Tag Archives: equine

Reading your horse’s mind and thoughts

January 20, 2016alternative therapies, animal communication, bodywork, 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, OrthoHorse, performance horses, riding, trail riding, Uncategorizedanimal communication, energetic connection, energy work, equine, Equine Body Balance, equine bodywork, equine healing, equine liberty training, equine training, equines, healing, health, herd behavior, herd dynamics, horse trainers, horse training, horseback riding, horsemanship, horses, Horses at LIberty Foundation Training, liberty horse training, liberty training, Ortho-Bionomy, OrthoHorsehorsesatliberty

My mare Zuzka comes to stand beside me at the gate, ready to have her halter slipped on. She is one who often will want to play games about being haltered, suggesting, no, I’m too busy today to go ride. Or maybe it’s just the game she likes. But this day she really wants to go out. I can often tell if she wants to go out on the trail, by how she stands looking off in the distance, when there is no activity on the horizon that can be seen with the naked eye. A sort of longing to be out there. (originally published December 14, 2016)

Continue reading Reading your horse’s mind and thoughts →

It takes a horse and human village

October 9, 2015abused horses, alternative therapies, animal communication, bitless bridles, bodywork, equines, exercise, fear, geriatric horses, herd behavior, herd dynamics, horse training, horsemanship, horses, Horses at Liberty Foundation Training, Liberty training, Uncategorizedanimal communication, energetic connection, equine, Equine Body Balance, equine healing, herd behavior, herd dynamics, horse trainers, horse training, horseback riding, horsemanship, Horses at LIberty Foundation Training, leadership, liberty horse training, liberty training, OrthoHorsehorsesatliberty

The phrase, “it takes a village,” refers to the raising of a child and the “village” involved in raising him or her.

Continue reading It takes a horse and human village →

Support groups for people and their horses

October 2, 2015abused horses, alternative therapies, animal communication, equines, exercise, herd dynamics, horse training, horsemanship, horses, Liberty training, OrthoHorse, UncategorizedAlternative therapies, animal communication, bodywork, energetic connection, energy work, equine, equine bodywork, equine healing, equine liberty training, herd behavior, herd dynamics, horse trainers, horseback riding, Horses at LIberty Foundation Training, leadership, liberty horse training, liberty training, OrthoHorsehorsesatliberty

Sometimes we find ourselves in communities of horse people that are not supportive of our goals and dreams with our horses. These communities can take the shape of boarding barns, performance horse groups focused on a particular equine discipline, equine riding clubs, and just people who are wedded to the notion that “this is the way we’ve always done it.”

Continue reading Support groups for people and their horses →

Spirit horses, rituals and sacred ground

September 18, 2015animal communication, energy work, fear, geriatric horses, healing, herd behavior, herd dynamics, horse training, horsemanship, horses, Horses at Liberty Foundation Training, liberty rein, Liberty training, OrthoHorse, performance horses, rescue horses, riding, trail ridinganimal communication, bodywork, endurance riding, energetic connection, energy work, equine, Equine Body Balance, equine bodywork, equine healing, equine training, grief, healing, herd behavior, herd dynamicshorsesatliberty

I stood there at the side of the grave, then knelt there and heard hoof falls behind me. Zuzka, my dear black mare and lifelong companion of our departed Khami, came up behind me. She left a respectful distance and looked at me as though to say, if you want some time alone that’s okay. I said and motioned to her, let’s be here together.

Khami_before_death1

Continue reading Spirit horses, rituals and sacred ground →

Conversation between horse and rider

September 12, 2015alternative therapies, bodywork, equines, exercise, fear, geriatric horses, healing, herd behavior, horses, Ortho-Bionomy, performance horses, riding, trail riding, Uncategorizedbareback riding, bodywork, energetic connection, energy work, equine, equine healing, equine liberty training, horse training, horseback riding, horsemanship, horses, Horses at LIberty Foundation Training, leadership, liberty horse training, Ortho-Bionomy, OrthoHorse, ridinghorsesatliberty

What is the conversation between horse and rider?

Recently I’ve been working with a horse and rider team who are deeply bonded. After an accident the owner is building up her riding time. Her concern was that he would not sustain a trot for a length of time and that her body was not seated in the saddle evenly. Each side of her felt different, and one side felt unwieldy and unable to really connect.

Continue reading Conversation between horse and rider →

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 →

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” →

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 →

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 →