Heartfelt Horsemanship

30/12/2024

I have a confession..

I use aversives.

When people read my posts and watch videos they may think I exclusively use "positive reinforcement".
I think positive reinforcement is a fantastic tool, and there is simply no faster was to shape a behavior.
We are, however, not just shaping behavior, and I have found that LIGHT aversive is helpful when we are working on a horses ability to self-regulate and connect.
Don't let the cowboy hat fool you,(It's purely practical in the African sun) I am not one of those " food rewards make pushy horses" people. Well, not anymore. I have expanded my education and understand that Positive reinforcement done well is an incredible training tool. For some aspects of training it would be ONLY tool I would use.

I do, however, feel it's important not to misrepresent myself.
At foundation stages, and when working with an anxious horse I use Subtractive reinforcement.
Subtractive reinforcement is a version of "Negative Reinforcement", but without the electric shocks.
You see when the studies were done on learning theory that was the value of the aversive. Electric shock.
Not surprisingly, animals responded better to treats. It doesn't have to be a choice between electric shocks and treats.
The definition of aversive could use an update too. The Oxford dictionary :" causing strong dislike or disinclination" doesn't quite work when we are talking about light stimuli to encourage a movement.
That's the reason for the quote in the photo.. The mosquito can be moved without killing it, it will likely be a very gentle aversive to have it movie.
I have started adding to Ray Hunt's philosophy of " as gentle as possible, but as firm as neccesary" with "and never causing pain or fear".
I use this to describe how I use aversive in the foundation stages.
Does the definition of aversive need an upgrade, or do you know of another more appropriate term?
Check out our course on the foundations of relaxation: The Path to Calm" on heartfelthorsemanship.org

28/12/2024

The two-year olds...
We have done so much differently with these boys, than previous youngsters.
We didn't" feed them up". We gave them the feed they needed, but didn't push growth.
We didn't imprint. we left their Mom's to bond with them, and teach them how to avoid collisions.
They will only be introduced to a saddle at around 3 and have another full year before they start riding.
They have never been smacked.. this isn't any different to what I did with other foals, but it's worth noting.. these two are the sweetest, easy to handle colts ( currently still in-tact) ..and it's BECAUSE we don't hit them. We put kind, clear communication in place so they understand what we are looking for, instead of punishing them for things they don't know are wrong!
We are going to have their entire development, from birth to riding available on the website ( heartfelthorsemanship.org ) broken up into courses, but there are a few years before we start their riding careers.
Don't forget there are only 3 days left of the Path to Calm course being available at the launch price. the price goes up on the 1st January.

28/12/2024

27/12/2024

Don't try this at home..

A while back I read an article about why we shouldn't ride bridleless.
It was by a trainer I greatly respect, but I admit I didn't agree with this particular point of view, or the reasons behind it.
It is, however, worth discussion, because the reasons apply to far more than just riding bridleless.
First and foremost was the "horses are spooky, flight animals and they are going to be reactive".
Those that know me, know my background is in the study of wild animals, and I don't believe equids are spooky and unpredictable. The domesticated horse, known for it's jumpiness has more to do with how tradition has had us manage and train them than it does with their intrinsic nature.
As for the unpredictable, it couldn't be further from the truth. Horses give clear signs of their level of anxiety, and if we weren't trained from young to ignore them, we would have ample time to address their anxiety before issues escalated.
I ride a number of my horses bridleless. Some are still at a stage of development that I would choose to only do so in a closed arena, but I have two that can be ridden anywhere safely bridleless. They have a level of relaxation that allows plenty room for stressful stimulus before they become reactive. They trust that we will keep them safe more than any new stimulus scares them.
Those two horses are safer bridleless than most horses I see at shows on any given Sunday.
Now, I work with troubled horses for a living and I give people recommendations of building communication and relaxation that rarely includes bridleless riding. I have clients that follow through, take the time and stick to a holistic program, and they often get there, but that's the example I want people to follow.
You see the other aspect the article mentioned was the " bad example" point of view I hear so much.
There are many things I am a terrible example to follow for. I am messy, disorganized, love unhealthy food and tend to have a dark sense of humor.. Please don't follow my example..
If people see me riding a calm and responsive ( not shutdown) horse across mountain tops, and want to know what example to follow to get there.. I strongly recommend an example of how to get there ( heartfelthorsemanship.org ).
The idea that I shouldn't ride bridleless, or share videos or photographs of doing so, just in case someone decides to take their anxious, defensive off the track racehorse for a bridleless ride through traffic without working on the true foundations carries no weight with me. That's not following my example. That's a level of unconscious that carries dangers far beyond horse riding. That type of person is probably just as likely to watch a 20 minute YouTube video on how yo cook m**h and blow up their neighborhood.
They are beyond my sphere of influence.

25/12/2024

Ziyo the Zen Zebra..
I know I write about thia stuff better than I speak about it.. But I can't type the video evidence..

I often feel like I rush the story when people ask about Ziyo.. So here's a little more detail with photos and videos.The full, in detail story will be in my...

18/12/2024

I often feel like I rush through an abbreviated version of Ziyo's story..
It is a full chapter in my upcoming book, but in the meantime..
I took a little time to talk about it a little more.. Complete with videos and photos of this special soul...
Yeah.. I do better hiding behind typing.. But this gives a little nore information than my typical rushed abbreviation.
Link in the comments..

17/12/2024

..but, but.. And one last big butt!!

Firstly, a big thank you for the amazing reception to the website ( heartfelthorsemanship.org ) and "Path to Calm" course.. You guys are incredible. Also for all the lovely yaysayers out there..

But.. Can I point out a few weird things I am seeing on social media lately? No judgment, I am sure it's with the best of intentions.
I am the first to roll my eyes when people excuse photos of abuse as ' a moment in time'.
If there were less incriminating moments in time, they would have chosen them to show off achievements.. In reality, I think that it's a case of not knowing stress indicators or being blind to signs of discomfort..
BUT.. There is a flipside. Some things can't be judged by a photo or video. These are great opportunities to shut up and give the benefit of the doubt.
Example 1:
A photo of me with a clients horse front on, saddled, with a slight angle. The well meaning comment? " saddle is pinching horses shoulders'.
I am not a saddle fitter, but I always enquire about saddle fit and vet clearance before I start work with a horse. This particular client has regular saddle fit, and her horse was sound with no behavioral issues. We were working on bringing up life in her horse. Som**hing that was incredibly successful.
While I am not a saddle fitter I do know enough to know you cannot accurately assess a saddle fit from an angled photo of a horse from the front. Angles do weird things to perspective.
Great opportunity to shut up and give the benefit of the doubt 😁! I say this in absolute love. Your life will get better when you start looking for the good when you aren't certain there is som**hing bad.
The second example:
Now this is, again, som**hing I am passionate about, and I am really happy people care about it: weight carrying capacity...and here's the big BUTT..
YOU cannot, and I repeat cannot, never, at no point.. Bring out the thesaurus and find another 100 synonyms for can't.. You can not assess weight carrying capacity from a photo or video.
I saw someone comment on a horse and rider combination that I know.. I know exactly what they each weigh and the rider is WELL within the weight carrying capacity of the horse. The horse is a shorter western build, but about as tall lying down as it is standing up, and full of muscle.
The rider is well aware they carry a few extra pounds, and this is where the judgment came from, if you ask me. Because the rider wasn't a stick insect they got bullied.
This rider is incredibly considerate of her horse and has done all the checks to ensure she isn't causing harm. Her horse loves being ridden, and shows no sign of discomfort.
Another great opportunity to shut up and give the benefit of the doubt.
It's a warzone out here guys.. How about we reset the default to 'kind'.
If there is obvious abuse I am all for kind engagement, and if this isn't met with an open mind, report it in a constructive manner. I know there is plenty to be genuinely concerned about, but let's give the benefit of the doubt to those trying to be better.
I have a suspicion ( because I did some stalking) that the cheep shots come from those against the movement to be better, but lets all take the lesson anyway.

13/12/2024

Yeah.. I know.. I have no chill..
Never met a bad horse..
But I have switched off many bad TV shows..

Life's too short to watch crappy TV shows which promote ignorance about horse behavior

10/12/2024

Did you know we also have a section on our website where you can book a face to face consultation call?

This will be a 1hr zoom call focused on addressing any queries or challenges you might be facing on your horsemanship journey!

heartfelthorsemanship.org

09/12/2024

Neutral relaxation and the big bad wolf!

My approach has changed a lot over the last 5 years or so.
I no longer practice staple " horsemanship" techniques like desensitization.
I have a vastly different perspective on what pressure is.
I no longer hold illogical bias against food based reward training in the right setting, with a solid framework.
But there are things I do that reflect my roots in the Tom Dorrance/ Ray Hunt lineage of horsemanship.
Tom's observation of horses yielded some incredibly helpful tools.
Sure, some of the people who carried that information forward tainted it with timelines to suit competition goals, and when people see the movements they might be mistaken enough to assume it's the same thing.
But how we do things is more important than what we do.
Most of us drive to work daily, but some people will consider other road users and safety more than others.
There is a fair dollop of judgment when people see some movement's or ideas.
I saw someone writing about a concept I practice with some judgment the other day.
The concept of a horse keeping their feet still.
This person thought it was about "showing a horse whose boss" or " never letting the horse win". Archaic ideas I would never support, and I have seen the idea of keeping a horses feet still explained with these barbaric concepts.
So why do I ask a horse to keep their feet still, and more importantly, how?
The why is all about relaxation.
How can asking a horse to keep it's feet still affect relaxation? Well as a baseline expectation, before anything else is asked, keeping their feet still is an easy task. Knowing that it's all that's expected by the strange, bald, two-legged predator is a relief
Whether you're a horse or a human, knowing what is expected of you is comforting. Especially if you know you are capable of it.
Now the 'how' comes in.
I use a light aversive to ask this. Never aversive enough to cause pain, or fear.
I have tried using food reward, but when you are aiming for a neutral relaxation, where the horse knows nothing else is expected and their is no cue to anticipate, the food reward becomes tricky.
They will keep their feet still if they are rewarded often, but if regular reward is withheld they feel they are being negatively punished and must be doing som**hing wrong.
So the horse is either seeking reward and receiving it, or it feels wrong for not being rewarded. Neither of which can set a relaxed default state.
Is there an aspect of leadership here?
Yes.
I don't view passive leadership as a bad thing.
It's not "showing the horse whose boss".
It's developing a communication of what is expected in certain situations.
Leadership roles with horses are fluid. There are times I feel my skills and knowledge better serve the partnership, and there are times I relinquish leadership to the horse.
Leadership is not about obedience.
Just like setting boundaries with other humans is not dominance.
Absolutes are dangerous and virtue judgements aren'thelpful in our goal of being better for horses.
If a clear, kind boundary creates a more relaxed horse ( not shut down) is it really the unkind option?

06/12/2024

I will be in Hout Bay on the 15th February, and Stellenbosch the 16th and 17th.
Private sessions available on Monday 17th.
The Hour Bay clinic is focused on trailer loading, but as we have one on one sessions each persons focus can be tailored accordingly.

05/12/2024

So, I bit the bullet and we launched an online course.
I don't think people realize how big a deal this is for me.
I love working face to face with horses and their people.
I have also spent years feeling inadequate. Comparing myself to other professionals and the material they have available.
Enter Talya Mari as the voice of (incessant) reason.
I might not have any olympic medals in my future, but I have never met a horse that I couldn't calm.
Talya kept driving this home.. So our first course is " The Path to Calm".
I don't say ' our' flippantly.
Without Talya this course would never have happened. From filming, to editing to the website and course hosting.. She did EVERYTHING! I gave my knowledge.. She did everything else ( she hasn't slept in a week!)
If you have a relatively calm horse.
There is still information in this course that will benefit you.
It's the science and the magic behind relaxation and connection.
If you were to ask me who it's for.. It's for those that value safety and the happiness of their horses above all else.
You can find the course on the Heartfelt Horsemanship website
heartfelthorsemanship.org

04/12/2024

We need to stop shaming riders for being scared.
When I see the number of anxious and defensive horses around, people have every right to be afraid. A 600kg prey animal, feeling the need to defend itself, is dangerous.
Instead of addressing the anxiety, and the m**hods that made the horse anxious in the first place, instructors, friends and even parents, blame the riders fear for the horses issues.
The whole thing about " horses smell fear" is silly. They don't have to smell fear they can see it as clearly as you can see the hooves on the end of their legs.
This approach of telling people not to be scared because horses smell fear creates a far worse scenario: riders pretending NOT to be scared.
Being " brave".
This is a far scarier thing for a horse. A predator being inauthentic is a great risk for a prey animal. Predators do this she they hunt.
Your actions don't align with your intentions when you pretend. An already anxious horse will have a stronger negative response to this than it will to a scared rider.
So how do you address the fearful rider?
Very often riders are justified in their fear, because their horse is not properly prepared. That same horse may be successfully jockeyed around by a 'strong' rider that keeps the horses anxiety bottled up with obedience, but it isn't miraculously calmer. In fact, it is usually these strong riders that ADD to the horses anxiety.
In these cases I recommend the rider address anxiety on the ground, with the help of an empathetic professional.
Getting some time building relaxation techniques on a calmer horse can also be helpful, if this is available.
Here's the thing, a calm, happy horse doesn't have a negative response to a fearful rider. The "don't let your horse smell your fear" people are often also the " the horse isn't anxious, it's taking advantage of you" people. Horses aren't taking advantage, they are trying to stay safe by any means necessary.
If you're a nervous rider.. Give yourself a pat on the back.
You have the sense and empathy NOT to ride a horse through fear.
That feeling deep inside under all the advice to "get braver".. That little voice that says : "som**hing doesn't feel right". It's been right all along.
Let it be louder than the cheap seats.

03/12/2024

The real story here isn't that ponies are evil because they are closer to hell..
The real story behind this photo is about perspective.
We spend alot of time dispelling the 'Horse Whisperer' myth. We practice, and teach empathetic horsemanship. We aren't horse whisperers... sometimes if I have been watching a great band and singing along I'm a 'hoarse whisperer,' but that's a different story!
Anyone can learn what we do if they put in the time and effort. This can be hard to convince a 7 year old though. . . I am 6 foot tall. This kid looked at me and said , 'but it's easy for you because you are tall' ...so I tried my best to make myself a little more relatable.
There is often a perception that these things have som**hing to do with height and strength. .. this is where Talya comes in and shows that shorter people .. and women. . That its all about the mind. Yes, Talya Mari is fit and strong for a woman of her height, but that is through hard work.. and anyone can achieve that! Thereafter its all about skills and knowledge.

19/11/2024

Big Fluffy Unicorns...
Proof I had at least one day of sun on this UK trip..
Its snowing now, but there was some sun!

14/11/2024

I have never met a horse that I was scared of.

Why?
I understand horse behavior, and know that even the most aggressively violent horse is acting to defend itself.
If you don't give them a reason to defend themselves they are no longer aggressive.
I get called to help with so many 'dominant' horses.. But when I arrive they are anxious horses that people have tried to dominate into submission.
The irony is that one of the things I hear about myself the most, is that I am scared to ride, scared to canter, or scared to 'ride out the bucks"..
Don't you just love hearing the gossip about you.. It is highly entertaining.. But these people are actually spot on..
I am scared to ride an anxious horse, it rude a horse at a canter that isn't relaxed at a walk or trot, and I am definitely scared to ride a horse scared or in pain enough to buck..
About as scared as I would be to get on a plane with someone who doesn't know how to fly as pilot.. Because if a horse is still scared, they don't know we won't harm them, they don't know they can carry us safely...
Before I climb on, I need a horse to feel safe with me, and know all the communication I will ever need for riding, before I canter I need a horse to know they are safe at a walk, safe at a trot, and have carried my saddle at a relaxed canter..
Pilots go through intensive training these days with flight simulators.. I consider my groundwork flight simulation.. Or rather anti-flight simulation.. I don't want to go flying..

13/11/2024

Apologies to all those waiting for replies from me.. We have had power issues for days, and it has a direct impact on connectivity...
I will get on top of things shortly

08/11/2024

Neurochemistry and the connection juice.

I posted a video a few days ago of a horse that I felt had a neurochemical imbalance. So many people had great questions.
I figured I should try address some of them.
Firstly, before we even get deep into this topic let's make som**hing clear. Medicating a neurochemical imbalance in horses is a BAD idea.
Neurochemical imbalances in horses are, predominantly, caused by domestication and human interaction.
Deciding to drug a horse with som**hing, like oxytocin, because they don't get herd turn out, or are exposed to fearful training m**hods, will not address the imbalance.
When dopamine, oxytocin or serotonin is artificially introduced to the body, the body produces less on it's own. This is why people can't cold quit antidepressants.
Secondly, blood tests are highly ineffective to assess neurochemical balance in horses. If a horse is stressed when the blood test is taken it will show up as having high adrenaline group neurochemistry. This won't mean the horse always has too much adrenaline.
So, how do we know?
There are, luckily, well studied stress indicators that show us horses are stressed or relaxed. If an animal shows signs of stress more than signs of relaxation, they are neurochemically imbalanced. They aren't' just an anxious type". That is not a natural state for horses outside of domestication.
What do we do about it?
The first step is making sure horses have turn out with herd mates.
Mutual grooming releases oxytocin and dopamine. Seeing other horses over fences doesn't.
Every time you see a crib-biter or a wind-sucker, you are looking at an animal with a neurochemical imbalance trying to trigger oxytocin and dopamine without herd mates.
The difficulty is that once a horse has been kept isolated for extended periods, they have social difficulty being added back to herds. When you add a neurchemical imbalance they often don't simply return to normal once they have access to their basic needs.
This has become an area of interest for me. So much so that I did a CPD certificate in Neurochemistry. For humans, I couldn't find one on horses. Working on keeping a horse relaxed during" training" goes a long way to adjusting neurochemistry, but there are also exercises that simulate mutual grooming, and help horses adjust their neurochemistry.
There are no shortcuts, or magic pills or supplements. We need to prevent the imbalance to start with. If they already have the imbalance, there are ways to help.
Some people asked about studies to read on the topic, and sadly, there isn't much directly related to equine neurochemistry.
We do have resources on other mammals, and how gregarious (animals that live in groups) species trigger oxytocin through mutual grooming. Since horses are gregarious in nature, this information is easily adapted to horses.
The big adaption is that we ride horses. Them having an imbalanced neurochemistry which leans to adrenaline group of chemicals, puts us in a dangerous situation.