relationship building

I’m working on a blogpost about training theory and how to introduce a positive approach to riders and horses who are still at traditional barns. I’m thinking about behavior and reinforcement and what’s really important. At the same time, I’m preparing for my first recognized dressage show of the season this coming […]

Quiet Time with Horses

by
There’s a short, half-mile trail through the woods around the back of the stable where I keep Tonka. We travel it almost everyday. We walk it after a training session in the ring as a way to relax, stretch out and cool down. Then, there are days when neither Tonka nor […]

On The Buckle

by
I’ve written about paying attention to body language, and specifically with horses to their ears, to clue us in on what our animals are thinking. Sometimes people send me photos and ask, what’s going on here? The answer is always more complicated than a single snapshot in time. Take, for example, […]

Teamwork

by
I can’t give my horse the physical space that he’s designed for. I don’t have a hundred acres of grassland for him to roam across and graze at will. I don’t have a band of horses for him to bond and travel with. But I do understand what he emotionally and physically requires […]

Affiliative Behavior (or, Let’s Drink Together!)

by
Horses are designed to eat constantly. When they don’t have forage (hay, grass and browse) in front of them at all times, they suffer from stress, stomach ulcers and social issues like resource guarding. Most of us don’t keep our horses on acreage that can satisfy our equines’ need  to […]

Tonk’s Hay Net Solution

by
The stuff that a horse wears so that a rider can securely sit on his back is called tack. Putting it on is called tacking up. I enjoy a style of riding called dressage, and for that and the frequent trail riding that I do, Tonka wears a saddle and bridle […]

Rewards, Not Threats

by
We’ve all taken selfies. Getting a decent photo of yourself is difficult enough; adding a second being to the shot complicates things. Why are selfies so popular anyway? There’s no way to get a flattering view when posing shoulder-to-shoulder with a friend while holding the camera at arm’s length – I always struggle […]

Selfie With Horse

by
There’s nothing interesting under the snow in Tonka’s paddock. It’s packed dirt.   A horse’s digestive system is designed to have a constant influx of small amounts of forage, and ideally that would be consumed while walking – about fourteen miles daily! Obviously, this isn’t possible for our horses. With animal care there […]

A Browse Walk With My Horse

by
Zak is one of my clients. He’s developed a skin condition on his legs. It’s very itchy.   Zak thanks me for my care.   Animals do express gratitude, but we humans are often dull to what they are telling us. One reason that my animals talk to me is that […]

Zak Thanks Me

by