There are times when training is a calm sunny day in a round pen with a brave, intelligent horse. There are also the times when conditions are less than optimum, yet even a frightened horse can achieve a major breakthrough.
This is one such success.
A week or two ago we had a cold, bitter storm blow […]

read more from this topic.....

Kathy made my day today!  During a break in her lesson she told me she’s taken up walking at the mall.  Today she walked two miles.  More importantly, she confided, “I kept thinking about what we’ve been practicing in our riding lessons.  I keep reminding myself to breathe, and put on my cloak!”
For people who […]

read more from this topic.....

Breakthrough day for June!  This formerly stiff-as-a-board but quick-as-a-whip little mare learned to release to the pressure of the bit.  We’re not talking turn or tuck her head.  We are talking release negative tension throughout her entire body. This elementary lesson is June’s first step towards losgelassenheit.
…Before you say “gesundheit” let’s pull our dictionary!
The United […]

read more from this topic.....

I am juiced to start the day after a phone call with Kathy. She called to touch base on today’s training sessions. Christa wanted to add Ebony to the list, to develop her canter transitions. We agreed it was too windy to practice trailer loading, which is the next hurdle to their […]

read more from this topic.....

The family was finally ready to live their dream of a family trail ride. I trailered the ever-dependable Lucy over to join them. While the family was tacking up, Lucy and I fully enjoyed playing in an actual ARENA. Our grassy riding area at home has lots of obstacles and natural challenges, […]

read more from this topic.....

I started teaching the Knock’s several years ago.  Their dream was to trail ride as a family.  When we started, they had one young, barely broke, extremely fearful Quarter Horse.  Hardly material for group pleasure ride success!
Stormy the been-there-done-that school horse joined the family.  The flashy but fiery Tommy “followed them home” from a horse […]

read more from this topic.....

In uploading video from this weekends’ Cavalry demonstration, I noticed another example of natural horsemanship principles at work in the very unnatural setting of the sabre skirmish:
 
 
 
 

Watch the grey and the palomino. Notice their riders aren’t carrying weapons. (Notice, too, the grey starts out clearly saying “no way!” to the engagement!)
It appears […]

read more from this topic.....

The Horse Whisperer. Both history and the pop culture notion of natural horsemanship paint an image of the silent, mystical horseman whose mere presence calms the wildest equine outlaw. By using skills invisible to the average human, the horse whisperer inspires the most savage horse to willingly submit and perform any feat.
People attributed […]

read more from this topic.....

Natural horsemanship pops up in the most unexpected places!
Mark and I stopped in at the National Conservation Center for their Autumn Conservation Festival. The Center is located almost next door to Mark’s house, which we’ve been prepping for sale throughout the summer. Throughout the early 1900’s, the Center acted as a bustling Cavalry Remount […]

read more from this topic.....

WOW! I would be speechless but the words tumble over each other in their hurry to get out. Stormy was AMAZING tonight. She could have been the poster pony for natural horsemanship!
Now what made that training session extraordinary in my mind was this: through no fault of her own, Stormy’s training […]

read more from this topic.....