Do you inspire your horse? Does he volunteer more than you ask? Are you proud of who you are in his eyes?
And yes, this is a donkey. There is no better trainer for a human who wants to work with horses. Look him in the eye. You are out-matched in strength and wits. Don’t just lay your ego down.…
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Added by Anna Blake on May 20, 2016 at 9:00am —
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It seems that most things I learn about horses, I learn in hindsight. It’s not a bad thing. Horses learn that way, too.
When I was younger I had a great grasp of the little picture. And by…
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Added by Anna Blake on May 6, 2016 at 9:30am —
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It’s a question I’ve asked groups lately, “How can you tell the difference between a hot horse and a fearful one? There are a handful of answers but by far, most people say they see the difference in their eyes.…
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Added by Anna Blake on April 8, 2016 at 8:30am —
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Do you remember the very first time you heard the term Natural Horsemanship? I loved the sound of those words together. It felt holistic and honorable, and well, natural.…
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Added by Anna Blake on April 1, 2016 at 4:00pm —
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A colleague of mine recently called the worn path around the outside of an arena the "idiot ditch". Perhaps somewhat harsh, but I had to chuckle. Riding the rut doesn't stretch riders to make guiding adjustments or challenge our aids and timing, but it doesn't involve risk ether
Doing the same thing over and expecting a different result may count as…
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Added by Lindsay Grice on March 19, 2016 at 4:30pm —
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Last week I wrote about loitering in the sun with horses and not feeding carrots. People who train with treats spoke up and I agree; during work sessions, treats…
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Added by Anna Blake on March 18, 2016 at 9:00am —
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Your horse is escalating. His prance is coming apart into a full-blown Flamenco dance with a furious stomp to his hind hooves. It’s audible; you’re on pavement in front of an indoor arena. His front hooves alternately pop the ground and…
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Added by Anna Blake on January 15, 2016 at 9:30am —
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While we’re firm believers in the fact that you can never have too many horses, keeping multiple horses fit at the same time can be a challenge. We’ve come up with some great tips to help you save time while keeping your horses conditioned and exercised.
Use Horse Exercisers
Horse exercisers are a phenomenal way to ensure that…
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Added by Classic Equine Equipment on January 13, 2016 at 2:00pm —
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I’ll tell you about how the first follow happened. She was a young barn-rat of a girl. You know the…
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Added by Anna Blake on January 8, 2016 at 8:30am —
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Let’s say you’re a middle sort of rider. You aren’t a rank beginner; you’re comfortable in the saddle but it isn’t always pretty. Either you’ve been in lessons a couple of years or you’ve ridden all your life, more or less like you do now.…
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Added by Anna Blake on December 11, 2015 at 9:00am —
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My parents grew up in the Great Depression and were frugal; we kept things “for good.” It was the first Easter after we lost our farm and we’d moved across four states and settled in a tract house, trying to pass for suburbanites. I was…
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Added by Anna Blake on December 4, 2015 at 9:30am —
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Learning the body language of horses takes time. As you work with your horse, observe how his postures and expressions change as he interacts with you as well as other people and animals. Before long, you'll start to understand the more subtle signs that he's getting annoyed or fearful, and then you can start a more proactive "dialog,"…
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Added by John Forgeron Alberta NH Trainer on November 3, 2015 at 2:30am —
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Horses fall into holes all the time. Metaphoric holes; the really tricky kind that jump up and surprise you when you least expect it.
Holes might be things like confusing cues; you want to canter but…
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Added by Anna Blake on October 30, 2015 at 9:00am —
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Last Tuesday I had an 8 a.m. lesson with a boarder and her sweet gelding. He’s had a good summer; they even made it to a couple of schooling shows. This gelding had a checkered past with previous owners and when this pair started with me, he was a…
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Added by Anna Blake on September 25, 2015 at 11:30am —
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Can you tell the difference between personality, who a horse is, and behavior, what a horse does?
With people it can be a bit easier because we are used to separating the two. We’re taught to “hate the sin and love the sinner.” Most of us know someone who is kind and funny,…
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Added by Anna Blake on July 24, 2015 at 8:53am —
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The usual question people ask when dealing with horses that have behavior problems is “how do I stop this behavior?” Another (better) question to ask is “what do I want my horse to do instead of this behavior?” Horses LEARN the behaviors they show around people, and it’s up to us whether the behaviors we teach are good or bad.
B. F. Skinner…
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Added by Wendy Koch on July 14, 2015 at 2:00pm —
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Trail riding is a great summertime activity, but if you’re hesitant to head out on the trail because you feel that your horse might miss out on schooling for the day, that doesn’t have to be the case. There are plenty of horse training and schooling exercises that you…
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Added by Classic Equine Equipment on July 14, 2015 at 10:00am —
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My friend and student, Joan, and I were chatting in her lesson and she said that her motto lately when it comes to finding time for her Morgan, Baxter, is “DO SOMETHING.” I laughed, because that’s been my theme lately…
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Added by Heather Nelson on July 4, 2015 at 8:11pm —
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With parade season in full swing, are you planning on riding in a parade with your horse? Riding in a parade can be a great experience, and it’s fun to be able to share our horses with others. These tips can help to keep both you and your horse safe during a parade.
Check Your Liability Insurance
You can be held…
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Added by Classic Equine Equipment on July 1, 2015 at 6:00pm —
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Does your normally relaxed, sane and rhythmic horse turn into his version of a racehorse each time he rounds a corner and spots anything that resembles a jump when you are riding? Your quiet calm ride turns into a flat out gallop, resembling the rush for the finish post on the final furlong of Aintree... (minus the cheering crowds!)
Unfortunately horses rushing or racing over fences is a common problem for riders and one that, once all pain or discomfort has been ruled out as the…
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Added by Lorna Leeson on June 19, 2015 at 3:30am —
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