Inspired Horsemanship

04/27/2023

What DO you want your horse to do?

I think this is a really valuable change in mindset when we are having a moment that feels difficult, scary or frustrating with our horses.

If your horse is acting up everytime you pass the gate and trying to turn around or falling in at a particular area or being concerned about where her friends are do your best to not focus on "don't do ______" or "stop doing_____." That is what they want to do in that moment. They are INTRINSICALLY motivated to do that thing. So if you say no, with no additional ask, they are going to likely go right back to that thing, even if they do stop momentarily. You haven't really asked for anything different. Also, this is just a negative head space to be in. You are annoyed, worried, focused on the thing you don't want, thinking your horse is being naughty....and also not really providing any guidance to do anything different.

Instead, ask for something you do want. Visualize it. Visualize every step and then ASK THEM TO DO THE THING. Please calmly walk forward on this specific path. Please yield your shoulders. Please switch your bend. Please do these transitions with precision. Guess what, you could also probably use some good, clear direction/a plan in that moment too. Honestly it doesn't matter what the thing is most of the time. Make a plan and guide your horse through it.

Think of it like a toddler. Do you want to run around behind them yelling no don't do that 1 million times fom them just to find the next thing to get into
Or, do you say, hey come along and let's do this other thing together that seems interesting. Be a confident, guiding leader and invite them to join you in your task.

04/17/2023

Spent this beautiful Sunday teaching at Daisy Haven Farm. This team has an unwaivering commitment to happy, healthy horses 💜

12/07/2022

How does your helmet measure up?

The Virgina Tech Helmet Lab has released its much-anticipated equestrian helmet ratings. Taking the top spot in the rankings is the $460 Champion Revolve X-Air MIPS helmet, but in good news for riders who are both frugal and safety conscious, the re...

11/09/2022

Tell me your in hand body release work is working without telling me it's working.

07/01/2022

Let's talk about body workers.

I love me a good body worker and have a fabulous team, but.....

If you are needing your body workers all of the time, it's time to take a hard look at what is going on. Your magical body worker comes in, helps your horse and then a couple of weeks later you are back where you started. Why? Probably because you are riding your horse in dysfunction. Are you crunching their neck? Is their thoracic sling collapsed? Are they plodding along on their front end? Does your saddle not fit and they are protecting themselves?

I am all about treating horses like the athletes they are and supporting their bodies but if you find your horse is having the same tightness or compensation pattern over and over it's time to find someone who can help to fix or at least improve the dysfunction in how your horse is moving WHEN HE BEING RIDDEN.

04/11/2022

Making the comeback from being laid up a positive-the ability to reinvent and repair.

As horse people we are all too familiar with injuries or being out of commission for one reason or another- we are hurt, our horse is hurt, pregnancy, winter, rain, life... Whatever it may be that unfortunately keeps us from riding.

I am about at Type A as they come and finding my plans and goals being derailed drives me crazy. But, I had the really beautiful realization riding last week. Starting over (not really, starting over at all, it's not like you and you horse suddenly forget everything you knew, but it sure does feel that way sometimes) is an amazing opportunity.

You can only walk, GREAT! You can finally work on really engaging your horse's core and build small muscles you may have always ignored because you would rather be doing anything else. You can work on the sticky connection issue you have always had when you do _______ that you always just babied your way through. You can master every lateral movement in the walk so when you are ready to tackle them later in trot and canter you will be light years ahead of where you would have been otherwise.

In my case I just had a baby a month ago and am helping my body get strong again. I rode pretty much my whole pregnancy but let's face it, riding 40 weeks pregnant is not the same as doing paper chases and riding second level. I can trot...a little. I can canter even less. I am not interested in getting hurt or asking too much of my body. Normally this would drive me crazy. But it didn't. You know what I did. Made evey step count and began to use the downtime to retrain my muscle memory bad habits. I rode the trot with relaxed hips that not only moved front to back but also side to side (The downside to being really strong is usually also being really tight!). I rode each canter stride and transition with a correct pelvis, open chest, a straight neck and soft upright hands. I like to think I always do this but I know I don't. I have bad habits just like everyone else.

Coming back from time off doesn't have to be frustrating. It can really be a gift. So make the most of it and clean up those things you are going to go back to wanting to ignore when you can be doing more.