Red Horse Equine Assisted Services

Just because a horse does something doesn't mean they're acting up, being difficult or any other layer of human behaviour that we anthropomorphize onto horses ...... and when a horse does something you either didn't expect or don't like, the only "problem" with that is yours. I'm gonna say that a different way; the horse is just fine, you're the one with the problem. Horses, like most other animals, predator & prey alike, have 5 basic requirements; 3 "musts" & 2 "likes". They must have physical sustenance (food & water), and they must procreate. Those are immutable, otherwise their species will cease to exist. Now we've fiddled with their DNA for a few centuries & managed to screw up just about everything nature had working for it, but we haven't managed to create a horse that doesn't have to eat & drink, and even the most docile domestic horse still has that procreative instinct. The third "must" is companionship; they are mentally & spiritually designed to co-exist in a herd environment. That is where the young receive valuable lessons they'll need as adults about finding sustenance, how to get along, how to spot predators & generally "be". I've had horses who were denied that early guidance by their dams & other older horses, and it's almost impossible to instil it later in life. The "likes" are similar to ours; they need companionship, but they also need individuals who are closer to them; buddies, as opposed to neighbours. Something else I've noticed is that horses also like to respect some individuals; it's probably connected to their herd instinct, and having not just an authority figure, but someone they look up to. This is where a lot of the "natural horsemanship" trainers really dropped the ball; they spouted on about being the leader, when what that horse really wants is someone to respect. The two are galaxies apart. That part is your problem too ... Your horse isn't going to automatically respect you, that has to be earned. Your horse certainly isn't going to view you as an authority, just because you want him to. But when he looks up to you, you don't need the authority, you have something far more powerful ... now you have a sentient being who will either ask you for guidance, or he'll wait to read your energy, your responses, searching for a clue of what he should do. I'd far rather be with that horse than the one who does something because he fears what'll happen to him if he doesn't; because it's only a matter of time before he finds something he's more afraid of than you. There are only two things that you'll ever need ... and I cannot over-stress this part; keep these two things actively cognizant in your mind, until they become automatic. Don't just use them until you see their results, use them until you can't imagine looking at a horse any other way. First one - Your horse is not giving you a hard time, he's having a hard time. This shifts our brain from penalizing to understanding. This is the single most important step you can take towards earning respect. Second one - you don't "train" 1000+ pounds of flight animal who could kill you in the blink of an eye; you prove to him that he can trust you more than his own instincts. That is horsemanship; everything else is just window dressing. Ay'Sta ... this is The Way ------------------------ Copyright: Kevan Garecki Image Credit: Lexi Jones Do not copy in whole or in part. Please share from the original post.

Beet Pulp still a misunderstood feed component. This is a very good, clear and concise article about Beet Pulp.

Blessing to all this Christmas and safe prosperous journeys for everyone in 2021

Someone has asked how to resolve high head carriage. Here's some info about it, and how to retrain it. High head carriage is a symptom of tension/flight mode. ... It's root cause is confusion in the basic responses which leads to the tension. Also, head and mouth issues are almost always the 'dashboard warning light' that there is a training deficit in the stop, slow, shorten and step back responses. Retraining these deceleration responses will lead to a lower poll level. As the horses leg speed slows, his head will usually drop. Training the long walk exercise will help to resolve the tension. Finally, training turns also helps with a better head carriage.