By Jessica Crouch
You watch enviously as your friend bridles her horse. The horse happily lowers his head, reaches for the bit, holds it softly in his mouth while the bridle is slipped over his ears, and blissfully chews up his little cookie reward. Soon they are off having a pleasant warm-up in the field and you are still on your tip-toes trying to jam a bit through your own horse's teeth. You love your horse, but are quite frustrated with this bridling problem. Why can't he just take the bit nicely?
Wednesday, March 4, 2015
Lesson Notes: Reading Your Horse
Today I wanted to talk to you about a lesson I often find myself teaching, many times over. It is about noticing how your horse is responding to you, emotionally and physically, at any given moment.
Trailer Loading Tips: Loading Your Horse (Part 4 of 4)
by Jessica Crouch
Last in a series
You've played with multiple simulations and developed trust, communication, and respect with your horse. It's time to finally use those skills to load your horse onto the trailer. Within this brief article I can only give you a basic formula to follow; adapt as you see fit, using all the skills you learned from the obstacle simulations. The general idea is to load and unload your horse in increments, so he gains confidence as he goes.
Last in a series
You've played with multiple simulations and developed trust, communication, and respect with your horse. It's time to finally use those skills to load your horse onto the trailer. Within this brief article I can only give you a basic formula to follow; adapt as you see fit, using all the skills you learned from the obstacle simulations. The general idea is to load and unload your horse in increments, so he gains confidence as he goes.
The Transformation of Niko, part 3
A Series by Michelle Grimmer
Upon Niko's arrival at Freedom Farm in December of 2013, we got to work. We had a general plan, but time would tell how Niko's transformation would go. The shoes came off (yikes!), we had a look at his teeth, posture, etc., but these particulars were embedded in a deeper process of healing Niko's mind and body through the environment of Freedom Farm.
Upon Niko's arrival at Freedom Farm in December of 2013, we got to work. We had a general plan, but time would tell how Niko's transformation would go. The shoes came off (yikes!), we had a look at his teeth, posture, etc., but these particulars were embedded in a deeper process of healing Niko's mind and body through the environment of Freedom Farm.
What the Hay! An Ongoing Look at What We Feed Our Horses
By Mary Gallagher
You may recall that last month I sent a sample of Freedom Farm hay for analysis, and promised to follow up in this newsletter. Well, the analysis is back, and I feel like we are on the threshold of a wonderful process of learning about and fine-tuning our horses' feed! To better understand the hay analysis document, I met with our local friend and equine nutrition expert Barb Noble, who shared some interesting insights.
You may recall that last month I sent a sample of Freedom Farm hay for analysis, and promised to follow up in this newsletter. Well, the analysis is back, and I feel like we are on the threshold of a wonderful process of learning about and fine-tuning our horses' feed! To better understand the hay analysis document, I met with our local friend and equine nutrition expert Barb Noble, who shared some interesting insights.
The Transformation of Niko, part 2
A Series by Michelle Grimmer
If you've been around Freedom Farm much, you have probably seen my big gray horse Niko. He came to me extremely unsound, mentally and physically. He was very crooked in his body and when I rode him he felt like two different horses depending on which direction we'd be tracking in the arena. To the left, he felt somewhat ok, but to the right he was crippled. No matter what direction we went, he was extremely worried in his mouth and curled away from the bit while constantly gnashing his teeth. He had to wear boots on all four legs because he bloodied himself by whacking them together if there was no protection. His feet were completely out of balance, due to well-meaning farriers attempting to work with the way his body wanted to travel. Crooked body, crooked feet, crooked legs.
If you've been around Freedom Farm much, you have probably seen my big gray horse Niko. He came to me extremely unsound, mentally and physically. He was very crooked in his body and when I rode him he felt like two different horses depending on which direction we'd be tracking in the arena. To the left, he felt somewhat ok, but to the right he was crippled. No matter what direction we went, he was extremely worried in his mouth and curled away from the bit while constantly gnashing his teeth. He had to wear boots on all four legs because he bloodied himself by whacking them together if there was no protection. His feet were completely out of balance, due to well-meaning farriers attempting to work with the way his body wanted to travel. Crooked body, crooked feet, crooked legs.
Trailer Loading Tips: Approaching the Trailer (Part 3 of 4)
By Jessica Crouch
Over the last several months we've discussed several simulations to help you develop the foundation you will need to trailer load your horse. Having done those, how do you make the transition to actually asking them to get into the trailer? Horses are extremely sensitive to change, and often taking them to the parking lot where your trailer is to load is not near as successful as if you put your trailer in with the rest of your obstacles. (Or take your familiar obstacles out to the trailer.) That makes the trailer just another "toy" to play with.
Over the last several months we've discussed several simulations to help you develop the foundation you will need to trailer load your horse. Having done those, how do you make the transition to actually asking them to get into the trailer? Horses are extremely sensitive to change, and often taking them to the parking lot where your trailer is to load is not near as successful as if you put your trailer in with the rest of your obstacles. (Or take your familiar obstacles out to the trailer.) That makes the trailer just another "toy" to play with.
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