Upstream Horsemanship

Upstream Horsemanship "Helping horses and humans work better, together." In 2022 she became a member of the steering committee for the board of The Best Horse Practices Summit.

Allana has been around horses her entire life and graduated from Otterbein with a degree in Equine Science and Equine Assisted Therapies in 2018. In 2019 she became an Equine Acupressure and Massage Therapist, and integrates these bodywork methods into her training. Over the years she has developed her approach to training horses around the belief that through mindfulness, perpetual education, and

willingness to hear what the horse has to say we can create an environment where horses actively participate in their jobs and work together with the rider to achieve their goals. Allana's primary goal as a trainer is to help clients create a fluid partnership founded in communication and mutual benefit that redefines the boundaries of what is possible between horse and rider.

Come present at the summit with me!
02/24/2025

Come present at the summit with me!

02/22/2025
Our team is growing! We have such an amazing work team and culture, and the work is so fulfilling. Apply if you're inter...
02/12/2025

Our team is growing! We have such an amazing work team and culture, and the work is so fulfilling. Apply if you're interested and qualified!

02/10/2025

“Can’t you tell that horse isn’t 100% comfortable?!”

Yes. I can.

I’m going to share from a post from last year…

“At this stage, I’m not looking for 100% relaxation and trust in me.

That’s not realistic, and I’m not going to get hung up on it.

This isn’t about me, me needing the horse to be 100% ok with me.

This is about me meeting and accepting the horse exactly where they’re at… which is NOT trusting me.

This horse needs to trust themselves to read my intention, first.

The more they practice that, the more scaffolding we have to build trust between us.

There is no shortcut. Trust-building is dynamic and accumulative.

There is no 100% trust each step of the way with some horses and some situations.”

This particular horse has a lot of trust in people, but she’s lacked confidence in herself to navigate situations without a herd around at times; which, I guess, comes down to trusting her handler to act as her ‘surrogate herd.’

There’s a lot more education about calming signals and covert signs of stress the last few years, which is fabulous.

But make no mistake, just because I appear to be ‘ignoring’ them, doesn’t mean I’m not seeing them.

That goes for a lot of horsemen.

Even if they don’t have a formal term or understanding, they can still be using all of the feedback from the horse to guide their decision-making, which may or may not involve slowing down or stopping the process.

Don’t assume that just because a trainer doesn’t slam on the brakes when they see calming signals or signs of stress, that they don’t see or understand them. Or that they don’t care.

They aren’t necessarily a stop sign. More often, they’re a caution or yield sign.

That being said, I’d be very wary of anyone whose only response is the gas pedal.

BHPS is still open for registration and is also offering this awesome giveaway for registering! Going to this conference...
02/06/2025

BHPS is still open for registration and is also offering this awesome giveaway for registering!
Going to this conference for the first time in 2017 genuinely changed my life and my path as a horseman. Highly recommend!

Registration is now open! The Summit takes place at Thal Equine in Santa Fe, New Mexico, on April 4-6, 2025. Limited to first 65 registrants. Registrations are not refundable after December 15, 2024.

Check out this video on a great groundwork exercise you can do that helps you and your horse refine body control and com...
02/01/2025

Check out this video on a great groundwork exercise you can do that helps you and your horse refine body control and communication!

Great exercise for body control, a good test of you and your horse's ability to communicate and give feedback.

01/20/2025
I am so excited to share that The Best Horse Practices Summit is back! If you are seeking a community that brings togeth...
12/01/2024

I am so excited to share that The Best Horse Practices Summit is back! If you are seeking a community that brings together horse people of all walks of life that share the mutual desire to prioritize the mental and physical wellbeing of both horses and humans, this is the summit for you! The thing I like most about this summit is the learning environment it facilitates. Presenters and participants eat and socialize together as humans on the same journey with different paths. The connections made in these settings last a lifetime and set a precedent to build a better equine industry for us all.

Reward the effort, redirect the behavior. Good communication and progress relies on giving your horse feedback that will...
11/01/2024

Reward the effort, redirect the behavior. Good communication and progress relies on giving your horse feedback that will inform a better decision being made. Good relationships are fortified by communication that offers support when your partner is engaging with a difficult situation.

There is more to horsemanship than just constantly telling the horse they can't. It's harder, and requires more awareness, but it yields a partnership. Next time you're thinking about telling your horse "not that," be sure to include "but do THIS."

Pictured is Weezer unwinding.

10/04/2024

Some transitions and raised poles at liberty with Toast this morning.

09/17/2024

PBJ Connections is growing!

09/16/2024

We are thrilled to announce PBJ Connections is now in Galena!

We are so excited to be partnering with Finally Here Farms to serve the community around Galena, OH. We will be able to provide talk therapy in the office and equine assisted psychotherapy with their wonderful herd.

We are seeking new clients, staff for the location and opportunities to connect with the community. Please help us get the word out by commenting on this post and sharing!

Be on the look out for more news about availability and to meet the new therapy animals. 🐴🫏🦆🐥

Toast's teenie tiny "forelock braid" 🤣
08/30/2024

Toast's teenie tiny "forelock braid" 🤣

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Johnstown, OH

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Videos

Some transitions and raised poles at liberty with Toast this morning.

How to Approach the Spooky Thing With Confidence
How to Approach the Spooky Thing With Confidence

How to Approach the Spooky Thing With Confidence Here's an older video I made on utilizing loose serpentines as an exercise to create confidence in your horse during spooky situations. One edit I will make to what is said in this video (around 3:32) is that I no longer view licking and chewing as directly indicative of processing, but rather simple endorphin release. In this case, I believe it is related to Rain's body and nervous system starting to shift from more sympathetic state to a parasympathetic state.

First Liberty Session (Part 10/10)
First Liberty Session (Part 10/10)

First Liberty Session (Part 10/10) Allana discusses the importance of prioritizing calmness and self control when starting liberty. This is the last part to this series, check out my YouTube to see the full length video and other instructionals! https://youtube.com/@upstreamhorsemanship4340?si=pE0VGGs0QxcECNSC Take a lesson with me! https://upstreamhorsemanship.com/

First Liberty Session (Part 9/10)
First Liberty Session (Part 9/10)

First Liberty Session (Part 9/10) Allana talks about the importance and function of noticing the smallest changes in your horse. Stay tuned for the rest of the series, or check out my YouTube to see the full length video! https://youtube.com/@upstreamhorsemanship4340?si=pE0VGGs0QxcECNSC Take a lesson with me! https://upstreamhorsemanship.com/

First Liberty Session (Part 8/10)
First Liberty Session (Part 8/10)

First Liberty Session (Part 8/10) Allana talks about what to do when your horse loses you at liberty Stay tuned for the rest of the series, or check out my YouTube to see the full length video! https://youtube.com/@upstreamhorsemanship4340?si=pE0VGGs0QxcECNSC Take a lesson with me! https://upstreamhorsemanship.com/

First Liberty Session (Part 7/10)
First Liberty Session (Part 7/10)

First Liberty Session (Part 7/10) Allana and Kota walk together for the first time. Stay tuned for the rest of the series, or check out my YouTube to see the full length video! https://youtube.com/@upstreamhorsemanship4340?si=pE0VGGs0QxcECNSC Take a lesson with me! https://upstreamhorsemanship.com/

First Liberty Session (Part 6/10)
First Liberty Session (Part 6/10)

First Liberty Session (Part 6/10) Allana discusses holding the space that your horse needs in the moment. Stay tuned for the rest of the series, or check out my YouTube to see the full length video! https://youtube.com/@upstreamhorsemanship4340?si=pE0VGGs0QxcECNSC Take a lesson with me! https://upstreamhorsemanship.com/

First Liberty Session (Part 5/10)
First Liberty Session (Part 5/10)

First Liberty Session (Part 5/10) Allana talks about noticing and acknowledging the horse's thoughts before they become behaviors, and the importance of timing. Stay tuned for the rest of the series, or check out my YouTube to see the full length video! https://youtube.com/@upstreamhorsemanship4340?si=pE0VGGs0QxcECNSC Take a lesson with me! https://upstreamhorsemanship.com/

First Liberty Session (Part 4/10)
First Liberty Session (Part 4/10)

First Liberty Session (Part 4/10) Allana talks about being able to articulate what she's asking of the horse through body language and energy. Stay tuned for the rest of the series, or check out my YouTube to see the full length video! https://youtube.com/@upstreamhorsemanship4340?si=pE0VGGs0QxcECNSC Take a lesson with me! https://upstreamhorsemanship.com/

First Liberty Session (Part 3/10)
First Liberty Session (Part 3/10)

First Liberty Session (Part 3/10) Allana describes what liberty means to her. Stay tuned for the rest of the series, or check out my YouTube to see the full length video! https://youtube.com/@upstreamhorsemanship4340?si=pE0VGGs0QxcECNSC Take a lesson with me! https://upstreamhorsemanship.com/

First Liberty Session (Part 2/10)
First Liberty Session (Part 2/10)

First Liberty Session (Part 2/10) Allana talks about how to motivate your horse to be with you at liberty. Stay tuned for the rest of the series, or check out my YouTube to see the full length video! https://youtube.com/@upstreamhorsemanship4340?si=pE0VGGs0QxcECNSC Take a lesson with me! https://upstreamhorsemanship.com/

First Liberty Session (Part 1/10)
First Liberty Session (Part 1/10)

First Liberty Session (Part 1/10) Allana describes what to look for in the beginning stages of introducing liberty work. Stay tuned for the rest of the series, or check out my YouTube to see the full length video! https://youtube.com/@upstreamhorsemanship4340?si=pE0VGGs0QxcECNSC Take a lesson with me! https://upstreamhorsemanship.com/

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