Farah DeJohnette Horsemanship

I'm workin on....: Off the Track to Bridleless

2012-01-20T22:32:00.001-05:00

This is a video of me playing with a Thoroughbred I got off the track a few years ago. An outstanding horse with a heart of gold! From nearly impossible to lead and get to stand still, to Liberty, Bridleless and a successful child's Eventing mount! Cool!
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Announcing: Going Bitless online class info

2012-01-02T14:39:00.001-05:00

Yes you too could own this sexy Zebra bitless
bridle for your horse!

The Next Going Bitless online class will start January 1st (with sign up until January 9th) running through January 30th. The first videos will be released for personal practice followed by a Skype Q&A session a week. This class is suitable for beginner (horses and riders) as well as the addition of intermediate exercises in this class for those who have done the class or are further ahead. It is suitable for all disciplines as well.
You will have the week to get signed up and review and practice the first exercises. Additional video exercises will be sent out each week with call recordings for the people who could not attend or to review info. The Skype Q&A answer session will be held Mondays at 7pm EST. If you have not downloaded Skype click here to get it. Otherwise, if you cannot make the calls or can't get Skype, You may post questions to the Blog or Email them through my Website. If you have a Youtube channel, you can send me links to your uploaded videos from your channel for evaluation. If you have another video host you use, that is fine too. I only need to be able to view them through the links to share with me for evaluation. If you need more help with this or have more questions contact me. The cost of the online clinic will be of $150.00 payable through my site (click here to sign up and pay). If you would prefer to audit the class it is $100.00. This offers you access to all videos exercises and Skype call replays as well as email in questions to be answered on the calls.
To Purchase my Side Pull Bitless bridle click here.

Here is how the class will work:
1. Sign up by paying through Paypal. (click here to sign up and pay)
2. Add me through your Skype contacts search Farah.Dejohnette or Farah DeJohnette Horsemanship
3. Once you have signed up and I have your email, You will receive the links to the weeks video lessons.
4. Speak to me on the weekly Skype call to have questions answered and get feedback on videos.
5. Post questions on the blog or email them to me here if you don't or can't access Skype.

http://fdhorsetraining.com/
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New Zealand Clinic overview

2011-12-16T02:07:00.003-05:00

New Zealand has been an amazing, unforgettable experience. The people have been amazing and the horses were a great, diverse bunch, allowing for a really fun and interesting array of approaches unique to each combination.

Jack was my equine assistant for the "hands on" portion of the clinic and he reminded me that horses love to teach us about connection. I had no way of predicting how much this horse would give and I had no expectations. With that, I set up the exercises with everyone and Jack did the rest magically and all on his own.

A horse named Katy allowed us to work with Waterhole Rituals to build her already nice connection with her person. I then honed in on specific WHR, In-Hand Horse Yoga, and Mounted exercises to give them a complete program. I helped this mare learn to move in a better posture. This work also improved her Bitless bridle goals.

Another horse named Romeo stole all our hearts. He clearly loved people and connecting with them. He was leased for the clinic and showed how you can connect with a horse that you have never worked with using Liberty exercises. He was generous in spirit and demonstrated the natural outline and collection in his trot and canter.

Ben, an Irish Sport horse, had some difficult experiences in his past, which had left him with some trust issues and trauma. Liberty work with him consisted of helping get back to his horse instincts and building his faith in humans. I recommended flower essences for him as well.

I had a very cute pony appropriately named Charm who was dominant, but really actually loved to be lead. Using WHR exercises, her people learned that she was much easier to work with then they had thought. Charm also showed that she actually liked her people quite a bit. They learned helpful exercises that addressed her focus, herd bound behavior, and dominance effectively.

A horse named Paddy needed help connecting with his person. He was previously competed extensively. His new person was now helping him back to soundness and trust. I showed her how to use WHR's and horse yoga exercises to improve their connection on the ground and mounted.

Noema was a young filly just getting started for riding. At three years old, I showed her person (my clinic organizer extraordinaire, Christine) the way I start horses with Liberty-Line Mounted exercises to build connection and technical language and communication. We used the Liberty rein instead of a bridle to prepare her and had her first ride Bridle-less! That was super fun!

I want to thank Christine (and Norris) again for being and incredible event organizer and for their hospitality. I also want to thank Corinne and Taralee stables for being a great host facility. I have been invited back and I will gladly come to clinic in this beautiful, friendly country again! See New Zealand Highlights video

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New Zealand Clinic: Day One

2011-12-09T05:01:00.001-05:00

Here are some photos from the first day. The Horses and their people are awesome as always. New Zealand is beautiful and the hospitality has been fantastic!

https://picasaweb.google.com/114263023797089451158/NewZealandClinic2011#slideshow/5684057752229600306

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Simple Horsemanship tips from Mercury

2011-11-18T20:45:00.001-05:00

Here are some simple tips Mercury told me to
share that will change your connection and horsemanship.

1. Appreciate every second the generous nature of a horse.
2. Balance down time with work time in your life and theirs especially performance horses.
3. Make training positive and fun for you and your horse.
4. Be clear in your Intention setting before you make requests.
5. Keep the conversation two way.
6. Always work slowly and patiently.
7. Be mindful when you are with your horse.
8. Be as focused as you expect your horse to be.
9. Practice Clear Communication as much as possible.
10. Practice good Leadership
11. Use positive Visualizations especially if you are fearful.
12. Practice positive reinforcement.
13. Don't be afraid to make mistakes and let your horse make them too.
14. Be ok with whatever mood your horse is in and work with not against him.
15. Breathe together.
16. Treat how you would like to be Treated
17. Keep training flexible and organic.
18. Keep the bar adjustable
19. Goals should be attainable and fun.
20. Working with what your horse offers rather then against.
21. Listen to how your horse as much as you ask him to listen to you.
22. Respect is a two way street.
23. Don't ask your horse to do something you don't really want to do.
24. Remember your horse is your Mirror so be mindful of what you are reflecting.
25.Horse time is sacred!

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Announcing: Going Bitless online class info

2011-10-27T07:51:00.001-04:00

The Introduction to Going Bitless online class will start November 1st running through November 28th with the first videos to be released for personal practice followed by a Skype Q&Asession a week. You will have the week to get signed up and review and practice the first exercises. The Skype Q&A answer session will be held at a time to be determined. Sunday or Monday AM or PM times are available by popular choice so let me know in the comments section what time of those two days may work best. If you have not downloaded Skype click here to get it. Otherwise, if you cannot make the calls or can't get Skype, You may post questions to the Blog or Email them through my Website. If you have a Youtube channel, you can send me links to your uploaded videos from your channel for evaluation. If you have another video host you use, that is fine too. I only need to be able to view them through the links to share with me for evaluation. If you need more help with this or have more questions contact me. The cost of the online clinic will be an Introductory rate of $150.00 payable through my site (click here to sign up and pay). To Purchase my Side Pull Bitless bridle click here.

Here is how the class will work:
1. Sign up by paying through Paypal. (click here to sign up and pay)
2. Add me through your Skype contacts search Farah.Dejohnette or Farah DeJohnette Horsemanship
3. Once you have signed up and I have your email, You will receive the links to the weeks video lessons.
4. Speak to me on the weekly Skype call to have questions answered and get feedback on videos.
5. Post questions on the blog or email them to me here if you don't or can't access Skype.

http://fdhorsetraining.com/
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UK Clinics day 3

2011-10-10T03:19:00.002-04:00

The final day with a great bunch of horses and their people!
Click to view Album

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Day 2 of the UK clinic

2011-10-08T18:55:00.000-04:00

Another fun day in the UK! A little typical UK weather din't stop us from playing with our horses! Enjoy the pictorial!
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Link to photo album
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UK Horsemanship Clinic day one

2011-10-07T18:56:00.001-04:00

Today was the first day of the FDTH Horsemanship clinic at The New Horse in beautiful Motcombe. First of all it is a gorgeous area. Beautiful english farms and rolling hills as far as the eye can see. oh and Stone Henge which I've never seen until now!

The day started with an Andalusion that I quickly saw was quite alert, a bit tentative, reactive and easily distracted. We worked on a session in the morning and one in the afternoon. In the morning, we worked with some Liberty exercises based on Carolyn Resnick's method. The horse was a bit shy about being approached so we worked on Saying hello and reading his body language to build his trust up. By the afternoon, after a nice break in the second session we worked using Eye Contact to help him and his person focus and they did beautifully. Even got a nice companion walk at the end. This horse is a good candidate for how Liberty work can help with mounted issues as I came to find out that no surprise, he was tentative, distracted, and reactive in his Dressage work. It is very interesting how I can usually see the mounted issues come out in the Liberty work and as such set about changing the patterns in a nice connection and trust building way.

I had a pony in another session who was quite food obsessed and I used Carolyn's food exercises to get him focused on first me and then his person more than food. In the second session, his person brought him in and we addressed his pulling away while leading issues by working with him on line and teaching him to follow a feel and watch his persons body language exactly as he did at Liberty. The equipment merely becoming an extension of the Liberty body language.

I then got to work with a 2 year old filly who was not handled too much and the focus was just on her having a positive experience in the arena at liberty and having her feel comfortable leaving the herd and "Being with us" We used Carolyn's Treasure Hunt game and when the filly was calm, happy and relaxed, we rewarded her further by taking her back to her friends.

My favorite horse of the day was a resident rescued Lusitano who I affectionately name "Taz" I met him in the morning in his herd and was instantly drawn to him. He clearly loves connecting with people and is just the kind of fiery, spirited "Dancer" I love. He was offering so much so quickly, it was like he had been doing Liberty work all his life and they had only had him for a very short time.

Anyway, we had a great day as usual with the horses leading the way and I look forward to tomorrow!
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Upcoming FDTH Clinics

2011-09-22T21:37:00.001-04:00

For those of you who don't know yet, I have several clinics coming up internationally. Saturday sept. 24th I have a short demo at Backacresfarm.com if you are in the New England area. It is free to come and observe so come on by! There will also be a Demo from Bonnita Roy and her stallion Khemancho as well as demonstrations from Wendy Bryant Natural Dentistry and Kevin Landau DVM and Equine Chiropractic and Acupuncturist.

I am so excited to have the opportunity to work with so many people around the world. I am also going to check out Jenny Rolfe's facility and meet her Spanish Stallions on my UK visit.

If you are interested in putting together a clinic in your area, Contact FDTH to check availability and schedules. As you can see I travel far and wide to explore horsemanship with all types of horses and their people.

The following will be held in the coming months. I look forward to working with all of you that I have connected with around the world!

If you'd like to check out my work go to FDHorsemanship Youtube Channel

Oct. 7-9 FDHT 3 day clinic: at Bittles Brook Farm Contact FDTH for more info. You can pay here through Paypal to reserve your spot and find more details.

Oct. 15th One day Liberty clinic: at The Natural Equestrian Center Contact FDTH for more info. You can pay here through Paypal to reserve your spot and find more details.

Nov. 28th-Dec. 3rd Waterhole Rituals for Riding, Yoga and More with Stina! at Richmond Vale Academy Contact FDTH You can pay here through Paypal to reserve your spot and find more details.

Dec. 9-11 FDTH 3 day clinic: at Taralee Stables in Carterton, New Zealand Contact FDTH for more info. You can pay here through Paypal to reserve your spot and find more details.

See you around the globe!
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Force versus Firmness

2011-09-07T22:03:00.001-04:00

In our quest for Harmony and Connection with our horses there is a question which plagues every horse person at some point. Am I forcing my horse or just being firm. Now if you have experience with a horse this line is much clearer to you then if you are learning how to set boundaries and make requests.

Let's look at a few things to consider that will help us know where the lines are. First, let's look at what is a fair request. A fair request to me is anything that is fairly easy for the horse, is clearly communicated, and the horse can execute at least a bit. The next thing to consider is how much of priority it is and how much are you willing to accept (there is a lot of room for variables here). Another aspect could be, is the request an area where the horse is out of balance. What that looks like is a horse who is extremely one way in his behavior, training, or energy. These are horses I am looking to balance out gradually to a more middle ground. And finally, I look at what I call non-negotiables. These are areas where I have decided that I am not negotiable on in regardless of the horses opinion. They usually pertain to safety or extreme dominant or aggressive behavior but can go into technical training if it seems appropriate.

Now that we've laid that out, let's look at some other variables. When we put equipment on a horse, we have given ourselves a small advantage ( I say small because at any moment a horse decides you're off or he's not participating, it's done, I don't care what you have on them). A horse by nature wants to get along so if he sees there's an out or release, he's going to look for that rather them fuss too much (unless there are bigger issues afoot). This leads me to not taking advantage of a horses extremely generous and compassionate nature. Everyday, I am literally blown away by what I see horses tolerate in care, handling, training and un-natural lifestyles. It is on us humans to keep in mind to ask only for what a horse can deliver comfortably and happily in his daily life. That leads me to restraint. I see it as force at any point the horse has his ability to move taken away ie. roping or tying legs up. Other things such as twitches and chains/shanks also fall into this category if used to take away the horses opinion completely. The only time these may be justifiable methods is when it is a medical emergency and a horses health depends on it (and you can't tranquilize them or the tranquilizers are not enough). It means there is no time to train them gently at that moment.

Let's also look at how horses handle Firmness in the herd. If the horse is a fair and balanced Lead horse, he will only use as much energy/pressure as is necessary to get his point across AND it will not be PERSONAL. It will be to serve a clear purpose and it will be in the moment. An understanding will be achieved and the horses' will move on from it without incident.

So taking all that into consideration, when is it force or firmness in everday handling or work with our horses. Well that is best defined between a horse and his person. But here are some guidelines I use. If it is a reasonable request and I have made it a priority in my mind, I try to see if I can at least communicate my request at Liberty first to let the horse have a say in it and can observe his responses. How hard is it?, Was he put out by the request or took to it easily. Any time I am working/playing with a horse and I run into a "no", I have to ask myself why is that "no" there. This is the information that helps me know when to be firm or if I am pushing a horse way past his comfort zone.

Some questions I would pose to myself would be:
What is the age/level of this horse?,
Is this Dominant behavior?,
Is he confused?
Is he in Pain?,
Is he a little afraid?
Is he a lot afraid?
Will the horse not trust me if I am more firm?
Would it benefit him to go a little past his comfort zone?
Would he become a more balanced horse?
Do I have good enough timing, feel and release to help my horse understand my firm request?
If I am more firm will he respect my leadership more?

This can all be played with to see what "Conversation" comes up between you and your horse. When we practice Carolyn Resnick's Waterhole Rituals, We always know we can rebuild trust and connection when it may feel strained from pushing to strongly. We also know that playing with the boundaries can help create a better bond and help you become a better Leader in you horses eyes. The video below shows a choice I made to not use restraint or force with my horse who was quite violent about clippers when I first introduced them. I decided if I couldn't get him to allow it I would not resort to restraint. More oats for thought....
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See accompanying video

Waterhole Rituals for Dogs

2011-08-24T22:37:00.001-04:00

Kai and Buddha Water in Wheel barrow on hot summer day Ritual!

For those of you who don't know I am a Dog trainer as well as a Horseman. I may if fact have been working with dogs longer then horses.
I always saw the common ground between Horse and Dog Whispering from the beginning. Pack and Herd animals are not that far apart. So I easily applied the Dogmanship to horses and Horsemanship to dogs.

When I learned Carolyn Resnick's Waterhole Rituals, I immediately saw how to integrate them into my Dog Whispering approach.

First of all, We naturally Share our Territory with dogs because we share a house with them. With horses we have to go to the barn to Share Territory so it is not as easily done. This is why our Dogs bond to us so quickly.

Saying Hello is similar with dog as well with one exception. I don't put my hands out or my face toward a dog in greeting. I instead, read their body language and if they act like they would like to be approached I come closer. I am more likely to allow them to approach me first so I can see how to shape my Leadership with them(if they are not aggressive acting). Just like I would like a horse to initiate contact first in Sharing territory so I can shape my Leadership with them. If they are overly excited and jumping on me I set about making requests about how I would prefer them to be in my space and then praise them when they behave that way.

Now here's the interesting part which a lot of people don't teach their dogs which is so important in horses as well. In the WHR we learn that if we approach the horse, we should respect his wishes and feelings. And this is how I approach a dog as well, BUT dogs are not often taught this rule. They are allowed to go barreling up to or on anyone they meet and even any dog. This can start fights and can nurture unwanted aggression in dogs. This, to me is condoned and encouraged by a lot of people but I have the same rules with my dogs. If they are in my space they have to listen to my rules. Which means no jumping on me, no biting me (even if it's playful), and no growling or being possessive of territory I don't deem to be theirs. I feel also that is is respectful to always keep my dogs away from anyone and in a calm sit or stay until the person gives me permission to allow my dogs to approach. Sound like another WHR? What if the person is afraid of dogs or has allergies and can't touch them?

Taking territory is a useful exercise for dogs who are toy possessive or furniture possessive. Also if they run to the door of your house and bark you can claim the door area. I use claiming of areas quite often with my dogs.

Eye Contact seems to be important with all and every species. I know that if I can get and keep Eye Contact in my Dogs and horses, I can most likely Communicate with them and they will listen. When I lose Eye Contact I have a variety of ways to get it back.

Companion Movement is an easy one. In dogs we call in Heeling. If we have Magnetic connection, we will be able to work with our dogs well at Liberty or off leash!

Leading from behind works for moving reluctant dogs. I know that will sound familiar to anyone who has done this Ritual with their horse. It really helped me with my old Deaf and Blind dog to get him in and out of the house.

Liberty Dancing? Well that's a REALLY easy one with dogs! They are easy to Send and Draw! They love to run and play with us and I often dance with my dogs to music in my kitchen which I recently found out quite a few other people do too! So let's keep dancing with our dogs and try out the WHR's with your dog.
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Children's Equitation Center

2011-08-10T22:29:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow I will have the pleasure of working with Roberta Wilmore and the great group of kids she works with in her program. The Children's Equitation Center is focused on bringing kids who may not otherwise have the opportunity to experience horses and farm life. As all of us know who work with animals closely, the invaluable life teachers they are, especially for children. If you would like to help out with a donation (They sorely need a new riding arena!) Or can help them out with safe pony and horse donations for the lesson program please go to there site at the Children's Equitation Center.
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The Virtues of Sharing Territory

2011-08-02T21:54:00.000-04:00

When I first started working with Carolyn Resnick's Waterhole Rituals, I had no idea it would become my favorite Ritual.

As a professional, I am paid to be agenda driven with horses. But I have my own horses and I wanted to improve my already good connection with them by doing this Method.

I listened to Carolyn's instructions and opted not to read but to just sit and "Be" with my horses. My Mare lived with a small herd that consisted of another mare, a mare pony, her filly, and my mini gelding. Mercury, was often by himself as prescribed by Carolyn. So, I got to practice this Ritual two different ways. With a single horse, and with a small herd.

I'd like to share some of my experiences that made this my favorite Ritual. First, let me paint a picture. We feed round bales and the horses LOVE to nap in the round bales as they break down. On a sunny Spring or Winter day, I would often sit with them while they napped in the round bale in the sun in the Mare Paddock. Sometimes I would go in to get Phoenix to work with and I couldn't resist their beckoning me to sit with them. What is more peaceful then sitting with a herd of napping horses!

Other times, I found that Phoenix and her BFF would also sometimes create a triangle with me and stand over me napping. I found this very soothing and and felt their energy washing over me. I often sought out their paddock over the boys because this energy was so soothing. My friend who works with Qigong and horses said they were balancing me with their Yin energy and that I was seeking it out. I thought that was pretty cool.

It's to the point now where I can go into their paddock and sit down in the round bale and they will all slowly lay down around me! What else is there to say about that. It is pure bliss.

As for my favorite boy Mercury, He was the one I started to sit with first and I just observed things with him. I watched him, I paid attention to any things I noticed in myself and just stayed open to whatever may "Be". Mercury and I have been together since he was a yearling so we had a bond before I started the Waterhole Rituals but how much deeper it got and continues to get is hard for me to put into words. You can only know if you experience Carolyn's Method. Mercury is now 7 and I have been practicing Waterhole Rituals with him in addition to his regular performance training and Liberty work for a few years now. It has taken me places I never thought we could go and beyond.

The first few times I sat with him, I just enjoyed the time and relaxing. At the time I wasn't getting enough of that, so it was a welcome rest period in my day! After some time I became aware that Mercury was showing me the awareness level that a horse has. I began to experience his connection to all things in his environment. Everything that had a life force within his area right down to a butterfly. A Presentness and Awareness that was so much more "Awake" then we humans walk around in everyday. I now can shift in and out of that space when I want to and use it in my Yoga teaching and practice.

When I realized how much it impacted my horses connection to me, I started to learn the importance Sharing Territory with yourself, with other people you sought strong connections with and other animals was. I saw my Connection to myself and other people weaken and or strengthen at different times depending on how much or how little I did. I now use the term "Sharing Territory" with people, friends, and family. The balance of together doing nothing or together doing something is always in my mind.

When I got my new Puppy recently, The first thing I did was set up my office in the kitchen so he and my other dog and I could Share our space together while I worked. He would sometimes sleep on my lap while I worked or near my feet. At night I would let him sleep with me in my bed until he was old enough to sleep downstairs. We have a very strong Connection now from my awareness of our time together.

In these days of over stimulation, rushing around, over filling our time and so on. Sharing Territory has become for me, a soothing balm. A place I can go to calm and prepare myself to "Be" and work with the horses. If I am stressed out or upset when I get to the barn. I can sit with them and work out of it. If I have not been able to see my animals for some time due to travel or other reasons, It is a way to get Connected to them that I did not have before I learned the Waterhole Rituals. It should be mandatory for all horse owners!

Even though, I am often on a tight schedule, I found creative ways to weave it into my work with clients horses to build rapport with them before we have to do our Technical work. But mostly, I have found, it is for me as much as it is for my horses well being. It is one of my favorite things to do with my horses...
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Ask

2011-07-21T22:26:00.002-04:00

Did you ever ask your horse what something means to him? For example we often will make a request of our horse to do something. The horse will respond by either doing what you asked, partially doing what you asked or doing something that it didn't seem you asked for. But what if that is what he thought you meant.

When I work with a horse for the first time. I observe a lot and ask a lot of questions as I would of a new person I was meeting. I ask questions to find out what the answers or meanings are to the horse. I don't judge the answers. I just want to get a dialogue going. I want to know what the horses responses are naturally. Once I get a feel for the "meaning" of things in the horses mind, I can set about possibly changing the meanings of things that may need re-defining or leave the good responses as they are.

A horse may have been taught an undesirable response unconsciously by his person releasing on the wrong timing. Or he may have learned it to protect and defend himself. Either way, it is what he has determined the meaning of a request to be.

A horse may react to a request to move move sideways by offering backwards or forwards. I would think that this horse is trying different responses or "searching" for the meaning of the request. I would NOT think "oh he is being stubborn or he knows what I want, he's just not doing it. I would set my intention, think sideways and then release when I felt the slightest try to change the "Meaning" of the request. I'd build up from there gradually.

Another point I'd like to make is the idea that a horse is not listening to you. They are ALWAYS listening. They may not be doing what you request but they are listening. Did you ever ask someone to do something and you know they heard you but they opted not to comply? I see that as the same with a horse. You may want to walk over there and he may want to eat grass instead. This is not intentional disobedience. It is a difference of opinion of what the task should be. So the Question might be phrased " I see you'd really like to eat grass but maybe you could go over here followed by some body language that would make it clear what you wanted. If the horse complied, you might show appreciation by letting him eat the grass over "there" when you say it's ok and on your terms. I try to always keep training fair and balanced. I want to give my horse as much as he gives me. That means giving him things he truly likes ie. Grass, a groom with my hands not brushes, healthy treats like carrots and apples, or a roll etc...down time...Remember all interaction with your horse is an opportunity...
More oats for thought....
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Lipizzan Soccer, Horse-fun-ship, How and why

2011-07-07T22:44:00.001-04:00

I recently posted this video with one of my students and a Lipizzan playing with a ball. It is part of my Horse-fun-ship series but I wanted to explain more how and why I do "Playing" like this.

When we first started working with this mare, she was very dominant, somewhat spooky, unfocused, and disinterested in interacting with us. She came into the arena and just wanted to leave. She was also PETRIFIED of that ball. We have been working with her for about 6-8 months and she now dives for her halter and bridle and shows total focus in the ring whether at Liberty, riding and/or Playing. We started with Carolyn Resnick's Waterhole Rituals to build connection, bond and trust and then moved into Playing Advanced Liberty and Games around everyday tasks. I am always astounded by how quickly horses seek to connect when played with this way. They become so interested and curious and playful. All you need is your own creativity to guide the fun. I have seen even some really serious cases turn around in a few months time to my surprise as I always go in with no idea how long things will take.

Ball and Toy/prop work is fun and a great way to get horses bolder, bring out their Play/herd instincts and teach them to focus on a task and build bond and connection. I don't like to use the word desensitize as much because it is over done and misused to the point of breaking trust and shutting horses down in some cases. I prefer to try to get the horse to play with things that they are afraid of or find hidden surprise treats in scary areas. This changes their perception quickly and provides a positive reinforcement for getting brave.

To start the ball game, you can start with a food and verbal reward when they touch the ball and build from there. You can use voice commands and hand signals as well. Another way is to put the food under the ball and show them to move it to find the food.
So if you haven't seen the video here it is....Lipizzan Soccer!
http://youtu.be/qGK9FW3h7os
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Confident Horseman exercise part 3...Change your mind, Change your horse

2011-06-22T22:37:00.000-04:00

Riding Mercury Bridless requires me to be completely focused on what I want to have happen and not what bad and dangerous things could happen...

I will be offering for those who want to participate, a Flower Essence mix suggestion for a new approach to dealing with fear in the horse and person. It will complement the next exercise which has 3 steps to it, is the hardest but also the most powerful.

The next part of the exercise is:

Step 1: Learn how to identify fear coming up in yourself as it starts. Then recognize the fearful or negative thoughts that follow.
Example: "Oh my horse is scared of dogs, and hear comes one" the next thought may be "oh he's going to spook and I'm going to fall off!"
So this is how the fearful mind starts to gain power or the situation.

Step 2: Recognize the the thoughts coming up and make a choice to change them to a positive thought.
Example: "I am now changing my mind about this" We are walking calmly past the dog, and nothing is going to happen" You'll note I said "we" not the horse is going to. "We" is a team, a partnership. You can add calm deep breathing to release your own fear and tension and mirror to your horse. Two other very powerful exercises is to visualize you and your horse doing exactly what you'd like. So I'd see me and my horse walking calmly past the dog together. I'd see that picture in my mind and hold it and breath. Some of you may find it nearly inpossible to not visualize a bad experience so instead, I want you to visualize something calming and soothing that may have nothing to do with that moment. Examples would be a sunset, A beach, doing yoga, a hot bath, even a glass of wine! Hold that though until you can own it and the moment has passed. This takes practice but it does become a new thought pattern with time.

Step 3: I consider an advanced exercise and a goal to set for yourselves. It involves getting to the point where you don't even get to a place of fear anymore when a possible situation arises. This is when you have mastered the power of the mind.
Example: You are riding toward the dog and you immediately send a picture of the two of you walking calmly passed the dog. In this scenario you exhibit what I call Calm Leadership. You recognize the horses concern and using positive visualization. you "Lead" your horses mind to a calm place with yours. You maintain clear focus and your horse has confidence in your Leadership and guidance. We don't want our horse to feel like he has to take over every time he is afraid because we get just as frightened as him.

One other scenario I want to talk about is "Real" fear, necessary, sensible, self preservation fear. This is the voice that says "We are in real danger and we need to get safe. That is the time to listen to your instincts and stay as clear as possible. Try to learn the difference between your gut telling you the truth and your mind taking over control of clear thinking.

As for the Flower Essence part of this. There are Essences that can help release the grip of fear and "Stuck Thinking Patterns" I am offering to help anyone who may feel they need additional help of Flower Essences to help release a really stuck pattern in themselves and or their horse. Respond in the comments section. Let me know how your confidence is improving!
http://fdhorsetraining.com/
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From Fearful to Confident Horsemanship...

2011-06-08T23:06:00.000-04:00

Mercury has been a very good teacher to me about Calm leadership , focus and clear thinking...

Carrying on the theme for the last post of using positive thought patterns and breaking stuck thinking patterns, I want to continue with more ideas for working through and past fear. We cannot be seen in a leadership position if we are mirroring fear to our horses all the time.

People often want a trainer to make the horse fearless so they can be less afraid. But at the same time we need to work on our fears because a horse will mirror back whatever you are feeling. An example is a horse being calm when I work with him because I am exhibiting Calm Leadership. This same horse can be given back to his person who is afraid and the horse begins to mirror the person he is with. Horses are in the moment with whoever they are with. Some horses are generous and confident of nature and not as bothered by a person being fearful around them. Others are too un-confident themselves to have a person be the same.

If you find yourself in this situation, It is good to start breaking down the issues into little achievable goals. The first thing to do is to get an idea of what your fears really are.

There are three fears I see when working with people. 1. I am afraid of certain things but my horse is actually quite confident. In this scenario, you are working on your own fears and your horse may actually build confidence. 2. You are afraid of your horses behavior because you have had an accident or you think you could have one with him. So you are actually afraid of your horse. 3. You are afraid and your horse is afraid as well. You both need to work together to become more confident as a team. It also ok to find another partner if it seems like a better situation for both horse and person. Sometimes this is the best option.

So if you thought about those 3 categories and thought you might fit in one, you are on your way to becoming a more Confident horseman.

The exercise is to write down a list of what exactly you are afraid of and also what you are not afraid of. Be as detailed as possible. Also write down what you would like to be able to do as a goals that you are afraid to do now. If you would like to share these lists in the comments section, please do so as we can all learn from each others experience. I will post the next step in the next post.
http://fdhorsetraining.com/

Thought

2011-05-27T22:36:00.004-04:00

Mercury and I are thinking the same thought here...

Energy follows thought...."Think" about that. What it means is, what you think, dwell on, worry about, or visualize is drawn to you and broadcast back out like a radio wave.

This week, the theme in lessons and training was overwhelmingly, change your mind, change your experience which of course goes right to your horse.

I caught myself not helping my situation with Mercury where he was spooking and I got mentally "stuck" on the behavior and it kept happening at the same spot in the arena on each pass. After about the 3rd time, I said to myself " why aren't you thinking about him going past this point calmly and thinking of the destination after the scary spot. As soon as I did that, He went past the rest of the ride with minimal fuss. Thank you Merc for the reminder to stop focusing on what was happening and think about what I would like to have happen.

A phrase I often say is "If you are not happy with a current situation, think about how it would look if it went the way you wanted."

Another statement I give to new riders is, If you think about falling off all the time, you will think it into reality. The horse will keep getting this mental "text message" of you hitting the ground. And....he will think that is where you want to go! If you think about your horse spooking all the time, he will think about spooking etc.

It's human nature to get caught in negative thought cycles and also to want perfection and a feeling of being totally safe. So what if we went to the barn every time we saw our horse and said "We are perfect" and "I feel safe with you" or "My horse and I are not afraid" Every statement has the ability to move you toward the place you want to go or hold you in a "stuck" pattern.

Here is a list of examples of how you can switch your thinking which in turn will send a positive message to your horse.

1. "I am not a good/confident rider." Positive: I am becoming more confident all the time, I am a confident rider. Horse hears " I am not a leader" or I am becoming a better leader.

2. "I am stiff" Positive: I more flexible, balanced and strong everyday. Your horse hears "I am a good rider and getting better all the time"

3. "That transition was bad, my circles are horrible, I am terrible at "X" etc. Positive: These transitions are improving, My circles are so much better than 6 months ago, We are really improving "X" Your horse hears " I can never get it right no matter what" Or "We are having a good ride/liberty etc!"

I could go on but you probably get the point. The exercise is write down all the "Negatives" you say about anything especially goals and then write a positive statement that reflects the outcome of what you'd like to see REALLY happen. How ever long it takes. More oats for thought! : ) Let's hear some thoughts in the comment section!

http://fdhorsetraining.com/

Horses are the greatest teachers!

2011-05-18T22:11:00.001-04:00

Sometimes I gotta step back and let the horse do the teaching. Who better to learn Horsemanship from? Enjoy a good laugh at this one!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_profilepage&v=sQVIyYdLBFQ

http://fdhorsetraining.com/WelcometoFDT.html

Conversation

2011-05-11T22:02:00.000-04:00

Mercury and I having a Lively Conversation! The most fun ones!

As I have become more experienced in my approach to horses, I have learned the value of a Two way quality Conversation with a horse as I value a good conversation with a person.

I often see in my travels, People shouting, talking over, and cutting off their horses side of the Conversation. I look at it like a bad conversation with a person. I wouldn't like it if someone asked me question, then before I had a chance to reflect on it, asked me three more questions then just when I was about to "Try" to respond, cut me of and yelled at me (so to speak) for not answering quick enough and getting the answer right. I would start to not want to be in that conversation anymore.

Being good with a horse has as much to do with Being a good Listener as it does to a good conversationalist and being a Quality "Leader".

My conversation would look something like this. I'd let the horse start by telling me some things and then I'd come in with an "I understand" and "I see your point" and a "I could definitely see how you could see it that way" and then a question like "How about if I asked you to do "X" "How would you feel about that?" and then I'd leave space for him to tell me how he felt about it. Good or bad.

So what does a bad Conversation look like? Well for starters it looks like "Talking or Making orders" too quickly with not enough space in between for your horse to read what you said, respond positively or try to change the subject. Trying to change to subject means just that. Your horse saying "Hmmm I hear what you're saying, but maybe we could eat grass instead or "fill in the blank"...

It could also look like your horse not being clear about your request because it was too fast or too complicated and needs to be spoken slower and maybe spelled out one letter at a time. Meaning break it down to very small steps.

And my personal favorite is Are You Speaking Clearly AND Thoughtfully. If you are unclear about how to explain your request to your horse, Don't expect him to be clear about it either. That doesn't mean you shouldn't try to do it if you aren't clear. It just means be as clear and precise as you possibly can so your requests are easy to follow. Imagine someone trying to explain a concept to you in a foreign language but they're not quite sure how to get it across....Sounds tough right?...Exactly.

I often look at the different incarnations of Natural Horsemanship and Traditional Horsemanship and they all are some sort of "Horseglish" or "Eqglish" if you will. You will understand if you've ever heard the term "Spanglish" It means no matter how good you speak "Horse", you'll speak it with a human accent and the accent of the place you're from and throw in a few Human words when you need them. That actually means our horses learn to understand "Horseglish" as well.

So Training or your time with your horse should be a great conversation. One that stimulates both of you, makes you both think, laugh, sometimes a whisper, sometimes loud, and sometimes lively and animated. But you both walk away feeling like you listened to each other and made strides to wherever you may be going together. Also remember, a conversation that seems firm and about yours or your horses "likes" and "dislikes" (if you know what I mean) can lead to a better working partnership just as it would between you and another person. More food for thought....
http://fdhorsetraining.com/

The beginning stages of Bridless Dressage

2011-05-04T21:41:00.004-04:00

I have been gradually working on more and more Bridless work and have jumped and worked out in the open fields. I am aiming toward more Dressage precise work as we get more adept at it. In this video, I am working on a simple circle (easier said than done!) and walk, trot, and canter in a nice balance and bend.

What I like about this work is it keeps the focus on riding from your body (I'm still not used to what to do with my hands when there are no reins!), It encourages the horse to pick their own outline (or frame or head set). It is proof to me that a horse can go in a correct outline by choice and without a bit or any tack on his head for that matter. It is very free feeling and it requires us to REALLY communicate. The less equipment you have, the more clear communication has to be. It is an exercise in trust, communication, focus, calmness, balance and poise.

This work is a joy and has been very interesting to figure out how it can be done and exhilarating when it is actually achieved. More to come as always!
http://fdhorsetraining.com/

*Farah DeJohnette training does not encourage or promote bridless riding. Do not attempt this.

St. Vincent's Clinic: Last day and overview

2011-04-15T22:03:00.000-04:00

Here is the last video clip and installment of the Waterhole Rituals, and Rituals and Yoga for Riding Clinic.

I met Stina through Carolyn Resnick as I have met many great people through her work. I knew I had to go to St. Vincent as soon as I saw Stina's videos. Who doesn't think that! I couldn't remember exactly how we connected but I do remember her asking me about doing a clinic about a year ago and I said YES immediately! Where do I sign up?, how do I make this happen?!

There are times in your life when you "know" something is meant to be and you are not sure why but you just know you are supposed to do it and it will be a great experience and you trust that.

This first clinic was exactly what I envisioned and so much more! Stina and I share a vision, passion, and spirit that was inspiring, fun, and magical to create around. Her herd was incredible to work with as I got to know each one during the clinic by working with them on various Rituals and Exercises. Darling, her lead mare was especially wonderful to have as a teaching partner and I dubbed her my Caribbean horse partner! The people that attended the clinic some of which were students of mine and some which were new to me, were a wonderful mix horse lovers who share the same ideas about how we want to be and work with our horses.

We inspired and learned from each other and the horses. Once I studied the environment and mix of people and horses I had, I was able to let the students and horses guide the lessons and teaching. As always I learned by staying open and flexible, valuable lessons presented themselves in each moment and we explored them as such. I could not have done this without having such a great combination of participants because although we had a program, we had some great spontaneous activities woven in too which added to the magical fun.

I know we throw around the word Magic a lot and I'll tell you why it was magical. Time seems to stand still there, it allows us to fully explore things in the moment, the environment is so beautiful, it soothes you mind and soul. The freedom of the horses to express who they are and participate in the class as willing teachers makes the exercises a joy and full of unexpected surprises and offers from them. It shows me yet again the Magic that horses bring to all those who are blessed enough to share their lives with them.

Once Stina and I got together it was clear that we had kindred spirits and vision and an insatiable appetite for fun and adventure! I knew this was the first but certainly not the last clinic. In fact, I think we came up with about 900 plus! I had to tell her to write them down because we kept coming up with so many! So we'll keep you posted on our next one which could be as soon as November 2011. Please contact me if you are interested at this link http://fdhorsetraining.com/Contactfdt.html

http://www.carolynresnickblog.com/

http://stinaherberg.wordpress.com/clinics/

http://fdhorsetraining.com/

St. Vincent's Clinic: Video clips of Day 5... Play day!

2011-04-09T23:30:00.000-04:00

Engaging horses in games!

http://www.carolynresnickblog.com/

http://stinaherberg.wordpress.com/clinics/

http://fdhorsetraining.com/

St. Vincent's Clinic: Video clips of Day 4...

2011-04-08T22:42:00.000-04:00

And the magic continues...

http://www.carolynresnickblog.com/

http://stinaherberg.wordpress.com/clinics/

http://fdhorsetraining.com/

St. Vincent's Clinic: Video clips of Day 3...

2011-04-07T22:17:00.000-04:00

Video clips of Day 3 on the Waterhole Rituals, Yoga, and riding...it just keeps getting better!

http://www.carolynresnickblog.com/

http://stinaherberg.wordpress.com/clinics/

http://fdhorsetraining.com/

St. Vincent's Clinic: Video clips of Day one and two...

2011-04-05T22:43:00.001-04:00

http://stinaherberg.wordpress.com/clinics/

http://fdhorsetraining.com/

Greetings from St. Vincent's! First installment

2011-04-04T23:11:00.000-04:00

Jack, Elena, and Darling in their pasture overlooking the ocean

So I am in paradise with all these great people and these great horses that Stina Herberg has done a beautiful job with. I don't want to rub it in but it is soooo fun and soooo beautiful, I can barely call it work!

I arrived to incredible hospitality, a paradise environment, horses and warm, friendly faces. It is PERFECT! Stina and I Shared Territory a bit the first night with the herd so they could get to know me and be comfortable before we started working together.

People arrived the next day and we got settled for Monday's first day of the Clinic. More Sharing Territory with the horses and checking out the beautiful beaches and scenery.

Monday morning started with some centering and grounding Yoga, Positive Visualizations, and goal setting for the coming week. The horses guided the exercises as Stina and I went over Carolyn Resnick's Waterhole Rituals in the morning and did some Liberty Grooming, Halter/Bridling game, and Picking up feet game at Liberty in the afternoon. Of course the horses worked their magic and produced some surprising wonderful ideas and offers of their own.

Here's link to some of the first pictures...More to come plus video!

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=114736&id=1484531246&l=17cda34ddf

http://fdhorsetraining.com/

Soft vs. Light

2011-03-27T21:21:00.000-04:00

Here I am working with a Mare that had a tendency to be Braced in her Mind and movement on a Mind and Body softening exercise...

Soft versus light is an interesting comparison that sometimes there is confusion about. Depending on who you talk to you will get different interpretations.

My Interpretation of Light is a horse or a response to a cue that is very sensitive or even reactive or Over-reactive. So there are degrees of lightness that can actually be too light. The horse may over react or move too quickly so the movement or action is too fast and lacks quality and flow. This is for sure desireable in some disciplines but it can cause mis-communications between horse and rider. This can be a horses natural temperament or tendency or they can be taught to be "Lighter" in their responses if they are a bit un-reactive or slow to react.

Softness to me is about Suppleness, flexibility, a calm mind and flow in the horses movement, body, and mind. There is Relaxation, Rhythm, and fluidness between horse and rider whether you are moving at speed or slow. You'll note that I said a calm mind because to me you can not have true "Whole" softness without a calm, trusting, happy, minded horse. You can not manufacture softness with gadgets, bits, and force.

Now let's talk about Light versus Soft in the Rider. A rider can be Light all the time in their communication or very heavy handed figuratively speaking. Using strong cues always "shouting" so to speak at the horse. This will cause a horse to become perhaps no longer Light where he once was. So we want to be careful of training that into a horse and thinking it's their problem not one we created. A person needs to understand the full spectrum of "Request levels" starting with a whisper and escalating to a firmer (not louder) Conversation and everything in between.

Which leads to Softness in the person. All the same things apply here Suppleness, flexibility, a calm mind and flow in the persons movement, body, and mind. There is Relaxation, Rhythm, and fluidness between horse and person because you are able to effectively mirror the traits you are asking for from your horse. And again without the calm, happy, mind and body, you can not have true "Whole" softness in yourself.

It is always good to ask yourself as the Leader in the relationship between you and your horse, if you can do what you are are asking your horse to do whether it's be Calm, Be Fearless/Courageous, Flexible, Responsive, Energetic or Quiet. Whatever it may be, It starts with us.

http://fdhorsetraining.com/

Promo Video: Clinic in St. Vincent's with Stina Herberg and I 4/4-4/9

2011-03-14T08:52:00.000-04:00

A little preview from Stina showing what's in store for the uncoming clinic were doing 4/4-4-9. How can you not attend? I am sooo excited! I'm packing now!
Link to program and travel info:
http://stinaherberg.files.
wordpress.com/2011/01/yogaclinicsm.pdf
http://www.carolynresnickblog.com/
http://fdhorsetraining.com/

Challenges...

2011-03-02T18:37:00.001-05:00

My partnership with Mercury is proof that challenges can lead to amazing places...

How many of you view stumbling blocks and challenges with your horses as opportunities? Opportunities to build trust, training, communication and connection amongst other things.

Fear in the rider, Fear in the horse or both are common challenges. Other ones can be about a variety of things from jumping problems, trailer loading, separation issues, Dressage, Reining, whatever your discipline or goals with your horse, you are bound to have run into some personal challenges along the way. Challenges with your horse can be based in confusion, discomfort, and dominance as well.

So here is the REAL challenge. Can you stop, breathe, evaluate and creatively problem solve WITH your horse so that the experience strengthens your connection, trust and furthers your partnership? If you can't figure it out today, can you leave it and meditate (even do some visualizations) on it and come back to it when you are more clear about how to work through it in a positive way?

The last few years, I have had several non-cookie cutter challenging horsenalities come through my program including my favorite boy, Mercury. It seems most of my clients have found themselves also with challenging horses in their lives as well. What has happened though is these horses have brought many valuable lessons and understanding with them as well as a sense of huge achievement when progress is made at home or in the show ring. Something you don't get from an easier counterpart.

My horse Mercury who I have dubbed my equine four legged soul mate, Has challenged me at many turns with his antics, mischief, clowning, dominance and spookiness. I also have the deepest partnership and connection with this horse I have ever had. I have learned infinite things from him about stallions (he's now gelded), the power of deep connection and trust when things get sticky and scary, and loving him for who he is purely and not his talent, athleticism and incredible good looks (he'd want me to add that...He thinks he's a super model!).

So as an exercise, you could write down any challenges you are having with your riding or your horse. Then pick one thing off the list and see if you can find a way to make that challenge a positive growth experience for you and your horse. You can enlist some outside help or even ask me in the comments section for some help. Let me know what you come up with and how it goes.
http://fdhorsetraining.com/

FDT

Upcoming Playshop with The Horses at Alderlore

2011-02-15T19:40:00.000-05:00

For those of you who don't know already. A Playshop with Bonnitta Roy of the Horses at Alderlore will be offered at Back Acres Farm February 27th Sunday starting at 9:30.

In this Playshop, you will learn Freestyle Dancing at Liberty with horses.
Learn how to use body language to create "dance steps" with your horse, utilizing basic natural dressage movements at liberty - yielding of the hindquarters, turn on the shoulders, turn on the hindquarters, and lateral side steps in both directions. Gypsie Wings & Bonnie will demonstrate how to work these basic movements into various dance steps, from which you can build a repetoire of movements; and participants can learn them with their own horses.

Limited spaces are available to people to work with our horses or yours and unlimited auditing is available. It will be $50.00 to participate with a horse and $25.00 to audit.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with Bonnitta's work, it is fun, in tune with the horses and really gets you thinking about your timing and body language being clear. She is inspired by the work of Klaus Hempfling, Carolyn Resnick, and Karen Rolfe. She is also a Qi Gong Master and uses this mastery of energy to work with the horses. I really enjoy watching her work with her horses but especially horses she has never worked with before. For more info go to Alderlore.Org for more info you can also contact me at http://fdhorsetraining.com/Contactfdt.html

http://fdhorsetraining.com/

Yoga and Horsemanship: Breathing exercise part 2

2011-02-04T21:00:00.002-05:00

Phoenix focusing on her relaxation techniques...

This week I want to give you another Yoga exercise to follow up the breathing one from the last post.

Since the last one I hope you found a new found attention to the breath and noticed the changes it made in yourself and your horse. I mentioned that you should just notice your breathing patterns and feel your body and the horses. Paying attention to when there was tension or ease. Whether the breath flowed or was held, was deep, or shallow.

Now your practice will involve conscious, focused, regular breathing. I want you to use this when you are preparing to ride, working on the ground or in the saddle. From the start of your interaction with your horse, I want you to focus on regular rhythmic breathing. Normal breathing. I want you to listen to your own breath. Breath audibly so you and your horse can hear it. Also try to synchronize your breath with your horse. This is a very powerful connecting exercise. Don't worry if you lose track of the breath. Just come back to it and focus on it again.

I would love to hear your experiences in the comments area!

http://fdhorsetraining.com/

Check out these Yoga resources for more info!

Yoga and Horsemanship

2011-01-18T19:36:00.001-05:00

What do sea turtles have to do with Yoga...
There breath is very important to them! They're pros at it!

Some of you may already know the benefits of Yoga and it's practice. You may not know however, about the benefits it can have to your riding.

Yoga is an ancient study that has many forms but there are some very basic moves that can be applied directly to riding and even be done mounted or on the ground prior to mounting.

The first principle of Yoga I want to bring attention to is the breath. It is important to pay attention to the breath at all times. This goes for everyday activity and Riding and even groundwork!

I am going to be offering some tips in the coming weeks on my blog about ways to integrate yoga into your riding practice. The first exercise I want to give you is simply to pay attention to your breath and notice things. Notice when you are breathing normally, notice when you are breathing shallow, notice when you are holding your breath, notice how your whole body feels when you breath in. Do you notice any tense spots? Any stuck areas? Do you feel ease?

Just pay attention to all these things without judging them. It will begin to help you get into your body and in turn connect better to your horse and the things you do together. This is the first step. Then I'll add something else next time. Let me know what you find in the comments section.
Also be sure to check out our clinic in St Vincent on Waterhole Rituals, Riding and Yoga at http://stinaherberg.wordpress.com/clinics/ Hope to see you there!
http://fdhorsetraining.com/

Upcoming Clinic on Waterhole Rituals, Yoga and more in St Vincent's!

2011-01-05T21:26:00.000-05:00

I am soooo excited to be offering this Clinic with Stina Herberg! This is a wonderful opportunity to work in paradise with Stina's wild horses, and Stina and I. We will be covering Carolyn Resnick's Waterhole Rituals and how to apply them to riding. We will also be covering Yoga and it's application to riding for optimal connection when mounted. The dates as follows will be 4/4/11-4/9/11. Feel free to book a few extra days to explore this beautiful place and see all the other activities available at the Richmond Vale Hiking center. See link to her blog and the important details so you can plan ahead for this once in a life time clinic experience! Here is another beautiful video from Stina Herberg to give you a feel for what's in store. Here is the link to the more info. Contact Stina or I for additional questions. Do Not Miss This!
http://stinaherberg.wordpress.com/clinics/

Coming Home with Waterhole Rituals

2010-12-23T19:49:00.000-05:00

A little video showing use and results of some of Carolyn Resnick's Waterhole Rituals to reconnect with my horses after being away from them for two weeks.
http://fdhorsetraining.com/
http://fdhorsetraining.com/ezine.html
http://www.carolynresnickblog.com/

We, Us, Together equals Partnership

2010-12-01T19:15:00.000-05:00

"We" are napping together...

I want to give you an exercise that promotes a Partnership Mindset in you and your horse. It is quite simple. As consistent with most of my exercises, this one requires you only to change your thinking and approach to your regular work/play with your horse.

The change is to mentally think "We" are going here or there. Or doing this obstacle or Lateral movement. Instead of "You" (the horse) are going to do this task. Or "I" (the rider) are making you do this task for me. Which often leads to this thought process "You" (the horse) are not doing as I asked and are being stubborn, uncooperative, or disrespectful. And now "We" are both frustrated, and anxious or both.

What this Thinking does is set intention for you and you horse and give you both the feeling of working as a team. We as humans, tend to have a more cooperative attitude when thinking of anyone or any animal as a team mate or a partner. We tend to "Ask" for cooperation rather then demand it. We also tend to be more patient with communication and expectations. The most important point for the horse and your horsemanship though is, you are mirroring a cooperative, co-creative attitude which your horse will feel and mirror back to you. Remember good leadership starts with "Being" what you want your horse to "Be" and then "Being Together"
FDT
http://fdhorsetraining.com/

Feeding horses optimally and Supplementation

2010-11-23T19:52:00.001-05:00

Healthy from the inside out!

I would like to offer some ideas about nutrition and supplementation as people seem to have a hard time navigating this subject with their horses. As someone who feeds myself well, it makes common sense to me to use similar guidelines in food choices for my horses. I eat as much unprocessed whole food as I can and that's how I feed my horses and dogs.

What is whole unprocessed food? It is food that has literally been unprocessed or minimally processed. An Apple or Carrot raw is an unprocessed food. So is a steam crimped, rolled or whole oat. A hay pellet or Alfalfa pellet has been processed into meal and pressed into pellets so there is some processing but you are getting a relatively pure product in Alfalfa pellets. With Hay pellets you need to be label savvy to make sure your not getting a lot of uneccesary ingredients especially if your feeding them to Cushings or Insulin Resistent horses as they can have high molasses content. Chopped Dengie and other brands of bagged hay often have molasses added as well and you need to be aware of that if your horse needs to avoid it. Molasses in itself is not the worst thing but it is not a necessary ingredient and is over used as sugar is in human food.

Diets should be clean and simple not too fancy. If supplementation is needed for balancing vitamin and minerals, a free choice set up is nice so horses can pick what they want and in what amounts as they would in nature. For specific supplementation issues, such as Joints, Real mineral deficiencies, Probiotics, and specified health issues (allergies, respiratory, immune weakness, hoof) you want to pick high quality hand crafted mixes that cater to your horses needs. Most big name supplements have a lot of leeway in how much they put of actual therapeutic amounts for their dosing. I will repeat be a SAVVY label reader. Do the math. How much per scoop not per bucket of the so called active ingredient is in the supplement. Also, what kind of other fillers and artificial flavors are in there. Make sure the dosing is to the weight of your horse not just a scoop AM and PM. You may have a Mini or a Draft and the amounts will vary a huge amount. I find that you get what you pay for a lot in supplements so you may say "wow that supplement is expensive!" And buy the cheaper one. I can almost guarantee the cheaper one is of lower active ingredients and quality. Again check labels against price. It goes up as active ingredient amounts go up which is what makes them effective. You could be wasting you money on the cheaper one.

To close I am going to give you some recommendations on some resources and feeds that are in my program. Also remember to consult with your vets before making changes in feeds and make any changes very gradually.

Typically I feed:

Free choice high quality hay is the main source in my horses diets and or grazing
Whole oats, crimped or rolled oats
Alfalfa Pellets (if my hay has no alfalfa mixed in it)
Hay Pellets
Ground Flax seed
Kelp or Seaweed powder or pellets
Free choice Minerals
Whole Apples, Carrots
Treats made from good ingredients

The Supplements or companies I swear by from experience are:

GlC: I give my young sport horses as a preventative and for maintenance in arthritic or "sticky" horses. It just plain works and it is very pure. Horses after 30 days are moving much more freely and with more elasticity. I also use higher doses for rehabing soft tissue injuries as it helps repair and regenerate.

Gem Country Equine: Owned by my friend Angela Morlan who is a supplement genius at making custom supplements for your horse and their needs. She goes by weight and uses organic and pure ingredients no fillers. Her prices are incredibly competitive for a superior product. You tell her the problem, she'll make it for you. Also if you want a blend for a couple of issues you can get that too. Totally custom! How cool is that. Her email is gemcountryequine@gmail.com

Advanced Biological Concepts: For free choice supplements and feeders. They also have and extensive line of quality products.
http://www.a-b-c-plus.com/index.html

Happy Natural Horse: Hyland's Big Sky free choice minerals http://www.happynaturalhorse.com/shop.html

Standlee Hay company: Huge selection of pure hay pellets of all varietys and mixes http://www.standleehay.com/ViewProduct.aspx?type=sh&id=ogp

Keeping Training and Practice Fun and Joyful

2010-11-15T18:50:00.000-05:00

Mercury learned to smile from me teaching him how to take oral medicine. How useful is that! And he thinks he's so cool he walks around smiling all the time. Especially for the camera! Big ham...

As a young riding student, I learned a fairly traditional approach to horses and riding. This was niether good nor bad. It was what it was. I was taught all the basic things you are taught as a young student and I soaked it up like a sponge never questioning any of my instructors. As I got older and morphed into a trainer and teacher myself, my thirst for knowledge never ceased and is still there. I was starting to expand out of the box of traditional Horsemanship and branch into some other ideas of approaching horses and training.

The real revolution occurred with the idea that Practice and training of horses could actually be more like playing or a game and it could be fun not only for ME, but also for my HORSE. What a concept! As youngsters most of us were taught that riding was a fun activity, We LOVED horses with a passion and wanted them to love us back. But how many of us really thought about if our horse was having fun with our goals we had. Hunters, Jumpers. Eventing, Dressage, Western Pleasure, Reining etc. I'll tell you right now as someone who is still actively competing and coaching, I look into the eyes of some horses and they do not look like they are having fun. They are being obedient and performing but why can't it be fun for them too?

The first step to making it fun for your horse is to start by building a connection using a method such as Carolyn Resnick's Waterhole Rituals or something similar. This helps foster a horse who likes to be with you and wants to participate in the activities you may set up. The next thing is pick horses who have at least a little aptitude for the work you'd like them to do. This has nothing to do with breed or size. It has to do with raw materials. They don't have to be the next Olympic Reiner or Jumper but they will enjoy the exercises more if it is EASY for them to do them once they understand the question. The next step is relaxing agendas and being creative with exercises. Present them in little pieces, step by step. Not all horses learn the same way. Just like us. If they don't seem to get it one way, try another approach. Reward the slightest try and act like your horse is the smartest, coolest horse ever.Use the 10 second exercise between tries to allow your horse to come up with something. Don't judge what ever he comes up with. Go with it. Give treats at the right time as motivators. Horses like to know there is a food reward involved especially with hard exercises. The timing and giving of the treat is important to the "games' and "puzzles" you create. Some of my happiest training accidents have been when my horse was trying to invent a "New" exercise to offer me. You'll note that I said my horses will "Offer" or invent things on their own. If you let your work/play be like this then it is likely that your horse will invent things on his own and if you are open and flexible you might be knocked over by what your horse can do! I encourage this experimenting and interaction. That is when it is the most fun (even magical seeming) for me AND my horse! Happy Training!

Winter Virtual Clinic Classes

2010-11-05T19:17:00.000-04:00

I will be offering Online Integrative Horsemanship and Equine Wellness classes this winter and will be looking forward to getting input from my Blog readers for what you may be interested in learning more about. I have already had some requests for some introductions to Holistic remedies and Flower essences. Fearful riders also seems to be a popular topic. I would like to offer some virtual riding clinics as well so there should be something for everyone in every discipline. I will be using video and other media to support the classes so all you need is a computer, a phone, and the desire to learn to participate. Let me know your thoughts!

Colt starting contests, Mustang Makeovers, and Clinics...

2010-10-28T09:47:00.000-04:00

Colts from a contest

This subject has been on my mind a lot lately because it seems to be getting more popular.
People ask me from time to time why I don't enter a colt starting contest. There is now some for women exclusively. My response is "Why what's in it for the horse?"

And though I would love to get a Mustang at some point, He will be started with an attention to his pace and comfort level and no need to be put on display in 90 days to do some amazing feat. I am not against the principle of the Mustang contests. These horses need homes and that is the goal, but I question the entertainment concept and putting them on show. Could there be a less stressfull way to do this? Absolutely. Would it be less glamorous? Probably.

I have watched from the side lines as a horse lover and a professional these colt starting contests. I have not been excited by what I saw. I see horses being started in record times and doing very complex tasks in absurd amounts of time. What impresses me the most? It is not the skill of the Clinician in the arena. As usual it is the huge heart of the horse. Their willingness to let us subject them to whatever our whim is. It is the same thing that awes me everyday I am around them. With that said, it is my personal feeling that I, as a human should not take advantage of the horses generous and willing nature. It is my responsibilty to respect it and handle it with care. They show me again and again their huge heart and desire for connection if only given the time to let it unfold.

My final thought is how Clinicians and horses are increasingly being put in a very tough position when horses are brought to them to be "fixed" in a few hours or one, two or three days. The pressure to deliver results is very high and again falls squarely on the horses nature.

We are obsessed as a culture with speed and how fast we can get things done. Just because I possess the skill to do something very fast does not mean it is the best way for me or the horse. Last time I checked, Horsemanship was not a race it was a skill that took the time to consider the horses well being at all stages no matter what our goals are. Competitve or not.

Just my two cents...
FDT

The 10 second exercise

2010-10-20T21:28:00.000-04:00


Elsa taking a 10 second break in the hay pile...

I wanted to share an exercise I came up with which helps you learn to slow down your responses, be clearer in your communication and thinking, relax you and you horse and ride better.
All you have to do is do all the same things you usually practice with the simple addition of a 10 second moment between each request you make. It doesn't matter if you are doing Liberty, Ground Work or Riding. It will be hard for some but what it will do is help you stay focused, clear, and relaxed and in turn this will mirror to your horse.
So for example if you make a request for your horse to do something like move or walk, you count to 10 before you request anything else. Whatever it may be. If you canter, wait 10 seconds before you make a change. If you horse does something, I want you to wait 10 seconds before you do something with it UNLESS there is a safety issue. I'd like to hear what people find leave me a comment on your experiences when you try it out!
FDT

Visualization and Intention Setting

2010-10-11T20:40:00.000-04:00

Visualization and Intention Setting are two powerful and under utilized tools in our relationship and training of our horses. How many of you have uttered the phrase " I just thought it and he did it" while working with a horse? I bet some of you have.
It is in our mind but we cast it off as a unique incident or that the horse is really trained or super sensitive. Now those factors of course can be in play but what if we worked from this place all the time.
First let's break down Visualization and the different uses for it. I use Visualization in Riding, Training, and other times with my horses. The reason I put the two together is that when you Visualize you are starting to set your Intention. Visualization is when I clearly picture something in my head. It could be a particular movement as small as moving the horses body or leg a certain way, it could be a larger movement of leg yielding, it could be seeing the horse take the canter on the left lead etc. It could also be a calming visualization for me or the horse. I may see the horses posture in a more relaxed shape with the head lower and may mirror breathing calmly to the horse. I may see myself as softening and relaxing my body by visualizing something the triggers that in me. It is only your imagination that is the limit.
When it comes to Intention Setting. This can be a long and short term idea. I may say I want to do a Liberty Piaffe with my horse or I want jump four feet. So I have set my intention. By doing that, if we stay fluid and opened to the path to that goal it will most certainly happen. As soon as I set my intention, if I get out of the way, everything starts to move in that direction. Even training problems seem to fix themselves. Another good place for Intention setting is for a fearful rider. You may say "I want to walk out on the trails with my horse in 3 months and feel safe and calm" This helps you start on a positive path as opposed to this mind set of "I'm afraid to do this, I can't do this". Setting small achievable goals and knowing exactly when to push past yours or your horses comfort zone are keys to moving forward. Even so called backward steps are just reminders of readjusting your intentions or slowing down. If you listen to these little guides you will stay more fluid with yourself and your horse. Mistakes are only road signs to pay attention to. Read them and follow what they say and you'll get back on the path. The next time you go to your horse, try setting your Intention and then Visualizing what it is you want the horse to do. Let me know how it goes in the comments! Also write your Intentions down so you can start working toward them. Below you will see and example of my own Intention setting and Visualization. A long time ago, I never dreamed of riding without a bridle and doing dressage or jumping and then I saw people do it and I said "I can do that" and I saw myself doing it and I did it on a horse that was very difficult to ride it was a testament to what you can accomplish when you use these tools. See my first free ride in an open field I did last week and my first jumping video on only my second attempt at bridless riding in the videos below...
FDT

Relationship problem vs. Training Problem

2010-10-02T19:59:00.000-04:00

What Connection,Trust, and a strong bond can do...Mercury and I riding bareback, bridless, cantering and about to jump

In my travels as a trainer, I have obviously come across many horse-human problems. I have been called in to help the human with the horse. They say the horse does "x" and I don't like it or it scares me. As a career problem solver, I have learned to put things into categories so I can facilitate the problem solving process for both parties. The first step is asking is this a Relationship problem or a Training Problem? Also there is another category. Technical Training versus Behavioral training but that is for another blog.

What are some things that fall into Relationship problems? Hard to catch would be one, Head shyness could be another. Refusing to go certain places, or anxiousness and tension. Some people would say these are respect and obedience problems but I look at things from the horses point of view.
If a horse doesn't want to be caught, they may not be looking forward to some things that happen after they are. That list could be a long one starting with hard work programs to just plain bad chemistry with their person, Poor fitting equipment, leaving friends etc. This is a Relationship problem because if the horse was bonded, connected and trusting the person who comes out, they will most likely happily come to you or at least allow you to walk up and halter them.
Another symptom of a Relationship problem would be a horse exhibiting tension while being ridden and spooking. Another symptom of Lack of trust and not having confidence in the leadership of the person handling them.
As someone who has built connection with some horses who really didn't want to work for anyone, I have seen first hand that they will give so much when you take the time to build Relationship with them. Often a lot of misunderstood horses can be worked with to gain a great partnership if only you are willing to take the time. I find far too many people just can't be bothered to work with a horse that is not absolutely simply and calm. These horses often have a lot of untapped talent and heart. But the problem is often how people relate to them and their not so easy behavior. Calling them stupid or bad or disrespectful.
The word Respect is thrown around horse training far too casually and it becomes the label for every problem behavior. Some Disrespectful behavior has developed from the persons disrespectful behavior to the horse. Respect is a two way street. This is how I explain it to a horse. I'm going to respect you and your feelings and I expect the same in return. Once these things are in place Technical Training becomes a pleasure and much easier for both horse and human. Think about your horse and how good your relationship is and if it could use some building or he's your best four legged friend!

Natural born eventer works for head rubs, treats...

2010-09-22T22:23:00.001-04:00

I wanted to share this story of an OTTB that is near and dear to my heart from http://offtrackthoroughbreds.com/

By Susan Salk on September 21, 2010

James proved to be a lovable eventer

Natural Horsemanship veteran Farah DeJohnette’s methodology starts in the stall.
The “home visit” figures right up there among other important details of buying a horse, from physical conformation to a clean bill of health. This is tantamount to choosing any breed, Warmblood, Thoroughbred or something else.
Stating she has a “knack” for picking low-key Thoroughbreds in this way, DeJohnette says, “I go into the stall because that’s where the horse is who he is. This is where he lets down his track energy.”
And the results speak for themselves. In her 20 years training horses through a method that gains an equine’s trust and cooperative spirit, she has taught her Warmblood to jump with her, at a canter, and without a bridle! And Thoroughbreds and other breeds have been taught to loosen, relax and work collaboratively in disciplines, which include trail riding, dressage, hunter/jumper and reining.
Race name: Homeland Security
New name: AKA James
Sire: Corporate Report
Dam: Sportin’ Woman
Foal date: April 2, 2001
In his stall at Penn National is where DeJohnette met her all-time favorite horse, an off-track Thoroughbred named Homeland Security, now known as James.
“When I met James in his stall, he was the most soft, friendly horse I’d met. He turned his head to me as if to say, ‘Don’t you just want to love on me?’ It was as though he was asking me to rub his face and hug him.”
Her years of experience had shown her that horses who are flighty, or flinch away from the touch in their stall may have personality issues to overcome. By contrast, she recognized James as an equine gem.

Farah DeJohnette takes a jump on another horse

Working through a service called Mix n’ Match, which helps connect buyers with off-track Thoroughbreds, DeJohnette found the 16-hand Chestnut with white blaze and socks roughly three years ago.
He was the type of horse that nobody could pass by without commenting. “Everybody would tell me James was such a nice horse and he really was,” she says. “His energy is so kind and sweet and gentle.”
She laughs now when she thinks about how his personality first affected her. “I imagined he felt a little dejected because he wasn’t a good racehorse,” DeJohnette says. “I always talk to the horses and I told him I thought I had a job for him that he’d be really good at.”
She proved correct.
After four or five months of training, James was purchased by a young girl, and ran “double-clean” is his first event years ago. He went on to finish in the top six at numerous horse trials. “He jumped cross country, did a dressage test, and did all the natural jumps, and he didn’t have any penalties.
“He started a totally new career, in a new environment, and he just went out and did it like he’d been doing it his entire life.”
James was rare, true, but his story of transitioning from the racetrack into a successful off-track life through Natural Horsemanship training, is not unusual one.
By working with a horse’s natural herd instinct, Natural Horsemanship techniques attempt to build order, trust, and establish bonds that closely resemble relationships that exist naturally between horses.
It has worked so well with Thoroughbreds she has trained that there have been times she has suggested an ex-racehorse might fit a client’s bill better than a Warmblood.
“I work in the show world surrounded by a lot of people who have this notion, ‘I want a warmblood.’ I tell them the Thoroughbred is often a better horse, purely from a technical standpoint. And they’ll tell me, ‘Well, it’s just a Thoroughbred.’
“But I’ve realized that I can train a Thoroughbred into being a highly competitive sport horse that won’t break the bank.”
A natural tendency to want to work combined with Natural Horsemanship is a combination that often brings out the best in Thoroughbreds, DeJohnette says.
“To me, Natural Horsemanship was invented for track horses, and horses who have lived in a high-alert state,” she says.

James, with new owner, and her sister

Through trust-building exercises and inducements to bring out the horse’s desire to want to do a task, she has been rewarded by the horse’s willingness to partner up.
After all, the horse is ultimately “choosing” whether to cooperate or not, she notes.
“I don’t care how much restraint you put on a 1,200 pound horse. If he’s frightened, he can snap a leather strap so easily. The point is to let him choose to work,” DeJohnette says. “I always tell people a horse is not under control to me unless he’s choosing to be under control. After all, I’ve been on many horses in my life who don’t care what’s in their mouth. When they decide they’re done, they’re done.”
But when they decide they’re part of your team, and they’re willing, there’s nothing like it. And factor in a Thoroughbred, and the combination can be very winning.
“I have Warmbloods, and they’re great. But I just have a soft spot for Thoroughbreds. And when they go to a show, if they want to work for me, it gives them a real competitive edge against horses who are coerced to work.”
(Please see DeJohnette jumping Mercury, her gelding, without a bridle).

Warming up and the importance of it

2010-09-10T20:28:00.000-04:00

I would like to impress upon people the importance of simply Warming up your horse for any type of work. I don't care what discipline you ride you need to warm your horse up in what ever way seems appropriate to the individual.

I tend to address training often using simple logic and this is one of those areas. If you are working your horse at a certain level that requires any suppleness, strength, cardio, or athletic difficulty, you need to warm your horse up properly.
Some things that I will do is read my horses posture to know if my horse is ready to start more demanding work. The video shows what posture I like to have in my horse before I start to ask them to do more focused work.

Ask yourself if you went to work out or do a Yoga class, would you want to go right to a bunch of really difficult exercises cold or would you like to loosen up first and gradually get into more challenging things little by little.

Another thing to think about is how we often try to cram a horse into outlines or frames they would actually choose to take naturally if they were given a choice and a bit of time to relax into it. With no help from you. Yes, The horse would actually offer the very thing you were trying to make happen manually and too early in the ride. This could also cause undo strain and injury to a body that isn't ready to go there yet.

When it comes to arthritic and older horses it is even more important to take longer more gentle warm ups to make sure joints get plenty or blood flow to increase mobility and flexibility. These horses will stay sounder longer and work happier and more comfortably.
I have lots of things I do and they vary from horse to horse from hand walking for several minutes to mounted exercises. I have several video exercises some are more involved then others. Some are on the ground and others are mounted see below for examples.

Bitless: Why I do it...

2010-08-26T21:32:00.003-04:00

This horse is notoriously heavy on the fore...
now successfully doing Bitless and Bridless collection

In my journey through Horsemanship and Training, I have come to look for better ways to communicate with my horse with equipment and without. The more skilled I have become the less reliant on equipment I have become.
I always used what I'd call "cheap" western Side Pulls from time to time in my training in the past but wasn't into them enough to convert completely. I hadn't found one that compared with my fine english bridle quality. I also was able to ride in halters, leather and rope, but found them a bit sloppy and imprecise for more than a fun hack around some slightly higher level work. Mechanical Hackamores were to me as aggressive if not more then some bits with bicycle chain and wire wrapped with leather in some designs.
When I found the Buckaroo Leather Side Pull and then went on to design the Padded version with John Brand, I had no idea this bridle would become my go to training piece of equipment until I had it in my hand and kept going back to no matter what type of horse I was riding.
I use it on soft horses, heavy strong horses, young horses, jumpers, dressage horses, western horses and more. I don't care if the horse is green or advanced I still use it.
Of course I still use bits because unfortunately, some competitions wont allow you not too, but hopefully that will change soon. I don't feel I need a bit at all though. Give me enough time with a horse and I can get him to ride beautifully in a Side Pull. Let me reiterate "TIME". It took me time to get the heavy pullers riding nicely in the Side Pull but I took that time as opposed to taking the easy way out and going to bigger bits and gadgets. I took the Time to teach them to be more supple, more balanced and strong through proper work and fitness.
Which leads me to another very interesting point. In my conversion of many horses to Bitless for training, I made a discovery about a common problem. Horses opening their mouths during training with the bit. I discovered that mouth opening had more to do will lack of suppleness in the Poll and being on the forehand then it had to do with the bit! How did I find this out? Well while training some known mouth openers with bits, Once I switched them to bitless guess what? When they were struggling with suppleness, unbalanced or both, They opened their mouth with NO BIT. When they were stiff in their body and poll, They opened their mouth regardless of whether they had the bit or not.
What does this mean? To me it means that the Poll and jaw are connected (not a new discovery in training) but why are we working on the jaw when the problem is originating in the Poll and body?
Hence back to why I use a Side Pull bitless bridles and Neck straps (Corderos). They allow me to talk directly to the body parts I need to without interfering with other body parts and possibly even DISTRACTING the horse from the area that needs focus. I'm not saying there are not dental problems and bitting issues that can arise from the mouth, but I am saying you can find out if you try a bitless bridle and in fact it may be the answer to horses with dental and mouth issues. Just like when I want to see if the saddle is compromising the horses desire to perform. I ride him bareback or with a bareback pad. If he rides fine, then I know the saddle is a problem. More oats for thought from yours truly and my two cents. Also, Don't miss an opportunity to get one of these beautiful bitless bridles right now in my Bridle Shop!

Product Review: Horsethink Bareback pad

2010-08-18T21:08:00.001-04:00

I am always on the lookout for great products for my own training programs. When I find them, I want to share them with you so you can make informed purchases in a sea of products.
This review is on the Horsethink.com Bareback pad. I LOVE this pad! It has all the features I wanted in bareback pad but didn't know until I found it. This pad has a non-slip rubber waffle underside which fixes the problem a lot of cheaper pads have of sliding. It has a felt inner pad which cushions you and your horse and breathes and wicks moisture. It has a quality suede top which is grippy and secure. There is a hand hold for those "uh oh" moments. And last but not least it has english billets which you can select your own dressage short girth to use with. This is Huge! I have long been frustrated by these fluffy nylon bareback pads with poor cinch and girth adjustments. It seems they only fit a certain size horse and you can't quite get them tightened properly. A safety issue. It also makes less bulk under you leg. I give this pad a 10 out of 10 even though it is a bit more money then some pads at $160.00, You get what you pay for in quality, value, safety and fun!
FDT

Yours truly bridless and bareback with my pad on Mercury

Communication

2010-08-10T22:00:00.000-04:00

Clear Communication is a very important and often overlooked part of our relationship with our horses. When I am working with a horse young or old, I am always trying to build a conversation with him while I'm introducing a new task.
Communication to me is made up of several things. It starts with a clear idea in my head or setting my intention. Then I think carefully about my body language, verbal cues or tools I will use and the clear precise way I will use them. Another important piece is giving you and your horse time to read and respond to each other. And how much energy you are going to need. So if I make a request, I need to make sure I am clear and wait to see what my horses response will be. If he responds well, I can positively reinforce the response with praise, a release, or food, If I don't get any response, or the horse offers something other then what I requested, I can decide how I want to proceed after that. I may also make the task easier or simpler if I feel that is the problem.
A problem I often see is people moving too quickly with their cues and body language without thinking and bombarding their horse with too many signals. One of two things happens then, The horse is confused and doesn't know what to respond to first or they get desensitized to the language seeing it as "noise" or chatter.
It is important to break exercises into very small parts and build on and positively reinforce the smallest positive effort. You will engage your horse and create a willing participant who will seek out the next task with enthusiasm and interest.
Ask yourself if you have taken the time to be clear yourself before you make a request to your horse and get frustrated with his response. Also, take time before you ask for each thing and ask for them one at a time increasing the difficulty as your horse gains confidence and going back to an easier exercise if need be. Ignore any "wrong" answers as long as they are not dangerous, rude or disrespectful. Focus only on the positive reactions your horse gives. You will see you sessions together get better and better.
FDT

A review from Horses All Magazine

2010-07-26T18:18:00.000-04:00

I just thought I'd share with everyone this review of my FDT I Instructor videos from Horses All Magazine and Carol Upton.

"Farah DeJohnette Instructional Horse Training Videos

Farah DeJonette

View Larger Image

2009-2010, starting at $1.99 ea. to download Available at: www.fdhorsetraining.com

Reviewed by Carol M. Upton

“In the end, horses have been the greatest trainers I’ve ever had. In fact, most of the things I learned about life, I learned in the presence of a horse.”

— Farah DeJohnette

Farah DeJohnette has an approach, which she calls “integrative horsemanship,” a blend of natural horsemanship, dressage foundation training and balanced seat riding. DeJohnette’s methods encourage the horse to follow the trainer with mind and heart. She offers riding and training instruction in person and now through a new concept — downloadable, on-demand videos specific to the rider’s needs. Take these short lessons along to the barn on a phone or ipod and discover how everything you do with your horse can flow more easily.

The Yield of Forequarters video I chose to view first is an excellent one for use with all horses, but particularly in dressage and reining. DeJohnette teaches the execution of a relaxed pivot. Using basic, practical language, she discusses building competency with each exercise to progress to the desired result.

Steering Techniques to Harmonize with Your Horse provides a lesson on the use of your core and eyes to “steer from your body” and assist your horse in balanced turns. Exercises are kept simple, with clear instructions on when to use aids to augment the bodywork.

The third video I looked at was Neck Strap Exercise, more advanced for the rider who is teaching collection and preparing for bridleless riding. DeJohnette recommends having a good foundation in liberty work before proceeding to this training, which involves a series of walk-halts, so that the horse learns to follow the rider’s body.

These videos offer a unique, eco-friendly way for equestrians to choose particular topics from an extensive list that includes liberty, ground training and jumping. They are perfect tools for those who wish to extend their learning beyond lessons they are taking or who cannot readily access a trainer.

Farah DeJohnette’s talent in over 20 years of competitive horse training makes her a uniquely skilled trainer. She offers lessons,

training, virtual coaching, videos and bitless bridles at" www.fdhorsetraining.com

Positive Reinforcement

2010-07-15T21:34:00.000-04:00

As I have come to work with some challenging horses and with the wisdom of time and experience, I have come shape my training around Positive Reinforcement.

What is Positive Reinforcement? It can be Verbal, Physical, Food, or allowing the horse to do something he wants to do. If I have a horse that may have some undersireable behavior I basically ignore it and focus on the rewarding the behavior I do like and build up from there. We tend to fixate on the "Bad" behavior and correcting it instead of teaching the horse a new pattern.

For example, if a horse is rude around food I would not correct him or yell at him for being pushy and aggressive. I would think of what I might like the horse to do instead and set about showing him how to do that and then rewarding the positive change. So I might say to the horse with my body language or even a stick, "could you move back over there about 5-6 steps and "whoa"? The horse may need to be requested several times to stay back and wait, but I will just keep asking politely until he says "ok" by standing and giving me eye contact. At that point I will give him the precious food he so much wanted and we will have had a conversation about how I'd like him to conduct himself around me and food. Ultimately respect my leadership and safety and I will be more then happy to give him what he wants. Leadership is balance thing.

If we are Ogres and control freaks all the time, the horse will run the other way when we come to the pasture. On the other hand if we are push overs, we can get hurt and frustrated because our horse out ranks us.
We need to focus on consistent positive, behavior patterns and keep working with them daily.

When I have worked with difficult horses, I find as long as I can get them to honor my personal space, we can start to have a conversation about what might be a better way to work together. I don't really care if a horse is a bucker, rearer,striker or kicker. None of these things can hurt me if the horse is not in my personal space. So if I have this horse and he is upset or even aggressive, we have to learn how to be in a space and respect each other. If I feel safe I can let the horse express his opinions freely until he feels heard and then he will probably listen to me. A lot of times a horse wants us to just listen. Like a person who's upset.This horse often stops protesting when he sees I am not going to make a request until he shows me his softer side. Also, by not trying to control the "bad" behavior it often diffuses itself and fizzles out. If you don't feed that energy, it goes hungry. Same with fear and spookiness.

Some horses seek negative reinforcement just as much as positive because they are smart and it has gotten a rise out of the human. It can become a game that you don't even know you are playing. If I ignore this game and then see some behavior I like, I will go and Positively Reinforce it. The horse learns the "negative" behavior goes un-noticed and loses interest in doing it anymore. I have found this way of training has garnered me much more success then chasing horses around pens and "Dominating" them. This is not to say a horse doesn't need leadership and to respect you. It is to say that we can do it in a Positive way and keep a nice relaxed, harmonious connection even when there is a lot of energy to deal with.
FDT

Focus

2010-07-07T19:58:00.000-04:00

I am frequently asked to address Focus issues in horses my own included. The funny part is often the people state they too have trouble focusing...Interesting. I often am asked to deal with Fear issues in horses and surprise! The owners are fearful too!. So what's the point here? Well if our goal is to be a good leader to our horse and garner our horses respect and bond to us, The work starts with us. The reason the horses improve when I work with them is because I give them 100% focus and I am generally not afraid because I don't put myself in positions which scare me. People say to me "Farah you never seem afraid even working with so called "dangerous" horses" And that's because I know what steps or exercises I need to do for myself to feel safe, Then as a natural result I am not afraid. You notice how I said I do things with the horse to help me feel not afraid not the horse feel not afraid because as a result the horse gets more focused and less afraid.
Your horse requires 100% of your attention if you expect his. Some methods rely on the horse having to pay attention, regardless of if we are or not. This doesn't seem fair to me. If a student is in a class room and the teacher is off in La La land. That class is going to find other ways to entertain themselves good or bad. They are also going to resent and not respect that teacher too much.
If you and your horse are completely focused on each other as much of the time as possible, the communication should be more effortless and as a result you should pick up on subtle cues that your horse may be getting nervous about something. Then you can take measures to prevent a spook or redirect your horses energy somewhere else.
I feel that a lot of accidents are a result of lack of focus and awareness in the horse and rider.
So try this exercise if you feel you have an unfocused or spooky horse. Take measure to make yourself feel safe, and spend a whole session completely focused on what your are doing and who you are doing it with. Let me know how it goes in the comments section!

Dressage as meditation

2010-07-01T22:17:00.000-04:00

What if when we rode it was a meditation practice as well as a ride. Meditation by it's definition is the clear focus on one particular thing. It is the absence of cluttered thought and detachment from the moment. It is total present mindedness and total awareness and respect for the connection between you and the horse the entire time you are together. This is easier said then done for a lot of us so it should be part of a practice for us as much as we practice other things.
Ask yourself if you are with your horse when working together or in your head. Are you obsessing about meaningless perfection details or staying in a slow calm flow even when doing faster exercises. Slowing down is an excellent way to stay in an aware and present state with your horse. Doing relaxing interesting patterns with a focus on the exercises and it end results not the "issues" you feel as you do it. Focusing on your BREATH and keeping it regular and calm is an excellent way not only to meditate in an aware state with you horse but also to connect, relax and calm both of you. Any adjustments you want to make in the horse should be done peacefully, calmly and quietly with a feel for not disturbing the connection. This doesn't mean you can't be firm it just means it's slow, calm and patient with a pause for you both to contemplate afterward for a moment before moving on. When working with a particular Method or school of thought, do not get caught up in the technique above your meditation and connection with your horse. Staying in the moment and flow with your horse will allow you to have great moments together. As a competitive rider, it is important to keep this practice at the top of your priorities if you are going to keep yourself and your horse in a state of happiness in your work together. So take breath and relax the next time you ride and just "be" together whatever you do....Namaste

Chiropractic work and hoof trimming

2010-06-17T22:45:00.000-04:00

I am happy to report I am back online after my wireless modem died this week. So sorry for the lag in blog posts.
Anyway, I wanted to bring to light some interesting observations I experienced working closely with my farrier and Equine chiropractor on different issues that can come up.
First of all, I am an avid proponent of chiropractic work for any living thing from a qualified and preferably *Network style trained practitioner. I have witnessed nothing short of miracles in transformation in quite a few horses.
What appears to be a conformation fault or a weak limb is more often than not a fixable structural problem. In addition to these findings, I have seen that chiropractic combined with proper joint supplementing (I recommend GLC 5500) can stave off if not remove the need for joint injecting. Arthritic changes are often caused by misalignments left untreated. But yet we treat the the joint by injecting it instead of the cause.
Now let's talk about how your farrier's job is to balance your horses limbs. As your horse grows and wears his feet between trimming cycles, his mis-allignments in his limbs and joints can cause flairs and uneven balance in his feet. Let's say we adjust that horse and don't trim his feet at the same time. His hoof wear pattern is in line with his mis-alligned structure not his new alligned structure. So it makes sense to adjust around the same time you trim or shoe. You are helping the horse hold his new allignment better and the muscles to learn new movement patterns to additionally support the positive permanent changes. Food for thought.
FDT

Vlog: Working with Liberty for Natural Jumpers

2010-06-03T21:18:00.000-04:00

This video shows me introducing ground poles and obstacles to a 2yr warmblood old filly using Liberty exercises to foster trust, connection, free choice to jump willingly and confidence. It is an extension of the Liberty connection we already have. http://fdhorsetraining.com/

Vlog series: How Liberty work helped me with riding part 9

2010-05-26T20:15:00.000-04:00

In this installment of my Vlog, I am still working on the same concepts with the Waterhole Rituals as the previous videos. There is continual huge improvement. In this one I continue to build the Companion walk and have even touched on the trot which has been my goal all along. I am still using Eye Contact to work on focus and confidence and Draw to improve the Companion Movement. I use some Leading from Behind. To compare our mounted work from now and when we started is night and day. We have stops, transitions, relaxation, hugely improved rhythm, and focus. All from doing this work. It is a fun and interesting session each time we work together!

Vlog series: How Liberty work helped me with riding part 8

2010-05-14T21:39:00.000-04:00

This video shows so many good things that have developed which I talk about. The Companion walk is there with halts which has impacted our riding. The halts are coming softer and more responsive when riding. The relaxed soft Long and Low posture she is exhibiting is light years away from where we started. We are generally just more together. It is so much fun to see it all unfold! The Leading from behind is relaxing to her, and the send and draw are much improved.
Carolyn Resnick's Blog

Vlog series: How Liberty work helped me with riding part 7

2010-05-05T23:16:00.001-04:00

In this 7th installment of my Vlog series, There is a visible and dramatic change in Phoenix's demeanor and attitude.
First, we are achieving a relaxation and peace together that was elusive before. Second, because of this our mounted work has a much more relaxed, pleasant, and joyful quality to it. We are working more as a unit and it starts to become more apparent as the videos progress. I never know what will transpire when we start our sessions but I am always pleased to see a growth in our communication and connection. In this video there is a continuation of the previous exercises and body language, I'm using Sharing space, Leading from behind, eye contact, Draw and eventually companion moving.
As I stated before in my previous Vlogs, The Sharing Space helped with our bond and connection and gave a platform to depart from. Phoenix and I love Sharing Space, she hangs out with me and often rest together with her pasture mates in the field. This is mine and her favorite ritual. The Leading from behind helped me with her willingness. The Eye Contact helped me with her confidence and focus issues, the Send and Draw helped me with working with her energy and the Companion moving (the second most important ritual) is helping us with our Transitions and halts and speed control in a harmonious way. Here is the latest video.

Being a good leader

2010-05-01T20:40:00.002-04:00

What does it mean to be a good Leader to your horse? In a lot of training the focus is on "being the boss" being the dominant one or the alpha. I have heard this uttered by many trainers at many competitions and even Natural Horsemanship clinicians.
First, lets talk about Lead versus Dominant energy. In a herd there are Lead, Dominant, and submissive horses. In people there are the same. Lead horses can be in charge of the herd but so can dominant horses. A herd lead by a Lead horse tends to be more balanced and peaceful then a herd lead by a Dominant horse.
So what's the difference? Lead horses are looking out for the highest good of the herd and individual. Lead horses don't make demands they make reasonable requests which seem inviting to horses. They tend to not use aggressive body language in general because they don't have to. Dominant horses can be aggressive if not out right mean at times to take rank and ownership of territory. They are much more likely to use big gestures and body language and engage in "Dominance games" with other dominant horses. These are the horses you often see playing roughly and wrestling when paired up.They are also likely to get this way with a person that approaches them with this type of energy.
To me being a good Leader to my horses means behaving as much like a lead horse as possible. It means that if I want to be followed I should behave like someone who would be good to follow. Think about that. Are you someone you'd like to follow? Ask yourself this question. Would you happily follow your lead if you were a horse? It means thinking about what you are requesting of your horse and how they might feel about it. It means acknowledging their fears and helping them overcome them in a supportive way not a forceful one. It means thinking about the overall balance of the herd and all involved including yourself. Balance is so important. Yes we the people are included in that. Some people put so much focus on the horses well being that they fore go their own and that is not balanced Leadership either. A Leader is only as good as they are feeling in their core being. That means a happy balanced healthy Leader mirrors the same to their horses. Always think about that when you are getting ready to "Lead". We all have bad days and we are allowed to have them. In fact saying out loud "I'm having a bad day and it's ok" is a very freeing experience. Horses like emotional congruency much more then when we try to be perfect for them or cover our hidden fears, depression, anger or anxiety. We are only kidding ourselves if we think they can't read that in us. So next time you see your horse, think about preparing to be a good Leader and remember this is an ever changing role for us. Each day brings us different opportunities to Lead and Learn how to be better Leaders.

FDT

Introduce yourselves!

2010-04-24T20:28:00.000-04:00

First of all, I want to thank all of the people who subscribe to my blogs and follow me on twitter, FB and all the other online places I have made friend and followers.
For this weeks blog post I have a request. I would like you to introduce yourselves and tell me a little bit about you and your horses and or other animals companions. I know there are a lot people following the blogs so leave a comment so I can get to know you better. Even ask a question or offer a topic idea for a future blog. Even if I know you already, just say hi or give me an update on your equine activities. I can't wait to hear from you!

FDT

Replay of the radio show on bitless

2010-04-19T22:54:00.000-04:00

In case you missed it, here's the replay of the radio show on bitless bridles and riding also a link to my Bridle shop so you can take a look at the bridles mentioned.

NHN Radio show tomorrow the 19th!

2010-04-18T20:53:00.001-04:00

Join me and DC tomorrow at 7pm EST for another fun informative show on Bitless bridles and options.

Connection versus Collection versus Connection

2010-04-15T08:27:00.001-04:00

I wanted to address the terms Connection (in the physical sense), Collection, and Connection (in the bonded sense).

A lot of people interpret a horse that is balanced, rhythmic, and in a frame to be Collected. This is actually Connection in the physical sense. It means the horses body is moving as a unit in harmony. The hind end is Connected to the front end through the soft relaxed back, The horses body is free from brace, left, right and over the topline. The horse is also balanced in his movement. This creates a picture that most people see as harmonious and flowing whether it is on a long rein, in a halter, bareback, dressage, jumping, reining, bridless, bitless or anything else.

Collection is a technical term. It is the last stage on the Training Scale. The Training scale follows this progression Rhythm, Relaxation/Suppleness, Contact, Impulsion, Straightness, Collection. The Training scale helps you with a guideline of what to train in what order. In other words, You wouldn't train Collection before your horse had consistent and reliable Rhythm. You wouldn't ask for Impulsion until your horse had found the Frame etc. So you try to get one area very good before you go to the next progression. Collection literally means to compress or shorten the frame of the horse while maintaining energy and power. It is not slowing down the rhythm, It is not taking the horses stride away. The horses frame and body get shorter because they go up in the poll and rounder in the back instead of longer and more extended in the stride and frame. They cover less ground because of this compression. It is challenging to the horse and requires careful preparation, fitness and foundation training to not have it be just a slower gait with a short stride. Collection is found in Western Pleasure, Reining, Dressage, Jumpers, Equitation, and any other discipline where there are changes of gait. Collection is also not just physical. It requires a horse to understand it in his mind before he can understand it in his body. Exercises that build Collection successfully teach the horse to Collect himself out of his choice.
Now Let's talk about Connection in the bonded sense. This to me is desire in the horse and rider. The horse likes and wants to be with the person working with him. The person likes and wants to work in partnership with his horse. They are both working together toward a common goal in balance and Harmony and they are enjoying it even when the work is challenging. They are enjoying it because you (the leader) are making it enjoyable and looking out for your partner's well being as you would any person you cared for.
If you combine this with your horsemanship, you will always enjoy your horse, and your horse will always enjoy you!

FDT

Vlog series: How Liberty work helped me with riding part 6

2010-04-10T09:06:00.000-04:00

In this 6th video, I am working with Phoenix's high energy on shaping it a little. I thought I would work on Companion Moving but, It seems that this was more appropriate today. This video shows how you let the horse shape your leadership and how you build connection that way.
I started working with Sending her at speed and drawing her back in to me in the last video. This exercise helps with bringing a horses energy up and back down again and all the variables in between. You can work with transitions and coming in at different speeds. Again, this is something we need in mounted work. And as I explained before, Phoenix is not always agreeable to speed control. It is the beginning of the stage of Dancing with your horse. It is also the stage where the Heart and Desire is built in the horse to partner with you. What does that mean to me? It means, That my horse wants to work with me and give their all. It means that my horse seeks and finds the work we do as fun and interesting as I do. Ask any competitive rider what sets one performance horse apart from the other? They could both have the same breeding, conformation, training and preparation. What would make one performance higher quality then the other? They would all say Heart and Desire in their horse. But this is not just about performance. It is about any horse and person and their work together. Whether it be Show Jumping and Dressage or Trail riding and Back yard arena work. What person wouldn't want there horse to bring their heart to every ride? Until the next one...

FDT

Vlog series: How Liberty work helped me with riding part 5

2010-04-02T09:50:00.002-04:00

In this 5th installment of my Vlog, You see how each day is different and by letting the horse shape you leadership, you allow the Liberty exercises to unfold while building the connection. There has been HUGE improvement in our ground and riding in a short time of doing this work.
In the past two weeks we have had tremendous breakthroughs in our dressage work and our connection has been building with each interaction. It makes our training work so much more fun and it feels like we are really starting to think together.
This video shows how spontaneous you learn to be and how I came in sort of knowing where we could build better connection and I found that a different exercise then I expected was what presented itself. I started working on the last exercise in the group which is Sending the horse at speed around the area and then drawing them back to you. This exercise I think will be beneficial to Phoenix and I in that it will help us practice speed control and her allowing me to influence it more. She's likes to go fast and not slow down or stop! When you and your horse get good at this particular stage, you can speed up and slow the horse down during the draw phase and continue to work on transitions.
I would say this exercise is also good for lower energy types who need to get comfortable with moving out at speed and coming back down.
There's more to come so stay tuned...

FDT

The 3 stages of learning an exercise for a horse and rider

2010-03-29T21:05:00.005-04:00

I wanted to talk about learning and how to help our horses understand our requests better by explaining how we can break down an exercise into 3 stages. When I say exercise, I want you to apply this to anything you do. It could be Ground, Liberty, Mounted, Dressage, Jumping, Reining or any task you have set up. It means that you evaluate where you and your horse are in these three stages by asking yourself these questions. 1. Is this exercise new to my horse and I?(first time you've ever showed it to him). 2. Are we familiar with the exercise but still have some physical difficulty with it (but intellectually you both understand what you are asking). 3. You understand and practice the exercises regularly and are good if not near perfect in execution reliably a high percentage of the time.
Now you've asked yourself these questions and answered them to the best of your ability. Think about anything you may be doing now with your horse where you are struggling a bit. Does it help to think of it that way? What stage are you at with your exercise together? Now let's look at this from the human perspective. It is the same isn't it? You learn something new, You understand it but need to practice it more to get it more correct, You have practiced a lot and have grasped an exercise pretty fully and can do it without having to think too much about it. It becomes natural. Think of Rising in the trot. Once it was a bit difficult to think of doing this motion while trotting and now it is as easy as breathing or blinking for you (or maybe you are still learning it in stage 2!) It helps to think this way so we forgive ourselves and our horses learning curve. Every horse and human learn at different paces and in different ways. It is best to work at a pace that is comfortable for both of you. Mistakes are o.k. and are really just guides to what you need to focus on. It doesn't matter how many times or repetitions it takes or how many days or weeks. It takes as long as it takes. If you think this way you will get where you want to go a lot faster. Trust me. Be happy with the smallest try in yourself and horse. Smalls slow steps lead to big improvement. Never be in a hurry.
FDT

Desensitizing versus shutting a horse down

2010-03-23T21:53:00.000-04:00

Many trainers talk about desensitizing horses. I think that there is a delicate balance between desensitizing and shutting a horse down. I have worked with horses that are so desensitized that they know longer respond to any signal that is not "Loud". I think that in some cases horses should be left in there natural state of responsiveness. As always, I like to take each horse in a case by case basis.
Let's take a horse that has a medium amount of energy and a basically balanced temperament. This horse may just need exposure to people, places and things. But not a lot of flapping of tarps and ropes etc. Another horse may be very sensitive and reactive. This horse I'd focus on calmer more relaxed slower responses, but not necessarily flapping ropes and tarps. I may do a little desensitizing with a very fearful horse. But only after I'd done a LOT of Liberty work at which time the horse probably would only need a little desensitizing after we had trust and connection. There is a question to of breaking trust which has been built by over desensitizing. So the question is do we need to do much desensitizing if we have a good relationship working and or playing with our horse? Mostly our horses need our leadership, patience, and calmness to get them through new experiences. They need to be allowed to explore an object at liberty or given the space on line to approach in their own time when curiosity replaces fear which it usually does in time. Time is another question. A lot of horses just need time to get comfortable with things in their environment. I want a horse to stay in their naturally balanced state of awareness unless they are what I deem to be in an unbalanced state. In some cases flower essences may be appropriate for these horses as opposed to desensitizing. Food for thought...

Vlog series: How Liberty work helped me with riding part 4

2010-03-18T21:46:00.001-04:00

In this 4th installment of my Vlog, Phoenix and I are really starting to connect and come together. We are starting to work in harmony and transitions are coming together along with the bond, focus and companion moving. She is becoming calmer and more relaxed and happy. This is particularly important because she is sometimes nervous as you can see in the previous videos in this indoor arena and this work helps her to become more confident with me when we move on to riding. I feel like if we can get here together before we ride, We will have a good ride whether we jump or practice dressage or move on to In-Hand or line work. My goal is to get her to move with me at the trot and canter as well. This is going to be the next challenge for us together and the topic of the next few videos.

Vlog series: How Liberty work helped me with riding part 3

2010-03-11T21:29:00.001-05:00

In this 3rd video with Phoenix, You see things starting to calm down a bit. We are starting to get better connection through Eye contact, Draw, Companion moving and leading from behind. The stronger these movements are the better the connection you'll start to see unfold. You will also see several things start to take shape.Through the leading from behind comes comes a desire to move together. From Eye contact comes more focus and calmness from Phoenix, From the draw I am able to start communicating speed, direction control and Halts. All without tack, all through natural body language and all contributing to the basic foundation goals of riding. Harmony, relaxation, focus, communication, direction and speed control.

Vlog series: How Liberty work helped me with riding Part 2

2010-03-02T09:55:00.001-05:00

In this second video, Phoenix shows her energy levels in the full spectrum. You'll see me alternate between, Leading her from behind, Eye contact, Companion moving, and Sharing space with her. She is young and she likes to run! She also is nervous and anxious a lot of the time. I am using this Liberty work to address the riding issues of: Harmony, Trust, Willingness, Difficulty stopping, Standing still, speed control, Rhythm, Inattentiveness, Spookyness and relaxation. Each exercise I do relates to a certain issue. For example, Eye contact helps with getting her to focus on me instead of the noises and activity around the barn. Leading from Behind helps with her fear issues and with fostering more willingness to participate with me. Companion moving improves our harmony, connection, communication, speed control, halts, and rhythm. Sharing space helps improve our bond and connection and the Greetings (I walk in and she smells my hand and I walk away) you see me do periodically help build trust. This is very interesting and rewarding work because you are building a real tangible bond with the horse which is always getting better and stronger. It makes training, comunication and partnership more fun and fulfilling for both of us. It is the most important part of my program with my horses.

New Series: How Liberty work helped me with riding

2010-02-23T15:00:00.005-05:00

This is the first video in a series I wanted to do on the link between Liberty work, riding issues and how you can overcome them. I am sharing my journey with my mare Phoenix who has been a challenge from the get go. I feel like it is important to share the links I am finding with my horse to our riding issues. My hope is for people to understand the deep importance and role of Carolyn Resnick and the Waterhole Rituals to your mounted work.
If you are unfamiliar with the Waterhole Rituals, They are 7 exercises which progressively build Bond, Trust, Willingness, Focus, Respect, Connection, and Desire in the Horse and Person Simultaneously. And yes, I said it builds these qualities in the person as well.

Through the exercises, you learn how to emulate and step into the role of a "Lead" horse versus a Dominant horse and the difference. A lead horse makes requests of other horses. A Dominant horse seeks to Dominate other horses. You become a Leader you horse WANTS to follow because he chooses to.

The exercises teach you to slow down, and be present when working or riding your horse and eventually be more present in general. They are not meant to be something you do and then once you learn them you stop. They are meant to be a permanent addition to your practice and a continual method to build better and better communication, feel, and connection. The Connection will literally keep getting better and stronger. This work has brought an aspect to my Training that has increased my fun, joy and understanding of horses as well as creative problem solving to common "issues".

If you love your horse but you are not sure your horse feels the same towards you, Carolyn Resnick's Waterhole Rituals will help your horse feel toward you as he does toward his favorite pasture/herd mates (if he has them). If he doesn't have "horse" friends. He will learn to relate to you as a likeable "Lead" Horse.

The applications of The Waterhole Rituals are literally endless and are only limited by your imagination. You can "Technically" Train a horse all you want, but if he doesn't WANT to work for you, he's not going to. These exercises help your horse want to work with you because he chooses to. Not because his choices are do it or else. In the world of competition, I would feel much more trust in a team mate who wanted to give me everything he had then one who was afraid of the consequences of not doing so.
If you would like to know more about this Method and the extraordinary woman who founded it go to Carolyn Resnick's Blog to find out more.

FDT and Buckaroo Leather Q&A

2010-02-19T11:29:00.000-05:00

In case you haven't heard yet, I joined forces with Buckaroo leather after I was so pleased with the custom bitless Sidepulls they made me. If you also haven't heard about the free Tele-conference call sunday Feb 21st at 2 pm EST 11 am PST, please join us. We will be discussing bitless options and answering questions.To participate just call this Conference line # 712 432 3900 and then enter this pass code 379697 when prompted, Q&A starts at 11am PT 2pm EST Hope you can make it!

FDT introduces I Instructor!

2010-02-13T20:03:00.000-05:00

Hey there!
I am excited to launch my new on demand down loadable Integrative Horsemanship videos. These videos are designed to offer you one clear lesson on one or two exercises on everything from Liberty and Ground Training to Dressage, Jumping and General Horsemanship. They are also designed to give you the option of viewing at home or downloading to your personal device* (Ipod, Iphone, Smart Phone) so you can take me with you to the barn to work with you and your horse! Guess how much I'm offering these to you for? They start as low as $1.99!
Check out the growing list of Video and MP3's at FDT I Instructor
Also check out the first video exercise on my FDT Virtual Clinic Blog

FDT Equipment tip: Bitless Bridles-The Side Pull

2010-01-31T20:15:00.001-05:00

Here’s a link to some other styles of Side Pulls from the company that made mine, Buckaroo Tack. They have excellent customer service (which is BIG with me), are friendly to deal with and most important, make a quality product.

FDT Equipment tip: Bitless Bridles-The Side Pull

2010-01-29T11:54:00.001-05:00

Vision for the New Year

2010-01-03T14:02:00.004-05:00

Each New Year I look forward to two things. Reviewing the past year and visualizing the year ahead. I look at where I have travelled in the past 12 months and where I wish to go. This includes my life, my work, the people in my life and my animals.
In overview, the World has been and is still in a state of turmoil. In 2009, a lot of people and animals were lost to various causes. It was a turbulent year and yet one of the most amazing in other ways.
To me 2009 was symbolic of out of adversity comes triumph and in tough times it is the Entrepreneurial spirit that forges on undaunted and gets inspired to create new pathways. I love the saying "Create trends don't follow them". I also live by the creed of be true to yourself and your path and you can't go wrong.
2010 is a reaffirmation of this. Continue on this amazing path I'm on and forge bravely into uncharted territories with my Horses, my work, and my friends and family. We are in amazing times and we have access to the sky if we are willing to reach for it.
In the past few years, I have achieved things with my horses that I never even dreamed of as a child. Now I am excited to see what and where we go next. I am continuing working toward the holistic training facility I have been visualizing. I will continue bettering myself as a teacher, student of the horse, and person in general.

Affirmations for 2010

1. Work slowly and carefully
2. Never be in a hurry
3. Enjoy the journey
4. Keep things in balance
5. There are no mistakes
6. Keep Play and Work balanced
7. Keep your eye on the vision

Natural Dressage for Fun!

2009-11-27T22:02:00.004-05:00

I think it is important these days to speak out on behalf of Dressage as it is under fire right now. I want to draw positive attention to the fact that there are some very progressive people out there (Yours Truly included) who are successfully integrating Natural Horsemanship with Classical Dressage principals. At it's most progressive this movement is bringing bridless collection to the realm of possibility.
I want people to understand the Dressage can be fun for the horse and rider and still is in my opinion one of the corner stones of all horsemanship. All training starts with a good connection between the horse and the human. The next part is endless patience and a "takes as long as it takes" attitude. 3rd is the moment of possiblity. This is the moment right after you do something with your horse and you allow a moment for processing, spontanaeity. Which in turn often allows you to make the most "right" decision next. Most so called "mistakes" are made out of reactionary haste and general rushing and impatience. This causes people to make possibly too harsh or inappropiate responses to their horses behavior. If we can learn to slow down our whole interaction with our horses, It becomes WAY more fun and relaxing for both of you. Learning is actually accelerated because of the space allowed for it. This applies to whatever your doing or not doing with your horse.
So back to the Dressage. Dressage by definition is designed to optimize the horses athleticism and suppleness. It is designed to help the horse carry us more efficiently and balanced which in turn is better for joints, muscles and soft tissue. It helps a horse be more symetrical in the use of his body (provided you are symetrical as well). It is by my own definition Yoga and Pilates for horses WHEN applied with the philosophies outlined above. The horse should receive a mental and physical benefit from it. Obviously, forcing them into unnatural positions for any length of time is about as beneficial to the horses wellness as it would be for us if it was done to us. I always look at training that way. How would this feel to me if it was being done to me. Food for thought.

FDT

Some things never change...

2009-11-21T21:00:00.009-05:00

Elsa napping on her hay pillow then and now some things never change...in a good way. Oh and I added my mop for good measure...

New Video: Highlights from our Liberty Demo

2009-11-08T10:31:00.003-05:00

Here is a small glimpse of the demo we did at BackAcresFarm.com a full DVD of the 2 days is available Click here to contact me

October 26th Radio show on NHN

2009-10-25T23:12:00.004-04:00

Join DC and I for another fun informative show October 26th at 7pm eastern standard time. We will be discussing Liberty work and how important it is and my experience with Carolyn Resnick's Waterhole Rituals.

Listen to Nhn on Blog Talk Radio

Mercury and me ride bridless for the second time and...

2009-10-24T23:28:00.005-04:00

This is my second attempt at bridless riding on Mercury. We did Awesome! I achieved my goal of Bridless jumping! I just can't believe we did it on our second try! This is only the beginning...

October 30-1st follow up Waterhole Clinic Info

2009-10-07T09:22:00.002-04:00

Hi all,

Here is a summary of the clinic schedule and outline. There's also links to accomodations and a list of things to bring if you are attending with or leasing a horse. We are offering 3-4 lease horses to work with on site for a fee of 50.00 in addition to the 250.00 clinic fee if you can't bring a horse but would like to work with one hands on. It will be completely beneficial to learn this method on any horse even if it is not your own. You will learn to apply it to any horse you may work with in the future. PLEASE let us know if you plan to lease or bring a horse as soon as possible so we know how many spots are filled and lease horses available.

Friday:

Please arrive in time for the start of the Lecture and demo at noon and to settle your horse If you are bringing one before that, It is important to get the horses as settled as possible before we start working directly with them on saturday. If you are leasing a horse from us, you will be paired with your appropriate horse for your skill level. You will work directly with your own or "leased" horse on the second day. Friday we will observe herd dynamics, watch demos and discuss theory and practice of the Waterhole Rituals.

Saturday:

We will work in our designated pens with our horses on the first and most important ritual Sharing Territory, Liberty grooming, and Reciprocol Movement. Some may proceed on further to Saying Hello and beyond. some may spend more time on this stage.

Sunday:

Continued work from the previous day, each day starts with "Sharing Territory" to renew connection. Then saying Hello, Taking Territory, Eye Contact, Leading from behind, Companion walking, and Liberty Dance, Go Trot

What you should bring:
Whatever feeds you normally give,
Any foul weather gear, Warm clothes, gloves ( there is a lot of slow work so dress warm! you can always take off layers) a Horse blanket or warm blanket
Some type of extra special treat like carrots or apples chopped at least 5lbs (if you horse has special dietary needs please bring something else) something they can eat a lot of safely
Some type of light folding chair
A book or note or drawing pad
A dressage whip, driving whip, long twig, or reed, Bamboo
Some type of good curry grooming tool
Hay for your own horse

Here is links to accomodations in the area:

http://www.bbonline.com/ma/plainfield.html

Hotels.com

put in Plainfield, MA in the search at Hotels.com

Here is the Barn info:

Back Acres Farm

27 Broom Street
Plainfield, MA 01070
Phone: 413-634-5686

for more info or questions contact:

Farah

fdt@fdhorsetraining.com

Upcoming Clinic! October 30th-1st Waterhole Ritual based Liberty work

2009-10-02T19:59:00.022-04:00

Hey all! I am pleased to be putting on the first in an on going progressive series in the spirit of Carolyn Resnick's Waterhole Rituals. Christian Gundermann will be co-hosting with me at Back Acres farm in beautiful Nothern MA. Christian works with Parelli Natural Horsemanship and is also a graduate of the Waterhole Rituals Insider circle. Back Acres farm offers a number of very progressive clinics including James Shaw on October 17th and 18th. Check out their site for events. They also offer boarding, an indoor and plenty of turnout. On October 26th at 7pm eastern, I will be doing a radio show on my experience with the Waterhole Rituals with DC from the Natural Horse Network on her Horse Talk Radio show if you'd like to hear how this method can improve your connection and horsemanship on every level. Your horse will want to be with you and work with you in a way you never thought possible! This method is the foundation to all other methods and training and should be done as a prerequisite for any discipline you pursue. Watch the videos that I post here to see what can be achieved when you learn to Dance with your horse! I was able to not only dance with my horse, but also ride bridless for the first time! Clinic space is limited to 6 horses and owner combos and unlimited auditors. Participating with your horse will be just $250.00! plus $25.00 day boarding for the 3 days and $25.00 a day for auditing or $60.00 for the 3 days. You can chose to ship in if you are local. If you are interested please contact me to reserve your space and get the questionaire to fill out. Please no stallions and it is strongly suggested that you bring a horse you are comfortable with and you find easy to work with. More info to come...stay tuned...

FDT

New Video! Liberty Clipper Training

2009-09-30T22:09:00.002-04:00

Check out a new video on my Virtual Clinic Blog on Clipper training at Liberty
Click here to go to the Virtual Clinic

The Training Scale series 2: Relaxation

2009-09-24T21:11:00.005-04:00

I know I started this series a while back but I wanted to get back to it. I talked about Rhythm previously and posted a video example.
Often with rhythm steadiness and consistency, Your horse will naturally start to relax. He will lower his/her head set a little or a lot depending on how soft they are naturally. I work on Rhythm with a completely loose rein first (if you don't trust your horse yet here, don't do this) You can work on a medium loose rein if you are more comfortable.
When I feel relaxation and consistency melting together and my horse starts to relax his neck position down, I know not only are muscles more warmed up but, the mind and body is relaxed too. A horse cannot lower his head naturally until he his in a calm relaxed state. This can be done with a bit, without one, in a sidepull or rope halter. I can do it in any of those. If you have a hot horse (quick rhythmed horse), or an unbalanced horse (this can manifest as quickness to) you can use serpentines and spiraling circles to relax the rhythm down and or help him balance himself up. Bends and circles naturally cause a horse to balance without you doing much. If you have a more sluggish horse, stick to straighter lines and larger figures. Relaxation may not be as much of a problem in this type but consistent rhythm might. He may not want to keep the trot or canter or walk for that matter. This can cause the back to be tight and body to lose relaxation due to lack of impulsion and connection. I usually work with all these things at Liberty and on line first to introduce the concept before riding.
Once I feel that my horse is warmed up and relaxed, I may go to a shorter but still slightly slack rein. I will then repeat the Rhythm and relaxtion work to get the same feel on the working contact. Every horse is different so listen to him when he is communicating things and ride with a feel for the individual not the exercise.
FDT

New Video: Crest Releases Part 2 (Hunters, Jumpers, Eventing)

2009-09-03T07:37:00.004-04:00

There's a New Video posted on my Virtual Clinic Blog. Part 2 of the Crest releases series Click here to Check it out!

Aggression and herd dynamics...

2009-08-24T10:26:00.006-04:00

I have a couple thoughts on aggression and herd dynamics having had experience with different herds as a barn manager and owner/trainer. I work with a mare now who I USED to call the "Battle axe" for obvious reasons. I've known her for years and I learned from her and my other mare who used to be more submissive, that the chemistry is based on who they are with. So as I moved them to different barns and herds, they changed in dynamic. The "Battle axe" when mixed with a herd she approved of was actually more or a "Lead" type horse. When mixed with a herd she didn't approve of, back to "Battle axe". My other mare had lived in several locations throughout her life. Generally being the bottom to middle rank in the herd. She was moved to a barn not so long ago that had a large mixed sex herd (of about 14). For the 1st few weeks she took a BEATING. I was concerned, then all of the sudden she switched to taking top rank and became a "Battle axe" for the first time ever in her life. She was the one to be reckoned with. So I had the chance to watch the horses interact in different herds and see how they faired in different situations. I do step into my herds and shape overly aggressive behavior when I am around. And have seen that it helps most when you are the primary care giver of the horses ie. they live at your place or in my case I manage the facility and therefore set the "tone" of the energy at the farm. I have seen this in action at many farms. Whoever the primary caregiver is dictates the energy and flow around the barn for good or BAD. If the person is timid and lacking leadership skills, the horses run the show. And that is where problems occur often.

I also have owned and worked with stallions. I take special care to keep them socialized and when matched with the right energy level geldings or other young colts, they actually do very well and get to play and rough house as boys can and should be allowed to do.

Horses in the wild select their herds and mates. I have seen over and over again, my show clear preference for one horse over another. Especially, my mares. They live with one gelding and are basically companions, then they live with another gelding and are madly in love with him. A Clear preference. I think when horses are under socialized or live a life where they don't have any interaction with other horses, their social skills are stunted. I have seen this with horse that previously lived alone and I had to integrate to a well socialized herd. They have a bit of a time at first learning the "rules" of that particular herd. I have also relied on Benevolent herd "Leaders" who are balanced and even handed to help me straighten out my little "Hoodlums" or young colts and teach them manners and rules.

I feel like if we have a good understanding of herds and the horses you are putting together AND a good amount of space for them to work it out in, It should be a relatively smooth transition with proper preparation, introductions,and leadership.

FDT

Saddle Balance

2009-08-20T22:10:00.010-04:00

Saddle balance is as important as saddle fit to your riding position and communication with the horse. Do not assume because you saddle tree fits it is also balanced.
I recently went through a tough time fitting my horse, Mercury because he is what's called "uphill" in his conformation. Meaning his withers and back slope uphill from his hind end. He is very nicely built for natural collection, balance and dressage. This is one of the reasons I bought him. It has proved to be a fitting challenge though as my saddles fit in the tree size but all sit "down hill" on him. Meaning the back or cantle of my saddles sit low compared to the front making me feel as though I am sliding backwards. Now I am fighting for my balance against my equipment. To any rider this feels horrible! So imagine how much uneccessary muscle strain you are using consciously or unconsciously because of this. Now if you are straining, you are communicating tension to the horse as well as concentrating on balancing instead of riding and communicating with your horse. You are also possibly unbalancing your horse as well unintentionally. This can feel like the horses gaits are choppy and fast when he is out of balance. Also, our imbalance can cause a horse to be tight in the back and hold his head up in tension to compensate.

I find that western saddles often sit "down hill" on horses. Meaning the front of the saddle is low compared to the back. One reason is a lot of Quarter Horses are built and bred that way. The other is poor fitting saddles. Now you may say " my saddle looks fine it's higher in the front, but your not looking in the right place. You need to look at the spot where you sit. See if it looks level from the ground and more importantly "feels" level when you ride. Sometimes you have to sit in a few different saddles on a few different horses to note the differences in balance good or bad.
So now your thinking how can I fix it if it's off? Well IF your saddle is sitting high in front or back you have to check on a couple things first. If it is low in front it can be too wide of a tree for you horse which can be remedied by using a pad that is designed thicker toward the front then the back. These are easily purchased in western and english styles.
If you saddle is sitting high in front, you probably have too narrow of a tree which is not good. This can pinch and restrict movement, bending, willingness to go forward, cause soreness and muscle atrophy in the area. DO NOT ADD PADS the small trees! You are taking more space away and can create even more pressure points. You need to get a tree that fits.
If your tree fits and is sitting low in back (like mine), you can get a pad that is built up in the back and not in the front. My saddle I had specially made with the back built thicker in the panel so I didn't have to use a pad. I don't like using extra pads. Unfortunately, western saddles don't have any padding you can add into the saddle so you are at the mercy of just plain good fit, custom fit, or specially designed pads. If you are unsure of your eye and feel ask a qualified fitter in your area for help.

FDT

New Video: Crest Releases part 1

2009-08-14T21:13:00.004-04:00

Check my new video on Crest Releases part 1 on my Virtual Clinic Blog

Food medicine...Alfalfa

2009-08-14T08:16:00.007-04:00

I love finding out something I have been doing already for years, is now recognized by the medical community as fact.
Alfalfa has been villified by many a horse expert throughout my experience in the industry. It supposedly makes horses crazy, causes mineral imbalances and is far too nutritious for most horses.
I have been feeding alfalfa for years in the proper amounts to everything from minis to warmbloods. The reasons I feed it are this, It possesses nearly every vitamin and mineral we and our horses need, It provides cloryphyll (if your horse isn't on grass he needs this) it is a good supplement for our ever depleting hay nutrition (due to poor seasons and soil quality), Even if your horse is on grass, most grass pastures (unless strictly cultivated) are depleted of any real nutrition.
Now let's talk about the medicinal qualities of Alfalfa. It can reduce arthritic inflammation, It has been shown to be a healer and preventative for digestive issues and Ulcers. This is one of the main reasons I feed it. It can help balance hormones (any moody mares out there?), It is a detoxifier, It improves milk production. It is good for low carb low sugar diet needs. The list goes on...
I feed it with Oats and sometimes Kelp to keep minerals balanced but it really depends on accurate testing to find out if the Calcium/Phosporus ratios are way out of balance. With the right mix you should need little or no supplementation for any horse, Mare, Foal, Stallion, or Performance horse. And as we know in our own diets, whole foods are better then processes foods. Remember to make feed changes gradually and consult with your vet to see if it is appropriate for your horse. Avoid the cubed form if at all possible, they can cause choke.

FDT

It's a never ending journey...kick back

2009-07-30T20:13:00.005-04:00

Training can be be a joy at it's greatest moments and a patience and frustration test the next. It takes a deep passion and love for horses, a desire for partnership and a firm dedication to a well-being first( theirs and yours), agendas second philosophy.
I have had the "good" fortune to have several challenging individuals in the last couple of years. They have asked of me "Farah, do you possess the patience, creativity, courage and skill to train us without force, or taking away our individual strong personalities and spirits?" I have seemingly drawn these horse to me that others would have given up on or tried to submit to their will in their pursuit of competitive success. They find me because they know I will see them for who they are and recognize their strengths and weaknesses as I recognize my own. Most of all these horse have shown me how to find other ways to create a partnership with a not so easy partner for a much more rewarding and educational journey. I never liked "easy" horses. I always had a draw to opinionated larger then life horsenalities for good or bad. They keep me on my toes and learning, creative and growing as a trainer and a person. I never forget that they don't have to participate in anything I ask. If they choose to willingly, I am filled with gratitude and wonder still to this day as I ask them to jump and perform intricate dressage maneuvers. It amazes me...

FDT

Me and Mercury Ride Bridless for the first time

2009-06-20T23:02:00.001-04:00

Me and Mercury try out Bridless riding for the first time ever. Mercury is a 5 year old Dutch Warmblood I have had since he was a yearling. Bridleless Jumping has been our goal and we are working towards this. To appreciate the magnitude of this trust it must be known that this colt was one of the biggest buckers I have ever started and he is thin skinned, sensitive, Playful and can be spooky and hot! He is also one of the smartest and hardest try-ers I've ever had.
FDT

The Training Scale part 2: Rhythm

2009-06-16T21:37:00.002-04:00

Be sure to check part 2 of the Training Scale: Rhythm showing some trot work on the FDT Virtual Clinic.
FDT

FDT is pleased to bring you...Chiropractic care for you and your horse!

2009-06-15T21:48:00.004-04:00

I am pleased to be introducing and be collaborating with Dr. Heather M. Brown,,Wellness Educator & Network Spinal Analysis Chiropractor. We will be offering a once a month Equine adjustment clinic and upcoming Human and Equine adjusting workshops to be announced. Ship ins will be encouraged to the decided upon locations and she can see up to 15-20 horses. Prices will start at 75.00 and go down with quantity. 3 or more will be 65.00. I have seen nothing short of miracles in some of my experiences with Network Chiropractic on myself and my personal horses in as little as 6- 8 adjustments.

Issues that can be helped are:

Freedom in movement
Short stridedness
Pain
Behavior
Lead changes and lead issues
Conformation faults
Impulsion
Suppleness
Bending
and more

Contact me for more information and stay tuned for updates on locations and dates.
FDT

New Video! The Training Pyramid part 1: Rhythm

2009-06-11T10:58:00.005-04:00

Here is a link to the post in my Virtual Clinic Blog of the first video in my series The Training Scale:
FDT Virtual Clinic

A Clinic with Mark Rashid

2009-05-18T21:53:00.006-04:00

I recently had the Pleasure of attending a Mark Rashid Clinic. It was a great experience. I took lots of affirmation of my own work as well as some new tool nuggets for some problem solving I had been doing. My good friend and her Cowboy Mounted Shooting Mare (seen in the photo with Mark) rode in the clinic while I audited and videoed. I have been working with her and her mare for a couple of years and she had a basically no right lead canter. I felt that this was a chiropractic issue and lo and behold Mark was working side by side with an Equine chiropractor at this particular clinic. So horse after horse came in with what looked like soundness issues and after an adjustment on site, went a whole bunch better. It was awesome to see the before and after from just one adjustment. There was also a lecture from the chiropractor about the structural issues in horses that was very enlightening. My eye got even sharper then it already was before by talking to him and getting his feedback on what I was seeing in the "off" horses.

Mark and his wife Chrissi worked with a variety of horses and disciplines and levels which is always good to see. Him and his wife were very soft spoken and kind but firm when they needed to be. I liked that. We came away with an exercise for my friends mare that would help strengthen her push off leg into the canter after she got adjusted. He agreed with my evaluation of her being physically unable and too weak in her muscles to take the lead with a rider. In other words super one sided.

The key points I took away from the clinic were: Breath!!!!, Ride from your core always. Think in terms of you and your horse as a "We" not a "I" tell "you" what to do and you do it. "We do it together" Use visualization first always. Never release on an un quiet mind. Those are just some of the broad strokes.

I highly recommend attending one of his clinics if you can make it to one. It was one of the best I have ever been to. Also, check out his books and DVD's and website.

FDT

New Series: The Training Pyramid

2009-05-04T19:58:00.004-04:00

I have wanted to talk about the Training Pyramid (or Scale) for some time as I believe if you understand it and use it, it will help you with even the most basic training of the pleasure horse. Whatever discipline you ride or train, it is a simple comprehensive guideline to successfully moving up the more advanced manuevers. What is the Training Pyramid you ask? Well it may be associated with Dressage mainly, but as a student of Horsemanship and Trainer of all disciplines, I use this system to start, train, and problem solve issues as I go. The image you see at the top is meant to be read from BOTTOM to TOP. It is a system that basically if followed carefully and understood clearly will provide you with a simple formula for training. So Rhythm is the first focus of the system. Look at Rhythm as the first grade or entry level of the scale. You start here and you get it as close to perfect as you can before you go to the next stage, which is Suppleness, and so on. I will get into what they are one at a time in each part. When you combine this with a Natural Horsemanship philosophy, it is win win. Stay tuned for the next section in the series.
FDT

Working the Waterhole Rituals...

2009-04-10T20:22:00.007-04:00

I wanted to relay my experience with using the Waterhole Ritual exercises from Carolyn Resnick's training program. I know everyone I work with is on some level looking for what Carolyn's program and work is about. Unfortunately, I see some people going about it in the completely opposite way they should.
I train a lot of people's horses for them and I like to try to have a good relationship with them in spite of not owning them. I also deal with a lot of behavioral issues and have to be able to effectively help people deal with them. I found Carolyn's program irreplaceable in my program to achieve these things. It not only improved the relationship I have with my clients horses, it improved my relationship with my new surprise foal from spring last year. She was only the second one I had had from birth in a long string of young horses I have owned and worked with. She was also quite dominant and disrespectful from birth. In all the babies I had seen and worked with, she was the most dominant I'd ever had. The Rituals proved to be the perfect work for her. I especially like them for babies as they are all liberty and I prefer not to put too much "Technical" training on my babies. I found You don't need much "technical" training with this program. I believe that is Carolyn's point. When you have a bond of trust and communication with your horse, The communication is quite easy. It is as if they know what you want and they are quite willing to follow you as you have proven yourself to be worthy of taking direction from. Or just a plain good Leader. I have proved this to myself by applying these exercises to several different horses in pasture/herd situations that I work with. I have been able to get all the horses to willing follow me away from food, their herd and friends with no halter or lead to the barns to get ready for riding or ground work. Even the most dominant and antisocial ones!To understand the true impact you must know that I have been able to achieve this in minutes (not because I was in a rush but because they work that fast, done correctly and with all the horses I worked with) with horses I have never done it with and with my clients and there horses. The most important part of this to me is I like that the horses are choosing to go with me to train, not me going and getting them to train. I feel like the quality of our relationship is much better and our time together is fun and interesting for both of us. You should only do these exercises if you feel reasonably safe with your horse unless you are a seasoned professional. Otherwise I would seek someone to assist you who knows the system. Here is a link to Carolyn's site to find out more and Purchase her DVD's or books. I highly recommend them.

For fun some new "show styles" for spring!

2009-04-08T21:57:00.004-04:00

Check out these new looks for the upcoming show season!

Weaning done right?...

2009-04-05T19:12:00.005-04:00

Those of you who know of Little Miss Elsa, my surprise foal also know she is coming 1 already! I had blogged previously about concerns over weaning in a less traumatic fashion then was standard. The standard being anywhere from 3-6 months and sudden separation to 2 completely different locations. This was supposed to be the best way. Then why was there fear of injury and horses jumping and breaking through fences etc. This didn't seem right to me. I had not planned on having a foal, but since my luck saw fit to give her to me, I took the responsibilty on and decided to do a lot of things different then I had with other babies in the past. I had limited options but figured out a very gentle and non traumatic way to do it. First, We were able to have a nice herd of two mares and one pony mare plus the baby. They got along well and Elsa learned herd social order from them all. At 6 months, I decided it would be good to separate them but put Elsa and her pony auntie in with her and Mom and her friend stayed together in the adjacent paddock. They could still touch and see each other but Elsa could no longer nurse. They seemed ok with this arrangement and all was calm. No drama so far. Come April it was time to move Phoenix, Elsa's mom to a new place in preparation for the upcoming show season. At this point they were well used to being in the adjacent paddocks for months now. The day before I took Phoenix, I asked her to load up in the trailer just to get her comfortable with the idea and she did and we stood there and hung out for awhile. I didn't want to just load her up the next day suddenly and leave. As a result, The next day Phoenix went to her new place and not one of them made a peep or a call or a run around. It was calm, gentle, trauma free, and peaceful. I felt like everybody was ok with it. Most of all, them. Elsa was moved back in with with her Big and little Aunties who look after her well. For the next few days, I checked on Elsa's mood and attitude and she seemed happy and well adjusted which made me happy. Phoenix also settled in well to her new arrangement. I wish this for every Mare and foal...

FDT