Ellen Kealey Horsemanship

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Ellen Kealey Horsemanship

Thoughtful Horsemanship
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09/20/2024

I wish that everyone could feel just as happy that their horse found relaxation while being saddled at liberty as they are when their horse is ready to go over a jump. I want people to get equally addicted to helping their horse feel something as they are exhilarated by galloping across a field.

Photo: I am always excited when I can get a horse to a place where they feel equal parts willing and chilled out.

I changed things up by working with the saddle pad at liberty to see if giving her more options would change her response. I was pleased to feel her just as available as if there were a line between us.

09/13/2024

Over the course of the last year I have had the pleasure of starting this family of Andalusian mares.

Elena (grey) is the brood mare who started it all. I worked with her last summer to get her more comfortable about being handled on the ground and going under saddle. When I first met her she would put up a wall to kindly tolerate people. Once she figured out that she could converse and respond, she became really fun to work with.

Moxy (bay mare) came for training in late spring for handling and to get started under saddle. She was unsure about what people were on about, and had a very busy mind. After roughly two months of hand holding to help her mind settle, she has made leaps and bounds on the ground and in the ridden work.

Calypso (slowly greying) was born this spring and has had a lot of human interaction. Her owners and I are working together to help her progress in learning about leading. She is shocked that a ring rope and a human are asking her to do things that aren’t exactly on her terms. It’s amazing how quickly they process a puzzle and begin to willingly understand what we ask of them. It is the most important thing that any horse will learn. I look forward to being part of her learning.

09/11/2024

I don’t train for canter transitions, trailer loading, or lateral movements. I ask questions to get a gauge for how a horse is feeling. I train for the ongoing underlying emotions between my horse and I from one thing to the next. Are we ready to move on, or are there things that need to be talked about?

I notice if my horse quietly braces during the saddling process and I do my best to get things feeling better. I feel the rush, the resistance or the tension when my leg comes on to ask my horse to go somewhere. If it doesn’t feel like we’re going together, I work at it until the feelings between us are more aligned. The examples continue indefinitely. I use this principle with varying questions and adjustability to work at everything that my horse and I do together.

People call me when the going gets really tough and they aren’t sure where to begin to help their horse. Things would most likely be different if people had the ability to pay more attention to the small troubles that came into the work. Small worries can compound and either result in catastrophic melt downs, or a horse that is just kind enough to put up a wall and tolerate life.

Photo: Preparing Moxy for her first saddling by asking questions with the ring rope instead of the feel in my hand. When her focus and the clarity between questions improved she felt floaty and engaged. This mindset and preparation is what I was helping her with before progressing to harder challenges.

If you just take care of the “little” things it may shock you how easy the bigger milestones become.

08/09/2024

Theodore is a 7-year-old Gypsy/ Appaloosa cross who is looking for his new person. He was gently started by Ellen Kealey Horsemanship as a 3-year-old over the course of nine months.

Theo does great on the ground and under saddle and will be looking for someone to continue his training and give him new experiences. He is a smart horse who thinks his way through obstacles. He is full of character and will make someone a wonderful partner.

Please DM or text/call 319-331-6276 if you have any questions or would like to schedule a time to come out and see him! He is currently located in Northfield, MN.

05/31/2024

This is a gentle reminder that really solid and well adjusted horses are built over time. We often need to get things wrong in order to illuminate the path to doing better. We can then use this as motivation to show up as often as possible.

If your horse has a bad day- so what. If he is struggling with something, find a way to get a change of thought rather than rushing to obedience. Take the weeks, months, or years required to adequately problem solve. Getting things right in the relationship is still worth more than getting by with something for a period of time.

Don’t focus on behavior, focus on small improvements that a horse can achieve in the moment.

It can take a few minutes to screw something up in a big way, which costs more time to undo or will always be there just below the surface. Take the time to help a horse become OK with something. Why make the first or any experience a bad one for the sake of getting something done?

Being more aware often starts with taking the pressure off of ourselves. We need to accept and allow our horses to be where they are at without comparison and unfair expectations.

Photo: Not taking things too seriously, while trying new ways of riding and presenting a feel. This is not a bad forehand yield for a backwards approach.

I will also mention that this is not Pipers third ride under saddle. Her and I have an established relationship, which allows for fun experiments without damaging what she already understands. She is going great, yet there are still many more years for her to step up in ways that aren’t available today. I’m grateful for everything her uniqueness has taught me.

05/29/2024

The concept of “good timing” comes up a lot in horsemanship talk along with other things like feel and clarity. I consider timing to be the ability to release consistently for a change, the adjustibility in the tempo of the questions being asked, and the judgement call of what to accept as a good enough change from moment to moment. Different horses require varying intensities in pressure and movement. Some benefit from releasing for the thought, while others require more waiting and hand holding.

One of the most important things to consider with timing is the ability to stay ahead of a horses thoughts and movement. Humans often get lost in what a horse is doing rather than helping a horse to stay focused and ready.

A strong indication that the human is behind a horses thoughts is that everything is a reaction to what the horse is doing, rather than the horse and human having a back and forth conversation. Leaving a horse hanging by not doing enough, or being there without meaning can lead to stronger leaving behaviors.

Photo: Raffi is a very busy minded and sensitive horse who learned to get ahead of pressure to avoid feeling troubled by it. He required me to be very consistent in interrupting his thoughts until staying with me felt better than leaving.

Staying with a horse like him was a tricky timing balance, because he had learned several evasion patterns. There were times where waiting was required to help him feel better and other times where the questions needed to be snappier to ask his thoughts to soften and be ready for the next thing.

05/22/2024

Thank you Good Horsemanship - Ross Jacobs for being such a consistent and helpful mentor in my professional horse journey!

I spent some time with this Fox Trotter mare a few years ago. We did a lot of things together, but helping her learn that a feel was something to embrace with minimal trouble inside was by far the most important and rewarding thing we had going.

05/21/2024

How do you help a horse who becomes unsettled in a stall for tacking up, or struggles to stand tied?

These smaller areas of worry can be easy to ignore or find a way around. Here are some questions to consider. Does the horse stand relaxed when his friends are around, or is there no change in the behavior? Does he worry more when a person isn’t in close proximity? How does he respond when you step into the stall? Has your horse ever been injured and suddenly on stall rest for days or weeks at a time?

One of the first areas to address is teaching a horse to follow a feel with different positions and proximity on the end of the line. He should be ready to stand quietly as if he is tied, or make minor adjustments. A step back while brushing his hip should be no problem, or a step sideways should be available with minimal effort. Having a horse with you throughout the tacking up process should become a way of life.

The next step may be to ask for a higher level of focus on the line and at liberty when the horse is in the stall. Can he go in and out quietly? Can he stay back with ease as you walk out and come back in? Does he leave for the nearest corner to his paddock as soon as the halter comes off? As his focus becomes better through clarity and intentional questions, the desire to be somewhere else will dissipate.

Once better communication is established, and the horse is able to let go of outside distractions I would begin to consistently leave him in the stall for short increments of time. While routine can be anti good horsemanship, there are some instances where it can really help to enhance a horses ability to handle uncomfortable situations, while understanding that it won’t last forever.

Many well known horse training techniques for this sort of problem would include things like letting the horse have a melt down for hours until he calms down, or tie him to something that doesn’t give after he has already learned to escape. These methods may work to help a horse shut down and show less outward signs of distress. Obtaining obedience in this way is working against the horse, instead of increasing his ability to stay grounded over time, and teaching him that these things eventually come to an end.

Photo: Tack up time can be stressful for Hoagy. His owner steps out for a few minutes, and then did some work in the stall to get him to have a stronger focus with her. Even though Hoagy never settled down for long while she was away, he will learn over time that being in the stall isn’t a forever thing. I have recommended that she leave him in the stall before each session for 3-5 minutes. Then take the time to get him as settled as possible at liberty and on the line before taking him out of the stall. Over time these moments will start to blend together and his emotions won’t fluctuate so much. She could even increase the time once he is doing better.

05/16/2024

The ability to get a horse quiet and attentive at a distance is one of the most valuable first steps to understanding a horses’ thoughts. It is the beginning of mirroring conversation, and allows us to be the observer rather than something to accept as in the way or part of life. It gives us the opportunity to see everything in our surroundings that catches our horses thoughts, as well as how committed those ideas are to other distractions and interests.

We can then notice the body language that gives us insight into the inner workings of our horse. Some examples of this may be noticing how he struggles to stay “here” by carrying a brace in a forward position. Or his feet may be still, while his mind is busy and unsettled. Many of the physical changes are indications of a horse shifting to a more grounded mental state.

If we do things right, we can first get our horse attentive, which then leads to directing a thought and a foot. What is the first step to getting a horse more attentive? Becoming more aware of your horse from moment to moment and asking questions. Once you are aware, then you can develop the skills to help your horse.

Photo: Seda staying attentive at liberty. She is incredibly fun to converse with.

04/12/2024

Statements I hear often are, “he was fine” or “the ride was good.” Most peoples judgements are based on their ability to complete a task that is in alignment with their goals. It is important to consider what deserves to be deemed a good ride, and if your horse could talk what would he say about the experience?

Humans don't put enough consideration into the small indications that a horse isn't going well. If adjustments can be made to lessen a behavior things will often go unaddressed until the horse slips over threshold. It is an uncommon occurrence to address the worry in the training so instead of going back to the little things that need attention, we find a solution that will make things OK enough to get by.

I encourage every horse person to ask questions and observe as much as possible. Practice rating everything you ask of your horse on a scale of 1-10. Learn to articulate emotions, body language, and the pressure required to ask a question and receive an answer.

When I say I had a really good day with a horse, it doesn’t necessarily mean that I got to ride, or solved all of the problems that came up. What matters to me is that things felt better than the last session. This could be that the horse found a higher level of relaxation going to the right, or his level of flight was less activated when I went out to catch him. I’m always working toward having an active participant in a back and forth conversation rather than a horse who can be pushed into a job, or completes exercises A,B and C.

The best job we can do with a horse acknowledges and addresses their internal experience.

Photos: Willow is a horse who has learned to hold it together on the outside, but is always worried about what a person might do next. Her focus in the work comes from high levels of worry. Her reactivity is always just below the surface waiting to protect her from an event that puts her over threshold. Her sessions are all about "better." The milestone moments will happen as a natural progression rather than an imposition.

Photo 1: Willow is concerned about being asked to follow the feel while I'm up on the fence. After working with her for a couple of weeks I can feel that her worry has come down a few notches. She isn't pulling as hard on the line, and doesn't feel like she could leave in an instant. During our last session she was comparatively at a higher level of convinced that things might work out OK for her.

Photo 2: She is lining up closer than before, but still has a level of tightness and worry about what is to come. Even though it is better, the emotions still need to be softer.

Photo 3: She has learned to soften to my touch rather than tightening when pressure is applied. Using feel and touch to help her let go of an emotional response to pressure has been such an important piece to the puzzle.

01/03/2024

Exposure is emphasized often in regards to bringing a horse along in the training. They need to cope with more distractions, get down the trail, or experience a busy show environment. I don’t disagree with the sentiment, however the most important component is that a horse feels better because of the work.

People cheer when a horse “survives” something scary without having a complete meltdown. Many exposure experiences put a horse through the motions, but leave them tense and walking on egg shells. If a person doesn’t address the worry levels, the horse will have a meltdown in 15 minutes, or later on when they are put into a similar situation that inspires the same feelings.

It’s not about exposure, experiences, or flooding a horse with a good time. It’s about how you can get them feeling on the other side. Exposure doesn’t mean presenting them with scary things until they get used to it, or teaching them coping mechanisms for survival. It’s about meeting a horse where they are at without agendas, and making life better for them.

Photo: Seda feeling good about asking me questions in a busy environment. She has been trailered in once per week as part of her training. We always made the start of each session about getting her to a higher level of focus and engagement while carrying the least amount of anxiety.

When she feels good her movement is floaty and responsive, and everything between us feels like a nuanced back and fourth conversation. When she is disengaged and stuck on a thought, tightness creeps in at varying levels, and more things begin to bother her.

If you help a horse have a better internal experience, the rest will follow.

11/17/2023

Happy Friday! What is something you are looking forward to with your horse?

I am excited to move my riding horse Piper to my primary barn for the winter so that I can further our relationship and education. Minnesota winters can be tough, but horses and indoor riding arenas make it better :)

11/16/2023

Feel is often taught in the context of when I do this you do that, and if you don’t I’m going to use driving pressure to make it happen. This approach focuses on getting the movements over and done with, and adding repetition to make a horse light and obedient. If done with proper timing, the horse gets worried about leaning on the pressure, so he moves his body.

Feel should be a back and fourth exchange of energy that encourages conversation. The only time that I use a bigger amount of pressure is to encourage a horse to search and engage. A feel should be ongoing and directional with varying amounts of pressure to match the conversation.

A good example of a maneuver where feel is demonstrated in groundwork is teaching a horse to go out on the circle. A horse must rock his weight back, which precedes a forehand yield to the left or right. When a horse doesn’t understand, I will come in close and ask him to adjust his focus in the direction of travel. I don’t get big to force it to happen, but rather take a hold of the line to have an ongoing conversation. I can do a micro release when he starts to think in the direction I want his body to go. Soon enough, he will think to the left or right strong enough to rearrange his body to step out onto the circle.

I make sure that the feel has clarity in correlation to his thought before his feet. A light horse is one who gets out of your way. A soft horse is one who thinks and feels and responds mentally and physically.

Photo: Rhiannon struggles to leave the herd. I am asking her to let go of it seconds at a time by tipping her thoughts away from the distraction. You can see she is trying, but struggling to let it go. I can’t force her to have a thought, but I can adjust my feel to set her up for success.

Take the time to communicate with a directional feel for a change of thought, rather than increasing the driving pressure to make it happen. Your horse will improve in the realms of understanding, focus, and relaxation.

11/10/2023

When it is my responsibility to give a horse their first experience with something, I think about how it feels from their perspective, and how I can make things better for them. Oftentimes this requires slowing down to ensure that the next step won’t send them on overdrive. Even though feelings of uncertainty and worry will be present in the learning process, it’s really important that the first experience isn’t overwhelming.

Photo: The bravest baby had his first experience with following the line this week. I was thrilled with his ability to consistently look with the feel and rearrange his feet.

Before the halter went on I had him consistently following me around the pen. I was then able to pet him with two hands at once, and then started carrying the halter which became part of the petting.

Helping him to take an interest and follow me without ropes around him made the process more seamless. Another important piece was getting him to stay checked in for the petting. It’s crucial that they stay invested in the process. Otherwise things can become repetitive and non relational.

11/07/2023

Kind words from a client yesterday morning. I am so grateful that I get to practice my craft professionally for going on 10 years now.

"Good morning Ellen, I have been meaning to reach out to you. I have used what I learned in my ONE, 2 hour lesson with you over and over this summer!! Just wanted to let you know it has worked wonders with my big guy all summer! His anxieties of leaving the farm has been a fraction of what it was last summer! Thank you so much Ellen!"
-Jill Wellman

11/04/2023

Horses come into arenas and other situations with anticipation. Things are often done to them, and they have to brace themselves for whatever is coming next. Here comes the saddle, next is the bridle, and the pressure tells you where to go and how fast to do it.

A horses’ posture can tell you a lot about their internal experience. These emotions are what drive their decision making, the quality of their movements and their ability to have an ongoing conversation with the human.

Photo: This is a before and after of a clients horse during a groundwork session. Notice in the first photo how his neck and topline are hollow and contracted. In the second photo his body has let go, and he is checking in.

Getting this sort of change requires noticing the physical symptoms, but not directly addressing them. Instead, you ask a horse questions and release for an emotional change. Influencing their ability to follow a feel changes their mindset from stuck and worried, to checking in and asking questions.

There was a moment in the work where the horse looked at Tina and had an inquisitive expression. Rather than moving on to the next thing she wanted him to do, she paused to pet him. This was the moment that made a huge change in how he felt about being in the space and working with her.

11/02/2023

SESSION NUMBER THREE WITH THE ROAN WEANLING

A week ago during his first session he was really nervous about me getting close, and touching him brought up a lot of uncertainty. During session number three he came into the pen feeling much better. He even checked in with me in the larger space before I directed him into the enclosed area.

This short video demonstrates a change of thought. His mind and body come with me as I’m backing away. He has a lot more confidence in his decision to get close. Notice he is not just spinning his hindquarters to face up, but rather both eyes and the inside shoulder are committed to coming with me.

11/01/2023

Our goals and agendas can get in the way of the smaller changes that are necessary for a horses’ understanding. Rather than slowly allowing things to unfold, we get impatient with the timeline. It happens in the beginnings of teaching a horse how to lead, and it persists into the upper levels of training.

I’ve had the pleasure of taking on a new project this fall, working with three unhandled weanlings. It is eye opening to go back to the fundamentals of what horses are without the influence of humans. There are many moments of fear, curiosity, and uncertainty.

I’m not in a hurry to get ropes and halters on them. Their first experiences, along with the emotions they carry will influence their future in so many ways. It’s really important that they can be touched and follow along without feeling trapped. Everything that I ask of them is guiding them towards feeling confident that things will work out in their favor. When worry and uncertainty are present, it’s important to work within a level that the horse can handle.

Photo: Rate these weanlings on a scale from least to most concerned. Even though they have all had similar life experiences, they are very different in how their minds interact with the world. This requires working with them on individual timelines, and without expectations.

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Northfield, MN
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Videos

SESSION NUMBER THREE WITH THE ROAN WEANLING A week ago during his first session he was really nervous about me getting close, and touching him brought up a lot of uncertainty. During session number three he came into the pen feeling much better. He even checked in with me in the larger space before I directed him into the enclosed area. This short video demonstrates a change of thought. His mind and body come with me as I’m backing away. He has a lot more confidence in his decision to get close. Notice he is not just spinning his hindquarters to face up, but rather both eyes and the inside shoulder are committed to coming with me.

Softness comes from a horse being directable and mentally engaged. Video: This Andalusian mare is in work to be started under saddle. I’m thrilled with how she is able to flow through her transitions by following the feel with her mind and body. When a horse is carrying good feelings, they are able to go from one thing to the next without leaving or bracing. This lack of fluctuation in their emotional state, allows them to give their best from moment to moment.

I am very pleased with how this mare handled her first ride, as she expressed a quiet level of try and focus. Ellie is a 3-year-old Arabian baby who has been on my training schedule once a week for the last few months. Her owner and I have contemplated on when to start riding her due to her physical immaturity. I have been addressing everything except for the riding during her sessions. I decided to have a short ride on her last week after feeling like she was ready. My groundwork has been all about helping her stay connected, while teaching her how to follow a feel. I wanted to be sure that I could guide her through some balanced turns and lateral movements with bend. The value of teaching these things with fluidity instead of as individual exercises is that it adds a level of focus and the ability to interrupt her with minimal trouble. Getting on a horse who is ready sets them up for a lifetime of success. If the first ride involves a high level of anxiety, they will carry that trouble when a rider gets on for some time to come. Video: Ellie is able to follow the feel of my rein for some hindquarters yields, forehand yields and basic leg yields (without leg).

Paying attention a horses thoughts supersedes going through the motions of the exercises they know how to do. Having a higher level of focus allows for a calmer mind that is ready for a conversation. Ellie is a sensitive, busy minded Arabian baby. In this video, I’m asking for a stronger connection between her thoughts and where I’m asking her to be. Notice towards the end, she gets more ready to follow me accurately with a centered and quiet mind. As a result, her inside shoulder goes with the direction of my steps.

The importance of a riders seat and leg to direct a horse is commonly emphasized in various disciplines. I take a modified approach from other schools of thought in that I want to gain the maximum amount of clarity from every feel that is applied to a horse. If the horse isn’t ready or doesn’t understand, I don’t use it yet. So how can you test if your horse understands the leg as a directional aid? Use it independently from other means of pressure and observe how the horse responds. In my experience the majority of horses who have been ridden heavily with seat and leg, don’t understand it independently from the reins. In the majority of cases when the reins are dropped, the horse goes forward or wanders forward in one direction without a soft bend or a high level of clarity in the understanding. In order to make our horses better, we have to understand what they actually know. This is always on a scale and often presents limitations depending on the level of clarity. Video: Jennifer plays with introducing the inside leg to ask for a shift in the hind quarters. She approaches this by asking Chester to stand still on a loose rein and presenting the inside leg slightly back. If the he shifts forward or sideways, She uses the reins to block the forward with good timing, while releasing her leg for the inside hind to step under. She did this until he responded to a light touch and without needing the reins to block the forward. As this becomes more solidified, Jennifer and Chester will be able to go together more efficiently. It will be easier to ask for higher level movements, or subtle shifts in his body. He is trying really hard to search for the right answer, which is a credit to the hours of hard work they have put into developing a partnership.

A quiet mind allows a horse to become more available to try the things we present. When a horse goes into rapid fire anticipation mode I do my best to get them with me before asking them to do the thing that troubles them. Daisy is a sensitive mare who can become reactive in a hurry. In this video, I’m helping her make a change in her trailer loading habits and emotions. When her anxiety fires, she flees by rushing out backwards. I work to interrupt her every step of the way to make sure she is centered and calm before proceeding to the next step. It is really important that trailer loading is addressed one foot at a time. It builds the relationship, and promotes confidence and safety in the human and the horse. There are a lot of situations that horses can learn to anticipate in work on the ground or under saddle. Building connection over anticipation reduces anxiety and the behaviors that follow. Video: Addressing the worry one step at a time has slowed Daisy’s mind, and allowed her to build some confidence in standing quietly in the trailer. She is close to being able to safely shut the door. Her owner recognizes the importance of getting trailer loading really solid. It can be necessary in emergency cases and hauling out for further education. When something adds trouble to a horses life, it is worth addressing no matter how big or small.

There would be a lot less confusion in horses if humans brought clarity and softness to rein pressure. In an ideal world the reins would be something for a horse to soften into, and humans would have good enough mechanics to present whatever feel the horse requires at any given moment. In this video I’m presenting a feel for Bandit to go with. I should be able to shift him laterally and influence the hindquarters and front quarters with an inside rein. If I put leg on at this stage in his training, it’s both at the same time to encourage him to search. He’s not in trouble if he doesn’t get it right, but he is responsible for putting out some effort and rearranging his own body. I won’t put him in a mechanical bind or nag him with my legs to move him or stop him from trying something. You can see him struggle to stay connected but he does put out an effort and begins to soften, rather than brace. The more clear this becomes, the less tension he will carry while learning to use his body with better function.

Get the dance going before you sit on your horse. Become aware of every thought, movement, or change in posture. Make it more like a comforting conversation that flows rather than a routine. What do you look for in your dance? Video: Luke is a fine dance partner. He has a lot of moves, but needs the most help in finding relaxation and a quiet focus.

Rhiannon is a 2-year-old Fresian who is being restarted on the ground. She spent a lot of time on stall rest after injuries and tolerated a lot of pressure in the beginnings of her training. This has caused her to shut down and become overly involved in the distractions around her as a way to disconnect from the trouble humans have caused. When I first started working with her, the amount of pressure she would tolerate to hang on was appalling. Now that she is less shut down, it requires a lot less effort to get her to check in. At this stage it is really important that she actually sees the value in staying with people rather than doing it out of obedience. This means not getting too particular, and giving her more time when she’s trying something. Video: Yesterday during her session I felt that she needed a different sort of job. Asking her to move the ball is simple and silly, but required her to focus and search for different ways to complete the task. This resulted in a more relaxed and engaged Rhiannon which is the ongoing desired result. This is a reminder to get creative in our horse work and to routinely step away from the mundane of what we want from our horses.

Selah is teaching Ellen how to master the Circling game.

Teaching a horse (or a mule) to come into pressure is one of the best things you can do for them. I'm always trying to consider what they are learning from the experience. Generally when horses are worked at liberty, there's a lot of moving the feet to yield obedience. When I tap my leg or put a feel on a horse, I want them to take an interest and come towards me. I was thinking today about how equines develop triggers that become instilled in them as a response of desperation. One of the well-known methods in the horse world is to leave a halter and catch rope on for a period of time. Not only is it supposed to be teaching them how to respond to pressure, but it becomes easier for them to be caught by humans. Video: Moscow Mule is a guy who has endured this method. When the pressure becomes too much for him to handle he bolts, and even the smallest of movements causes him worry. In his previous life he wore a catch rope, and has developed physical and emotional patterns to escape from people. He also has white hairs in spaces where the halter was too tight, and when he runs he holds his head close to perpendicular with his body. This is an old emotional pattern that saved him from coming into pressure from stepping on the rope. In this video, you can see how many feelings build up when the pressure comes on, resulting in him turning around and walking away before he becomes brave enough to step towards me. I address the worry at a level he can handle without exploding. Working with him is a combination of approach and retreat where I release for a subtle change in emotion before backing off and coming back in. The only way to fix the association is to prove to him over and over again that the feelings of pressure don't have to turn out badly. Working with an animal that is this convinced is a great reminder of how much a halter and lead rope are a gimmick and doesn't mean their mind and body are in the same place, unless we make it that way.

I want pressure to be something that changes my horses life for the better. It’s not just something to yield to, a drive to get away from, or a presence to respect. If you’re doing it right it becomes a lot more than just pressure. It’s a smoothness in movement, a liveliness in energy, and a clear directional feel. It becomes a purposeful presence for the mind and body to follow. Video: A short glimpse of a moment in training. Sheza has had 4 sessions of groundwork with me and has come a long way from where we started. She struggled to be on the end of the line without searching for every escape route. Her mind was quiet enough today to help her find some lateral shifting in hand. She went from tossing her head, backing up and bracing to softly following a feel with me.