Amy Allen Horsemanship LLC

29/10/2025

Training Beau

Sandy worked with her horse today, we started on the ground, after I did a little demo refresher of groundwork. They worked the most on the ground, to build their relationship. Beau needs confident leadership, and more work on the offside than the nearside. He bends nicely on the near side but wants to counter bend, and look for the monsters on the offside. The solution to this is bend the horse in, but move the shoulder out. Beau showed he accepted her good leadership and correct aids, and understand what she was asking. They used the whole arena, going to the not so scary places, which allows the horse the time to let down think and process, then move back into the harder places, in the arena nearer to the forest, and build the trust as he looks to her for leadership and comfort.
His chomping of the bit is all anxiety, and it goes away when he relaxes, which he does.
Before getting on I had Sandy rub, pet all over, and move the saddle stirrups, tap the saddle, etc, all desitizing work, to show us how he feels about it and its not a surprise when she swings a leg over.
Once she was on I had her love on him some more, then do flexions both ways. Flexion to the right is harder for him, it is on the ground also, and he has to move his feet. As she rode him around he revealed his, I'm not going forward, and I'm taking you over to my friend. So I had Sandy prepare him before he got to the spot when he wanted to take over, and ride him more like a green horse that doesnt understand body aids. This helped and she was able to keep him going where she wanted him to go. He will plant his feet and refuse to go in a trailer, lead and going forward under saddle. These are all related. So where do we fix it first?, on the ground.
His backing is nice and soft.
Beau is a sweet boy that has a lot of try.

28/10/2025

Training Beau

This was our second training session with the flag and he was much better.
The first time I used the flag he was terrified, he just stood in place, afraid to move and he trembled. And when he did finally move he wanted to attack the flag, kick it violently if it came near his hind end and hind legs. So we worked until he understood the flag isnt something to be afraid of, its just a tool like anything we use on a horse. When I wave the flag a horse should be able to stand still with confidence. When I ask a horse to move using the flag, my body aids are also asking him to move, and he should walk off confidently, without fear. When I touch him with the flag it should be as if I stroked him with my hand. He only tried to kick at the flag twice today and it wasnt as strong a kick.

After the improved work on the line we worked at liberty in the round pen. At first he took flight, and after I directed him a bit (be a leader not a dominator) he started to relax and got to the walk. He was soon trusting again, walking when the flag moved or touched him.

The last picture is Beau watching me work Max with the flag. While I rode Max I never got out of Beau's sight and he stayed in his paddock. Thats also progress as he thinks Max is fabulous, and he is, but Beau's very herd bound to him.
The reason I am working him with a halter under the bridle, which I never do, is because I want him to pack that bit around. He incessantly chomps and chomps on that bit, so I want him to learn to accept it, and not hurt his mouth, while we train with the flag.

24/10/2025

Edited: Beau's new owner sent me a message realizing she told me the wrong breed, he is a NSH (National Show horse), which is what you get when you cross a Saddlebred and an Arabian.

In for training is Beau, 7yo Standardbred Arabian gelding.

22/10/2025

Obesity in horses, its a problem, that can lead to; inflammation, hoof problems like laminitis and founder, hoof wall integrity separation, cracks, thrush, insulin resistance, PPID (Cushing's), overall the obese horse just does not look nor feel good. You probably feel the same after eating a bunch of carbs, sugar, etc until your carrying around extra weight and you also feel inflamed, lack energy, clear thought and overall blah.

Do you know how much feed your horse needs every day? 1.5 -2% of their IDEAL body weight. For a 1000lb horse that translates to 15-20lbs of feed per day. That's not just hay, that's ALL feeds, plus, turn out. We can not estimate how much a horse eats during turn out, its more than you think, especially when the pastures are lush with green grass. But even if they are not, the horse will continue to eat, forage, pull out roots, etc.
You can use that weight guideline as a bases for your own horses feeding program.

Chloe, the Pinto in the pictures, weighs less than 1000 lbs, shes probably 800lbs when at her ideal weight, shes fine boned with a big barrel and barely 15hh.
The first picture of Chloe was in May, she's heavy and out of shape.

I bought a fish scale, easy to find at your local stores and online. I started to weigh her hay, and feed her 6lbs am and pm, with a snack (3-4lbs) mid day, her mash is enough to carry her supplements (California trace, magnesium, salt, timothy pellets, ground flax) and shes working 2-3xs per week.
Shes lost a lot of weight, she looks and feels better, has more energy and her hooves have improved.

Its not hard to do this, it just takes discipline. We are responsible for the health and welfare of our horses. Knowledge of how much, and what, to feed them, gives them a better quality life.

https://www.ecirhorse.org/DDT+E-diet.php?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=diet_campaign

11/10/2025

Four of the horses I PTS all survived on very LARGE amounts of BEET PULP, it was the main staple of their diet. Ily was 36, Raven was 34, Red was 34, Harley was in his 30s. I would buy 20 bags at a time from the XCEL mill in Tacoma (better price if bought in bulk). They would eat soaked beet pulp, haystacks special blend, California Trace and loose white salt, all mixed together with more water to make a nice mash that they all loved. Old horses should not starve to the end of life. If they are still skinny, increase the amounts, if they are competing with a herd mate, separate them and give them plenty of time to eat their food in peace.

Edited; there is a link in this article that answers a lot more questions, including the GMO question, the GMO is so low its not a concern. And in my anecdotal study of having kept so many horses healthy and of decent/good weight into their 30s, and the same with clients horses that are being fed enough BP, (feed by dry weight not by volume, 1.5 to 2% of their ideal body weight, which equals 15-20lbs of feed for a 1000lb horse, more if they are under weight, and multiple times a day if they can only consume mash), the pros far outweigh the cons.

I have written about beet pulp before For some reason, it draws an inordinate amount of scrutiny and demonizing. Now there is a new generation of critics with a bumper crop of yet more myths. The l…

10/10/2025

Sadly, we said goodbye to five of our herd, and I know that number is shocking, it was a decision made with a lot of thought. And in hindsight, the decision was easier on us when it wasnt an emergency, it helped us prepare, love on them and say goodbye.

The three oldest horses, Ily, Raven and Red, were a herd of their own with eating challenges, quality of life slipping away and just old age catching up to them. I didnt want to put them through another cold miserable winter. Destiny and Harley have IR/Cushings and Harley has cataracts, so it was getting harder to see and eat.

So many of you were in some way involved with these precious horses, and I was reminded of many of you, and those special moments, as I went through my photo albums and gathered these photos.

While we are sad and the place feels very empty without them, they went on a beautiful sunny day. Having been freshly groomed and loved by Amanda, and loved on by Kevin the day before, I spent the morning with them. Sometimes, I just watching them enioy the nice sunny morning, just being horses. I loved on them and gave them treats and apple slices, before they left this world.

I can picture them all running as a herd, whole in their bodies again, through the green fields of Heaven. See you when we get there, until then our sweet horses, until then.....

03/10/2025

We had our last ride today, tomorrow Milo goes home.
Hes been fun to work with, even with a bumpy start. But we got through it and developed a deeper partnership. When hes unsure, or scared, he looks to me for leadership. He has a ton of try and curiosity. He loves to be worked. It really helps him focus and think, instead of being scared and over reactive....and who likes to live in a state of fear? Not Milo. Im looking forward to seeing him continue in his development with future lessons. (Plus I'm his trimmer so I get to see him every 6 weeks) Thank you to his owner for trusting me with your special guy.

25/09/2025

Milo training
Top photo - April 3rd, 2025
Bottom photo - today Sept 24th