“Every movement, thought, or feeling is a precisely timed electric signal traveling through a chain of neurons-a circuit of nerve fibers. Myelin is the insulation that wraps these nerve fibers and increases signal strength, speed, and accuracy. The more we fire a particular circuit, the more myelin optimizes that circuit, and the stronger, faster, and more fluent our movements and thoughts become.”(In the Talent Code, Coyle) Daniel Coyle researched what’s referred to as Deep Practice a theory built on a paradox shared by both horses and humans: “Struggling in certain targeted ways—operating at the edges of your ability, where you make mistakes makes you smarter. Experiences, in which you’re forced to slow down, make errors, and correct them, end up making you swift and graceful.” (Horse Head Brain Science & Other Insights, by Maddie Butcher with Dr. Steve Peters)This clip is a good example of what that looks like for a long weanling. Studies have shown neurodevelopment in horses follows the pattern of myelination described by Dr. Stephen Peters, a scientist and neuropsychologist who studies brain function, neurochemistry, and how they impact the learning process, (Evidence-Based Horsemanship, Dr. Stephen Peters & Martin Black) as follows:“motor ->> sensory roots ->> brainstem auditory and vestibular tracks ->> cerebellum ->> optic nerve ->> corticospinal tract ->> optic/acoustic radiations ->> association cortex”Because movement is the top priority for horses their myelin development begins with motor roots. Watch how this filly reacts to the flutter of Clayton’s shirt. She’s bred to think and move but she’s in the rudimentary phases of her development, the start of connecting her thoughts to her body. You are watching Clayton make the most of a windy day and an opportunity to present this filly with a lesson by engaging her natural curiosity to slow her down, then letting the wind and his shirt do the work of creating a physical reaction in
But that smile at the end ♥️
#aqha #coltstarting #horselife #theweanlingyearlingprogram
First Winter is here and temps are plummeting for just a few days (God bless Texas!). The barrow of hot water is one of our favorite work arounds to ensure everyone stays well hydrated. No electrolytes, broad mineral filled sea salt is fed in their mashes so the water is just plain good old hot water. The horses walk to meet us at their gates when they see it coming! They all have clean de-iced water available but they relish the steaming hot water.
Turns out an ounce of prevention, worth a pound of cure, converts to gallons! The hot water helps hydrate and lubricate their whole digestive system. It helps move food through their approximately 82-106+ feet of intestines including those hair pin turns that like to get impacted! It works just like hot water moving food off of dirty dishes. Seriously. Try a mug of plain hot water. It’ll make your belly feel good too!
#horses #winterhorsecare #winterhorsecaretips
🥶 There’s a cold front rolling in so all the horses are getting soupy wet mash 😋 A little loose sea salt provides a boost of minerals and electrolytes. Warm wet mash lubricates and hydrates their entire digestive system. Non molasses beet pulp helps support their developing gut biome and provides additional fiber to keep everything moving #aqua #weanlings #yearlings #horses as we drop from the high 60’s to overnight lows in the mid 20’s.
🥜Squirrel: The Saddle Blanket 🥜
🥜 Squirrel: The Saddle Blanket 🥜
Squirrel came to us fresh off his momma. He is a 2024 colt by Peptos NU Bar out of KR Pistol Lena. Squirrel is a gentle natured, athletic, lightening fast learner. He is moderately sensitive and we believe his current reactivity is simply rooted in a strong sense of self preservation. Certainly can’t hold that against him. Who was it that said we don’t ride the ones whose ancestors got eaten by lions at the water hole?
Squirrel has had about 30 days of handling to reach this point. The next 30 days will focus on everything we can do to prepare him for the smooth and easy two year old start we, and his owner want for him.
Can I just say what a kick it is to watch Clayton use a horse’s natural curiosity to draw them out of their current comfort zone and into the participitory role that will serve them in their future? Wow. Finesse, feel, and patience (and years and years of handling horses) pays.
On a side note is anyone else a sucker for a snip? He’s a handsome little guy who’s just full of try.
#theweanlingyearlingprogram #aqha #peptoboonsmal #coltstarting
🔐 UNLOCKING THE FEET 🔐
🚨 FULL LENGTH VIDEO AVAILABLE on YouTube 🚨
https://youtu.be/w4kPN4K8vsE?si=5j29_tEpaJCmjTb2
Jericho, a six year old quarter horse, is a steer tripping horse in the making. He was sent to us for two purposes; unlock his feet (for everyone including the farrier), and influence his willingness to wait on his rider while they both do their job. We believe those two things are more closely related than one might imagine. It never fails to impress us how a change in one area affects change in another.
Jericho’s first session, uploaded previously, looked pretty different from this one which is just his second. What a testament to a horses ability to process between sessions! Like us, their brain keeps working out the challenge and processing information in a big way once “class” is out.
As you’ll see in the clip he’s a big easy going guy who’s got a pretty established opinion about who should manage his feet. We hope you enjoy watching him figure out what’s being asked of him so he can make the necessary changes.
🚨 FULL LENGTH VIDEO AVAILABLE on YouTube 🚨
https://youtu.be/w4kPN4K8vsE?si=5j29_tEpaJCmjTb2
@pricehorsemanship3963
#quarterhorse #horsemanship
The weanlings are well attended by their pony nannies and the rope horse is free to stretch his legs post chiropractic and cranial sacral work. So many blessings. Happy Thanksgiving.
⚖️ Finding the Balance ⚖️
Little Hawk, a three year old appendix quarter horse, came to us post injury and after about a year of lay up that included support therapies. Since arriving he has had a pretty major chiropractic adjustment that included highly effective cranial sacral work and thera plate. In addition to his training sessions Hawk also benefits from ongoing rehabilitative bio-mechanic rehab and conditioning here with us.
Hawk’s original injuries included his rib cage. We are in the process of determining to what degree he will be able to carry weight. Happily his devoted breeder is committed to helping him find a purposeful career. Hawk has his whole life ahead of him and needs a job!
We are at a point in the process with Hawk that allows us to begin putting weight on him. Beginning with pressure from a surcingle and increasing, as you’ll see in the clip, to Clayton beginning to put some weight into the saddle. Hawk had an excellent start as a two year old just prior to the accident so many of the responses you’ll see are also due to him being green.
One of the components we are understandably aware of is his body. Clayton mentions Hawk being “nervy”. He is not referring to Hawk’s demeanor but actually referring literally to Hawk’s nerves. Due to Hawk’s injuries he had large areas of blocked, jammed up, and pinched nerves. He had areas of his body that had become numb and other areas that caused him to feel, for lack of better explanation, shocky. For example when we placed a soft hand on his skin he would respond as though we were shocking him. Post body work, which unblocked, un jammed, and un-pinched his nerves he is coming back on line in good health. We have noticed areas of his body, like his feet, that he previously struggled to allow us to touch due to nerve pain, are now beginning to soften for handling. Other areas are newly re-opened and still building toward a balanced healthy response.
Knowing which of Hawk
SNAPPING is a behavior we only get to see if we are around young horses. The minuscule amount of research available suggests there are many reasons foals, weanlings, and yearlings snap when in proximity to other horses. Studies suggest it’s a behavior displayed when a young horse is showing submission, greeting a dominant herd member, or just plain not sure what to do with themselves in the context of the moment. It was completely normal for Kix, little black colt, to snap at the mares the first time he met them but we found it truly interesting when little Tonka snapped at Quinn and Clayton the first time he saw Clayton on a horse. What a sight a person on a horse must be to a colt that first time! #horses #foals #evidencebasedhorsemanship #horsemanship Zeitschrift für TierpsychologieVolume 69, Issue 1 p. 42-54Snapping by Foals of Equus caballusS. L. Crowell-Davis, K. A. Houpt, J. S. BurnhamFirst published: January‐December 1985https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-0310.1985.tb00755.xCitations: 20
The Flyin Sixes Ranch babies are all that and a bag of chips! Look at this handsome good minded colt ground tying for his first trim! #cashtakenleader #AQHA #confederateleader #coltstarting #horsemanship
“Hanging between those reins is a thought” - Harry Whitney
Simple but profound like most good horsemanship. Regardless of discipline the keys to a horse fall under one of the following three simple categories; sending, leading, and directing. Those three all begin with a thought. In this clip you’ll see Clayton begin mining thought with Tonka, an eight month old draft cross weanling, who’s been with us long enough to be prepared and ready for this session.
“Because all a rein does is present a slight suggestion.” (Moates, Tom. A Horse’s Thought; A Journey into Honest Horsemanship. Spinning Sevens Press 2010.) A horse that is with you understands the lightest request and commits to your suggestion with his whole body. If you think about it being able to send, lead, and direct a horse’s thought is the goal of horsemanship. As horsemen and women, if we aren’t able to build a horse’s thoughts in ways that build the responses we are looking for from them, now and in the future, we have to ask ourselves just what the heck we’re doing.
When we begin leading them, guiding them if you will, with their thoughts true unity is created for whatever we endeavor to achieve with them. Now please make no mistake I’m not being fluffy here I just prefer to be with my horse unified and together over the fences rather than any of the alternatives. The same holds true for riders working a cow or riding a dressage test. It doesn’t matter what hat you’re wearing unity is a good thing.
In this clip you’ll see Clayton use a combination of timing, intention, feel, and approach that allows the unfolding of improvement of unity and you’ll witness the grounding effect it has on Tonka. Why you may ask is it important to start this work so early? Honestly for more reasons than could reasonably be listed here. First and foremost the more relevant people are to Tonka the more likely he is to excel at anything he is asked to do. This is a foundational skill he
Price Horsemanship offers programs for preparing and develping weanlings and yearlings for their two year old start. All other horses on a per client basis.
