Loving Presence with Horses

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Loving Presence with Horses Helping people ride better with positive reinforcement so they make the progress they want.

Most people think that to connect with their horse, you need to try to connect.It makes sense at first—when something fe...
01/12/2024

Most people think that to connect with their horse, you need to try to connect.
It makes sense at first—when something feels off, the natural response is to lean in and work harder to create those moments of harmony. You might focus on getting your horse to respond, feeling like if you just try the right approach, the connection will happen.
But does this always work? Does pushing for connection lead to those deeper moments every time?
Connection actually begins in noticing when your horse is disconnected, when your horse looks away, hesitates, or pulls on the reins. Those aren’t failures or roadblocks; they’re messages directly from your horse to listen to. By noticing these moments, you can start to see where your horse is coming from. If you don’t understand your horse’s perspective—what they’re feeling or thinking—the connection you’re trying to create won’t fully come through..
If you don’t learn to recognize disconnection, you might find yourself stuck. You’ll keep trying harder, wondering why it’s not working, or feeling like you’re missing something. The harder you push, the more frustrating it can feel—for you and your horse. And those little miscommunications can pile up, creating distance and undesirable behaviors instead of the closeness you want.
Is trying to connect really working every single time?
Have you noticed moments where it just doesn’t seem to click, no matter what you do?
What’s the most often way your horse disconnects with you?

For over 40 years, we’ve been helping riders get past the roadblocks of their horse disconnecting and misbehaving.
If you think you're someone we could help, pm me to schedule a free deep dive hand holding call about your horse's disconnecting behaviors.

17/11/2024

Being attuned to every detail of your animal’s signals isn’t just overthinking—it’s deeper awareness. If this resonates with you, learn more - pm me!

Ever feel like you can’t quite find that effortless connection with your horse in the saddle? Sometimes, no matter what ...
30/10/2024

Ever feel like you can’t quite find that effortless connection with your horse in the saddle? Sometimes, no matter what you do, you can’t get into the flow. In my latest blog, I dive into how simple time with your dog can actually be the key to riding more connected and relaxed. Read more here: How Hanging Out with Your Dog Can Help You Ride in the Flow

The more you tune into your dog’s presence, the more you'll notice how it carries over into the saddle with your horse. Learning mindfulness with a dog can make you a better, more connected dressage rider.

How you hold the reins reflects the quality of your connection with your horse, especially with dressage. Have you ever ...
13/09/2024

How you hold the reins reflects the quality of your connection with your horse, especially with dressage.

Have you ever noticed when your hands are soft and mindful, you have more harmony with your horse? Have you noticed how when you feel tense, your hands also get tense and then your horse feels disconnected and sometimes even resistant?

When your horse is tense and bracing against the reins, the cause could be your horse—or it might be how you’re holding the reins. If you're gripping too tightly or carrying tension, your horse will often reflect that back in their response. Your reins are an extension of your energy, your thoughts, and your presence.

When you are mindful of how you hold your reins, it's an invitation to your horse to join you in a mutual partnership of trust and understanding. What if the reins could be a bridge to harmony?

In the present moment, it doesn’t matter whether your horse is a Grand Prix dressage horse or a green rescue of unknown ...
29/08/2024

In the present moment, it doesn’t matter whether your horse is a Grand Prix dressage horse or a green rescue of unknown breeding. It doesn’t matter whether you are new to dressage or a seasoned FEI competitor. What matters is that we accept each other and listen and truly hear each other, responding to each other with as much empathy and understanding as we can muster in each present moment.

Brushing your dressage horse while grooming can create harmony and connection in the dressage arena or can  create a bar...
27/08/2024

Brushing your dressage horse while grooming can create harmony and connection in the dressage arena or can create a barrier to harmony and connection in the arena.
If your horse does any of the following, your harmony in the arena could be compromised:
🐴Standing perfectly still with no expression when you groom
🐴Moving around and restless while you try to groom
🐴Pinning their ears when you brush certain spots
You probably are
🪮Grooming your horse with cleanliness in mind
🪮Looking closely at the dirty spots while brushing or currying
🪮Thinking about getting the grooming done so you can ride
What to do to foster harmony and connection that carries forth into the riding arena: 🌟be mindful of how you hold the brush and how you touch the brush to different areas. 🌟 Every stroke is an opportunity to strengthen your horse’s response when you get on and ride.
In over 35 years of teaching biomechanical conditioning, mindfulness and positive reinforcement for dressage, we’ve helped thousands of riders experience harmony and connection. If you think you could be someone we could help, DM me. I may have something to help.

Every horse and rider combination is unique and each combination has different needs for effective training.  One size d...
22/08/2024

Every horse and rider combination is unique and each combination has different needs for effective training. One size does not fit all. One training technique does not fit all. As one little example In over 40 years of teaching, I found that changing bridles for a different rider on the same horse would bring greater harmony—one rider found success with a snaffle bit, while another had better results with a bitless bridle. Tailor your training approach with mindfulness and flexibility for greater harmony and success. In over 35 years of teaching biomechanical conditioning,mindfulness and positive reinforcement for dressage, we've been mindful that most horses (and riders, too) don't "fit in a box" and need a training plan that works creatively and lovingly with differences and eccentricities. If you think you're someone we could help, PM me.

Envisioning your horse doing a perfect leg yield may not be the best way to get a “10” leg yield.Visualization is a powe...
20/08/2024

Envisioning your horse doing a perfect leg yield may not be the best way to get a “10” leg yield.

Visualization is a powerful tool, but it’s complex to visualize the whole picture, the intangible part that makes it flowing and brilliant. A “10” leg yield is not just about the correct angles and cadence of steps; it’s about the joy and fluidity your horse expresses.

What to do when you visualize:
Consider more than the technical correctness
Be mindful
Feel the joy, flow and ease in your body

We’ve helped thousands of riders in over 30 years of teaching joy and fluidity in leg yields, laterals, and more. If you think you could be a dressage rider we could help, pm me. I may have something to help.

5 Signs your Horse is not Engaging their HindquartersIf you’re a dressage rider and you’re not sure how to sense whether...
13/08/2024

5 Signs your Horse is not Engaging their Hindquarters

If you’re a dressage rider and you’re not sure how to sense whether your horse is correctly engaging their hindquarters half the time you ride, you may be what I call the Disheartened Rider.

Don’t feel bad if you can’t tell when the hindquarters are engaging or not. Not every rider can sense this so don’t worry. Even high level grand prix riders sometimes miss these indicators.

Here’s something to help: five tell-tale indicators to help you recognize when your horse's hindquarters are not effectively engaged:

✴️Horse slows down on the last part of a 20 meter circle
✴️Horse's head goes up for canter departs
✴️Horse's head above the vertical at the trot
✴️Horse's head behind the vertical at the trot
✴️Horse feels like they are pulling on the reins

We’ve helped thousands of dressage riders learn how to sense when their horse’s hindquarters are engaging in over 35 years of teaching biomechanical conditioning, positive reinforcement and mindfulness for dressage riders. PM me if you think you’re someone we can help.

Holding the reins with your fingers open on them is a common mistake that comes from a deep fear of hurting your horse’s...
08/08/2024

Holding the reins with your fingers open on them is a common mistake that comes from a deep fear of hurting your horse’s mouth.

It makes sense to heart centered dressage riders that keeping your fingers open on the reins would make the reins light instead of hard. While it might seem like a gentle approach, it actually causes instability and inconsistency in your contact. Instead of a light touch, it leads to a lack of clear communication with your horse. A soft, closed hand provides steady, compassionate guidance that helps build trust and connection.

We’ve helped thousands of riders in over 35 years of teaching steady hands for steady connection. If you think you could be a dressage rider we could help, pm me. I may have something to help.

🌟 Remembering Our True Selves with Our Horses 🌟Don’t forget to:✨ Remember who you really are when you’re with your horse...
08/08/2024

🌟 Remembering Our True Selves with Our Horses 🌟

Don’t forget to:
✨ Remember who you really are when you’re with your horse.
✨ When you’re with people, remember what your horse taught you.
✨ Say “no” when it’s not in your horse’s best interest.

Embrace the wisdom our horses share with us, both in and out of the arena. 🐴💫

01/08/2024

20 meter circles may not necessarily be the best way to warm up your dressage horse -

🌟 Standing Up for Our Horses 🌟Recently, an Olympic dressage rider was disqualified due to mistreatment allegations. This...
26/07/2024

🌟 Standing Up for Our Horses 🌟

Recently, an Olympic dressage rider was disqualified due to mistreatment allegations. This highlights a crucial issue in our sport: prioritizing the well-being of our horses. 🐴

Sometimes, our priorities get mixed up, and even those of us who deeply care about our horses can lose sight of what's most important. It's not about being perfect; it's about being mindful of our actions and the impact they have on our horses. By practicing mindfulness, we can stay present and ensure that our actions reflect our true values and the deep bond we share with our horses. 💖

Read my thoughts on why ethical training is more important than ever and how we can all be advocates for our horses.

In a recent and unfortunate event, an Olympic dressage rider has withdrawn from the competition after a video surfaced showing her mistreating a student's horse. This incident highlights a troubling trend in the equestrian world: riders being disqualified due to evidence of abuse, such as blood, spu...

If you were a rider who had just completed a training level test in a dressage show, which of the following would matter...
22/07/2024

If you were a rider who had just completed a training level test in a dressage show, which of the following would matter the most to you?
Choose just one that resonates the most with you. (Even if you have no intention of showing, this is a valuable question to reflect on.)
A. The red ribbon you won in the class
B. The harmony and connection you felt in the trot across the
diagonal
C. The 65% score you received
D. The sense of accomplishment that you got through the test

14/07/2024

Great is our need in this country, this world, this universe, for Loving Presence

5 types of attention that affect whether your horse spooks or not.    # PositiveReinforcementHorseTraining
10/07/2024

5 types of attention that affect whether your horse spooks or not. # PositiveReinforcementHorseTraining

Are you a rider whose  horse pulled and leaned on the reins  at least half the time you rode last month?   If so, you ma...
09/07/2024

Are you a rider whose horse pulled and leaned on the reins at least half the time you rode last month? If so, you may be what I call the Disheartened but Discouraged Rider.

I used to be the Disheartened but discouraged Rider but
everything changed after I immersed myself in mindfulness and positive reinforcement. I realized that mindfulness and positive reinforcement training harmonize beautifully with dressage and make horses that pull and lean on the reins a thing of the past.

We’ve helped thousands of riders stop their horses from pulling in 35 years of integrating mindfulness/meditation and positive reinforcement into dressage - we have virtual and in person programs (Texas, USA).

If your horse pulls and leans on the reins and you want to stop it, comment “Stop pulling” in the comments and I’ll send you a free PDF, Stop your Horse from Pulling, the Rein Awareness Exercise.

If you’re an equestrian who has tried meditation within the last year and you can’t do it, you may be caught in the Unaw...
09/06/2024

If you’re an equestrian who has tried meditation within the last year and you can’t do it, you may be caught in the Unaware Rider Syndrome.
If you’re stuck here with meditation you likely
*Did your best to sit still
*Your mind kept thinking busy thoughts
*A place on your body itched
*You felt like a failure
The reason this is happening is because you focus on the need to sit still and relax your mind and haven't considered paying attention to observing the present moment.
And in order to fix your meditation failure, you probably
*Tried meditating more than once
*Think if you concentrate more, it will get better
If this is you, don’t worry. We’ve helped lots of riders meditate so they can ride better in our Clicker Training Dressage Mentorship. If you’d like to try our free video meditation especially created for equestrians, type “meditation” in the comments.

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