My job includes a variety of services, but one of my favorites is offering private retreats for people interested in taking a deep dive into horsemanship and yoga/mindfulness movement. Had a fabulous week with this wonderful woman, it is always a blessing to meet like minded people who resonate with your soul!! She got to play with a variety of horses and even joined me at @midnightspromise equine rescue for volunteer training. What a fun week!!
#therapeutichorsemanship #equineassistedlearning #privateretreat #learningfromhorses #connectingwithhorses
I had my son video part of a session with Greta. He told me it was way too boring for social media 😂 He’s probably right, it isn’t much to look at, but I’m not going for sensationalism. I just wanted to help my pony let go of tension in her left shoulder. I am doing #debonomoves both standing and walking to encourage more freedom of movement between her scapula and ribs. Rather than stretching, I’m shortening the space between the bones to relieve muscular tension. At first she is resistant and tries to shove me aside, so I guide her into movement away from me but maintain the contact with her shoulder and ribs. When she needs to move away I give her a moment and then begin again. While there are many ways to do Debono Moves, I like to integrate them into groundwork. This helps the horses discharge tension through movements both of the body and within the body. Not very exciting, but very effective. I will take the yawns as a compliment!
#boringhorsemanship #yogaforhorses #connectingwithhorses #releasingtension
Transitions from the seat
Yesterday I made a post about using Mula bandha, or engagement of pelvic floor muscles, to create half halts and down transitions. In this video, my student is asking Zella for walk transitions in this way, and going back to trot by creating a slight extension in her spine. A lovely example of how we can communicate with our horses in lightness and softness.
#yogaforequestrians #yogaandhorses #ridewithyourseat #zellalabelle
Sometimes the job of a “trainer” is less about teaching a horse new things, and more about helping them regulate their nervous system. I often meet horses who have a hard time with that. Rambler, a Tennesee Walking Horse, is a good example. His person met him at a trail riding stable, where he was tied up by himself. When she asked why he wasn’t being ridden, the wrangler basically told her he was too dangerous. She took pity on him and bought him, bringing him to live and board at LaBelle Equestrian. Since he’s been there we have been working together to help Rambler learn to trust and relax. They developed a good relationship and it was clear that he appreciated her, yet his underlying anxiety made him quick to tense, brace, and overreact to small things. When she had to leave for several months on a job I told her I would work with him while she was gone.
He didn’t seem eager to be haltered in the pasture. Though I could manage to catch him, his first response was to avoid me. I worked with him in the roundpen so he could have freedom to move as he needed to, yet even in that space he often seemed to be in a “fawn” behavior, going along with what I asked for but still operating from the sympathetic nervous system. While I felt that our sessions were helping, I wanted him to choose to be with people and not feel forced to do so.
I stopped trying to catch him and instead did short sessions in the pasture. I started by using treats so that he would have positive associations with my approach. I added some carrot stretches, asking him to bend and lower his head to get the treat. Gradually I started putting my hands on him, which sometimes caused a sudden flight response. In the pasture he was free to move away, and when he recovered and felt safe I would begin again.
Over the past two years I have been working with Mary Debono in her Move with Your Horse program. A Feldenkrais practitioner, Mary has created what she calls Debono Moves, an adaptati
Riding with just a piece of rope threaded through the two lower side rings of the halter. No bit, no bridle. So far all the horses seem to prefer this very simple arrangement, wondering why I haven’t seen this done before…
#bitlessriding #bitless #happyhorses #lessismore
Sometimes equine communication is very subtle, other times not so much… Blue clearly does not care for mealworms 😂
I have been experimenting with riding the horses with just a rope over the nose, threaded through the two lower side rings of the halter. So far, all of the horses seem to prefer this and even those that tend to be heavy in the hand or fussy with the bit are lighter and quieter when ridden this way. This morning I convinced my student to try riding Zella with just the rope and she agreed, Zella seemed very happy with this arrangement!
#bitlessriding #bridleless #happyhorses #ridinginlightness
I sometimes see misconceptions about using a whip (or wand as I prefer to call it), with an innate feeling that it is somehow connected to inflicting pain or abuse and is inherently bad. I find the wand to be a very effective tool and I often use a light tapping to get a horse’s attention and draw attention to what I am asking them to do. I don’t use tapping as a primary aid in itself, but frequently use it to reinforce the cues that I’m giving with my body. It can get a horse’s attention and create movement when they are stuck.
My cat, Conrad, uses a similar technique to train me as his human. Our front door has one of those old metal mail slots at the bottom, and when Conrad wants to come in he will “tap” with the mail slot. Sometimes he does this at 2 a.m., and though I absolutely do NOT feel like moving from the comfort of my warm bed, I will nevertheless summon the energy to go to the door and let him in. As soon as I honor his request, the tapping stops. In this way, Conrad has trained me to move even when I don’t feel like it with his own version of tapping.
Though I find the tapping slightly annoying, it in no way diminishes my trust in my cat or creates any ill feelings. In fact, the tapping is often followed by him snuggling up next to me as we fall asleep together. In both horses and humans, tapping is a very useful technique that can produce reliable results in a gentle and effective manner.
#humantraining #gentlehorsemanship
There seems to be a lot of discrepancy about the “correct” way to ride a canter. While I try not to view things as right or wrong, there are definitely optimal ways and those that are less ideal.
At the ranch in Mexico, the wranglers advise riders to sit back and follow with the seat, which is not unusual for Western trail riders, however there are detriments to this style. The upper body loses stability and has less ability to balance independently of the horse.
In my yoga for equestrians sessions on the mat, I guide students through specific movements that allow them to feel and understand how the hips can move to follow the horse’s movement at the canter. While there is a very slight movement of the spine, the seat bones/pelvis stays relatively stable. When cantering this allows us to have the feeling of drawing the horse’s back up under the seat rather than sitting deeply into the back. When cantering or galloping over uneven terrain, this gives a sensation of floating over the horse, helping them stay balanced rather than making it harder for them.
At home in an English saddle I usually ride in a two point position if I am cantering or galloping on the trail, but in Mexico the saddles aren’t conducive for that position. This gave me a great opportunity to practice perfecting my following seat as we flew across the countryside!
The next Yoga for Equestrians class at @heartofsalisbury is coming up on Saturday, February 4. Registration is available on their website. From groundwork to cantering over wide open spaces, learn the many benefits that yoga can bring to your horsemanship and riding!
#ridingthecanter #yogaandhorses #yogaforequestrians #ridinginmexico #galloping #itsallinthehips
One of my favorite activities with my horse is simply going for a walk. It isn’t just about the walking, it is about HOW we walk together. Can we maintain mutual attention and attunement? Can we keep a steady rhythm? Can I notice and respond to each change in my horse? Can I stop and help them relax, release tension, and refocus when they get anxious? Can I keep them from stopping to eat grass???
Going for a walk has many benefits. If a horse is nervous and spooky we can help them gain confidence. We can use hands-on touch to encourage them to become more calm and connected. We don’t need an arena or special facility, we can do it almost anywhere (perfect for “mud season!”). It’s a great way to increase the comfort zone of both horse and human without the additional risks of riding.
If you watch the video I’ll go ahead and tell you there’s no need to watch until the end. Nothing exciting happens. But that’s kind of the point 😊
#walkon #groundwork #harmonywithhorses #bondwithyourhorse #connectingthroughrhythm
There’s something so special about a kid’s first canter ❤️ Denny is so wonderful, I trust him fully with this precarious moment and once again he came through with flying colors! 🏇💖
#firstcanter #lessonhorsesaregold
A recent post about rope halters inspired a discussion about how to keep a pulling horse light without using pressure on sensitive fascial nerves. My answer is to use the “whoosh whoosh” to redirect the horse’s attention. What is the whoosh whoosh you mIght ask? This video gives a very brief example of how a dressage whip (I prefer the term wand) can be used to get a horse’s attention and set a boundary between them and whatever they’re going for. To be very clear, the wand is not used to hit or punish the horse for going for food (or whatever else they may be moving towards) but rather to intervene in a way that gets a clear response without a need for pulling. I use the “whoosh whoosh” often in groundwork and, as in this case, sometimes even when riding.
In everything we do with our horses, it is mutual attentiveness that is of utmost importance. We cannot have a connection based on soft, light communication between ourselves and the horse if either of us is distracted. The wand is a useful tool that can redirect attention with no physical discomfort, no pulling, and little effort.
#gentlehorsetraining #pressurefreetraining
One of my students has decided that Sam is now her favorite horse. I told her I wanted to share this as an example of how even the biggest horses can respond to the lightest of aids (and riders!) if we use our bodies and movements with intention and congruence. I love how well she rides him and how much they both enjoy the lessons ❤️ LaBelle Equestrian
#drafthorses #mindbodyconnection #yogaforequestrians #kidsandhorses #ridinglessons
There is a big difference between training primarily with pressure/release and developing connected movement. When we foster a relationship in which the horse moves with us as an extension of our own bodies, we don’t need to rely on pressure.
The young mare in this video hasn’t had much training. Recently adopted from an equine rescue, we don’t know much about her history other than she ended up in a kill pen at 5 years old. I have had her in training for 3 weeks and during that time have focused on developing a relationship of trust, understanding and cooperation. Here I am asking her for walk/halt transitions and turns using the smallest possible movements of my body. I don’t need to use any leg or reins, she simply carries out the movements I have initiated.
In my Yoga for Equestrians classes I help people understand and practice these subtle movements before engaging with the horses. Over the past year and a half I have been taking an ongoing course with Mary Debono, creator of Debono Moves. This Feldenkrais-inspired class includes Awareness Through Movement classes for humans and hands-on work with horses that take body awareness to another level. It has been astounding to realize how little we have to do to get big responses from our horses when we are clear, congruent and intentional.
#ConnectedMovement #ridingwithsoftness #yogaforequestrians #yogaandhorses #debonomoves #feldenkraismethod #gentlehorsemanship
When I work with a horse I always aspire to be able to take away constraints and hold a connection through choice and mutual attention. Sometimes this is strong, sometimes not. I have had the privilege of working with Rose for several months and have seen her transform from a horse that was distracted and anxious to one that is focused and calm. She is still a high-energy mare, an Andalusian/Thoroughbred cross that will always have a lot of “go.” Being able to keep her focused and attentive hasn’t been a quick fix or easy task, yet daily sessions that build confidence and that she enjoys have revealed the gentle, sweet soul that matches her physical beauty. She belongs to a wonderful woman who bought her knowing that she needed re-training, and I am grateful that she chose me to do it. This mare is capable of such great things, but above all the relationship is what’s most important ❤️
LaBelle Equestrian
#connectingwithhorses #libertywithhorses #andalusianthoroughbred #gentlehorsetraining #groundworkwithhorses
30m
Some horses make us go back to the drawing board again and again, and again….
Crow has been that kind of horse for me. I don’t know what happened to him before I met him but the scars ran deep. I took him on as a project to sell for a friend but soon realized that the kind of healing he needed wasn’t going to happen in a short time. Fortunately I have been able to keep him with me and give him the time he needed to learn to trust and come to a new opinion about being a riding horse. It has taken countless hours of helping him release emotional and physical tension and resistance, first on the ground and then under saddle. It has taken literal years of being a trustworthy human that showed up each day to care for him. It has taken dressage training to teach him to use his body in different and more comfortable ways. It has taken persistence to the point of absurdity (or sometimes it seemed), yet I could not give up on him. I am filled with joy at how far he has come, and how much I have learned along the way. I have no idea what his future holds but I am so glad he has a chance at a bright one ❤️❤️❤️
@labelleequestrian
#equinerehabilitaion #learningtotrust #secondchance #newbeginnings #nevergiveup
We had another fabulous horse camp at LaBelle Equestrian this week. On the first day, students learn to “move into stillness” with their horses and how to use their presence and touch to help their horse become more calm and relaxed. One of my favorite parts of camp were these peaceful moments each morning. The horses loved it too ❤️
#horsecamp #kidsandhorses #therapeutichorsemanship #connectingwithhorses
