I was having a nice ride on Cerise this morning until I asked her to bend and move forward at the same time. As a Fire horse personality, Cerise has her own ideas about how to do things and bending and moving off my leg is something she does not agree with. It is not … Continue Reading »
Do you ever present your horse with a training exercise only to have him rush through it, as if to “get it over with” as soon as possible? Or how about the jumper horse that charges a jump totally out of control? And then there’s the reining horse that spins … but at Mach-1 with … Continue Reading »
Are you able to stay focused when you are around your horse? I have a terrible time with this. I have learned to remain present when I am around people but when I go to the pasture my mind chatter takes over. God has been pointing out to me lately the need to quite my … Continue Reading »
When I say a job I don’t mean go around a course of jumps or do a reining pattern, I mean if you get in a bind can your horse step up and help you. For example, I was riding with a friend that was taking a young Wood horse temperament colt out on the … Continue Reading »
It’s bad enough if your horse develops ulcers, but it is so much worse if your horse develops ulcers and you don’t have a clue until he’s deathly ill. Unfortunately, there are certain horses who are more likely to develop ulcers without showing any outward signs of pain until they are really sick. In terms … Continue Reading »
For horse lovers, one of the most frustrating experiences is trying to catch a horse who doesn’t want to be caught. Maybe you’ve had a long day at work and are eagerly looking forward to a relaxing trail ride, or perhaps you need to catch your horse to haul him to a horsemanship clinic. Either … Continue Reading »
Looking for the perfect amateur horse to train by yourself can either be a Cinderella story or a total nightmare. Believe me, I’ve seen both. Luckily, even if you end up with a horse who is Mr. Wrong as an amateur horse, you can still have a Cinderella ending. If your current amateur horse is … Continue Reading »
The moment has finally arrived: you have saved up all your pennies and now you are ready to buy your dream amateur horse, the one that you are going to train mostly by yourself. You have paid your dues by taking lessons and riding more experienced horses. Now it’s time to shop for one that … Continue Reading »
Some horses are just way more affectionate, kind, and gentle than others. Their love overflows and they tend to act more like dogs than horses. What kind of horses are these? They aren’t a specific breed but they are a specific horse personality type. The horse in a dog suit is an Earth horse personality … Continue Reading »
As odd as it may seem, many horses are afraid of the dark. Horses, being prey animals as well as herd animals, often need the company of other horses to feel secure, especially in the dark. Don’t believe it? Here’s an example that might make a believer out of you, an 8-year-old quarter horse mare … Continue Reading »
I cannot count the number of times I have seen people buy totally inappropriate horses for kids. I am usually called in after the horse has bucked off his little rider, run away, reared up, or done some other foul act. The new horse owners call me in to discover what health issue is causing … Continue Reading »
What do you do if your kid asks for a horse for Christmas? Supposing you say, “Yes,” how do you go about picking one? How do you choose a good horse for kids? How do you find a horse who is kind, gentle, loving, and willing to please? Just as important, how do you stay … Continue Reading »
I had a fantastic horsemanship lesson with my Fire horse temperament mare, Cerise, yesterday. My trainer, Linda Hoover, was in town and even though the weather was freezing I wanted to ride. I have been stuck for a while with helping Cerise carry herself in good posture through all gaits and up and down transitions. … Continue Reading »
How is this for frustrating when it comes to horse feed: you have a horse that has fatty deposits on his neck and back as well as a hay belly, but still has ribs showing and very little top line? It’s enough to drive any horse owner crazy …and believe me, I have seen quite … Continue Reading »
I was having a discussion with my natural horsemanship mentor, Linda Hoover, and she made a comment that really caught my attention. She said that in order to get a horse to think the thought you want them to you have to get them to let go of the thought he has. Very interesting. How … Continue Reading »
I just got back from presenting the Five Element horse temperament typing system at Equine Affaire in Massachusetts. This is my third trip to this event and I have been so impressed with the organization and quality of the events. What a fantastic venue to learn all about horses. Coagi Long is the organizer I … Continue Reading »
I had an interesting experience last week. I have been working hard with counting cadence and getting in timing with my horse’s feet. I have been doing pretty well with the trot and lope but the walk was giving the trouble. I could get the rhythm but I kept getting out of timing with the … Continue Reading »
I took Remi to a horsemanship clinic with Tom Curtain this weekend. I have not ridden Remi in over a month because of weather, travel and my health so I was really asking a lot of him. I have been letting him and Tess come along on the few rides I have made on Cerise … Continue Reading »
Does your horse get sticky feet when under stress? Does he buck or rear instead of moving forward? If so, then your horse probably has a Metal, Earth, or Wood personality. Say what?!? I’m talking about Five-Element personality typing, a system whereby you can type your horse’s personality and go a long way toward predicting … Continue Reading »
So why are some horses “all go and no whoa”? Aside from horses that are taught to go all the time, such as racehorses, every horse is temperamentally pre-disposed to either be speedy or to have sticky feet, especially when under stress. So back to the question, why are some horses pre-disposed to bolt, run, … Continue Reading »