In this clinic clip Jim talks about something a little different; ENERGY! Okay, okay - as Jim says, he's not all out there with the Chakras and balancing BUT there is something to this whole thing about energy that we share with horses AND the power that horses have to shape our own energy! So, enjoy this little bonus clip and if you have a great story of the power of the energy and relationship with the horse please post below in the comments!
Many riders get stuck in the Walk/Trot because they are nervous to teach their horse to canter. This is a great video about the time it takes, and how to teach, a horse how to canter. In this video, you can see a portion of a lesson Jim was teaching with a great horse and rider and the important steps (and not important ones *hint - directions*) needed to get the horse to pick up a canter and feel good about it!
Have you watched the extended Part I yet? If not, you can watch it here. Then take a look at Part II for the inside-the-trailer perspective!
When working with horses we often hear, “You just need to show him who’s boss,” or “I hope you didn’t let him get away with that.” Do these phrases sound familiar? As I continue on my own horsemanship journey, I find myself wondering what I was thinking in the past when I would sometimes scold a horse. Did the punishment meet the crime? Was it really a crime? Was it a behavior I or someone had taught the horse? Was he just escaping a fear? All these are valid points in decisions we must make, split-second, to continue the positive
As I gather my thoughts for this article, I wonder in my life how often I’ve neglected to do so before communicating with another human or animal. I mean, why did I need to? There was nothing wrong with me or what I had to say— I was perfect in an imperfect world! So why did I need to change? I felt I just needed to push others harder with more energy and less time to dwell. In my shallow brain, I felt things were working out fairly well. I was having success in my career as a Soldier, a
Unless you have a lazy horse, you probably had to put a good deal of effort into developing a good stop on your equine. If he stops, that is…! What I often see in clinics and lessons are riders that allow their horses to take their time stopping…it might take them a quarter of the arena before they get their horses stopped. Dribbling is for basketball—not riding! With that being said lets take a look at what happens with the horse when we ask for the stop. From the horse's perspective, we too often pick up aggressively when we ask for
Here's a recent lesson in lunging. Enjoy! [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v08bTFopaSA&w=560&h=315]
Wanted! Trainer to Start My 3-Year-Old Warm Blood Words to a trainer’s ear. But really, is the hunt worth the catch? Depends if you want to work twelve-hour days in the blistering heat or cold, wet, dirty, and many times sore from hitting the ground from that poor horse that’s been passed from trainer to trainer until someone (i.e., you) took the time to help him sort things out. You spend your time wondering if the next horse is coming in as scheduled and hoping the last client’s check clears the bank so you can make your rent or
Our question this week comes from Ducka Kelly. She asks, “How do I get my horse past the bulldozer that is blocking the trail that we wish to ride?” Great question, Ducka! We’re going take this in stride as any object or obstacle that the horse views as threating. First, as we have in all responses to the previous questions, we want to look at it from the horse’s perspective. As the horse looks at the bulldozer he figures it as a threating obstacle that he could easily avoid by going the other way. To condition the horse to accept
Our question this week comes from Ducka Kelly. She asks, “How do I get my horse past the bulldozer that is blocking the trail that we wish to ride?” Great question, Ducka! We’re going take this in stride as any object or obstacle that the horse views as threating. First, as we have in all responses to the previous questions, we want to look at it from the horse’s perspective. As the horse looks at the bulldozer he figures it as a threating obstacle that he could easily avoid by going the other way. To condition the horse to accept
