A few days ago during a lesson. We had a bag attached to the stick and were waving it in front of the horse's nose and to her shoulder. The owner pondered: "Sometimes I have the impression that she doesn't respect the whip anymore". 



And this is why today's post is about sensitizing and desensitizing (and the mistakes we tend to make).…

How to make friends with a horse?



"Give him what he needs and he will give you what you want“

I think the quote is by Pat Parelli and it sums up what I think is the basis for a good relationship with our horse: the change of perspective.

In order for the relationship to thrive, we need to put our horse‘s needs…

Hi there,

I am writing the current issue of my newsletter. If you are interested you can sign up here.

It's free, no spam, and it comes twice a months (including a short article and some tips about what to read and what to watch).

Nadja

I reward too often. I reward when I shouldn't. I reward behavior that doesn't deserve it (anymore). How, some may ask. You cannot reward often enough! Reward fuels motivation, without reward no learning!



Wrong (at least in my opinion).

To understand the most important lessons, horses need no reward.



I don't know about the…

2015, we'll have known each other for ten years. My project horse will be 21 and me 31. But let's not count numbers. Let us focus on quality: My project horse doesn't get older, he gets better.

I don't need fiery temperament in a horse. But I appreciate calmness and understanding. When you've been together for some years, communication becomes more and more…

Here's the second part meaning another 5 of the ten life lessons I've learned from horses so far.

1. You are allowed to make mistakes. Have you ever felt reproach in a horse‘s glance? I haven‘t. Not because my project horse isn‘t fed up with me from time to time. I make mistakes, am unfair (though not on purpose), am not in control of my…

If you want to know more about Join up techniques you might want to visit Beth's blog "horsey experiences" and read my guest post. I compare the hooking on methods used by Monty Roberts, Warwick Schiller and Pat…

We covered the physical part of balance, now let's continue with the mental challenges.

I did a post on 3 behaviors you can change that will sky-rocket the quality of your horse's life (I know that sounds a bit too bombastic). 

One of them is to give him some slack in the rope. I illustrated the "dramatic…

I had the two horses I currently take care of in the arena today. I rode the smaller one bareback, and the other one run free. It was such a nice experience. The horses, both geldings, know each other from the pasture, they are in one herd, and the one I was on is the alpha (which is decent when riding as the other horse can be easily directed). 

I had no idea what would happen and was just experimenting. When I turn them loose, they often go separate ways in…