Red Roan Reiki, Energy Bodywork, and Animal Communication

08/22/2025

Dr Temple Grandin is one of the best known animal scientists in the world. She grew up in America, and she is autistic, which means her brain works a little differently to most people’s. She often says she “thinks in pictures.” This helps her notice tiny details about animals that others might miss.

Most of her career has been spent improving how cattle are handled on farms, making systems calmer and safer. (Which is why many farms have safe handing pens for cattle on farms today)But her ideas are just as useful when we think about horses.

Temple reminds us that animals don’t see the world the same way humans do. A shiny puddle, a flapping jacket, or a garden chair in the wrong place might look like danger to a horse. Horses are prey animals, always on the lookout for threats. What seems silly to us can feel very real to them.

As she explains: “Horses have to see the same object from all angles. They don’t automatically transfer learning from one side of their brain to the other.” In other words, a horse that walks calmly past a wheelbarrow on the left rein may still shy at it on the right.

For coaches and riders, this matters. If a horse spooks or refuses, it isn’t “naughty”, it is reacting in the only way it knows. Our job is to slow down, let the horse look, and give it time to learn.

Temple also talks about how animals respond to pressure. A gentle aid, released at the right moment, helps the horse to understand. But rough hands, loud voices, or constant pushing only build fear. As coaches, that means showing riders how to be clear but kind, guiding, not forcing.

And this links horse welfare with rider welfare. A calm horse gives the rider confidence. A frightened horse makes the rider nervous. By putting the horse’s feelings first, we create safer, happier lessons for both.

Temple Grandin may have made her name with cattle, but her lessons about patience, clear signals for animals are pure gold for anyone who works with horses. When we see the world through the horse’s eyes, we become better kinder horsemen.

08/21/2025

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All behavior is a form of communication, and it's our responsibility to understand what our horses are trying to convey.

Before addressing a behavioral issue through training, an evaluation that includes checking the horse's teeth, rebalancing its feet, flexions, possibly even X-raying legs, feet and spine, scoping for ulcers, examining eyes, blood tests, tack fit, ridden/training evaluation, and consulting a chiropractor and massage specialist.

Even if these checks reveal nothing, deeper issues like adhesions, muscle tears, internal discomforts, misalignments, or other issues could still be present and be difficult to discover.

Horses are willing and forgiving animals. Persistent poor behavior indicates an unresolved underlying issue.

“Find the solution, don't punish the symptoms." should be a concept we all adhere to.

All behavior is a form of communication, and it's our responsibility to understand what our horses are trying to convey.

• I’m going to add one more thought here; All experts are not created equal. You may need to do a little digging to find the right person to work with you and your horse and support your goals for him.

https://koperequine.com/understanding-fascial-adhesions-causes-effects-and-reducing-the-risk-of-developing/

08/17/2025

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1CUTvCCyiq/

“Horsemanship is the art of mastering our own movements, thoughts, emotions and behavior. Not the horses.” ✍️

08/03/2025

𝗣𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗡𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗥 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝘀𝘄𝗲𝗿. 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀.

As prey animals, horses are wired for flight first, not fight. Understanding this fundamental aspect of their nature, combined with the wisdom of good horsemanship and classical dressage, reveals why punishment will never lead to positive, lasting results.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗱-𝗪𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝗮 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘆 𝗔𝗻𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗹

Imagine being constantly on alert, with your primary defense mechanism being to flee from perceived danger. That's a horse's reality. Just because they become accustomed to the situations and surroundings we place them in, doesn’t mean that this changes. Their nervous systems are hard-wired for flight from danger as a primary means of survival.

When we introduce punishment (physical or intimidation-based), we activate their inherent fear response. Instead of learning, they become anxious, shut down, or even more reactive. They aren't "misbehaving" out of spite. They're reacting out of instinct.

“But my horse is resisting!” Well, you might not like to hear the truth about it, but that’s been learned. The horse doesn’t know what it is to resist the rider’s aids until they are taught to do it. Yes, that means that somewhere along the line they are TAUGHT to resist by a poor presentation from the rider. This stems from a poor application of the aids, or a poor release of them when the horse tried to do the right thing, both resulting in confusion and what rider’s commonly refer to as “resistance.” But just like they can learn to resist the aids and requests, they can be taught to soften and respond, instead. It’s up to US to help them understand… and again, punishing them doesn’t help a horse to soften and respond. Only consistent and clear communication can do that.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀 𝘂𝘀… 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲

The philosophy of good horsemanship emphasizes working with a horse's natural instincts, not against them. It's about building trust, understanding their communication, and creating a partnership based on mutual respect. Punishment, by its very nature, erodes trust. A horse that fears you won't willingly offer their best... they'll only comply to avoid discomfort, leading to a superficial and often tense relationship. Understanding and confidence comes from clear communication, consistent guidance, and the kind of reinforcement that encourages the horse to want to cooperate.

Think about even the little things that you see riders doing… swatting a horse for not standing still, jerking on a lead rope if a horse is pawing, kicking a horse because they “wont get off my inside leg,” sawing on the reins to “make them softer in the hand.” There’s hundreds of examples I’m sure we could list here… but they are all just as ineffective at establishing confidence and understanding in the horse. Superficial obedience is not the same as a harmonious partnership.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗱𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝘂𝘀… 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲

While often seen as a discipline of precision, classical dressage, at its core, is about developing a horse's physical and mental well-being to achieve harmony and lightness. This is built on principles of relaxation, rhythm, suppleness, and connection – all of which are impossible to achieve under duress. A horse that is anticipating punishment will be tense, braced, and unwilling to move freely or engage their body correctly. The goal is to develop a willing and happy athlete, not a coerced one.

Force creates resistance and avoidance. Understanding creates willingness and confidence.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗼𝗺 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 – 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗿

Punishment teaches a horse to fear, to avoid, or to simply go through the motions. It breaks down communication and trust, leading to a host of behavioral issues and, more importantly, a diminished bond. Punish “this” and pretty soon “that” pops up. It’s like a game of “whack-a-mole” where you’re just left banging one problem away only to find another one pop up in its place.

The principles of good horsemanship and classical dressage, in their purest forms, advocate for a profound understanding of the horse's mind and body. When we operate from a place of empathy, clear communication, and tactful requests, we unlock a horse's potential and foster a partnership built on genuine understanding, confidence, and willingness.

Let's choose understanding over intimidation, and partnership over punishment.

__________
Check out other posts and thoughts on the blog page:
https://www.academyforclassicalhorsemanship.com/blog

07/13/2025

07/12/2025

Mr. Red Roan himself surveying his new environment ❤️

06/21/2025

Skip in his Happy Place 💚 Wishing you all a wonderful weekend!

06/14/2025

https://youtu.be/eLsaR69uRKA?si=d-RS0zkp8Au6yW6-
Great information in this video! Dr. Tucker does encourage you to learn her TBT bodywork method at the end - but the information is great!

These 50 horse Secrets are a collection of short “hints” and horse care tips that I originally sent out via email and that you won’t find in an equine veteri...

06/05/2025

05/27/2025

The Nervous System is a Continuum.

I tend to focus quite a bit on "regulation" of the nervous system, but I fall short of describing my perspective on what that means outside of the verbal interaction with clinic and session participants. Regulation isn't a fixed point on a scale of good/bad states of being. The nervous system is necessary to keep us alive, to learn, to thrive, to reproduce and to rest and repair. This complex system gets even more tricky when you start to dive deep into its intricate internal "weights and measures" system where it interacts with and responds to hormones and other chemicals, almost like clicking switches on and off.

The internal and external landscape of our physical, emotional, spiritual, and energetic beings to name a few all play a part in communicating with this finely tuned nervous system. Am I safe? Am I tired? Am I excited? Am I too hot? and 'click, click, click' goes the switches, sending electrical impulses, communicating with hormones, and letting the rest of the systems and structures in the body know what is needed to find a state of being which is necessary to respond to the current internal and/or external landscape. Due to how we tend to live in our existing cultures, we are typically closer to the fight/flight side of our nervous system on a daily basis. We have to be on our game, alert, aware, ready to respond, quick-witted, multi-taskers with looming deadlines.

This state of being is brought with us to the horses, and they can often be seen responding in-kind in a "What are we so excited about?! Should I be worried?!" approach. This is often why I emphasize down-regulation of our nervous system. Not because being "up" is bad, but that if we spend too much time "up" there, we forget how to climb down out of the tree and find a more relaxed state. We need the "up" side of the continuum just as much as we need the "down" side. Without the ability to be "up" we couldn't experience joy and excitement.

A regulated nervous system isn't a fixed state, but flexible and able to move along the continuum adequately and appropriately for the situation, ready to shift again when the stimulus changes.

05/23/2025

There is something magical about the way a horse touches our soul. Without words, without demands — just through its presence. It not only teaches us to trust but helps us discover our truest selves. Its patience, strength, and gentleness bring out the best in us. Because a horse is the mirror of our heart. 🤍🐴

05/23/2025

🤎 Always be the person who loves the horse more than the sport.

Because sport is about results, medals, competitions…
But a horse — that’s about trust, tenderness, and breathing side by side. It’s a heart that beats next to yours not for trophies, but for the bond you share.

Your horse doesn’t know what “first place” means.
He only knows how to be happy when you’re near.
How to try — because you asked.
How to be your partner, even when the world is cheering for someone else.

🏇 Love for the horse must always be stronger than the desire to win.
Because the sport will one day end — but a true connection lasts forever.