Category Archives: healing

The art of becoming horse-like

July 14, 2015abused horses, alternative therapies, animal communication, chakras, energy work, equines, exercise, fear, geriatric horses, healing, herd behavior, herd dynamics, horse training, horsemanship, horses, Horses at Liberty Foundation Training, liberty rein, Liberty training, mustangs, OrthoHorse, rescue horses, riding, trail riding, UncategorizedAlternative therapies, animal communication, animals, bareback riding, bodywork, chakras, energetic connection, energy work, equine, equine healing, Equine Ortho-Bionomy, equine positional release, healing, herd behavior, herd dynamics, horse trainers, horseback riding, Horses at LIberty Foundation Training, leadership, liberty training, OrthoHorsehorsesatliberty

Liberty work takes on a life of its own. Even when I know the horses involved, they do not always do what I expect.

Continue reading The art of becoming horse-like →

Healing the horse and human herd from within

July 7, 2015alternative therapies, animal communication, bitless bridles, chakras, energy work, equines, exercise, fear, geriatric horses, healing, herd behavior, herd dynamics, horse training, horsemanship, horses, Horses at Liberty Foundation Training, liberty rein, Liberty training, Ortho-Bionomy, OrthoHorse, trail riding, Uncategorizedherd behavior, horse training, horsemanship, Horses at LIberty Foundation Training, leadership, liberty horse training, liberty training, Ortho-Bionomy, OrthoHorse, ridinghorsesatliberty

In Ortho-Bionomy we work with reflexes, and one of them is rebound. If a body does not have rebound then it has little ability to change, to heal itself. We want to reinstate rebound in the body in order to elicit change and the ability to correct itself. That ability can grow in a being and is directly tied into the continuing health of the organism. I seek that self-corrective response in each body I work with….and in my own.

Photo by One Defining Moment, Lori Hinkle

Continue reading Healing the horse and human herd from within →

How horses “stake a claim”

June 27, 2015energy work, equines, exercise, healing, herd behavior, herd dynamics, horse training, horsemanship, horses, Horses at Liberty Foundation Training, Liberty training, Uncategorizedanimal communication, energy work, equine, equine training, horse training, horseback riding, horses, Horses at LIberty Foundation Training, leadership, liberty horse training, liberty training, OrthoHorse, rescue horses, ridinghorsesatliberty

This mare is “staking a claim” on this hill. She doesn’t want her friend standing there. What differentiates this activity from others, such as just moving a another horse from behind, is its sudden and very territorial nature.

Continue reading How horses “stake a claim” →

Horse listening extraordinaire

June 21, 2015abused horses, animal communication, bitless bridles, bitless riding, bodywork, energy work, equines, exercise, fear, healing, herd behavior, herd dynamics, horse training, horsemanship, horses, Horses at Liberty Foundation Training, liberty rein, Liberty training, OrthoHorse, therapy horses, trail riding, UncategorizedAlternative therapies, animal communication, animals, bodywork, energetic connection, energy work, equine healing, equine liberty training, equine rescue, equines, exercise, herd behavior, herd dynamics, horse training, Horses at LIberty Foundation Training, rescue horseshorsesatliberty

After I had some time to think about it, I think the theme of this past Saturday’s Liberty Foundation Workshop was “horse listening.”

Continue reading Horse listening extraordinaire →

Moving into a new herd

June 14, 2015animal communication, energy work, equines, exercise, fear, geriatric horses, healing, herd behavior, herd dynamics, horse training, horsemanship, horses, Horses at Liberty Foundation Training, Liberty training, Ortho-Bionomy, OrthoHorse, rescue horses, riding, Uncategorizedanimal communication, bodywork, equine, equine bodywork, equine healing, equine liberty training, Equine Ortho-Bionomy, equine rescue, equines, grazing, herd behavior, horse trainers, horse training, Horses at LIberty Foundation Training, leadership, liberty horse training, liberty training, OrthoHorse, rescue horseshorsesatliberty

Jazzmine joined the herd of three on Sunday, first over the fence, making introductions. Then she was insistent the next day, on being with them. I must go through that gate to be with them. She has been without a real herd for a couple of years, but grew up with one from birth. The herd of three was already quite well established in their rhythms, so she would face some challenges as a newcomer.

Continue reading Moving into a new herd →

Pie charts and horses

May 29, 2015abused horses, alternative therapies, animal communication, bitless riding, endurance, energy work, equines, exercise, fear, geriatric horses, healing, herd behavior, herd dynamics, horse training, horsemanship, horses, Horses at Liberty Foundation Training, liberty rein, trail riding, Uncategorizedbodywork, energetic connection, energy work, equine, equine bodywork, Equine Ortho-Bionomy, equine rescue, equine training, equines, healing, Horses at LIberty Foundation Training, liberty training, rescue horseshorsesatliberty

One of the issues for many horse owners/lovers is how to spend enough time with their horses. When I hear myself complaining or feeling guilty, I think it’s time to make a pie chart.

Sample Horse Time Pie Chart

Continue reading Pie charts and horses →

Stand by your horse

May 18, 2015animal communication, equines, exercise, fear, healing, herd behavior, herd dynamics, horse training, horsemanship, horses, Horses at Liberty Foundation Training, Liberty training, OrthoHorse, rescue horses, riding, trail riding, Uncategorizedenergetic connection, equine healing, equine liberty training, horse trainers, horse training, Horses at LIberty Foundation Training, liberty horse training, liberty training, OrthoHorsehorsesatliberty

The mare saw the setup – one horse was going to move another horse into another horse and on it would go, a domino effect of movement, right into the little girl standing there watching.

Continue reading Stand by your horse →

The good boy horse

May 9, 2015abused horses, alternative therapies, animal communication, barefoot hooves, bodywork, equines, exercise, fear, geriatric horses, healing, herd behavior, herd dynamics, horse training, horsemanship, horses, liberty rein, Liberty training, OrthoHorse, performance horses, rescue horses, riding, therapeutic riding programs, therapy horses, trail riding, Uncategorizedbodywork, clinic, energetic connection, energy work, equine, healing, herd behavior, herd dynamics, horse trainers, horse training, horseback riding, horsemanship, horses, Horses at LIberty Foundation Training, leadership, liberty horse training, liberty training, OrthoHorse, rescue horses, ridinghorsesatliberty

The good boy horse is one who continually does what is asked. For some trainers and owners, this is exactly what they want, a horse that does not offer any challenges. For some good boy or girl horses, life is good enough that there is no need to question too much. For others, they have had their wishes trained out of them.

Patches_portrait — Photo courtesy of Katherine Hanson

Continue reading The good boy horse →

Moving in and out of connection

May 3, 2015energy work, equines, exercise, fear, healing, herd behavior, herd dynamics, horse training, horsemanship, horses, Horses at Liberty Foundation Training, liberty rein, Liberty training, mustangs, OrthoHorse, OTTB, performance horses, rescue horses, riding, trail riding, Uncategorizedhealing, herd behavior, herd dynamics, horse trainers, horse training, horseback riding, horsemanship, horses, Horses at LIberty Foundation Training, leadership, liberty horse training, liberty training, OrthoHorse, ridinghorsesatliberty

One thing that new liberty students may find troubling is their horse moving in and out of connection. In the beginning, when the student first gets a connection on the ground, real movement together, it’s very exciting. It feels wonderful. Then the horse decides to break connection and go visit with someone else or another horse. The student looks over at me, crestfallen, as if to say, what do I do now?

Continue reading Moving in and out of connection →

Through an open gate

April 27, 2015healing, herd behavior, herd dynamics, horse training, horsemanship, horses, Horses at Liberty Foundation Training, Liberty training, mustangs, OrthoHorse, riding, trail riding, Uncategorizedanimals, energetic connection, energy work, equine healing, equine liberty training, equines, herd behavior, herd dynamics, horsemanship, Horses at LIberty Foundation Training, leadership, liberty horse traininghorsesatliberty

Horses generally love an open gate. An open gate even if it’s one they’ve been through before, signifies something different, something to be curious about. Going places. Perhaps the grass tastes different there, or there will be an adventure.

Continue reading Through an open gate →