On a scale of 1-10 How does your horse feel about snow falling off the roof? 1 being isn’t bothers 10 being total meltdown.
You can teach your horse to deal with sudden noises and scary events in a reasonably good manner by showing them how to regulate their emotions and think more before they react. It’s slow work but 100% worth it.
This was Flints first time in a couple of years hearing snow falling off the roof, and it was his first time seeing it. We had gone to an indoor so he could get some energy out and it turned into him learning to work with scary distractions. I think he handled it very well- you can see the wheels turning. By the end of the session he was barely reacting- and I don’t mind if my horse spooks, it’s going to happen. I just want to know that they are able to spook and then stay with me/ relax and reset after.
Can your horse pick you up at the mounting block? This is a very useful skill to teach- and it’s super easy to do so! Tutorial is up on Patreon ☺️
✨Relaxation✨
It’s what we all strive for with our horses- we want them relaxed because that benefits them both mentally and physically.
The signs of relaxation go far deeper than we may think. At a glance this big guy might seem relaxed- he has a leg cocked and he’s standing quietly. We may mistake that as a sign that he’s truly relaxed and ready to do the next thing. But the closer we look the more we will see. I like to study their faces, their expressions generally are a reflection of what’s going on inside.
Look at his muzzle- it’s tight, he has crooked nostrils and lots of twitching. His eyes are not blinking much and there is tension in his neck.
I could have probably asked him for more here and he would’ve done it, he’s a very good boy but is definitely a worrier and is unsure of new things sometimes. The thing that was causing his worry in this case was ground poles. As a former pulling horse he’s likely not seen many of those in his lifetime.
The poles are scary so I was offering him standing time next to them, and we were working on some basic ground work skills away from them. When I stopped him at the poles this time he cocked a leg and then I checked in with him, saw his expression and began filming.
This is a great example of that internal cycle I talk about when we are waiting on our horses to relax. You have to look deeper than the surface body language, just because he’s taken a “relaxed”stance doesn’t mean he’s truly found relaxation, it just means he’s on the way there.
If you listen with audio, you’ll hear me “blow out” a few times. I often do this with horses who are holding tension as it mimics the behavior that they do when they are having a release or “blowing out shenanigans” as I’ve heard it referred to. I find it usually helps them let go of some tension.
Next time you work with your horse I encourage you to really take some time to observe and just see what happens 💫
What else
Emotional regulation- getting started
Here’s another snipit of my Equine Affaire demo where I talk about how I begin the process of helping a horse find relaxation and begin the process of learning to regulate their emotions.
Stay tuned for a video series that dives deeper into the process 🥳
Want to give the gift of lessons or clinics this season? MHPH gift certificates are available ☃️ message me to put one under your tree 🎄
☃️Purchase three PIVO or virtual lessons get one free!
🎄Purchase one in person lesson receive $25 off the second lesson!
Playing with the best boy, Dually ❤️
Dually and I have been experimenting with clicker training! He loves to learn so this has been a fun way to add some variety and challenge him a little bit. I also want to teach him some tricks (because why not) so this is laying some foundation for teaching those. I’m utilizing pressure and release and reinforcing with clicker and food 🦄
Excuse the mud- he loves to roll and took a mud bath before we started working 🤣
A short clip from my demo where I talk about the importance of waiting on your horse after asking something of them, no matter how simple. This is all part of the process we must go through to help our horses learn to regulate their emotions/nervous system.
I was cleaning the horses stalls/ paddock today and Flint was being extra playful. He was running up to me and then I’d shoo him away and he would circle me like we were lunging. So I grabbed a whip and decided to play around with him because it seemed as though he wanted to do something. He stuck with me 90% of the time and when he did leave he would run off and buck and then come right back to me and carry on like nothing changed.I’m new to liberty work on the ground and I mostly play around with it for fun, especially with Flint because he really seems to like it. I think what I’ve come to enjoy most about it is that the horse can choose to stay or go. There’s nothing physically connecting him to me so him staying is his choice. He could go eat hay, hang with his friends, roll in the fresh shavings in his stall or play with his toys, but he’s choosing to work with me. And that’s pretty special.
🦄 Halo has been working on her self loading skills this fall! In our first sessions she wasn’t too sure about going in the trailer all by herself but after a few reps her confidence started to grow.
Today she was doing such a good job self loading that I suggested her owner, Nell, try to load her at liberty! They have a great relationship and liberty foundation so this was a fun way to challenge Halo. She was very eager to load and almost didn’t want to unload as we have worked hard to make the trailer a comfortable and happy place to her.
Taking something that can often be stressful for horses and making it into a game of sorts is a great way to boost your horse’s confidence while also building trust.
✨Fantastic job today Nell & Halo! ✨
Costume contest was SO fun, everyone did a really great job on their costumes, I can’t pick my favorite! 👻🎃 Spooktacular obstacle weekend was a blast! Keep an eye out for more photos 🤩
Relationship based horsemanship, focused on creating a solid foundation for lasting results.
