

Hi I am a qualified equine behaviour consultant and Provisional member of the APBC who is passionate about equine welfare and supporting people to have the best relationship possible using a compassionate horse centred approach. I specialise in horses who are very fearful or who have experienced trauma to help them begin to thrive. . I also work under vet referral but please don’t let that put you off it is at no cost to you. I am also able to support you with

🐴Aggression towards other horses
🐴Aggression towards familiar or unfamiliar people
🐴Fearful or extremely nervous
🐴 Enriched environments and spook busting both are great for building confidence in a safe and fun way.
🐴Difficulties with the farrier or vet etc
🐴Difficulties with leading
🐴Separation anxiety
🐴Difficulties with coming in
🐴Difficulties with loading
🐴 Ridden issues including hacking problems
🐴Struggling when tacked up etc
🐴Unhandled horse support programme
🐴If you want to connect with your horse
🐴 Box rest support
🐴 Body language lessons

I can also offer talks and workshops on any aspect of equine behaviour.
10% off to NHS and Emergency Services workers

Please WhatsApp or call Jessie on 0776 331 7464 My page is Animal Behaviour and Trauma Recovery Service UK

02/11/2023

Beautiful post from my friend Marta Sikorskanof Pastures by Marta Sikorska,Ecology of Horse-Human Connection

Why does the world need horses?

The idea that they are here to cater for us humans is, in retrospect, just a fad that lasts for a blink of an eye.

Horses are highly adaptive mammals living in almost every latitude (they live everywhere humans do except Antarctica).

In an ecological perspective, horses are referred to as ecosystem engineers. Horses play an important role in enhancing biodiversity

☘️biodiversity of plants: by introducing natural manure into ecosystems and spreading seeds of different species.

🐦‍⬛biodiversity of animals: by grazing, trampling, eating certain plants, and clearing access to certain places, they create habitats for birds and smaller mammals.

They are useful to other species with which they share terrain: in the winter months they have an instinct to break through deep, crusted snow where grass is not visible. They also open up frozen springs and ponds with their powerful hooves, allowing smaller animals to drink.

🌳They bite the bark off trees and as the trees fall this contributes to creating openings for the sun in dense forests.

💧In addition to spreading seeds, their droppings build up the humus layer of the soil and increase the absorption of water by the soil. In fire-prone areas, horses thus contribute to preventing the spread of fire.

We aren’t able to observe any of these phenomena in the impoverished environments we have created for horses. I marvel when I look at how we have taken such a big jigsaw puzzle out of the ecosystem and keep it as a decoration on the mantelpiece. We spend a lot of money to make sure this ornament stands properly, shines properly and is placed at the most favourable angle.

Our observations of the horses' behaviour and the conclusions we come to and the choices we make about all aspects of their lives are deformed by our utilitarian point of view.

Let's let go of our horse preconceptions more often and imagine who we are really dealing with.

Picture of Grace in apple leaves by

01/11/2023

It was such an inspiring day listening to Dr Marthe Kiley-Worthington . I will post more when I have words. What do you think it means to be a horse?

28/10/2023

Great to see this

‘Saluting Our Sisters’ – Black History Month 2023.

The Pony Club strives to ensure that everyone can be involved in our activities.
We are continuing to learn and grow with the input of Members, helping us understand through lived experience, like Heliya, aged 18, who is on The Pony Club’s Youth Committee.

Helyia, who has obtained her BHS Stage 3 and is aiming for her Pony Club B Test, has been riding since she was 5 years old. She learnt to ride at Trent Park Riding School, in North London, and has been a Centre Member since she was 9 years old.

Heliya describes her cultural identity as “British Asian of Indo Caribbean Persian Heritage.” She says, “my maternal grandparents were born in Trinidad, West Indies of Asian Heritage and my paternal grandparents are from Iran, part of the continent of Asia”.

During her time growing up, Heliya says people asked her what she wanted to be when she grows up, she said - “’A Horse Girl’, this hasn’t changed at all over the years, and I have only become more in love with it”.

We are aware that racial diversity is not an area where equestrian sport is strong and there is more work we can do.

The Pony Club continues to encourage and drive behavioural change.

27/10/2023

We can recognise similarities as well as differences

The secret may lie in a newly discovered brain structure

26/10/2023

This article about my friend Touching Wild with Bonny Mealand is beautiful and something we should all aspire too

25/10/2023

This is superb . I work in a very similar way . Taking time to notice is key

Here are 5 ways you can help support your horse emotionally.

🧠 Horses are very sensitive and perceptive to movement, especially fast movement. Moving fast indicates stress. Stress indicates threat. Slowing your cues down, slowing your walking down, slowing your hands down will slow your nervous system and thoughts down. Slow = safe.

🧠 Horses need more time to process how safe they feel compared to predators. Give them plenty of processing time. 20 seconds is a good average, some may need more. Stop and let your horse soak in how they feel and what they experienced.

🧠 Expectations are the number one cause of fear of failure. Just because your horse could do it yesterday, doesn't mean he/she is in a state to do it today. The brain and nervous system is heavily effected by the environment, thoughts, memories, feelings and hormones (especially stress hormones). These factors play a significant role in whether you horse's brain, nervous system and body can carry out a task, offer connection, mental engagement/focus and confidence at any given time. Be fair and understanding of your horse's mental and emotional state in that moment, do not rely on what happened yesterday to be a defining factor on this moment's performance.

🧠 Notice your horse's emotional perspective in that moment. If you're looking without opinion, you'll connect to how your horse is feeling. You'll notice worry. You'll notice nervous energy. You'll notice fear. You'll notice calmness. If you stop and notice, you will see that even as a human, you can relate to your horse's expression and the emotion that caused the expression. Just don't add an opinion or justification to it.

🧠 When you demand, your mind shuts down to verbal and non-verbal feedback. Asking will allow you to be receptive to your horse's non-verbal feedback. Your horse is entitled to expressing how they feel as much as you are.

Partner up with your horse emotionally and your horse will feel understood and safe. The result will be trust and connection.

Happy brain training 🧠
Charlotte 😊