Eyes up!
Looking up and ahead not only affects the rider's balance, it also gives riders a sense of empowerment and a boost in confidence. It helps the mind and body stay focused on the task at hand.
#ridinglessons #focus #balance
Don’t do the hard parts for them! Let your kid groom their own horse. Let them pick up the manure and pull the heavy wheelbarrow. Let them spend the time it takes to figure out how to tie the rope halter or unbuckle the bridle. These tasks build character, determination, and self-confidence. Don't do it for them!
#buildingconfidence #BuildingChampionsForLife #raleighkids #nckids #oxfordnc
The perfect after-school activity!
#kidsactivities #nckids #raleighkids #backtoschoolnc #backtoschool2024 #afterschoolactivities #AfterSchoolFun Oxford Preparatory School
It's Hot!!!
Here are a few tips to keep your horses happy, healthy, and as cool as possible during the crazy heat.
- Water – Hydration is key!!! Provide fresh, clean water at all times and carefully monitor how much your horse is drinking. The average horse should drink between 6-10 gallons per day. When the temperature is 85+ this amount should increase. Some ideas to increase water intake – cut up some apples and float the pieces in your horse’s water bucket, try offering flavored water (I find horses especially love various herbal teas), add water to their grain turning it into pony soup. Always make sure you have fresh unflavored water available in case your horse doesn’t appreciate your experiments!
- Salt - Horses lose a lot of salt when they sweat, and it is important to replace this essential mineral by offering it in their diet. Most horses need 2-3oz of salt per day. More if they are in heavy work. I like to offer this in their feed so that I know how much each horse is consuming. I also offer a salt block and up the amount they receive in their feed if I notice them going after the block. Horses do not have rough tongues like cows and are not able to consume enough salt from a block to fulfill their daily requirements. It is an excellent summer treat but should never be used as their only source of salt!!!
- Shade – With temps reaching higher and higher it is important that horses have a way to get out of the direct sunlight. Shade can be provided by man-made shelters, trees, or any source that blocks the sun and allows horses to cool off. Consider adding fans or misters to provide even more relief from the heat.
- Is it too hot to ride? – Add the temperature to the humidity. If the total is higher than 150, it is best to either skip riding or stay in the shade and focus on work at the walk. There is so much training that can be done at a walk! If it is too hot to ride, focus on improving your horse’s bend and balanc
These two are hilarious. Hottest day of the year (so far) and they are fooling around. Elvis is convinced he is the biggest baddest stallion that ever lived.
#minihorse #ponyantics #pony #minihorselife #sillyhorses #hotsummer2024 #weneedrain
Does anyone else's horse scratch his front leg with his other leg? 🤔🤔
I finally got it on video. He does this all the time. With both legs😂
#hoofbeatsinharmony #strangethings #sillyhorse #funnyhorsevideos #whatishethinking
Teaching your horse to line himself up with the mounting block is a super helpful skill. Not only does it make it easier to mount, it also encourages participation and mindfulness from the horse. If the horse is thinking and focusing on lining up properly, he is less likely to move away or walk off while you are mounting.
Full video showing how I teach this skill is up on my YouTube channel. Link in comments.
Connection is a crucial part of horse training. The path to connection is different for every horse. Some are motivated by safety. Others seek comfort. Others are food motivated. This little guy is motivated through entertainment. Keeping things interesting and progressive is essential to keeping his attention focused on the task at hand. If you are fun, he will do anything for you. If you get boring, he will find ways to make his own fun😂
#libertytraining #miniaturehorse #connectionmatters
After my post about Felix yesterday, I got numerous questions about what exercises and jaw releases we have been doing. So I made a video this morning showing some of the exercises that we do. In addition, we do a lot of cavaletti exercises, hill work, and in-hand jumping to build his hindquarters and topline. The track is also a huge part of his progress as it keeps him moving encouraging muscle development and strong, balanced hooves.
If you want to learn more about releasing the jaw and promoting relaxation in mind and body, I highly recommend the Masterson Method(check out the book "Beyond Horse Massage") , Philippe Karl's book "Twisted Truths of Modern Dressage" and Patrick King's YouTube videos(search Patrick King Jaw Releases).
These two are hilarious. They are the very best of friends and do everything together. Who can guess how tall each of them are?
As Halloween approaches and we enjoy our costumes and candy, the one place we don't want to come across any spooks is with our horses! So how do we prevent spooking? Is it through exposure and desensitizing? Or is it through building emotional fitness? Check out the full video on my YouTube channel -
https://youtu.be/DW3-Jta5cMY?si=G2glizpxbB_FW0z7
Jumping is an excellent exercise for your horse!⬇️
Jumping is an excellent exercise for your horse!
When a horse jumps, he lengthens his topline, engages his core, and uses his hindquarters to push himself off the ground. These are the same muscles that he uses when we ask for collection.
Jumping is a fun way to cross train your horse while still working on building strength, balance, and dexterity. It doesn’t have to be a large jump! Barrels laying on their sides is a good size for most horses (about 2’) You can do this mounted or from the ground.
This was Felix’s first time jumping the barrels. Notice I never push him over them. I present them as a puzzle for him to figure out. This builds confidence and try.
The first time he approaches them he is obviously worried, but notice he immediately calms himself down, blows, and licks his lips. He trusts the process, knows I’m not going to push him, and he has the skills he needs to calm his emotions and think through new situations. The second approach he is curious and confident enough to give going over a try. The third approach he jumps it(video cuts out the break/reward I give him after his first try)
