#artoftraining

Why Don't You Post Training Videos Publicly?

Photo by Ilona Gerou   It was at the dark ages of VHS, long before the dawn of cyberspace, and I’d heard there was such a thing as a horse training DVD. A few barn friends and I watched one, and were horrified at the techniques and laughed at the backward sales pitch. But the only reason that was possible was I’d accidentally met a horsewoman who invited me to visit her barn. I moved my horse…

Boundaries: Whose Space Is It?

Horses gallop on pounding hooves that cut the ground and then melt to a stop, whiskers floating in the light. A masterpiece of contradictions, horses frighten easily but are forever curious. Wilder than a dog, much bigger than a cat, with a certain animal magnetism that drew you beyond childish reason. Can you remember your earliest thoughts about horses? It was like a fairy tale. It isn’t until…

Saying Yes to a Horse When You Mean No

Sometimes something someone says sticks with you because it’s brilliant. Sometimes it sticks because it’s plain wrong. I was working for a horse rescue a few years ago and a bodyworker came to visit the horses. The bodyworker did noticeably light and sensitive work on banged-up sway back elders and the herd melted in acknowledgment. Shy horses came near. Calming signals were shared and the herd…

Calming Signals and Pressure.

Pressure. Even the Word Makes My Head Explode.

Remember that circus old-time act with lions and tigers? We were supposed to think the lion tamer was courageous and making the cats do tricks was a kind of measure of his manhood. He cracked his whip loud, sometimes even holding a chair, and the cat did the trick, snarling the whole time, his ears pinned flat, and a huge paw batting toward the…