Ash Fork Horses, Mules, & Donkeys

02/10/2023

One for my Equine Lovers....... really pretty deep, take some time🐴

24/09/2023

Horses are here to make us better people, to shake us up from our comfortable mediocrity and demand our awareness

Dogs are here to comfort us, to teach us unconditional love, to provide companionship without strings attached

And cats are here to remind us that the food bowl is empty

21/09/2023

“Softly, softly!”
“Just let the fingers play, not the forearm”
“When he resists, you soft!”
“Get still! Don’t add chaos to chaos!”

These are phrases I probably hear in every lesson I take. I have challenging horses, and they have had challenging pasts. They’ve learned to resist, push, rush, brace, hide, and scramble.

What I’ve learned is that most of us add to the mess by correcting, and that we’re always late. We teach the horse that we are emotionally and physically unstable by chasing after their every wrong.

What I’ve learned is that most of what is required of us to help a chaotic horse is to simply be peaceful and balanced. To not add chaos to chaos, to not brace against brace.

What I’ve learned is it’s a whole way of life, and that you can’t just change the way you ride, but you must change the way you are.

Softly, softly- be still. Give!

08/09/2023

04/09/2023

Some thoughts on friendship, and leadership, and safety

Have you ever been in the presence of someone truly together? Someone who’s energy is calm, who has excellent awareness of the environment, themselves and you? Someone who has the ability to guide you exactly as you need when you need?

People talk about feeling safe, and making a horse feel safe - but it’s all talk, until you feel it, and know it. You’d try your heart out for someone like that. You’d go above and beyond expectations without being prodded or coerced, because you truly want to, because you feel good about yourself when you do.

There is a depth to it, a feeling of being seen and understood. I believe this is at the heart of peoples most basic desire: to feel seen.

The horse can be your best friend, if you can be theirs. To see them, understand them, to be an aware and calming presence in their life. If we can have excellent awareness of the environment, ourselves, and them, and guide them as they need when they need.

Friendship can’t be coerced or bribed or bought. Friendship can’t be made and nobody owes it to you. It’s that two way street that leads to center, the safest place in the world for your body and heart- we can create that for a horse, if we can be a friend to ourselves, and to them.

02/09/2023

One doesn’t have to operate with great malice to do great harm. The absence of empathy and understanding are sufficient.

Author Unknown

21/08/2023

TRUST

I recently had a private discussion with a trainer about the meaning of trust in relation to horse training. Our discussion has led me to think it might be a good time to revisit the topic for readers of this page. This essay was first published in 2020. I hope you don’t mind reading it again.
_______________________________________________

Trust. I want to talk about a horse’s trust.

I hear all the time from people that they have an amazing relationship with their horse and their horse has tremendous trust and will do anything. They tell me their horse loves them and loves the work.

If you are one of those people, let me say that I believe you believe it, but I also believe you are wrong.

I know this is controversial and I know it will upset some people, but I also believe that I am telling the truth.

In my opinion, trust is so misunderstood among horse people. From my studies over many decades, I am confident in saying that even the greatest masters, past and present, fail to understand the concept of trust in a horse’s relationship with a human. Because they failed to understand it, they have also failed to teach it. And that’s why I doubt any of us truly get it.

The issue is that what most of us view as a horse’s trust in us, is actually what can be termed contractual trust. That is, we have a contract with our horse that if it fulfils certain obligations we will meet certain promises. They trust us to meet those promises. It’s a mutually understood contract. Virtually every aspect of training is intended to explain to our horse the terms of the contract. We explain what we expect from them and what they can expect from us if they meet their obligations. Likewise, we explain what they can expect from us if they don’t meet those obligations. It’s a contract and training teaches horses the terms of the contract and to trust in the contract.

Every trainer works horses with the intent of teaching them the terms of the contractual trust – Xenophon, Baucher, Dorrance, Hunt, Parelli, Pluvinel, Brannaman, Rarey, Oliveira, etc. All of them! Including you and me.

But that’s not what most people mean when they say, “My horse loves the work and trusts me. He will meet me at the gate and wants me to put the bridle on him. He follows me everywhere. He whinnies when I ride the other horse because he is jealous. He does everything I ask.”

You know the sort of thing people say. Perhaps you say those things about your horse.

When people say those types of things, they always mean the trust is unconditional. Instead of thinking it’s a contractual trust; they think it’s an open-ended trust with no terms. In their hearts, they believe they have a trust that is not reliant on any contractual terms. But they are wrong.

Let me explain the difference a bit more.

When you apply for a job, there are certain terms and obligations that you and your employer agree to. You agree to fulfil the obligations laid out in the job description, to work the hours, to wear proper attire, to behave in certain ways, etc. In return, your boss agrees to pay a specific salary, offer several holiday weeks, cover work-related expenses, provide a safe environment, etc. You and your employer trust that the other will meet their obligations. If the obligations are not met by either party the trust is broken and there will be negative consequences. To avoid the negative consequences both parties work to maintain the terms of the contract. That’s contractual trust. The trust only extends as far as the terms of the contract are adhered to.

In the case of trust between horse and human, it works similarly. For example, I train my horse to load into a trailer by explaining to him that if loads without resistance I promise not to apply an uncomfortable pressure. On the other hand, if he exhibits resistance I promise to apply pressure. Those are the terms of the contractual trust. My horse trusts me to the limit of the contract outlined in the way I trained him. In time, my horse becomes so good at loading into trailers that it appears he is happy to load and even likes going in and being taken places. When this happens I proclaim to the world that my horse loves being trailered, hates it when I leave him behind, loves going places and trusts me completely.

But it is not true. The trust that I think is completely 100% is not open-ended, it is a fantasy and is still limited by the terms of our contract. I know this because when my horse baulks about loading into a friend’s trailer or in a different bay or with another horse, I go back to using some form of pressure.

In an ideal world, we should be working towards open-ended trust. This is where our trust is not dependent on an understanding of the obligations of the horse and where the horse’s trust is not dependent on knowing there are no positive and negative consequences to their behaviour.

I hope you can see why open-ended trust is so elusive and why nobody in the horse industry talks about it, even though we all believe we have it or are working towards having it.

Contractual trust between horse and human limits the trust to the terms of the obligations. It can appear to be limitless, but that’s an illusion that people want to believe about the quality of the relationship they have with their horse.

Open-ended trust has no limits and is not dependent on a horse or human meeting specific obligations. It’s what we all like to think we have or will have one day.

I don’t think open-ended trust can come from training alone, although training must contribute to the process. I think it also has to come from living with a horse and being part of its day. I think we need to be part of their life when they are grazing, drinking, sh****ng, spooky, playing, sleeping, fighting, running, confused, angry, playful, worried, happy, anxious, and relaxed. We need to be as much part of their life as the tail hanging off their butt. Not just the human trainer, but an important presence in all aspects of their life.

For most of us, playing that big a role in a horse’s life is impractical and even impossible. We have to settle for the training and riding sessions that our busy lives allow. Unfortunately, that means we never get past the contractual trust phase. But it doesn’t mean it’s not worth trying our best to turn our horse’s trust into an open-ended trust. I’m not giving up.

Photo: China was a 17hh Percheron gelding. He was given to me at 12 months of age the day this photo was taken. He passed away at 14 from cancer and I still miss him every day. In my whole life, I believe China is the only horse I have come close to having an open-ended trust with. But maybe that was an illusion too.

BTW, people often ask me why I called him China. Was it because he was so big? In the world of rhyming slang China is short for 'china plate', and china plate is rhyming slang for 'mate'. So China was my best mate. 😀

31/07/2023

The OG

08/07/2023

Why do we need a horse to be something other than a horse to love them?

Anthropomorphism

It is the scourge of the horse world, and the single biggest road block I see to educating people.

Whether it be attaching human values to equine behavior with descriptions like:
Work ethic
Stubborn
Holding a grudge
Faking it
Trying to get out of work

And so on

Or, in the guise of being ethical training, we treat the horse as a human child.

A horse is a horse- not a human, not a dog. A horse will never be anything but a horse, never capable of thinking outside of the bounds of horse thinking.

To me, this doesn’t detract at all from the magic of being with horses. This does not mean they aren’t sentient animals capable of emotion.

We shouldn’t need to make them like a child or a dog or some mystical creature that doesn’t exist to fully appreciate them- they are amazing exactly as they are, and anthropomorphism, whether in positive description or negative description, is absolutely a disrespect to an incredible animal.

If you love horses, learn how they think, learn what they need, and watch how they behave- and drop the anthropomorphism like you’d drop a hot plate- because it does nothing but damage.

08/07/2023

https://horseracingwrongs.org/2023/07/08/seize-the-city-killed-at-belmont-23rd-victim-there-this-year/

In the 5th at Belmont yesterday, says the chart, "Seize the City suffered an injury to his left foreleg and was vanned off." In fact, he is dead -

01/07/2023

https://en.horseconversations.nl/post/trauma-in-horses

What does that even mean? People are so used to seeing traumatised horses, they can’t see the trauma anymore. Trauma - sounds almost like a trendy word. Why did it become so ‘trendy’? Because it’s literally everywhere. What is "trauma"? Trauma in the medical sense is a physical or psychologi...

29/06/2023

Association L214 asks “Does this hurt your heart?”

Is it surprising that this is how the non-equestrian world views horse sport?

Olympic dressage horses have to wear a double bridle (two bits in the mouth at the same time and a metal chain under the jaw bone), but the differences between this photo of a dog in a double bridle and that of an Olympic dressage horse are:

This is photoshopped - for horses it’s real.
The horse would not be allowed to open his mouth to show his discomfort/pain or to avoid the pressure of the bits - the noseband would be too tight to do so.
The horse would not be allowed to put his head in the air to show if he is in discomfort/pain.

Please help us get the rules changed (see below) by signing the petition.

Recommendation #7:
Improve the controls against the excessive tightening of nosebands and curb chains: Provide a more calibrated check, performed randomly during training sessions and systematically when entering or leaving each event, using a 1.5 cm ISES taper gauge placed on the nasal bones (which allow one adult finger to slide between the noseband strap and the hard nasal bone) and apply a penalty in the event of an infringement.

Recommendation #8:
Review the list of tack which, by its creative design or manufacture, can cause harm and discomfort to the horse, and prohibit its use in competition, in particular nosebands that increase the capacity to tighten (crank, lever, grackle, double, etc.) as well as flash nosebands in all disciplines: Create a positive list of authorised nosebands.

Recommendation #9
Prohibit the use of elevator/gag bits on cross country, particularly when combined with a grackle or flash noseband.

Recommendation #10
Prohibit the use of tandem/combination bits, bits with twisted or double mouthpieces, and all bits that do not align with equine welfare, and create a list of authorised mouthpieces.

Link to the Petition: https://chng.it/K9QVmGFt
Link To 46 Recommendations and Supporting Articles: https://concordiaequestrians.org/paris-2024-campaign/

Photo credit: The French Animal Rights Association L214

29/06/2023

If this was a photo of a dog then we would all be demanding justice and an end to this abomination! So what makes it okay to do this to a horse?

A horse is at least as sensitive as a dog, or as a human for that matter - could you imagine the outcry if someone did this to a fellow human? So how can anyone think this is okay?

There are very few specific rules for noseband tightness in horse sports. Dressage asks that one finger can be inserted in the fleshy hollow at the side of the face with no measurement where the noseband is tight on the ridge of the nose and the jaw bones. There are no checks on the composition of the noseband, which means it could be lined in solid metal or even a chain. There are no restrictions in show-jumping or eventing, and the no-blood rule is largely irrelevant in the case of over-tightening a noseband.

One has to ask oneself why the sport fears a change in the rules that asks for merely two fingers width, flush with the ridge of the horse's nose, under the noseband. Two fingers are SO little to ask for!

Of course, if the horse can open his mouth - even that little bit that two fingers allow - then we would see which horses are objecting to having a bit in their mouth, which horses might be in pain and which riders have strong or hard hands - it would be much more difficult to hide the fact that a rider may be using force so only the genuinely well-trained horses and genuinely skilled horse people would rise to the top. Now, that is something to think about!

Please help us get this rule changed and enforced by signing the petition.

Recommendation #7:
Improve the controls against the excessive tightening of nosebands and curb chains: Provide a more calibrated check, performed randomly during training sessions and systematically when entering or leaving each event, using a 1.5 cm ISES taper gauge placed on the nasal bones (which allow one adult finger to slide between the noseband strap and the hard nasal bone) and apply a penalty in the event of an infringement.

Recommendation #8:
Review the list of tack which, by its creative design or manufacture, can cause harm and discomfort to the horse, and prohibit its use in competition, in particular nosebands that increase the capacity to tighten (crank, lever, grackle, double, etc.) as well as flash nosebands in all disciplines: Create a positive list of authorised nosebands.

Link to the Petition: https://chng.it/K9QVmGFt
Link To 46 Recommendations and Supporting Articles: https://concordiaequestrians.org/paris-2024-campaign/

Photo credit: Crispin Parelius Johannessen

29/06/2023

When you let go of trying to change other people’s minds or prove anything, your focus and energy can go entirely to being with the horse. This is where the truly magical things can happen- outside of the thinking mind and into the quiet and sensational world of the horse.

29/06/2023

Irritation- it’s trying to tell us something

Every human being who’s been around horses long enough has at some point become irritated with them. Some people make a lifestyle out of it- smacking, yelling, hurling insults and descriptions about the horse as if he stayed up at night plotting his way to make people miserable.

Some people have outbursts. Some people have moments. Some people when put into hot water find the irritation bubble up.

I think it becomes hard to admit to when we feel judgement about the emotion. So let’s just get it out of the way now that it’s part of being human, and dissect what it’s trying to tell us.

It can point to stress, being overwhelmed and out of the moment. It can point to fear or loss of control-
Many people become outwardly angry when they are in fact afraid. It can mean it’s time to re evaluate, take a breath, slow down, get some help.
Maybe we’re looking at the situation all wrong.
Maybe the horse has bumped up against a limit of our knowledge and we feel small and scared.

There’s no shame in any of these things, until we blow them off for pride. But recognizing irritation is essential for growth- when are you irritated, and what does it mean? Then, plug in the missing ingredient and move on. All is well.

24/06/2023

When a man earns a lot of money through his skilled labor, jealous Commies make long-winded comparisons about apes and bananas.

It never once crosses their mind that they are not entitled to your labor or its fruit.

17/06/2023

Herdbound horses -

Herdbound horses are a common complaint- all over the country, horses are attached to a buddy or buddies, often to a level that can make them dangerous to take out alone, or sometimes even five feet away.
There are many opinions on different “fixes,” everything from running them ragged near their friend in frantic circles and resting them away from their friend, to a carrot on a stick or Hansel and Greek trail of treats on the path away from the friend. But the reality is, a herd structure is central to a horses survival, and companionship of other horses is part of their feeling of safety- no training can override the horses desire to be a horse witbout shutting them down

AND

The Herdbound horse is one who is not doing well!

In almost every clinic I’ve taught, the most Herdbound horse in the group is the one in roughest shape- tight back, sucked up flank, pain face, tight groin - the works. Horses that are in physical crisis are much more likely to feel vulnerable, stressed, and feel a strong pull toward comfort- which is another horse.

A horse who is not feeling well in their body, who is not feeling confident in their handler who is fighting against their body (it’s a hard truth because that usually isn’t the desire of the handler, but that is what’s happening), who is in a new and unsafe environment is going to seek out safety, and that pull is as strong as the tide.

What’s the fix for Herdbound issues?
Lifestyle fixes
Horses need a herd, they can’t live happily alone, I don’t care who has a horse that tolerates it, solitary confinement is not a way of life for a horse. They need a group, or at least one other friend at the bare minimum. But they are likely to be less secure with just one friend, and far more worried about leaving

Body fixes
Don’t just write off their body because you get routine Bodywork. Get their back moving, help their groin function without being spastic, create a functional body with a moving back and healthy gut so they can think and not be stuck in survival mode

Rider fixes
Make it so whenever you’re around, they feel safe and they feel secure. That means calm your own energy, learn how to guide, be aware of your environment, don’t nitpick, and make your body make their body feel stable and wonderful. Good riding is moving Bodywork- make it so when you sit on their back they are in better shape than out in the pasture - that is a tall order but I believe it’s entirely possible, and I see it happen all the time.

A Herdbound horse is a stressed out horse - the fix is in your hands entirely.

15/06/2023

Grief and loss are a universal experience. We can all relate to each other on this level throughout our lives.

You never know what someone is carrying around with them.

Stay kind!

Love,
Meg xo
✌️❤️

14/06/2023

Could be a couple of kookaburras in there as well 😂🤷‍♀️🤦‍♀️

From: Poetry Of Monsters 🥰

10/06/2023

With the Belmont Stakes Saturday, Consider This: 612 Horses Killed at Belmont Park Since 2009. 💔That's an average of 45 each year 🚫🏇

It's time to end this cruelty for good.

🚫Don't Watch.
🚫Don't Bet.
🚫Don't Attend.

2009: 39 dead horses at Belmont (partial: data didn’t begin till April of that year)
2010: 65 dead horses at Belmont
2011: 46 dead horses at Belmont
2012: 45 dead horses at Belmont
2013: 38 dead horses at Belmont
2014: 41 dead horses at Belmont
2015: 25 dead horses at Belmont
2016: 39 dead horses at Belmont
2017: 40 dead horses at Belmont
2018: 30 dead horses at Belmont
2019: 44 dead horses at Belmont
2020: 53 dead horses at Belmont
2021: 50 dead horses at Belmont
2022: 41 dead horses at Belmont
2023: 16 dead horses at Belmont (so far)

https://horseracingwrongs.org/2023/06/08/with-the-stakes-saturday-consider-this-612-horses-killed-at-belmont-park-since-2009/

04/06/2023

Everything comes with a price

A sensitive horse is going to be sensitive to both light aids AND your accidental aids and mistakes

A quiet school horse is going to give you room to fumble with your hands and legs, and they are also likely to ignore them when you mean to use them.

It isn’t fair to want the reward without the price. It isn’t fair to take from a horse without giving- and it all comes down to working on ourselves: our expectations, riding abilities, mindset, and awareness. You can’t have a perfectly performing horse without putting in your own work. A horse is not a computer or a robot- they rise to, or fall to, the level of the horseman.

Photo by Melinda Yelvington

29/05/2023

The horse can only fully understand your aids when they are given in time with his footfalls. Let me show you how important that is, and help you better understand how to USE this information right away. 

23/05/2023

Sometimes in order for better horsemanship practices to really sink in, our entire world view needs to be shaken to its core. Sometimes developing a better way with horses stirs up the water of our lives so much that we will never be the same person again. Some changes are only possible when we are willing to open ourselves to the beautiful but very uncomfortable possibility of being entirely new.

08/05/2023

HAPPY DERBY DAY? WE THINK NOT WITH NOW 5 HORSES DEAD THE WEEK BEFORE AND TWO THE DAY OF THE KENTUCKY DERBY...

There was no shortage of deaths and other tragedies during Kentucky Derby Week which began on April 29 at Churchill Downs.

Five Thoroughbreds died during racing or training: 1
April 27: Wild on Ice – injured hind leg during training, euthanized (was slated to run in the Kentucky Derby on May 6)
April 29: Code of Kings – flipped multiple times in saddling paddock; broken neck
April 29: Parents Pride – collapsed and died post-race
May 2: Chasing Artie – collapsed and died post-race
May 2: Take Charge Briana – fell during race; euthanized
(In addition, two horses threw their riders during training and were running loose at full speed, endangering other horses and people.)

Death is common in horse racing - approximately 1,000 fatalities are reported each year across U.S. racetracks. 2 Churchill Downs has averaged 25 confirmed deaths over the past five years, although their data is likely an underestimate. Racing states such as California and New York have strict reporting requirements and keep a database of equine injuries and fatalities; Kentucky does not.

06/05/2023

We love this helpful and handy chart from AARV member clinic River Canine Rehabilitation out of Missouri where AARV member Kara Amstutz, DVM, CCRT, CVPP practices. Any way in which owners can understand the different types of tissue injuries that require different average healing times helps everyone on an animals rehabilitation journey! 🐾👏👩‍⚕️

28/04/2023

Touch with intention

Feel your hand on the horse, and feel yourself
Don’t fuss, don’t tickle, don’t rearrange, don’t pick, don’t scratch, don’t correct, just feel -

Feel the inside of you carried to the inside of the horse

Be here- with this horse, right now
clear energy, not muddied by what you want, what the horse is doing, thoughts of something somewhere else

Your feel carried directly to the horse

Touch with intention is the highest discipline there is

Dive into it, and a deeper world of the horse opens up to you

15/04/2023

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1g9m53qToeyQjszXpY-bUYfAvRkILFLk33keVhIYeZUk/edit?usp=sharing

Equine Welfare And Protection Horses and other equines differ greatly from both cats and dogs and also livestock in that they are routinely sold and transferred during their lifetimes to several different owners and caretakers that often live in other states. They are rented, leased, traded, ...

09/04/2023

The importance of moving around horses and handling your equipment with feel and intention cannot be overstated. Many horses don’t need new equipment, new training protocols, new feed or new solutions outside of better handling from their owner.

It can be a tough pill to swallow- it’s not just you, it’s me, it’s all of us- our energy is driving the horse insane. But look at it from the horses eye- many don’t know what we want, they are bombarded with confusing and overwhelming messages, they are frustrated, pushed and pulled at the same time, and struggling. They tune us out, they pin their ears, bite, kick, go dormant inside - they are begging us to wake up.

It’s time to take note of where your feet are, how fast you’re talking, what you’re saying. How you’re handling the rope, notice how much it jiggles and swings- that means something to your horse, even if you don’t notice it.

It’s time to notice how fast and unpredictability you move around them. Notice how it unsettles them. Time to learn to move smoothly and with flow and intention. Time to be in your body, quiet the mind. Time to take ownership of you and your movements, for your horse. They deserve it, and you deserve it too- you’ll feel much better.

Photo by Jasmine cope

09/04/2023

29/03/2023

https://docs.google.com/document/d/17jQByU57z-_2BvlilFyMa2MNvPLgkigR-mOOf6HCGfw/edit?usp=sharing

To Track Horses Receiving Medications Banned In Food Animals The 115 Congress 2018 passed H.R. 2 Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 which included language defining the horse as livestock and not pets. The forces that included the language defining horses (and other equines) as livestock have ...

27/03/2023

https://www.facebook.com/AmySkinnerHorsemanship/posts/pfbid035rSt2sVcd48Kgk7EJVTaYLB77Mw3cq7nE5HBMcQZ8MksQhoQwtotGevwkETpvUj6l

“Rationalization: allowing my mind to find reason to excuse what my spirit knows is wrong.”
BRUCE EAMON BROWN

It is said that rationalization is one of the strongest human drives. We spend quite a bit of energy doing it, and we often get so good at it, it becomes a smoothly operating process entirely done without our awareness.

We rationalize how much money we spend on things we don’t need, new programs we know we won’t finish, workout clothes even if we aren’t going to work out, why we deserve that treat on the way home, why it’s ok to miss an event we signed up for, so on and so forth. We do it so often, we can get into a habit of it that can become almost out of our control- we have an exit plan for anytbing and everything that provides us the slightest bit of discomfort.

It can become such a habituated practice over little things, we can’t expect it to magically disappear over big things. What will we do when faced with hard facts, like something we are doing is causing our children harm, our dog harm, our horse harm? Why would rationalization, our friend in comfort, suddenly leave us for the hard but ethical road forward?

Many comment sections on posts about hard topics are full of a strong desire to show moral superiority - “I would NEVER let anything come before my horse,” or ”I have ALWAYS immediately fired anyone who hurt my horse,” or “I have ALWAYS advocated for my horse first,” but isn’t that, in its own form, a rationalization? The ability to glaze over all of reality to put a more comfortable blanket of how we’d like to see ourselves, as a moral champion, over the truth? The truth that it is hard, that we often become wobbly in the face of a professional of authority, and that our self doubt creeps in, and that we cave?

What would happen if we let the light in, just a little,
On the dark and cobwebbed room of our minds- would we be brave enough to see what rationalization had neatly behind curtains? And just one step at a time practice- noticing it creep up, there to protect you in the short term, while stealing from you in the long term-

Where does it creep up? To soothe you of defensiveness when you’re in the wrong
To soothe you from taking the harder path
To soothe you by providing you your comforts

What would happen if, in the smallest ways, you took the harder path?

Just don’t hit that snooze
Go for your run today
Apologize for being rude to a friend without rationalizing away why it didn’t happen the way she thinks
Just start somewhere, no matter how small
And watch your whole world open up

Then you will have awareness and the strength for the big stuff