Horse Progress: Ready for challenging tasks?

Horse Education

Evolving the Ask

By Samantha Harvey, Founder — Alternative Horsemanship™ the Remote Horse Coach

"How do I get my horse to be okay with ___?" (trailer, the scary corner, saddling, the farrier, fill in the blank.) Usually, someone is describing the big scenario, and the horse is already overwhelmed by it.

When I start with a horse, I'm not focused on the "final outcome". I'm presenting tiny segments to help him learn how to think through a scenario (rather than fixate)... to search (offer more than one try without getting emotionally triggered) for an answer instead of waiting to be driven or pushed... to try... and just as important, to let go of a thought (anticipation, fixation, concern, worry).

Most horses I meet have never been taught this nor is there a differentiation between directing their thoughts from their movement. Too many horses in their initial training learned to tolerate, comply, shut down (offer no physical resistance), or get bigger (to make the human go away). This leaves them unable (and overwhelmed) the more that is asked of them.

Once the equine learns these skills, I present small scenarios to practice the Conversation. Not "load in the trailer," but "how do you feel about walking toward, around, away from it?" I observe his feedback during the interaction, and especially after. Is there a look away, a held breath, a stiff jaw, a step back, is his tail swishing... all of which is him telling me where/if there are concerning aspects. He's not being "naughty" or "testing" me. He's giving me feedback.

Rather than mindlessly repeating to "just getting through it," as I address each concern, I'm also assessing the quality and effectiveness of my communication. By presenting scenarios in smaller segments, it allows me an opportunity to pause and recognize if the horse is becoming defensive towards my aids- and I can address that aspect. It also gives him time to process- his concern and my communication. Then I may ask for a little more.

Here's what people don't consider... the more often a horse is supported by the human to learn how to work through and let go of his concerns, the more the person is "proving" themselves to the horse to be trusted, and the increase in his try will follow. By the time I present something much larger, it isn't "a concern" to him anymore, because he's been prepared with each segment presented along the way, and he is offered relevant communication.

If the horse falls apart when you ask for more, the "why won't he do it?" is ignoring the "what did I miss in the preparation?"

How do you know he needs help or is ready for more?

Your horse will "tell you" in subtle feedback, before he does something dramatic. The trick is noticing the behavior that most of mainstream society teaches you to ignore, because when it is, (or critiqued rather than addressed) it evolves into the potentially dangerous responses.

He's telling you there's a concern when you see him...

• Looking away or fixating on something else when you step toward him
• Holding his breath, or short, quick, labored breathing despite not having physically exerted himself
• Tightness in the jaw, wrinkles in the muzzle, worry lines around the eye
• Head up, neck shortened and braced, "ballooned barrel," or "hollowing" of the back
• Tail swishing or clamped
• Ears hyper-flicking back and forth or back and rigid
• Tripod-like stance, braced knees/hocks
• Constant shifting away, or stepping backward
• Freezing in place (this one gets mistaken for "being good")
• Fidgeting, pawing, or hurried movement
• Getting pushy, crowding, or leaning toward/at the human
• Eyes dull and "checked out"... shut down- i.e. "no response" at all

Even if he has displayed the above behaviors and still complied, does not mean he is "ready" for more- and it is usually when he is asked to offer more- that the horse "suddenly" shows dramatic resistance.

He's ready to move on- or for you to evolve the ask- when you see...

• A deep breath out, or a sigh that shows up on his own
• Real-time mental processing- soft blinking, gentle chewing, rhythmic breathing
• Jaw, lips, and eye softening
• Head and neck held at a natural height, without skin tension or twitching (such as when touched)
• Tail softly hanging, ears relaxed or one tipped toward you
• Shifting a hip, or standing balanced without mentally bouncing all over
• Brain and body in the same place... he isn't looking around with anticipation
• Curiosity- softly looking toward/inspecting something (without imposing/pushing/trying to bite it), perhaps offering a small, soft step toward the unfamiliar/scary thing
• The same quiet response several times in a row, without anticipation or rushing
• Willing to be mentally directed "away" (not physically moving his feet away) from the concerning area- without having a flee, increase in tension, or a fixation on the thing he is unsure of

As you are assessing, remember that a one time soft response doesn't mean he's fully worked through a scenario. Experiment with one small change, and observe his mental and physical responses. Even if not yet fully confident, if he stays "available" and thinking, he's ready for more. Adapt with how you offer a release- which may be just mental, or mental and spatial. Sometimes, it takes literally moving the horse away from a scenario to "pull the release valve" and then you see the full body shake, blowing, yawning, passing manure, etc. in his let down of tension as he mentally processes.

If during any "segment" a concern reappears, that tells you what hasn't been fully addressed to help the horse mentally let it "go."

A final thought... When just observing the horse, notice what the difference is in your perception of what equine behaviors you'd classify as a "quiet," relaxed, or shut down horse.

— Samantha Harvey, Alternative Horsemanship™
The Remote Horse Coach

Avoiding Unwanted Horse Behavior

Horse Behavior Problems: The Workarounds We Learn to Live With

By Samantha Harvey, Founder — Alternative Horsemanship™ the Remote Horse Coach

I have lost count of how many times I've heard, "Oh, he's done that for a while."

It usually comes from someone standing next to a horse who has been "like that" for so long that the human has built an entire routine around it.

The Common Comments

A few of the more common comments I hear:

• To coerce the hard to catch horse, a bucket, a second one, and a friend stationed at the gate
• Turning the horse loose- ALWAYS swing the gate(s) open beforehand, because as soon as the halter is off he bolts off and kicks out
• The trailer loading that takes forty-five minutes, two helpers, several types of treats, and one specific buddy horse
• The girthy horse who "just makes grumpy faces" so is cinched one hole at a time, with a lap around the arena between each round of tightening
• The horse who "just needs twenty minutes on the lunge line to get the sillies out"
• The corner of the arena "we don't go in" and is avoided at all cost
• The horse who is "only like that with the farrier"

Outside the Horse World

Humans do the same thing outside of the horse world, and most of us know a house with at least one of these:

• A toilet that runs until someone jiggles the handle.
  
  Everyone who lives there knows the jiggle. Visitors get instructions. Years go by without a plumber. The jiggle is accepted as the solution.
• The stair everyone skips because it is loose, right up until the day an unsuspecting guest walks across it and nearly breaks a leg
• The Wi-Fi that gets restarted every afternoon around the same time, until the family simply refers to 3:00 as "router time"
• The closet door held shut with a foot while someone else pushes higher up to "adjust" the warping to get it to close

Each of these "workarounds" may have become fine for the people who "know the routine." But, when the new house sitter arrives, it quickly becomes apparent how many things need to be done in a "certain way" just for the sake of basic functioning.

Why Workarounds Feel Like Progress

Horses are no different. The workaround(s) seem to keep daily life running smoothly (i.e. the least amount of resistance or time needed to get the horse to comply), so it feels like progress. Yet weeks, months, or years later, the horse still appears to carry the same initial concern leading to the "workaround"-and the human has mastered their ability to bend over backwards in their heroic efforts to avoid "conflict"- without ever addressing the root cause(s) of it.

With each unintentional reinforced instance, the equine's behavior tends to evolve, often escalating into a bigger, more dramatic response, reflecting how the root cause has never addressed.

When the Holes Show Up

The "holes" become obvious the day something changes in the horse's world... a new handler, the vet, the farrier running late, a storm, an emergency, a different trailer, and he offers unreasonable or unsafe behavior.

The Instruction Sheet

I often ask students- both in terms of considering one's safety, but also improving the well-being of the horse:

If someone else had to handle your horse tomorrow, how long would the instruction sheet be of the "workarounds" you currently use?

If there is a list forming in your head, it can be an opportunity for an honest reflection of unaddressed aspects in the horse's education. These offer a specific starting point of breaking down the "big task" into smaller segments to gain insight into what exactly triggers, fears, or concerns are causing the need for a "workaround."

Most masking of symptoms begin with a human's good intentions, but limited time and/or skills to seek out the root cause(s).

Do you have a workaround?

— Sam
Alternative Horsemanship™ the Remote Horse Coach

Interested in improving the partnership?

Join me for an Intro Consult — an opportunity to discuss where you are with your horse, ask questions, and pinpoint what aspects of your equine partnership need refining to create positive, long-term change.

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Horse Training Help- Segmented Learning

The Positive Influence of Segments

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By Samantha Harvey, the Remote Horse Coach
Alternative Horsemanship™

I've been back in the US for the last three weeks, teaching Private Clinics across the western States. Some things taught included working on preparing a young horse to accept a rider, re-educating one that had previous trauma associated with being ridden, riding in areas that were once "scary," (re)introducing saddling, hoof handling after farrier trauma, interrupting quiet patterns of fixation, building confidence, or teaching the humans to offer real-time adaptability in how, when, and where they offer supportive communication, to simultaneously build the horse's try and trust.

I thought I'd share a post from earlier in the year, reiterating the importance (to the horse) of why presenting/asking reasonable segments is crucial to evolve the partnership.

P.S. I'll be heading up the East Coast in November and still have a few days open, visit Private Clinics for details.

Underrated Human Skills to Improve our Horse Time

"I have a plan"

"I want to work on x, y, and z"

"I need to practice for the upcoming event/competition/trip"

"I just want to try one more time"

These are the often taught ideals- meaning if you the human are "focused enough" the horse should and will comply... and then you show up and your horse is .... pacing, calling out to the neighbor, doesn't want to be caught, willing to be caught but anticipative and pushy, etc.

So what do you do?

• Get annoyed?
• Offer critical communication?
• Get lost in the story of wondering "why" the horse is reacting as he is?
• Compare what your horse does versus "theirs?"

Or do you...

• Adapt?
• Break down what you're asking of your horse into smaller segments?
• Address the horse's distraction (without criticism)?
• Let go of your original intentions and "meet the horse in the moment?"

How one perceives the horse's behavior often reflects their skill set- the more one has learned how to interrupt and redirect the horse's thought, help him drain (literally) physical tension, and are able to separate out asking him the focus from his movement, the more options a person has to help the animal work through a troubling scenario, let go of it mentally, and be available to willingly participate.

But, for a lot of people, they either don't realize how few options they have in their "toolbox" (how they communicate")- until the day the horse is "suddenly" reacting or offering new responses or behaviors...

Rather than thinking of your horse time as "training for the moment"- if you shift your focus to creating a common language- (see the how, what, when, where post I made last week,) and then refining your understanding of how the horse's thought and movement is connected, what patterns occur when he is triggered, teach him how to think through scenarios versus physical compliance, the more "options" you have for presenting anything, anywhere, at any time- whether or not you've practiced a scenario before.

Catching and teaching the horse to lead - i.e. having the horse willingly participate without using food, coercion, or patterns of familiarity- requires more than 50% of the skills you'll need for everything that follows... yet for most people- catching is how quickly will the horse comply to be in close enough proximity without too much physical resistance that they can physically get the halter on...

Most horses I observe "tell me" everything I need to know about their perception of the human experience based on their behavior during the catching.

Work with Samantha

Alternative Horsemanship™ with Samantha Harvey the Remote Horse Coach offers horsemanship clinics worldwide, distance horse coaching, equine re-education and rehabilitation, colt starting, and lessons. I'll be heading up the East Coast of the USA in November, and still have a few days open. Message for details.

Email to learn more

Horse Riding Skills- Improving Transitions

Horse Transitions- Mental and Physical

Reading the horse before, during, and beyond the gait change

By Samantha Harvey, Founder — Alternative Horsemanship™

Most horses I meet fall into two categories:

• Fearful or defensive (tight, rigid, lethargic movement) when moving forward
• Or hyper reactive and overreacting with fast, fleeing movement when moving forward

Here are some of what I look to address in re-educating or starting with the inexperienced horse.

I work with the untacked horse first, I am watching for disconnect in his brain and body, defensiveness towards human pressure, imbalance in his movement, and dramatic upward or downward transitions. This tells me what I need to address before adding tack.

I'll work the horse on a lead increasing and decreasing my spatial distance, being able to direct his focus and energy. Watching for triggers if I move in a certain manner or towards various body parts. All the while the lead rope acts as my communication support to help him think and slowly in segments work through any troubling areas.

Later, I work on the quality of tacking up while the horse is not tied. I'm looking for potential mental triggers from previous experiences of saddling that may lead to fussy, chaotic behavior.

My goal is to help the horse learn to let go of fears, tension, etc., during the tacking up as it directly influences his movement if he retains defensiveness.

At some point, I'll add in working with the horse loose while tacked to notice if there is a change in his mental and physical state. I'd address those concerns by breaking things down into smaller segments with supportive, specific conversations, allowing him lots of opportunities to pause, process, and release tension.

By the time I'm riding it often is like colt-starting, irrelevant of the age of the horse. Being able to first direct the horse's thoughts, allows him to understand what will be asked, and he can prepare to move his body accordingly.

Then I add energy indicating I'm asking for his movement, focusing on adaptable, soft changes and transitions within a gait, focusing on the horse learning to balance and carry himself... before asking for changes between gaits.

I use the analogy that transitions should not feel like you're popping the clutch. There should feel like a slight increase or decrease within one gait before asking for the next gait.

Otherwise there is often a lurching or jumping into a faster gait, or a "falling into" a slower gait.

So many people randomly ask for transitions in an unclear, chaotic manner, often creating a "surprise" cue, and unintentionally teach the horse to respond in unwanted defensive behaviors.

Then the rider feels like they have to "contain" the horse's chaos, and a vicious cycle of the horse experiencing anticipation, defensiveness, flee, and fear starts to be associated with speed.

— Samantha Harvey, Alternative Horsemanship™
The Remote Horse Coach

Interested in improving the partnership?

Join me for an Intro Consult — an opportunity to discuss where you are with your horse, ask questions, and pinpoint what aspects of your equine partnership need refining to create positive, long-term change.

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Labels: horse transitions horse movement problems groundwork

Horse Behavior Problems- Rearing Issue or Symptom?

Rearing and Footing

By Samantha Harvey, Founder — Alternative Horsemanship™ the Remote Horse Coach

Question:

My horse had been rearing a lot. The footing in my field isn't that good — she had been fine all summer, then got her shoes off, the ground got hard, and then she started. Then when the first snow came, she was fine for a month or so, then when the snow got hard, uneven, and high, she started again. Do you think she is doing this because of the footing? It's very aggravating, and I try to bring her head to my knee and make her go forward, but I can't — she's too powerful. I have been doing groundwork with her for now, until she gets her shoes back on and the snow is gone. I'm hoping she will be better.

Answer:

I'd begin by ruling out possibilities of pain (such as sore feet — have a farrier or vet use a hoof tester to see if she is experiencing any soreness while barefoot, but keep in mind it can take six to nine months before beginning to see positive changes in the hoof). Keep in mind that as you make changes to the horse's hooves, the rest of her body's movement is affected. Her back, shoulders, or hocks could be compensating. I'd also revisit the quality of the tack fit based on her current physical state...

Other factors that can affect the behavior are feed issues or dietary changes (depending on the season), sleep deprivation, if the horse experiences stress of where he is kept, including herd imbalance, and "daily life" in general. Another overlooked consideration is if she had recent dental work and then you noticed an increase in the rearing. Many people do not recognize how teeth and hooves are connected.

Beyond the physical, I'd be assessing the horse's response to your communication. You mentioned the mare has a history of rearing. I remind folks that the physical behavior reflects the horse's mental and emotional state. If the horse's subtle feedback reflecting fear, concern, anticipation, or defensiveness, was/is ignored, they learn to escalate their behavior in more dramatic or resistant responses. If the root causes are not addressed, the behavior will continue to escalate.

Often, to address the big, unwanted response, we have to break down teaching the horse to think, search, and try, in smaller segments. To do so, we need to develop a common "language." This is the beginning of re-engage the horse's brain to encourage their curiosity vs tolerance. It is then that the new experiences are retained.

The less anticipation, fear, or concern he starts with, the more adaptable the horse can be as the unexpected comes up. Being able to separate out influencing what the horse is focused on, from asking for her movement, can help her learn to think through scenarios.

You may find that you have to re-sensitize yourself as to what you consider is "normal" in the horse's responses... Example- does she always rush through a gate/into the trailer/into the arena/etc., can she stand relaxed, does she move away as you catch/halter/saddle, what is her physical tension, do her body and brain seem to be in the same place or is she always looking around/away from where you're at?

Rather than continuing the same or similar pattern of interaction, the goal is to address her in a manner that has value to her, helps to INFLUENCE what is about to happen, rather than continuing the unwanted cycle. To "see" the horse with fresh eyes, you're going to have to let go of all assumptions.

BELIEVE your horse.

Whether you're attempting to catch her, tack her up, mount, or hack out — if there is any level of stress, agitation, worry, or fear (hard to catch, fussy when tied, fidgeting when mounting, tail swishing when you apply your leg, grinding teeth, "grabbing" or leaning on the bit, slow to respond to an aid, etc.), you'll need to put your initial intentions or goals for the ride aside to address the current concerns your horse is displaying.

Even if you don't think "it's a big deal," or if your horse has "done something many times before," her continued concern reflects that despite your previous efforts, it has not been enough to create a lasting change. The more she is "persuaded" to continue while fearful, the increasing mental pressure is put upon her. At some point, this overflows into the physical explosion— such as rearing, bolting, kicking out, bucking, etc.

By focusing on addressing the horse's feedback when she is having a problem, irrelevant of if you think it is justified or not, helping her learn how to mentally work through her concerns, she will physically respond in a more reasonable, and safe manner.

She'll learn to trust your communication rather than having it magnify her defensive responses.

This is not a quick-fix solution. There are many "techniques" to contain rearing, and even if previously you had the physical ability to temporarily stop the rearing, without the cause(s) addressed, it will evolve into another behavior.

— Samantha Harvey, Alternative Horsemanship™
The Remote Horse Coach

Interested in improving the partnership?

Join me for an Intro Consult — an opportunity to discuss where you are with your horse, ask questions, and pinpoint what aspects of your equine partnership need refining to create positive, long-term change.

Book an Intro Consult  |  Explore the Video Catalog

Horse Learning- A different perception of the Transition

Horse Transitions: Mental and Physical

By Samantha Harvey, Founder — Alternative Horsemanship™ the Remote Horse Coach

Most horses I meet fall into two categories:

• Fearful or defensive (tight, rigid, lethargic movement) when moving forward
• Hyper-reactive and overreacting with fast, fleeing movement when moving forward

Here is some of what I look to address in re-educating or starting with the inexperienced horse.

Starting With the Untacked Horse

I work with the untacked horse first. I am watching for disconnect in his brain and body, defensiveness towards human pressure, imbalance in his movement, and dramatic upward or downward transitions. This tells me what I need to address before adding tack.

I'll work the horse on a lead, increasing and decreasing my spatial distance, being able to direct his focus and energy. I'm watching for triggers if I move in a certain manner or towards various body parts. All the while, the lead rope acts as my communication support to help him think, and slowly, in segments, work through any troubling areas.

The Quality of Tacking Up

Later, I work on the quality of tacking up while the horse is not tied. I'm looking for potential mental triggers from previous experiences of saddling that may lead to fussy, chaotic behavior.

My goal is to help the horse learn to let go of fears and tension during the tacking up process, as it directly influences his movement if he retains defensiveness.

Working Loose While Tacked

At some point, I'll add in working with the horse loose while tacked, to notice if there is a change in his mental and physical state. I address those concerns by breaking things down into smaller segments with supportive, specific Conversations — allowing him lots of opportunities to pause, process, and release tension.

Riding: Still Colt-Starting, Regardless of Age

By the time I'm riding, it often is like colt-starting, irrelevant of the age of the horse. Being able to first direct the horse's thoughts allows him to understand what will be asked, and he can prepare to move his body accordingly.

Then I add energy, indicating I'm asking for his movement — focusing on adaptable, soft transitions within a gait, and on the horse learning to balance and carry himself, before asking for changes between gaits.

The Clutch Analogy

Transitions should not feel like you're popping the clutch. There should be a slight increase or decrease within one gait before asking for the next gait.

Otherwise, there is often a lurching or jumping into a faster gait, or a "falling into" a slower gait.

When Transitions Go Wrong

So many people randomly ask for transitions in an unclear, chaotic manner, often creating a "surprise" cue — and unintentionally teach the horse to respond with unwanted, defensive behaviors.

Then the rider feels like they have to "contain" the horse's chaos, and a vicious cycle begins: the horse experiencing anticipation, defensiveness, flee, and fear starts to become associated with speed.

— Samantha Harvey, Alternative Horsemanship™
The Remote Horse Coach

Curious about improving your horse's transitions?

Join me for an Intro Consult — an opportunity to discuss where you are with your horse, ask questions, and pinpoint what aspects of your equine partnership need refining to create positive, long-term change.

Book an Intro Consult  |  Explore the Video Catalog

Horse Behavior Problems - Trying to Fix the Symptom? Virtual learning options

Horse Behavior Symptoms vs. Root Cause

Need H.E.L.P.?

By Samantha Harvey, Founder — Alternative Horsemanship™ the Remote Horse Coach

Every week I receive emails asking for coaching about what someone thinks is going on with their horse. Despite sharing three or four paragraphs, in detail, explaining their issue, I have found owners are focusing on symptoms without realizing it.

Here's the challenge: often what a person is describing as happening, versus what is causing the horse to behave/react in a certain manner, can be two very different things.

The Brake Pedal

Example — you are driving and attempt to slow the vehicle down by stepping on the brake, but the car is slow to respond, and you have to use the pedal flattened to the floorboard to stop.

You might assume that the brake pedal isn't working because when you used it, the car didn't react as you wanted.

But if you brought the vehicle to the mechanic shop, describing the "problem" and requested that they fix the pedal, they might "counter" or want to explore further to discover what the actual issue is.

They might begin by inspecting what the brake pedal is attached to, the brake line... and if during their "inspection" they discovered the vehicle was low on brake fluid, or that the brake line was cracked, or that your brake pads were worn out, perhaps all three "problems" were contributing to the "final" outcome of the car's lack of response when stepping on the brake, and not the pedal itself contributing to the lack of response.

But if you ignored the mechanic's discovery, and remained laser focused on "fixing" the pedal itself, despite your efforts to replace it, the vehicle's performance would not improve.

This analogy is exactly what I often experience when I help people with their horses. The clearly defined "problem" in the human's mind, more times than not, is a symptom(s) reflecting missing/unaddressed aspects in the horse's education and lacking/unclear communication between human and animal.

Without addressing the root cause, irrelevant of the time and effort spent trying to "fix" the problem — symptoms would continue to appear, or morph into other unwanted equine behaviors.

Why H.E.L.P.?

Last year I came up with an idea of how to assist horse owners in recognizing the specific "starting point" to address symptomatic problems or challenges with the equine. I created the H.E.L.P. option in my Remote Horse Coach services.

Why H.E.L.P.? — Horse Evaluation for Learning and Progression.

Owners submit a five minute video. I record a 10-minute voice-over analysis walking you through what I'm seeing... The goal is to help decipher and clarify the difference between the symptom(s) and the root cause(s) behind the undesired equine behavior.

By specifying "where" the behaviors are stemming from, helps bring clarity in the specifics of what needs to be addressed or taught (to both the horse and human), to create long-term positive change in the behavior.

Irrelevant of one's location, or time limitations, these insightful H.E.L.P. analysis' can offer a "starting point" — without a long-term virtual coaching commitment.

How It Works

Technologically challenged? Place your phone on a mounting block, bridle hook, chair, etc. and film. No editing needed. Upload to a link provided in the online registration, pay the $20, and within 48–72 hours later, you will receive a downloadable link with my assessment and insight.

Curious? Click the link.

— Sam

P.S. If you need extra guidance in filming and uploading, I created a step by step tutorial available on The Remote Horse Coach website.

Curious about a H.E.L.P. analysis?

Get a starting point for your horse's behavior — without a long-term commitment.

Get Your H.E.L.P. Analysis Book an Intro Consult

Labels: horse behavior help, H.E.L.P. video analysis, horse learning help, root cause vs symptoms, Alternative Horsemanship™

Horse Behavior- Flooding, Learned Helplessness, and Trauma Bonds

Human Perspective & Horse Approach

Flooding, Learned Helplessness, and Trauma Bonds

By Samantha Harvey, Founder — Alternative Horsemanship™ the Remote Horse Coach

Group Member Question

Thoughts on "flooding," learned helplessness, and creating a trauma bond seen in some human-horse relationships.

Answer

Everywhere you "go" there you are. I have found many of the human projected stories and explanations about horses, frequently have little to do with what the horse is experiencing and more to do with the person's mindset, emotional state, and degree of awareness of both them and their behavior.

People become involved with horses for a variety of reasons- but if you ask most, there is usually the common factor of seeking emotional fulfillment, in whatever form they perceive. This behavior isn't unique to when working with horses, as in most cases, when people have a choice to participate in something, it tends to be underlined with, "what do I get out of this?" Again, this is reflective of a societal mindset, versus an awareness or seeing the value in acknowledging what another sentient being is experiencing.

So how does all the above tie into original topic of "flooding," horse training practices or interactions, and trauma bonding?

When someone has an agenda, whether intentional or not, the mindset will assign categories in terms of how the experience affected and was perceived by the human, such as to "accomplish or fail," and if something was "good or bad," etc. These trigger human emotions such as, "I failed," when something does not occur in the horse's response. This can create a domino effect as to the human projecting the horse's behavior on how it affected them personally, rather than "seeing" the animal's behavior as feedback- or information.

This narrowed perspective can limit one in recognizing the missing holes, lack of education, or defensive triggers in the equine. The emotional, "I want my horse to comply," can lead to ignoring the horse's communication, and the person having laser "focus"/fixation on- what many have been taught- repetitive practicing presented in the same manner, or reinforcing a training scenario, with the emotional hopes that the horse will eventually comply…

The problem is the emotional state of the human creates a disconnect in awareness or curiosity as to what the horse is experiencing. When his feedback is ignored, he is being taught to escalate his responses. The human's agenda leads to continuous repetition of triggering experiences and the conflict increases.

Depending on the horse's natural personality, confidence, and previous experiences, he will either "get bigger" by perhaps resorting to dangerous, avoidant, or fleeing behavior, or he will "shut down" and quit responding- often seen in the dysfunctional state of "no response"- learned helplessness- or becomes mentally removed- often described as the "bomb proof horse."

If he offers scary or dramatic responses, dependent on a person's emotional state, the horse's behavior reinforces the human's emotional interpretation- which compounds the irrelevance of their physical behaviors and delays real-time, relevant communication.

I witness three typical responses: The first, is the person sees themselves as the "victim," in a "why won't my horse listen to me?" The second, as many do when overwhelmed, leads to a decision delay or paralysis in their response and communication toward the horse, leaving a bigger gap in helping the animal. The third, often taught in mainstream training, is reflective of an anger trigger, with stronger more aggressive aids used, as it reflects the person's lack of "control" and emotionally feeling like they have "failed."

What many are missing, is that ironically the "horse experience" is not about what the human "gets" out of it. If instead, there was a focus or priority on helping educate the horse in an adaptable, supportive manner, with the focus on building his skills to mentally and physically navigate without fear what is asked of him, the emotional outcome for the human would be far more fulfilling.

So if you find yourself in a reactive, chaotic, frustrated, angered, or fearful emotional state- most likely the "triggering" thing in the horse's behavior is a symptom(s). It is the "final" result or response, of an accumulation of ignored and unaddressed holes in his understanding.

The kindest thing you can do, is to help address him in a manner that is relevant to his current state. That means preconceived agendas, assumptions, and hopefulness have no value to the horse. Instead, recognizing the subtleties in his focus, behavior, breathing, willingness to participate, while interrupting patterns, and addressing defensiveness, creates opportunities for you to break things down into segments to educate him, rather than overwhelming with rushing toward the final outcome.

My last thought, without opening the entire can of worms… is mentioning the rescue/abandoned/abused, etc. horse. I've worked with far more than I care to count, often as the "last stop." If I had to be honest, I find that dwelling on the horse's horrible past limits one's effectiveness to help the horse learn how to function without fear. Instead, while the human dwells in sadness, it leaves the horse floundering, lost, without support or direction…

The pendulum swings drastically in how human emotional triggers and training approaches vary when helping traumatized horses with the arguments of "how to handle" ones with difficult and human-induced violent pasts.

For me, in the re-education, the most challenging aspect is to re-educate the human to not dwell in the "story." Yes, it was horrific. But if during every future interaction there is an emotional filter based on the past, one is not present to see, meet, adapt, and help the horse standing before them. Often times, I hear how people can "relate" to what the horse has been through… without imposing my personal judgement, I try to have people redirect their focus to "what does the horse need to function in a healthy manner" in the human created world, rather than re-iteration of what one does not want the "poor horse" to experience.

Case and point, a few weeks ago, I'd posted a 30+ second video of a horse who was very defensive about my hand touching her face. I literally typed words on the video pointing out the physical signs of defensive behavior… Guess what the comments focused on? If you should or should not touch a horse's face. Many missed the point of the video- a chance to notice or "read" the horse's response (I share as many humans are desensitized to believing the equine,) and instead commenters focused on the human agenda of whether touching the face was right or wrong- good or bad- in emotionally charged statements… No one considered, "what would the horse need to learn/experience to be okay with their face touched, based on the feedback she was reflecting?"

— Samantha Harvey, Alternative Horsemanship™
The Remote Horse Coach

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Human Perceptions and Horse Problems

What Are You Basing Your Horse-Related Perceptions On?

Perspective & Approach

Horse-Related Perceptions - Gaining Perspective

By Samantha Harvey, Founder — Alternative Horsemanship™ the Remote Horse Coach

I was watching a discussion between an astrophysicist and a psychologist... The topic was related to people's perception. I'll share the example:

When you're driving down the road, if you see someone driving much faster than you, what do you think of their behavior? If you see someone driving much slower, how do you mentally react?

So... the "argument" was that whatever speed you happen to be driving, you consider this the "correct" speed, and disagree with, judge, or critique the faster or slower drivers.

If You're the Only One With a Problem...

They went on to present that if you are the only one having a problem, and everyone surrounding you isn't, then maybe what you perceive as a problem isn't everyone else — it's you.

This belief system is so commonly and deeply ingrained in many societies, and 100% why I specifically stepped away from "the mainstream" world of horses.

You could apply the "logic" to any topic — religion, politics, etc. — and it is just as much of a trigger in terms of horses and training.

The Rage Bait Problem

On any social media platform, finding the rage bait horse-related posts, the emotionally triggering ones, the fixated one-size-fits-all system, is easy. The algorithms reward posters for engaging the public — even in a negative, aggressive, degrading manner — especially in the case of unasked-for opinions.

I know in recent times I may sound like a broken record, but I cannot emphasize enough how much one's perceptions 110% influence their mental "playback" — or interpretation — of an experience, their emotional response, and the physical behavior that follows based on their thoughts and emotions.

Every Witness Tells a Different Story

Take a witness account — whether a crime or an accident — police will question bystanders and get drastically varying stories in each person's first-hand account of "what happened." To the individual, their perception is based on many factors, including what past experiences have taught them. This can affect their ability to separate factual events from their perception of what happened. The same goes for when people interact with horses.

So, the uncomfortable question of the day: What are you basing your horse-related perceptions on?

This isn't meant to trigger self-doubt or analysis paralysis, but instead to revisit why you believe what you believe about the horse, the interactions, and how you communicate.

Where Your Beliefs Actually Came From

Consider your mindset when you were in your early 20s, then your 30s, then perhaps later in life. You are still "you" — but what influenced your ideals, motivation, behavior, and emotions to evolve or change? Lived experience. Social influences. Relationships... and so many other aspects of life.

Past horse-related experiences will cause you to unintentionally filter your perception and understanding of what is happening. If your initial interactions with horses were with a hard-to-catch or resistant horse, you probably unintentionally established a mental pattern of anticipation, tension during interactions, and increasing lack of confidence — all of which you'd bring to the next horse you interact with.

If your first instruction was from someone aggressive and dominant in how they taught, berating you for asking questions, how would that affect your learning as the student? Or your mindset, perspective, and confidence, even when learning from a different instructor later on?

Why Questioning Makes People Uncomfortable

Unfortunately, I have found that "questioning" things can make people uncomfortable, especially in the horse world. Which is more reflective of human dominance mindsets than it has anything to do with the horses.

The problem is, the deeply ingrained "follow the program," "get with the program," or "don't question the authority" mentality can lead to crippling learning experiences for the horse, who resorts to dramatic and dangerous behavior, while the human student frequently becomes overwhelmed by the equine's responses while receiving critique or berating from the instructor or coach.

Society has constantly shined a light on singling out the "outcast" — those who don't conform or comply with the "norms." If we look back at history, what positive changes would never have occurred if we considered those who voiced "new" or different ideas, perspectives, and opinions as fundamentally wrong solely because, at the time they were first voiced, they weren't accepted by most of society? Change only occurs when "the way we've always done it" is questioned.

I have found this to be incredibly true in the horse world. I encourage you, every so often, to take a few minutes and explore whether the belief system your horse perceptions are based on is still relevant to your current state of being.

— Samantha Harvey, Alternative Horsemanship™
The Remote Horse Coach

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Labels: horse perception, horse learning help, rider mindset, alternative horsemanship horse training tips

5 Horse Learning Tips

Impvoving Horse Skills

5 Tips in Developing Self-Directed Awareness and Intention with the Horse

By Samantha Harvey, Founder — Alternative Horsemanship™ the Remote Horse Coach

1) Segmented Assessments

Each aspect of the equine interaction is connected and influences the horse's future responses. Sometimes what people assume is a "segment" is too big — i.e., catching, leading, tacking. Each of those could, and should, be broken down into smaller aspects to help one assess the horse's current mental and emotional state, triggers, and defensive responses/patterns. During the act of catching, one can break it down into "sub-categories." Things that can be observed and experimented with include: how does the horse respond to spatial and physical pressure, how does the horse respond to "letting go" of a distraction, does the horse offer or tolerate participating, how does the horse respond to seeing the halter, how does the horse respond to the physical putting on of the halter, how does he respond to the physical pressure of the lead rope, and is there a distinction in the lead rope directing his thought versus his movement?

2) Addressing the Horse

Take the time to assess what each observed response from the horse was, and address it — i.e., he looks away every time you step toward him; you call his brain back to focus by stepping toward him; he maintains focus on you; you step away as a release... he learns to stay focused on you. This matters to THE HORSE. It isn't about whether you've already presented a scenario many times before — it's about the horse's feedback, which will TELL YOU the future resistant, avoidant, and defensive behavioral responses to come. So if you don't acknowledge and address the subtle looking away, it becomes a look away, then a step, then a look away, a step away, then walking off a few steps... next thing you know, you're arriving at the gate and the horse is moving away before you've even entered his pasture or stall. But most people completely miss the "quiet" evolution of the horse trying to indicate there is a problem.

3) It Isn't JUST About You

It doesn't matter what your goals or intentions are for the day — if you have not taken the time to prioritize helping the horse work through his concern, fear, or lack of understanding of your communication, your expectations are irrelevant, and will often lead you to react in an emotionally triggered, defensive, critical manner toward the equine. If you are choosing to interact with the horse without violence or fear as a motivator, you have to learn how to work WITH the horse. Each horse has a different personality, confidence level, skill level, and previous human-taught experiences. You must "meet" the horse standing before you without assumption or critique.

4) Your Clarity

How clear are you in your communication? How specific? How adaptable? What is your awareness of your body posture, spatial movement, and physical imposition on the horse? How is your breathing, balance, stance, and tension? Where are your thoughts? Is there emotional neutrality? I wish every horse person had the opportunity to observe wild herds of horses in person, to help re-sensitize the human to just how aware and reactive horses are. Just because your domesticated horse isn't acting big, dramatic, or scary does not mean he isn't affected by your thoughts, emotions, and energy. People can be quick to complain about other humans imposing on or bothering them, but rarely do they see their own behavior and how it may negatively affect the animals they interact with.

5) Connecting the Intention

If you have a goal, plan, or agenda for your time with the horse, can you work "backwards" and explain in your thoughts — or even write it down — how you are going to accomplish it? For each aspect, break down how you will communicate what you want, how you will observe and address the horse's feedback, how you will acknowledge the horse's try, what your time perspective and expectations are, how you will adapt to the unexpected, how you will regulate your emotions, breathing, and tension, and how you will maintain your focus without being influenced by other nearby folks, etc.

I know it sounds absurd, right? Yet these are all skills that most people don't realize, nor often want to commit the time to learn... Then they have unrealistic expectations that "the horse will figure it out," and if he doesn't, they criticize him. So what does this teach him, and how will it affect his future behaviors?

— Samantha Harvey, Alternative Horsemanship™
The Remote Horse Coach

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Improve your Horse Skills

#TuesdayTips

What Should I Focus on Next with My Horse? Refinement.

By Samantha Harvey, Founder — Alternative Horsemanship™ the Remote Horse Coach

"What should I focus on next with my horse?" I frequently hear this question from students and other equine enthusiasts who are struggling to find a goal, a direction, or are simply unsure of what to focus on during their horse time. The answer is always the same: Refinement.

Irrelevant of whether you ride for pleasure or compete, or if you only work with your horse from the ground, every interaction is an opportunity to improve your and the horse's skills.

Why? Every single task — catching, leading, grooming, working at liberty, tying, tacking, mounting, trailer loading, riding out, navigating obstacles, moving livestock, roping, packing in the mountains, ponying, jumping, riding long distance — all rely on having the hundreds of adaptable skills needed to effectively communicate with the horse in a manner that does not trigger his defensiveness.

I have had so many behind-the-scenes discussions with equine professionals as we all struggle to "motivate" the public in understanding the importance of refinement. To address all current horse problems or challenges, and to achieve future goals, it is crucial to develop and refine the foundation in both the human's and the horse's education.

It isn't the "quick fix" answer, nor is it an "easy" solution sold across so many platforms peddling horse gimmicks. There are no shortcuts.

You can study theory for years, but you need the reality of in-person, hands-on experience. The more intentional your horse interactions, the more your awareness increases — and the better you can learn to understand the horse's communication, refine your aids, and improve your timing. All of this directly influences the horse's "success" in what you're asking of him.

So, where do you start?

Refining Your Horsemanship: Building the Foundation

Irrelevant of your chosen discipline, the ideal goal with each ride is to refine your horsemanship with your equine partner. This begins with creating a willing, responsive, and reasonable equine partner. If riders learn to prioritize their mental focus, they can accurately assess and address their horse in his current state.

Below is an initial checklist to reference before, during, and after an interaction with the horse. The answers can help clarify the missing pieces in your communication. Equine enthusiasts need to learn how to assess the what, who, when, where, and why of each scenario with the horse in order to identify what needs refinement.

What

This is a combination of evaluating, considering, and attempting to gauge the horse's mental and physical availability from the beginning to the end of an interaction — whether from feeding time to after a ride. The assessment can reflect triggers, anticipation, and behavioral patterns, and what root cause(s) need to be addressed while helping humans adapt their expectations of the horse.

Who

The Human — Before starting with the horse, assess your own attitude, emotional state, and physical state. If you're distracted, stressed, or working under time constraints, it will affect your focus. If you are not 100% mentally present, it is unfair to expect 100% from the horse. Equines are hyper-aware, including of a person's mental, emotional, and physical energy — which they often mirror back in their behavior.

The Horse — Where is his mind? Is his brain with his buddies? How does he look physically? Is he stiff or sore from age, health, or earlier exertion? Has he recently had farrier care, vaccinations, medication changes, chiropractic adjustments, or tack changes? Has his diet changed, or is he bothered by gut health issues? Do you see him lie down to sleep? Is he constantly moving chaotically, emotionally stressed, fixated, or fearful? Does he offer a patterned response every time he sees you?

When

The assessment should begin before the horse is even caught. Did he willingly offer to be caught, without treats? Did he flee, walk away several times and stop, or let you approach while turning his head away and merely tolerating being caught? After haltering, is he anticipative, pushy, hurried in his energy, or heavy on the lead?

Where

Passing through the gate or stall door, is he triggered? When it closes, does his attention stay present, or does he look for food? While being led, does he walk too slow, too fast, or hang heavy on the lead rope? In the grooming area, is he distracted by other horses or activity? Does he hover in your personal space? Does he stand softly, or with tension, while being tacked up — and does his anxiety or fidgeting increase as tacking progresses?

Why

Each aspect of the human/horse interaction affects the next. By the time he is ready to be mounted, the horse will already have communicated his mindset. If he displayed distracted, bothered, fixated, defensive, tension-filled, or anticipative behavior on the ground, this will transfer into the ride and affect its quality.

When handled from the ground, a horse's initial mental concerns will not diminish by demanding more physical exercise or imposing patterned interactions once mounted. Instead, this teaches the horse to become defensive toward the rider, and/or he learns to shut down mentally or become increasingly physically resistant.

The assessment continues while riding, so you can address what the horse needs support with on that particular day. Below are the foundational elements necessary to accomplish any equine-related goal with quality.

The Horse

• Softness — the horse's mental and physical willingness to follow or yield to pressure communicated through the rider's hands, seat, legs, and energy.
• Suppleness — relaxation throughout the horse's body, allowing him to independently move body parts without losing his softness.
• Relaxation — the horse's ability to focus on the physical task without retaining tension in his body.
• Engagement — the lifting of the horse's back so his hindquarters can step underneath his spine, carrying the majority of his weight behind. This allows soft, independent movement through his head, neck, shoulders, rib cage, and hocks.
• Balance — the horse's ability to carry his weight consistently by engaging his hindquarters, rather than leaning on the rider's hands.
• Responsiveness — the brief reaction time it takes him to mentally and physically respond to the human.
• Effectiveness — how quickly and softly the horse responds to a minimal aid from the rider.
• Adaptability — the horse's willingness to let go of one thought and focus on another, followed by a soft physical response.
• Awareness — the horse's ability to stay present in his surroundings while prioritizing his focus on the human.

The Rider

• Evaluation — real-time recognition of what the initial intent was, what aids were used to communicate it, how the horse responded, and whether follow-through was needed to help him find a softer, more willing response.
• Feeling — not relying solely on what you see, but re-sensitizing what you feel in the horse's movement and energy, to improve the timing of your aids.
• Adaptability — the human's ability to offer a varying degree of energy in their aids and communication, and to adapt the moment's goal to best support the horse.
• "Taking" the horse for the ride — proactively communicating the specifics of the desired response, rather than reactively critiquing the horse for a lack of initial guidance from the human.

Most people are asking unreasonable things of their horse with minimal to no consideration for just how limited the animal's education is.

The above may seem like "a lot" for many folks. The reality is that most people are asking unreasonable things of their horse, with minimal to no consideration for just how limited the animal's education is. The "holes" usually don't become apparent until the day something changes — an emergency, or someone new has to handle the horse — and then the human is left wondering why things fell apart. The kindest thing anyone can do is educate themselves and their horse.

Think of sending a seven- or eight-year-old child off to navigate city life alone. You'd laugh, and you'd think it obvious they would struggle, for numerous reasons. Yet with horses, many people carry similarly unrealistic expectations — without recognizing how unclear much of their communication actually is, mostly because addressing it feels like an inconvenience. This leaves the horse in a continuous "lost" state, potentially overwhelmed every time something more, or something new, is asked of him.

— Samantha Harvey, Alternative Horsemanship™
The Remote Horse Coach

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Labels: horse learning help, horsemanship refinement, horse training tips, horse behavior, horse foundation skills, Alternative Horsemanship™

Horse Learning Tips: The Secret to Horsemanship

#TuesdayTips

The Secret to Horsemanship: There is No Secret

By Samantha Harvey, Founder — Alternative Horsemanship™ the Remote Horse Coach

I frequently get inquiries from folks reaching out for help with catching their horse, loading in the trailer, saddling and bridling issues, or unwanted and dangerous behaviors. They ask for "just a few pointers," or ideas on what they can do to fix their horse's problem.

The good news is people have realized they need help. The bad news is their perspective. Each of these scenarios is a symptom, not the issue.

They all occur because there has been a lack of clear communication, the concept of pressure used in a positive manner has not been established, and the horse's initial minor behaviors — communicating his discomfort, fear, insecurity, or anticipation — have been ignored.

The Behavior Is Not the Issue

The horse's behaviors are a reflection of his brain and emotions. They are often the result of a build-up of increasing stress, which eventually leads to the obvious moments of resistance. But that actual behavior is not the issue.

The way many folks word their questions frequently feels like they're expecting an answer about some "secret" — some way to interact with the horse so he suddenly complies with what the human wants.

If there is any "secret" to be shared, it's this: stop approaching horses as if they are standing by to serve the rider. They are not. They have their own emotions, confidence levels, and history with humans.

The Real "Secret"

So if there were any secret I would share, it would be this: those who want to be involved with horses need to take the time to educate themselves. This does not mean watching one set of DVDs and believing you have all the answers.

Any quality horseperson will tell you horsemanship is a continually evolving journey, even for the most experienced among us. Every horse has something new to teach the human. There is no "endpoint" in the journey of learning — and that statement disheartens many folks, because society has taught us that instant gratification is a positive thing. It is not. It creates the illusion of success, without the true commitment to learning knowledge.

Start With Yourself

If you are having issues with your horse, my best advice is to start with yourself. How much time have you put into your own education? Not everything you learn, or everyone you learn from, will mesh into how you interact with your horse. Perhaps it's learning what not to do.

The average pleasure horse enthusiast doesn't have enough hours in the day, nor enough exposure to a variety of horses, to achieve the skill-set they're striving for without reaching out to further educate themselves.

So as a starting point:

• Remove the self- or society-imposed expectations that you "should" be doing X, Y, and Z.
• Eliminate the pressures of past events and occurrences.
• Delete the critique from your vocabulary and replace it with a positive alternative lingo.

Then allow yourself the time and opportunity to learn — whether you have access to a variety of horse facilities and events, or you're limited to reading articles. Start to absorb information. Question the ideas, notice where you don't have an understanding or where you have misgivings, and probe further until you find clarity.

What About Learning From Videos?

I know watching horse trainer videos seems like an easy way to learn. Here are some things I've begun to notice, as the person who has often had to "fix" what someone attempted to emulate with their horse after watching a training video:

• A. Many horse instruction videos aren't taught with clear communication, so the viewer doesn't realize what they're missing.
• B. The action the viewer is trying to learn — trailer loading, for example — is often far down the path from the interactions and communication they should be starting with their horse. (Like people trying to write paragraphs without using a full alphabet.)
• C. Many videos teach in a clear-cut step 1, 2, 3 manner. This makes the information seem easily understood while watching. Then the person heads out to practice with their horse — and the horse offers a response not addressed in the video. Now what? They don't know, because they were trying to copy a task, rather than understanding how to present the necessary conversations to accomplish it.

When people are only trying to emulate what they see, they miss the mental concept of intention. They're not understanding the nuances of when the horse is asking versus telling. They're missing all of the necessary, pre-established "tools" and options in how they communicate.

10–15 Minutes a Day

I am very well aware there is limited time in our already hectic days. But if each horse enthusiast spent just 10–15 minutes a day specifically focused on learning — without the horse in hand — there would be massive improvements in their awareness, understanding, and approach.

Yes, it may take time to sift through all the different training philosophies and mentalities out there. My suggestion: when you hear, read, or watch horse-related information, consider whether it falls into any of these three categories. If so, perhaps it isn't offering the positive support you'd like to incorporate into your own horsemanship.

• Is it ego-based versus supportive of the horse?
• Is it about "making" the horse, or challenging him to get "it" right?
• Is it focused on task accomplishment, irrelevant of the horse's behavior?

Enjoy the Journey

And last but not least — I'll be cliché — learn to enjoy the journey. Learn to quiet your mind and be present in the moment. Appreciate what you're learning, when you and your horse are trying, even if it feels like you're searching and experimenting. Acknowledge you and your horse's efforts.

In the end, this is what the real "secret" to growing into a quality partner for your horse really is.

— Samantha Harvey, Alternative Horsemanship™
The Remote Horse Coach

If this way of thinking speaks to you

Join me for an Intro Consult is a conversation. It's an opportunity to discuss where you are with your horse, ask questions, and learn to pinpoint what aspects of your equine partnership need to be addressed to create positive, long-term changes.

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Labels: horse learning help, horse training tips, horsemanship help, horse behavior, horse trainer tips, equine behavior problems, horse skills, horse learning, ask the horse trainer advice, Alternative Horsemanship™