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Alternative Horsemanship™ with Samantha Harvey the Remote Horse Coach shares horse training and horseback rider coaching, philosophies, and approaches she has developed over three decades. Offering horsemanship clinics worldwide, distance horse coaching instruction, equine consultations, equine re-education and rehabilitation, colt starting, and lessons. Follow her #alternativehorsemanship on all social media platforms.
Showing posts with label clinic with Samantha Harvey. Show all posts
Showing posts with label clinic with Samantha Harvey. Show all posts
Opportunities: Improving Horsemanship Horse Video
Horse Webinars
Online Horse Clinics
Remote Horse Coaching- Individual and Group Options
One click... one choice... Why not?
Learn More
Trailer Loading Trauma- Horses
Today I worked with three different horses that had all issues with trailer loading... the most important message I could convey was the conversation with the horse should initially focus on refining the tools needed in order to present the trailer loading itself.
Horsemanship: Three detrimental contributors to failing human/horse partnerships
Horses are beginning to arrive for training at my summer facility. The two most common groups of horses have either had the winter off, and the owners realized they either need some refining/furthering of their education, or there are a lot of young horses that need to be started.
If you’ve spent any time reading my Alternative Horsemanship with Samantha Harvey website, or past Blog entries, you’ll realize that I’m not the “quick fix” kind of horse trainer. The two sites help separate those folks who don’t want to have to sift through information and are looking for quick and easy answers, and those who are committed to learning/participating in the journey they and their horse will be experiencing with me.
If you’ve spent any time reading my Alternative Horsemanship with Samantha Harvey website, or past Blog entries, you’ll realize that I’m not the “quick fix” kind of horse trainer. The two sites help separate those folks who don’t want to have to sift through information and are looking for quick and easy answers, and those who are committed to learning/participating in the journey they and their horse will be experiencing with me.
Less than ideal circumstances leading to better partnerships
Thought for the day...
Often when weather conditions and circumstances are out of our control or are not ideal, we tend to shy away from spending time with our horses in order to avoid potential conflict or issues. For me I find some of the most successful learning situations is when our surroundings are less than ideal.
Yesterday was a great example. Here in the desert of southwest Arizona we had a blusterous 20 mile an hour windstorm that was sandblasting from all directions. Being close to a Marine base, we also had F-35 Jets flying overhead, so close that you actually vibrate from the Jet's power. Trash and tumbleweeds were blowing everywhere. Palm trees were bent over.
I've included two pics which don't nearly give you a clear enough idea, but to see the flag standing straight out gives you an idea of how strong the wind was.
Two days before, a three-year-old horse had arrived for training. The first day we had just worked on the concept of softening to pressure on the leadrope. We didn't move farther than 40 feet from his stall. I introduced the ideas of being able to first look and think, and then move. Also the concept that he looks where he's going while he moves, rather than looking at everything except where he's going. The concept of personal space and that if he is asked to do something, he needs to try to address what is being asked of him the first time and not that it takes a huge amount of energy to get him to listen. Also the concept that he can stand over grass and wait quietly without constantly trying to lunge for the grass and eat. It was a lot for his young brain. And yet there was no running, no fleeing, no chasing, no driving, no scaring him, in order to help him learn. Just simple conversation creating boundaries of what behaviors worked and those that did not. Lots of blinking, licking, chewing, and yawning from him.
So the second day is when the wind storm hit us. It was so bad you couldn't see 40 feet out because of the sand and debris in the air. And yet I brought him into the round pen to work with him at liberty for the first time. For me the round pen is not a place to chase/run the horse into submission. It is rather a safe setting that allows the horse to learn to search to find what is being asked of him, without scaring him or driving him into giving up. There was distractions of other horses running around, other animals running around the farm, metal roofs flapping, and yet through simple trial and error (communicated through spatial pressure and release w the lead rope hanging at my side), the young horse was able to let go of all of the mental distractions until he could focus on just me. He learned how to be with me without spatially walking on top of me even though he was loose. He learned how to stop and look at the distractions and then bring his attention back to me when I asked him to. And then he learned how to leave me to move around the rail of the pen, without flee or chaotic energy, rather mimicking whatever energy I was offering from the center of the pen. Then when I decreased my energy and moved away from the center of the pen, he learned to come in and be with me respectfully, quietly waiting for whatever I asked of him next. If you had only seen him you'd never know there was so much distraction and Chaos going on around us.
So the next time the weather or situation is less than ideal, remember it might be the perfect opportunity, because you may have to face addressing small issues that in the past you've wanted to mask or smooth over rather than getting to the root cause. Being forced to confront those small issues is a wonderful preventative measure for them not to evolve causing major issues further down the road.
Often when weather conditions and circumstances are out of our control or are not ideal, we tend to shy away from spending time with our horses in order to avoid potential conflict or issues. For me I find some of the most successful learning situations is when our surroundings are less than ideal.
Yesterday was a great example. Here in the desert of southwest Arizona we had a blusterous 20 mile an hour windstorm that was sandblasting from all directions. Being close to a Marine base, we also had F-35 Jets flying overhead, so close that you actually vibrate from the Jet's power. Trash and tumbleweeds were blowing everywhere. Palm trees were bent over.
I've included two pics which don't nearly give you a clear enough idea, but to see the flag standing straight out gives you an idea of how strong the wind was.
Two days before, a three-year-old horse had arrived for training. The first day we had just worked on the concept of softening to pressure on the leadrope. We didn't move farther than 40 feet from his stall. I introduced the ideas of being able to first look and think, and then move. Also the concept that he looks where he's going while he moves, rather than looking at everything except where he's going. The concept of personal space and that if he is asked to do something, he needs to try to address what is being asked of him the first time and not that it takes a huge amount of energy to get him to listen. Also the concept that he can stand over grass and wait quietly without constantly trying to lunge for the grass and eat. It was a lot for his young brain. And yet there was no running, no fleeing, no chasing, no driving, no scaring him, in order to help him learn. Just simple conversation creating boundaries of what behaviors worked and those that did not. Lots of blinking, licking, chewing, and yawning from him.
So the second day is when the wind storm hit us. It was so bad you couldn't see 40 feet out because of the sand and debris in the air. And yet I brought him into the round pen to work with him at liberty for the first time. For me the round pen is not a place to chase/run the horse into submission. It is rather a safe setting that allows the horse to learn to search to find what is being asked of him, without scaring him or driving him into giving up. There was distractions of other horses running around, other animals running around the farm, metal roofs flapping, and yet through simple trial and error (communicated through spatial pressure and release w the lead rope hanging at my side), the young horse was able to let go of all of the mental distractions until he could focus on just me. He learned how to be with me without spatially walking on top of me even though he was loose. He learned how to stop and look at the distractions and then bring his attention back to me when I asked him to. And then he learned how to leave me to move around the rail of the pen, without flee or chaotic energy, rather mimicking whatever energy I was offering from the center of the pen. Then when I decreased my energy and moved away from the center of the pen, he learned to come in and be with me respectfully, quietly waiting for whatever I asked of him next. If you had only seen him you'd never know there was so much distraction and Chaos going on around us.
So the next time the weather or situation is less than ideal, remember it might be the perfect opportunity, because you may have to face addressing small issues that in the past you've wanted to mask or smooth over rather than getting to the root cause. Being forced to confront those small issues is a wonderful preventative measure for them not to evolve causing major issues further down the road.
Learning through Auditing: Improving your Horsemanship
Making Summer Memories...
It is a
glorious summer day and I just returned from adventures down back country
roads, where folks pull over and fill up water bottles at natural springs; where you slow down and smile as you pass the 1950’s tractor steadily rolling
down the road after a hard day of baling hay. It is a place where you wave at
the passing train and the engineer honks the horn and waves back
enthusiastically… Where you watch elk graze in the early dusk, eagles and osprey soar above the
hay fields, and deer help their young cross the road. Whether it is folks casting their reels
hoping for the next great fishing story, families and friends floating down the emerald rivers, or children making memories at summer camp that will influence their
future perspectives on life, nature and decisions, nothing holds a candle to
watching a group of riders emerge between the same mountains that Lewis and Clark, David
Thompson and other explorers have made famous.
It has been
unseasonably warm and at 104 degrees F, and as I sat watching the riders make their way down
to a creek that intercepted with a phenomenal river, untack, climb aboard bareback, and without hesitation plunge into the waters, was priceless. As the scene before me unfolded, a
newly released song came on the radio; it was talking about the “last firsts.”
And often as it seems to be with music, hearing it, along with seeing the horse events unfolding before me,
brought me back to my own many firsts I’ve had with horses. I was feeling a bit
emotional as I reminisced about how many memories I had that were horse
related, and how quickly I could close my eyes and “be” immediately back in a
time and place many years before. I
could smell the horse sweat, taste the grit in my mouth, feel the heat of the
sun glaring down on me.
It didn’t
matter if it had been years before when I’d been riding in the snow crested peaks
of the Pacific Northwest mountings (even in July,) battling a blizzard trailing
sheep in tip of the Patagonian mountains, taking a Mediterranean “short cut”
crossing via an inlet feeling the power of my horse swimming through the turquoise ocean, trailing cattle through the high desert
with giant saguaro cactus towering above, or riding barefoot, bareback and in a
halter at the rear of a herd of summer camp horses… whether it’d been 30 years
ago or just a few years prior, those experiences are forever imprinted in my
mind and emotions.
I’m not particularly a touchy/feely kinda gal; a
lifetime of living in a “man’s world” creates an emotional distancing of
oneself, a lifestyle of relying solely on yourself creates callouses not only on your
hands but in your ability to rationalize decisions and a self imposed “durability”
over the years leads to a relentlessness that would overwhelm most folks if they
were faced with the decisions I make on a regular basis. But when I think back
to those invaluable equine moments, all of my toughness dissolves immediately.
The point of
sharing all of this is that as I drove the other day and watched the kids and
adults share that bonding moment with their horses, I realized that it was a
once-in-a-lifetime moment that they’d never lose. I find most things that get shared via social
media are done so because of the emotional draw. People who’ve been in major traumatic
accidents with horses and yet push through the recovery with the goal of returning to the saddle again
are inspired purely based on their emotions. Those folks who save horses from
abuse, potential slaughter or neglect, to those who see colts and dream of
their future blue sky potential, (if a person has nothing financial to gain,) the
draw is always the emotional release horses offer us humans.
For some
reason from the time of marching into battle thousands of years ago with the
armies of Genghis Khan to jumping insane modern day obstacles, to the backyard
kid, to the die hard Pony Clubber, from the hunter who religiously packs into
the backcountry in search of their winter harvest, to the social trail rider,
from the Amateur competitor to the rehabilitative experience of just being within
close proximity to a horse, these equines continue to give, and give and give
to us humans.
I was
recently regaled with a few stories from new clients, returning clients and folks I’d
just talked to and given advice to over the phone and via email correspondence. They each came back with these heart-warming
stories of the life-changing experiences they’d had recently with their horses
based on advice I’d offered or after lessons/training with me.
The one
shared theme as they told of their individual experiences was the emotional
release, empowerment and long term confidence they had developed from their journey
with their horse.
Because I
don’t “only” work with one discipline, breed, or level rider, I’ve begun to
realize a huge part of the inspiration of what I try to offer folks is the
ability to “read” the horses, make rational decisions riding in “real time,” and
offer them effective tools to clearly communicate. This all can contribute to them then having
those “life changing” moments with the horses. It also allows a mental and emotional "freedom" that I find is rare within the equine world of rules, traditions and restrictions.
Often the conversation one has with the horse, really resonates in all aspects of the person's life, it isn’t “just” about horses or
riding. The horses tend to draw
the best and worst out of people; I imagine it has a lot to do with their
honesty and black and white interpretation of the world around them.
I’ve found
that this summer I’ve been slowing down more, I’ve been watching more,
listening more, and more contemplative. I feel that sometimes as I watch the
behaviors, I yet again refine my initial interpretations of what I see, to best
understand and improve how I communicate with horses and humans alike. And it all comes out in my lessons, clinics
and training. I can literally see the
changes in humans and horses alike. I believe our journey of
horsemanship never ends; there is always more to learn, see, try and do. Every horse and every scenario is an
opportunity for us to learn from, embrace and evolve from.
So, maybe you
can take a few minutes and whether you just stroll down memory lane or actually
jot something down, perhaps you can practice a few minutes of thankfulness as
you explore memories of what horses have taught you, forced you to confront
about yourself, and inspired you. I
think if we brought more appreciation to the horse (even the frustrating,
challenging and difficult ones) then our partnership with our horses, would have stronger bonds and increased quality experiences. If we humans spent less time
comparing how much “we” accomplished and more time on making quality memories,
ironically “we’d” get a lot more done with our horses.
So please, I
encourage you to set out with a smile the
next time you approach your horse, take every unexpected experience as
an opportunity to evolve and build upon, and I promise you, it’ll make you a
better leader for your horse and emotionally happier.
Sam
Exploring the use of a round pen- an alternative perspective
A FB friend posted an article on anti round pen usage... Here was my in depth perspective/answer:
I find 95% of folks misuse a round pen, whether under the guise of "exercising" or teaching conditioned responses, such as the lesser of two evils is to turn, face the human and be caught; which is a bullying tactic. The problem with teaching conditioned responses and patterns is the day you change the routine, you get a fire breathing dragon instead of your docile horse.
So what happened? Most horses learn the pattern in order to get the human to leave them alone. There's not a lot of thought or clarity, it is just a form of "escaping" the pressure created by the human. The human in turn incorrectly assumes that because the horse is being so "helpful" by automatically doing something they might ask of their horse, that the horse is okay. More times than not, he is not.
For me the round pen allows an opportunity in a safe place where the horse and I can have open two way communication. It is an opportunity to assess if the horse is mentally available to physically participate with me. If any sort of fast movement or continuous movement occurs, there's typically a brainless-ness and flee to it.
Most horses that arrive with "behavioral issues" (which is often a symptom, not the issue) is a direct result of constant mental and emotional stress. The horse is rarely considered when the human has an agenda. So often the horses are bullied into doing things that really bother them and "all of a sudden" they act dramatic, resistant and dangerous. No, it wasn't all of a sudden. Most folks do not notice, put value to or address if their horse is asking for help, until the person can no longer ignore the escalating dramatic behavior displayed by the horse.
So as I start a colt, re-educate an older horse or fine tune a finished one, the round pen can be a tool. Could the same conversation happen while in the pasture, being led or tacked? Yes. It is not about location, shape of fence or teaching a patternized response. It is about a quality conversation that sets you and your horse up to be successful. But folks are looking for patterns and conditioned, brainless responses.
If the horse is physically and mentally bothered, fearful, insecure or shut down, why wouldn't I want to address that and help him sort out his concerns BEFORE I get on? There's no need to "wait and see," what the ride will be like; if I see he's bothered now, it'll only get worse in the saddle.
Imagine if all these amazing athletic creatures were supported to compete without being in the the continual state of stress and duress, then what might their movement look like?
By not offering a horse TIME to sort through his emotions, rather just attempting to physically exhaust him, but never address what he's bothered about, is setting up the horse to be defensive....
As with everything, something that can be a safe, confidence building and supportive tool based in how it is presented by one person can also be a horrific experience for the horse if someone with ego, time limitations, and ulterior motives uses it...
Just my thoughts.
Sam
I find 95% of folks misuse a round pen, whether under the guise of "exercising" or teaching conditioned responses, such as the lesser of two evils is to turn, face the human and be caught; which is a bullying tactic. The problem with teaching conditioned responses and patterns is the day you change the routine, you get a fire breathing dragon instead of your docile horse.
So what happened? Most horses learn the pattern in order to get the human to leave them alone. There's not a lot of thought or clarity, it is just a form of "escaping" the pressure created by the human. The human in turn incorrectly assumes that because the horse is being so "helpful" by automatically doing something they might ask of their horse, that the horse is okay. More times than not, he is not.
For me the round pen allows an opportunity in a safe place where the horse and I can have open two way communication. It is an opportunity to assess if the horse is mentally available to physically participate with me. If any sort of fast movement or continuous movement occurs, there's typically a brainless-ness and flee to it.
Most horses that arrive with "behavioral issues" (which is often a symptom, not the issue) is a direct result of constant mental and emotional stress. The horse is rarely considered when the human has an agenda. So often the horses are bullied into doing things that really bother them and "all of a sudden" they act dramatic, resistant and dangerous. No, it wasn't all of a sudden. Most folks do not notice, put value to or address if their horse is asking for help, until the person can no longer ignore the escalating dramatic behavior displayed by the horse.
So as I start a colt, re-educate an older horse or fine tune a finished one, the round pen can be a tool. Could the same conversation happen while in the pasture, being led or tacked? Yes. It is not about location, shape of fence or teaching a patternized response. It is about a quality conversation that sets you and your horse up to be successful. But folks are looking for patterns and conditioned, brainless responses.
If the horse is physically and mentally bothered, fearful, insecure or shut down, why wouldn't I want to address that and help him sort out his concerns BEFORE I get on? There's no need to "wait and see," what the ride will be like; if I see he's bothered now, it'll only get worse in the saddle.
Imagine if all these amazing athletic creatures were supported to compete without being in the the continual state of stress and duress, then what might their movement look like?
By not offering a horse TIME to sort through his emotions, rather just attempting to physically exhaust him, but never address what he's bothered about, is setting up the horse to be defensive....
As with everything, something that can be a safe, confidence building and supportive tool based in how it is presented by one person can also be a horrific experience for the horse if someone with ego, time limitations, and ulterior motives uses it...
Just my thoughts.
Sam
July 25-27 Full Immersion Clinic
Full Immersion Clinic Reminder: Come spend three fun filled, mentally stimulating days with me at the July 25-27 clinic here at The Equestrian Center in Sandpoint, ID. Learn how to clearly and effectively communicate with your horse, decrease fear issues, improve your confidence and much more. Both individual and group time, this is a safe and supportive setting for you and your horse to learn in. Limited to eight participants and auditors are always encouraged. Please click HERE for details and registration.
September Full Immersion Clinic Promo
Ok, so here is my “self-promotion” (which I loathe to do) to
inspire you to sign up or tell all your friends about the upcoming last Full
Immersion Clinic of the summer season, being offered here in gorgeous
Sandpoint, ID (voted America’s #3 most beautiful town BTW) at The Equestrian
Center, LLC!
My Full Immersion clinics typically cater to all level
horses and riders, and don’t have a predetermined lesson plan, but often participants
quickly recognize similarities, even between young horses being started and
older “been there, done that” equine partners.
I cater to ALL disciplines; often a review of the basics (which is not a
NEGATIVE thing even to those who have ridden for years) to help clarify and improve
our understanding of the how, what and why’s of our communication, body
language, interpretation of the horse’s behavior, etc.
This next FIC I’m going to also prioritize three main focus points.
The first is helping folks recognize, put value to and
understand their horse’s behavior. All
too often people accept a horse’s behavior because, “he always does that,”
without ever investigating what might be causing the behavior, if it is
appropriate and if there needs to be a change in what is acceptable and those
behaviors that aren’t. (Rushing out the gate, “leading” the person on the lead
rope, taking extra steps as someone is half way mounted, tearing away as the
halter is being undone, difficult to catch, fidgeting while grooming and
tacking, anticipative during the ride, rushing in his gaits, heavy on the bit,
etc.)
The second is learning how to raise the human’s awareness. This helps people learn to recognize the
beginning of “a problem” rather than like most folks who wait until after the
horse has become very dramatic and dangerous before they start paying attention
to their horse. Also learning how, when
and what you are conveying with your own body language and energy will
influence the quality of your communication.
In the long run this will allow you to do “less” and get “more” from
your horse.
The third major topic of focus will be learning how to “feel.” I forget because I work with horses day in
and day out, how dull, heavy and physically resistant most people are when they are interacting with their horse. This topic will help re-sensitize the human
participants so that they can become faster at “hearing” the horse, refining
what and how they “send” information through use of their hands, seat, legs,
etc. to achieve clearer and faster, “black and white” communication.
Plenty of other topics will be discussed and as always, the
group of participants will “direct” the clinic, but after this summer season of
seeing SO MANY cases of lost riders and horses, I want to re-emphasize offering
a portion of equine related education that I find most folks are missing no
matter how experienced they may be.
Whether someone is a total novice or has ridden for 20 years, often
there are missing “chapters” in their equine education, and I’d like to help
fill in the blanks.
I don’t want to sound egotistical, but often as past
participants have stated, “these clinics can be life changing,” and are a great
opportunity for a lot of people who never have been offered a safe, supportive,
positive environment to literally slow down and learn more about themselves and
their equine partner in. Just a few days
really can change everything you thought you knew… and your horse will thank
you for it in the long run!
Often it is not what the participants and auditors “came to
fix” but more what they didn’t realize they were missing in their horsemanship
and equine partnership that they learn most about at these clinics.
Remember, the clinic is limited to eight participants, but
there is no limit to the number of auditors.
If you have a self-contained unit you are more than welcome to camp at
TEC’s “million dollar views” at no additional charge.
The clinic will be offered Friday September 20th,
through Sunday September 22nd.
Each day will begin at 8am and then we will have an hour break for lunch
around noon, and then will continue until about 5pm. All level and discipline horse and riders are
welcome. These are mentally stimulating,
not physically exhausting clinics. Lots
of questions, interaction, instruction and laughter! Please visit the following link for
registration and details: http://www.learnhorses.com/Clinics/camp.htm
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