Flooding Is Not The Same As Training: Why a Horse Stopping Doesn’t Always Mean It Learned What actually happens when a horse stops reacting during overwhelming exposure – and how can we tell learning from shutdown, habituation or simply being unable to escape? Recently, more and more videos of so-called training came up on my
When I started Horse Conversations in 2019, I was a student of horses. I still am. Learning to understand them has been one of the main threads running through my life since I first came into contact with horses as a child. Long before I studied equine ethology, long before I worked around hundreds of
Lessons from Embodied Horsewomanship #9 Softness is a result, not a cue In (embodied) horse(wo)manship, we are usually working toward the same underlying goal, whether we consciously name it or not. We want horses that feel relaxed, safe, and predictable, and at the same time we want to experience safety and connection ourselves when we
Lessons from Embodied Horsewomanship #19 Your intention is irrelevant if your body language says something else. Mostly, we do mean well. We honestly do. We want our horses to be safe and sound. Happy and healthy. We learn, book workshops, hire instructors, follow online courses. Intention does mean something on a human level. We hold
A Guide to Understanding Equine Psychology, Behavior & Dominance “My horse is so disrespectful. He knows exactly what he’s doing!”Have you ever heard this phrase at the barn – or even caught yourself saying it? It’s one of the most common narratives in the equestrian world.When a horse doesn’t behave the way we expect, it’s
5 Practical Steps to Truly Understand Your Horse – and Build a Relationship Based on Trust You love your horse. You give your time, your energy, and your heart.But sometimes, despite your best intentions, things don’t go the way you imagined. Your horse walks away when you come with the halter.They spook “out of nowhere,”