6.29.2013

UK Clinic overview

Anki and her horse building connection on the lead.
I have just come back from the UK and another super fun clinic! I got a great mix of horses and people which really provides the spectators with a widely varied experience. Everything from very green to highly schooled. As always, I was able to showcase my Liberty-Line-Mounted approach and tailor it to each individual combinations needs.

I really enjoyed watching people through the 3 days make progress forward and apply the information to themselves and their horses. Topics covered started with a review class on the Waterhole Rituals with a herd of 5 horses, applied Liberty FUN!damentals and Ground FUN!damentals, Seat Awareness and Communication, and finally Mounted Skill builders. It was a lot!

I wanted to speak particularly about some horses I was seeing for the second time. I was so proud of the progress they had made especially since some were very difficult horses. I really get a kick out of seeing people learn to connect to the challenging horses proving that it can be done with gentleness, love, and patience. Horses that a lot of trainers would be scared to touch and if they did, it would be with a lot of nasty gadgets and force.

Fiona and a "client"
On this trip I also had the pleasure of meeting Fiona Habershon a Zoopharmacognosy practitioner and healer. Her work was right in line with all that I believe about Natural Horse keeping. Here is an explanation from Fiona's site:
"Zoopharmacognosy is the offering of essential oils, aromatic plants, algae, clay and other natural remedies for self-selection. This innate ability allows the animal to select what it needs to bring itself back into balance both physically and emotionally; looking after itself as it would have done in the wild."
 I watched her work with clinic participants horses and it was super cool. She had a wide variety of herbs, essential oils, supplements and oils that represented what horses would "Self Select" if they were in the wild. She would offer the horses different things and by watching for specific body language and communication she would get a profile of the horses health by what they would or wouldn't take. The horse almost diagnoses himself. Fiona's work is inspired by Caroline Ingraham's work. I was so impressed, I asked her to come to the states to do a workshop and visit some local farms. We are looking at October 26-27th if anyone is interested contact me. Details are still being worked out but we will have limited space.

If you are interested in the September 20-22nd UK clinic at the New Horse, please contact me. Though several people who attended the June one are signed up, there are still some spaces left. Anyone interested in the new Classical Western Dressage training that is sweeping the US right now should definitely attend. See how Liberty-Line-Mounted Applies to English and Western. Below see a short clip of our work with Taz Carolyn Bourchier's Lusitano. See full video on Sign up for http://fdhvirtualclinic.vidmeup.com/

Other upcoming events
9/31-10/2 FDH Horsemanship Clinic: Plainfield, MA
11/30-12/2 FDH clinic in New Zealand: at Taralee stables, Carterton, NZ
11/22-11/24- FDH Clinic in Australia Strath Creek, Victoria, Australia
for more info and registration
Calendar:http://www.fdhorsemanship.com/#!calendar








6.13.2013

UK bound!

This week finds me days away from leaving for the UK to do the first of two clinics scheduled for this year! I am excited to go back to the New Horse and Carolyn Bourchier. If you are still interested in attending contact Carolyn or go to this link http://www.eventzilla.ne/web/event?eventid=2138993665

I thoroughly enjoyed the past clinics and each one is unique. The next multi day clinic will be at Back Acres Farm in the US labor day weekend.  I'll be back in the UK for September and hope to make a nice progression for the 2 clinics. So I am encouraging people to attend both so we can move on to some really fun stuff! You do not by any means have to attend both.

This week I also have a short video of introducing Liberty Jumping. It's super fun even if you don't have aspirations to jump yourself. It provides a nice gymnastic benefit for your horse and you (if you get into it!). If you do jump, it provides a really fun way to bring up your horses enthusiasm and partnership. All you need to know how to do is Companion Moving, Send and Draw, and Direction body language. This work helped me develop this particular horse into a jumping champ! When I got him he was willing but not sure how to navigate obstacles having come from racing.

Some of you may have heard about Robin Gates' accident. I have never met her personally but I wish her a speedy recovery so she can get back to her ponies and people. She needs help with money for medical expenses You can donate here http://www.gofundme.com/3804dc
This experience is a reminder to us all to always be Mindful around our horses.
Click here to view video :http://fdhvirtualclinic.vidmeup.com/view?q=51ba858e7199c.flv
http://www.fdhorsemanship.com





6.06.2013

Fear revisited

Anyone who has been around horses has had some fearful experiences and even actual bad accidents and traumas. I have met people who are non horse people because of a childhood frightening experience. Many of my students themselves have had some terrible falls and scary accidents. I myself have had some very frightening moments and luckily only minor injuries.

So what happens after such a moment? There are two kinds of people I see. The first type of person is person who although shaken and possibly injured by the incident never ever thinks about not being with horses or getting on again. It is not an option for them. They will not let that stop them from their joy. The other person is stuck in the perpetual trauma and can not seem to get out of it. It is growing bigger and it is literally driving a wedge between them and their horses. The fear is controlling them and stripping their connection away.

It is hard to break free of this cycle once it gets started. Fear is an important emotion when it is in the moment and it is from being present. Your instinct knows exactly when you need to get to safety and when you are not safe. This is good fear. The kind that will save you from injury and possibly worse situations. This is a gut feeling and pure instinct. The second fear is a mental trap your mind sets up. It is no longer in the moment and is a constant recording of negative, worried, and fearful thoughts that can escalate to a full panic attack. Since horses are mirrors, this can be very precarious unless you have a very calm and generous horse.

If you are in this state it is probably no longer fun or positive for the horse or you. So how do we change this difficult fear trap? The first thing is to declare you are done with it. You will no longer let it rule you and take away your joy. You must be very honest about what you really are comfortable with to reconnect with your Confidence and Joy. You MUST decide once and for all you no longer want this pattern and never look back. This is the important part, I see a lot of people kidding themselves and riding who are really frightened of their horses. You cannot be seen as a leader or be seen as trust worthy if you are in a state of hidden panic. Some horses will try to be dominant with this energy and some will just get more fearful with you. So people put special bits or tack and people do tons of ground work but you never really feel safe deep down or happy and connected. You have to switch that deep down fear in your mind. The mind is strong. How strong? Strong enough to convince you to be frightened and worried all the time even when there is no danger present. That mind is no longer in the present it can not react with mindfulness and feel at this point. That same mind can be brought to confidence, balance and mindfulness once you are ready.

Flower essences are a good way to address stuck patterns and fear as well as Essential oils. Rescue remedy, Mimulus, Aspen, Rock Rose, White Chestnut, Star of Bethlehem and Cherry Plum are excellent  Bach Flower remedies. I direct them to the people more then the horses because you need to be the change you want to see in your horse. How many times have you seen a horse be very upset and nervous with a worried, fearful person and then when a calmer person took over the horse calmed down.

I have had my cofidence shaken many times by my own horses when they were younger and I hadn't figured them out yet. But I wouldn't let the fear take over. I figured out how to make myself safe and confident again no matter how long it took and I overcame it. And that feels excellent when you do it! You figure out how to get yourself there. That means finding good Instruction and deciding you are going to move forward with the horse you have or find a confidence making not confidence taking horse.

I am so thrilled with the success of several people I have worked with who owned difficult horses and are over coming their fears and challenges with them. They set their minds to it and are doing it!
Here is a link to Bach Flower http://www.bachflower.com/original-bach-flower-remedies/

UK Clinic up next! http://www.eventzilla.net/web/event?eventid=2138993665
http://www.fdhorsemanship.com/#!services/vstc3=flower-essences/vstc1=other-services
http://fdhvirtualclinic.com/