MK Horsemanship

11/14/2024

Call the clean-up crew! 🥳

None of us want to have to clean up our horse's training. We are dedicated students and work hard to do things right the first time. Realizing we need to clean some things up can feel like a smack in the face after all of our dedication and hard work.

But should it feel like a smack in the face??

Our definition of "right" is going to change as our understanding of our horses, bodies, and timing changes. Watching our teachers effortlessly work with horses is going to hold new meaning and understanding as we progress to the next level.

The only way we know to call the clean-up crew is when we can see the "mess" that we created.
But is it really a mess? Or is it a matter of refinement and growth, a never-ending journey of finding the definition of effortless and beautiful.

When we can finally see the mess, we can start to open a new level of refinement and horsemanship. Taking us on a deeper journey than we thought possible.

Let's celebrate when it's time to call in the clean-up crew! 🥳

Photo by Calysta Mundt

11/12/2024

Where does your urgency come from?

A client and I were talking today about how we all tend to want quick fixes and responses.
Sometimes, we knowingly want things quickly, but I think for a lot of us, it's more of an unconsciousness or unaware thing.

It got me thinking about my own feelings of urgency. Do I have them? Where do they come from?
I found that I definitely had feelings of urgency, and that part of it came from a strong need to feel like I had accomplished something so I could take a breath and go easier on myself.

We often hear that we live in a fast-paced world, and because of that, we expect fast-paced results. While that is true, we need to look deeper and understand that urgency is fueled by personal needs.

Urgency can come from:

-Pressure to look good
-Pressure to keep up with friends
-Pressure to feel accomplished
-Pressure to meet deadlines
-Etc!

While we can acknowledge that good things take time, and we have to throw the fast-paced mindset out the window... it's also incredibly important to ask ourselves where our personal urgency comes from and how we can soothe it.
Telling ourselves over and over again that good things take time will eventually wear out when we need to believe in it the most.

So I challenge you today to acknowledge your urgency and ask it where it's from ❤️

11/12/2024

✨️

11/07/2024

Do you base your value of yourself off of what you know?
Or do you base it off of your ability to continue to learn and grow for the good of the horse?

When we base our value on what we know, we can easily be shaken when someone suggests ideas on how we can do better.
We might start having feelings of anger, frustration, denial, and the need to prove to others that improvement isn't nessasary.

When we base our value on our ability to learn and grow, we are opening ourselves up to a world of growth and abundance.
Instead of being insulted by advice, we are able to accept it with excitement and open arms.
The opportunity to improve reminds us how far we can really go and that we have the opportunity to turn horsemanship into a beautiful art.

It can be a lot of work to stay inspired by critique, and some days, it will hurt knowing that critique is still very much needed.
But if we can learn to live for the magic that critiquing provides, we will go places we never thought possible.

11/04/2024

To be heard

There is more to being heard than raising your voice or being big and bold or boisterous.
To be heard and to be listened to is more about the significance of our words and actions than how loud we can speak.

To be heard is to communicate in a way that builds trust and curiosity. Your words and presence create a safe place for others to be curious, creative, and communicate.

To be heard is to not waste time on nonsense and meaningless things. Your words and actions focus on what is important while also allowing time to just be, building respect and interest.

I am fortunate to have people in my life who speak in a way to be heard. I enjoy our conversations as they are filled with respect for all that it is.

The more people I meet that speak in a way to be heard, the more I struggle with meaningless and detrimental conversation. I crave a place of substance, safety, respect, and creativity.

Our horses are the same way... many of us unknowingly have meaningless conversations with our horses. Leaving our horses uninterested in hearing what we have to say.

To be heard by humans or horses, it isn't nessasary to be big and loud. It's about the space you create, and invite them to.

11/01/2024

Every day we get the choice to prepare our horses for the difficult days or to hurry through chores. Each step we take can prepare our horses... or it can set them and you up for failure.

Every time we lead, tie, groom, handle, clean stalls, etc, we are preparing our horses for the days we need them to be at their ultimate best.
As Archilochus says- "We don't rise to the level of our expectations, we fall to the level of our training."

A day is going to come that you will need your horse's basic handling skills to be superb.
Maybe it will be in a emergency situation, or maybe you just had surgery and need your horses to be gentle and careful.

It's easy to let your level of training fall to just good enough to get through a average day. But what will happen when that isn't good enough?

11/01/2024

10/29/2024

Caption this picture! 😂

10/28/2024

I have a lot of thoughts going through my head today. A lot of aha! And a lot of hmmm....

I don't have a lot to offer today as far as an educational post... but one thing that keeps coming to my mind is gratitude for the equine era I was born in to. There are so many wonderful horseman and woman that I get the privilege to have as strong, real, and empowering examples.

As this Monday comes to a close I feel grateful for those who I get look up to, and those who I get to grow with. ❤️

10/26/2024

Words

Words hold specific feelings within them no matter what you are implying.

I am learning to become aware of the impact of the words I choose. When teaching students I am careful to use words that encourage a helpful feeling for the moment we are in.

This awareness has really changed my perspective of my own life and the horses I get to work with. When we use words that fully encourage pure emotions and thoughts we are able to see situations as they are and can respond in a helpful way that leads to success.

10/25/2024

Meet Kobe!
He is a five year old percheron that has been accepted into my mobile training program.
He and his owner are learning the fundamentals of groundwork and in hand work.
I'm excited to watch them grow together!

10/24/2024

You will see the progress or the lesson tomorrow. Even though:

Today was hard

Improvement was minimal

You used all the arrows up in your quiver

You asked, why me?

You wished for a different reality

The reality is that you don't know for sure that you didn't make tomorrow better.
And if tomorrow isn't better it doesn't matter, because today was just information waiting to be absorbed and turned into something beautiful.

10/24/2024

Great information on Desensitizing!

10/23/2024

Happy hump day! We are halfway to the weekend 🥳

10/23/2024

More on tacking up our horses... are you intrusive???

Being intrusive might look like being disorganized and having your equipment flapping around the horse in a disorganized way. It might look like approaching your horse like a predator and just throwing your tack on any way possible. Or it might look like being all over the horse instead of being organized and efficient.

A great practice is to spend a session just focusing on tacking up your horse.
Take mental notes on how you do it and if you can be more organized and systematic.
Take notes on how you throw the saddle up and on the horse, and how you allow all the rigging to fall. Is it smacking, bumping, or hitting the horse?

We don't want to sneak around our horses when tacking up... but that doesn't mean we should tack up in a disorganized way that is disrespectful to the horse. Instead we should move smoothly, with confidence, awareness, and respect.

10/23/2024

I really enjoyed this interview. If you are looking for your next educational interview to listen to I highly recommend this!

It’s up! Check out this fantastic interview with Josh Nichol Relational Horsemanship on my YouTube channel
Link in the comments.

10/22/2024

Mounting preparation 🤠

Having a horse that can stand still confidently and breathe easily while saddling is one of my requirements that need to be met before I put a foot in the stirrup. A horse that is tight and anxious while saddling isn't going to be a safe horse to mount.

So many horrible accidents with horses happen when a rider is trying to mount.The second we have one foot in the stirrup and one foot on the ground we put ourselves in a space where we have little balance and control until we are fully in the saddle.

When we have a tight and anxious horse this makes the mounting process much more dangerous and sets the tone for a unsuccessful ride if you are able to make it into the saddle. Just because you are able to get away with somthing doesn't make the situation safe.

When saddling, it is a requirement that all my horses and training horses learn to ground tie and feel confident in themselves standing in one place and waiting to be groomed, fly sprayed, saddled etc. I want them to stand confidently while I move around and away from then while doing a job.

When I bring my riding gear out my horses are already in a thinking and confident frame of mind. But I'm careful to present the pad and saddle in a way that builds off of that confidence instead of taking it away.

If at any time in the saddling process my horse starts to hold their breath and get tence, I work with them and help them find their breath and confidence back. I want my horses to see my riding gear and feel confident and relaxed.

When it's time to mount, my horses are in a calm and thinking mindset. This makes it easy to prepare them to square up to the mounting block or wherever I'm going to mount. Once they are confidently squared up it's time to mount and ride.

At first it might take you a while to teach and prepare your horse for calm and confident mounting. But with consistency it will quickly turn into a habit for both of you. And a great way to mentally prepare for your ride.