Human Calming Signals: I Want my Horse to be Fearless.
So, you want a horse that doesn't spook? Don't we all? Great, you wanna look for something over 25...
Worried About Everything? Protection From the Unexpected
"Want to go on a trail ride with me? The last time I was out, my friend's horse slid into...
“How do I stop my horse from doing this?”
"How do I stop my horse from doing this?" An oversimplified version of the most common question a horse trainer...
Letting Go of Shame and Blame. Do It for Your Horse.
Nope. Not me. I was allergic to this color, but Hannah dressed for success from the...
Nube: When He Came Home
I was forty-nine years old with gray hair, calloused banged-up fingers, and chronic lameness in my left foot. He was...
Affirmative Training: The Opposite of Dominance Isn’t What You’d Think
Sitting in a horse pen is the easiest thing in the world. I might even like to cook if I...
Calming Signals: Repeat after me, “Not that I care…”
Because they're doing construction down the road. His previous owner says he once spooked at a llama. The wind is...
Things We Should Refuse to Train Horses To Do
Warning: Loudmouth Party Pooper Rant. I think we all know whose side I'm on in this horse training reality show....
Nebulous Lameness. Nebulous Anxiety. And a List.
Your inner monster screams, "Just Kick Him!" but you don't. You aren't that person. You don't use spurs or whips....
Best Advice for Loading Horses on Trailers
I had a clinic stop in Flagstaff where the organizer was a long-time client and hero of mine, Barb. The...
Do You Need to Keep Your Horse Calm?
I can't be the only woman of a certain age whose parents thought she needed to be muffled indefinitely. They...
Leading Horses with Spatial Kindness. What?
The exercise was to halter your horse thoughtfully, asking the horse's permission for each step of the process, and acknowledging...
When Impatience and Cruelty are Normalized
Sometimes I find myself standing in front of people talking about horses' feelings. I'm almost embarrassed; I was raised to...
The Season of Letting Go
The autumnal equinox is about change. There's a miserable fog today, dense and so uncommon on my high prairie. Chilly...
Calming Signals: Thoughts About Spooking at Nothing
There are two kinds of spooking. This is the first: It was midmorning on the ranch, and we were riding...
Calming Signals: What Normal Looks Like
Do you ever think about what horses give up in living with us? Humans have a way of always seeing...
Are You Having a Midlife Horse Crisis?
I got an email from a reader last week. She had a hard question. She acknowledges she was naive, but...
Bit Contradictions: A Confused Conversation
"Slower, please." "Here we go." "Don't bang..." "Almost ready." "... my teeth." "Good..." "Not good." "Stand." "Let go." "Back up."...