Akhal-Teke mare
Just a few weeks ago, we met Guido, the breeder and owner of Akhal-Teke horses.
His prized broodmare, Menta, was suffering from a foot abscess and needed urgent treatment.
Menta, an 8-year-old mare, had spent the first 6 years of her life in the mountains, wild, before Guido purchased her two years ago.
She had only started to be handled after Guido acquired her.
Unfortunately, a veterinarian with the wrong energy and little experience in handling horses frightened Menta, making her dangerous around her head, neck area, and feet. This made it difficult and dangerous to halter her, and impossible to doctor her.
Guido has been trying to help Menta regain her confidence in humans, but without the proper knowledge and the impossibility of finding a knowledgeable professional to re-educate her, the problem worsened.
Menta became aggressive and dangerous.
She had even reared, pawed, and attacked a veterinarian.
After just a week of working with her and communicating using universal horse language, without any physical or psychological violence or humiliation, she became a different horse.
Calmer, more trusting, harmonious, and happier. She can now be haltered, have her feet lifted, and be doctored with no problem at all.
This is just the beginning, and with further work, Menta can only improve. She will now remain problem-free for the rest of her life, all because her loving owner challenged himself and was willing to learn new knowledge to treat his mare with fairness, respect, and dignity as she deserves.
Every horse, even the most dangerous and aggressive ones, is only the product of mishandling by humans.
Horses are not naturally mean; they become that way to defend themselves.
As prey animals, their actions are geared towards survival.
Humans are often the cause of horses being mean, aggressive, stupid, lazy, or rebellious, and this can be due to our lack of knowledge and experience, rather than intentional mistreatment.
We need to understand that horses are h
"Impara il linguaggio dei cavalli, e potrai fare cose meravigliose!"
Come prendere un cavallo severamente traumatizzatao e portarlo da questo a...
...diventare un compagno di avventure rilassato, sicuro di sé ed affidabile.
Ma come facciamo a farlo?
Parlando il loro linguaggio, usando metodi di addestramento basati sull'Etologia e...
...su antiche tecniche di popoli autoctoni...
...crescendoli in un ambiente naturale appropriato alla specie...
...solleticando la loro curiosità e rendendo l'addestramento piacevole e divertente...
...variando il luogo dove facciamo addestramento...
...mantenendoli elastici e ginnasticati nel corpo e nella mente...
....dandogli fiducia e libertà durante l'addestramento...
...dandogli il tempo di riflettere...
...il risultato, è un livello di connessione e legame con il cavallo, che non avresti mai immaginato fosse possibile!
Stallone maturo, parcheggiato nell'arena, con a qualche metro una cavalla con puledro liberi, anch'essi nella stessa arena.
Domanda:
"Stefan, perché fai queste cose?"
Risposta:
"Well... Non sarei un granché come addestratore di cavalli se non posso parcheggiare un cavallo, inclusi stalloni, qui o da qualsiasi altra parte, anche quando c'è una cavalla con puledro a pochi metri.
É imperativo poter parcheggiare qualsiasi stallone, senza legarlo, e poter mettere una cavalla qui e una lì, o anche due stalloni, uno qui e uno lì. Se non posso farlo allora vuol dire che non ho controllo e vuol dire che non sono un addestratore di cavalli, o un trainer.
Perché vuol dire che i cavalli che addestro, lavorano solo in determinate circostanze, e questo non è addestramento di cavalli.
Come posso lavorare, o anche solo andare in passeggiata con gli amici, con il mio cavallo, se posso solo montarlo o lavorarlo solo in certe specifiche situazioni?
Dunque che vita è questa per il cavallo?
E che vita è questa per me?
Una vita in cui non posso pienamente godermi il cavallo e il cavallo non può pienamente godersi la vita! "
- by Stefan Forsman -
"5 year old mare we are reschooling.
The mare lives outside. Perfectly calm horse outside and in the arena.
But once in the round pen, alone or with a person this is what happens.
STOP CHASING HORSES IN THE ROUND PEN!
It stress them, it psycologicly alienates them from the human in the center, brakes the trust in the human.
95% of people that now days work horses in a round pen, do it mechanically without knowing how to read a horse, and this is the result"
- by Stefan Forsman
Remember that a horse is not born knowing where to put his feet.
Most of today's horses, that live in a stall and only go out on flat land, do not know "how to use" their feet.
You have to teach them, train them to be "feet smart" and you will have a safer and more harmonious horse!
- by Stefan Forsman
"Saper stare fermo é il segno di un cavallo paziente e rilassato.
Ho veramente voglia di corrergli dietro ogni volta che devo fare qualcosa?
E se non c'è un posto dove legarlo, come faccio?" - by Stefan Forsman
"The Circle"
Many of us can agree that riding in circles in an arena is probably one of the most boring activities to do and watch, without a doubt! However, it is one of the most fundamental building blocks in training any horse. So, why is riding in circles so important?
Riding in circles teaches the horse to:
- Be calm
- Be balanced
- Rate speed
- Be attentive
- Be responsive
- Ride straight lines
- Save energy
- Collect itself
- Build muscle
- Develop patience
And much more.
Are you ready to take your knowledge about horses to the next level? Or maybe you're seeking help with your four-legged friend? Look no further! We offer a range of exciting services to help you become a true expert.
With over 40 years of professional horse training experience, we have traveled the globe and honed our skills to provide you with the best training possible.
From untouched horses to those with a few bad habits, we can help. Our exceptional horses are ready to teach you everything you need to know, even if you don't have your own!
Get ready to build your confidence and master horse and rider techniques with our private riding lessons. Or join us on an adventurous guided tour on horseback. We also offer beginner and advanced courses on horse psychology and Ethological training techniques.
Don't wait any longer!
Let us help you achieve your goals and become a true horse enthusiast.
Contact us today by private message or by phone/WhatsApp +351 920 220 166
This exercise is crucial in the foundational training of a horse. By utilizing trees as obstacles, the horse is given a sense of purpose instead of just moving in circles within an arena. The abrupt changes of direction required in this exercise will make the horse more responsive to the rider's cues and ultimately improve its focus and calmness.
Desensitizing is a word commonly used in the context of horse training. It refers to a process by which a horse is taught to not overreact to stimuli in its environment.
Unfortunately, some people have taken issue with this term, perhaps due to a misunderstanding of what it means.
It is important to remember that horses are prey animals with a very quick reaction time. Desensitizing helps horses learn to use the thinking side of their brain and not overreact to things that happen around them.
However, desensitizing should only be done by experienced trainers who can read the horse's behavior and know when to stop or change the process to avoid overwhelming the horse (flooding). If an inexperienced person attempted to desensitize horses it can end up causing more harm than good. Therefore, it is paramount to have a proper understanding of horse’s behavior and to work with a qualified trainer to ensure the safety and well-being of the horse.
Desensitization is a process that also helps establish trust between a horse and its trainer. When a horse is desensitized, it learns to rely on the trainer and sees the trainer as a leader who will never put him in harm's way. This is similar to how horses trust and follow their herd leader.
In this video, the horse remains calm and relaxed, willingly staying in place. The goal of desensitization has been accomplished, as the horse is now using the thinking side of its brain and is aware that the plastic poses no harm. Therefore, the plastic is not a cause for concern.
Desensitization is just one aspect of establishing a trustworthy partnership with your horse. Therefore, it is important not to solely focus on this aspect, but instead focus on the whole picture. Each piece of the puzzle is equally important, and if not executed correctly, it can compromise the final result. Achieving a strong partnership with your horse requires dedication, persistence, and consistency in your work and actions.
