Tudo Abrangente Horsemanship

03/10/2025

Something remarkable happens when you can see a horse for who they truly are—not through the lens of your own expectations, needs, insecurities, or fears, but as they exist in their own right. You honor their right to exist as they are.

This is so foreign for many horses—and many people—so unfamiliar that they don’t even know how to step into it. They’ve spent a lifetime being defined by the selfish perspective of others, leaving them without the opportunity to explore who they truly are. So when you start to scratch the surface and invite them to come alive, it can feel unsettling. Unfamiliar. Even terrifying.

How we raise and relate to our horses shapes this development profoundly. Just as with children, we either impose an identity upon them—one that meets our own needs and desires—or we nurture their self-discovery, giving them a safe space within respectful boundaries and the confidence to become their true selves.

But if we do the former, we are robbing that being—horse, human, or other—not just of their individuality, but of the chance to come alive and thrive. We rob them of their essence.

03/10/2025

The Law of Mentalism

“The All is Mind; the Universe is Mental.”
This ancient principle from the Hermetic teachings suggests that our reality is shaped by thought. One thing I have learned from my horsemanship practice, is that this concept is not just philosophical—it’s a lived experience. Horses, as deeply sensitive beings, respond to the unseen forces of our mental and emotional states, reflecting back to us the energy we project. By understanding the power of thought in horsemanship, we can cultivate deeper communication, trust, and connection with our equine partners.

Horses do not operate from ego or pretense; they perceive the world through raw sensory awareness. This means that when we interact with them, they pick up on our internal landscape—our emotions, intentions, and even subconscious beliefs. If we are tense, uncertain, or mentally scattered, the horse senses this and responds accordingly. Likewise, a calm, aware presence invites the horse into a state of trust and cooperation.

A wandering mind leads to unclear communication. Whether in groundwork or riding, our thoughts must align with our actions. When we set a clear intention—whether it’s asking the horse to move forward, yield, or stand quietly—we must first embody that request mentally before expressing it physically. The more heightened our awareness of ourselves, the more effortlessly the horse understands us. Clarity of thought directs body language in a way that the horse intuitively understands.

Beyond visualization, our overall energetic presence plays a critical role. As prey animals, horses are highly attuned to the state of our nervous system. A grounded, centered presence fosters confidence in the horse, while an anxious or distracted mind can lead to resistance or confusion. Developing this awareness—through breathwork, mindfulness, or simply being fully present in the moment—enhances our ability to communicate with horses on a deeper level.

The horse serves as a powerful catalyst, helping us see ourselves on a deeper level.

02/26/2025

I’ve been wanting to write about this for a while, but every time I sit down to try, I struggle to find the right words—words that will truly be heard and understood.

More often than not, the answer isn’t in doing more, but in doing less—and doing it much sooner. I had several conversations with my students last week about the “little things.” The subtle shifts, the moments that seem insignificant but ultimately build into the challenges that bring us to seek help. When we learn to notice these subtleties, not from a lens of our own personal needs and desires but from truly seeing and understanding where the horse is at, we can offer our them more of the support they need long before things escalate.

At the heart of working with horses, consistency and authenticity matter most. The more a horse struggles, the more they need clarity, steadiness, and an approach that is built on values they can trust, not on what we think is nice. For a horse who has known confusion or poor handling in the past, learning a new way of being—of relating to humans—can be overwhelming. If our actions don’t align, if our message isn’t clear and consistent, we risk deepening their self-preservation rather than guiding them toward confidence and empowerment. Undoing that kind of fear takes time, and every inconsistency only makes the process take longer.

It’s not about what you do together—it’s about how you do it. If you’re just moving through the motions, checking off tasks without being present to where your horse is mentally and emotionally, you might be causing more harm than good. But if you slow down, tune in objectively, and truly consider where they are without projecting your own fears, desires, wants, and needs, the entire experience shifts. That’s where the real connection begins.

02/12/2025

I am looking to add a couple of clinic/private lesson dates to my calendar this year for the months of March, June, and November. Please message me directly if you are interested in hosting.

01/02/2025

Congratulations Linda!

Horse trainer

12/07/2024

Working with horses should be a rewarding endeavor, not about having fun.

These two opposing perspectives result in profoundly different consequences, with one emphasizing self-centeredness and the other seeking to improve the lives of both humans and horses. One sacrifices the horse, perpetuating the illusion of self. The other enlightens us to reality.

11/06/2024

10/15/2024

Helping Miriam Orschel develop forward in a young horse she is starting.

10/09/2024

10/09/2024

10/09/2024