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™