ByRobyn Harris
Horse Psychology can be defined as: ”the scientific study of the horse’s mind and its functions. Encompassing the mental characteristics or attitude of the species” – http://www.training-horses-naturally.com/horse-psychology.html (link no longer available) This field of study is growing so hopefully, as we come to understand horses better, our care of them, and thus our relationships with…
ByRobyn Harris
Other ways of supporting your own wellbeing and balance include: taking time-out for yourself meditation / mindfulness physiotherapy / chiropractic / massage sessions a healthy diet getting sufficient sleep complementary therapies (eg homeopathy, aromatherapy Bach Flower remedies, EFT, healing, etc) I personally offer a range of support which can be used face-to-face or at a…
ByRobyn Harris
Given that horses are such sensitive animals it is also very important for us to take good care of ourselves. This is true physically, emotionally and mentally as any imbalances could affect the horse and his behaviour in negative ways: If we are physically out of balance then this will affect how we sit on…
ByEileen Bennett
It took me almost 6 decades to recognize that my four equal passions in life could be merged to create something very special. In no particular order, I’d been finding my bliss when engaged with teaching, learning, people or horses. In 2015, I set up Horses Connect, a non-profit company based in the West of…
ByRobyn Harris
If you find that things are not going well in a session with your horse, consider the factors that could be influencing his behaviour, for example: is he in pain? (eg injury or uncomfortable tack) is he bored? (eg has he been doing the same thing for several days in a row / is he…
ByRobyn Harris
The tension that we sometimes see in our domestic herds is due to the unnatural conditions in which we keep our horses. There could be perceived competition for precious resources – eg food, water or space – or frequent changes in their surroundings or herd members resulting in them exhibiting stressed behaviours. In addition, when…
ByRobyn Harris
In this series of 5 blogs I will look at the interaction between our horses and ourselves: how we can develop a deeper understanding and connection with our equines how having us in their lives affects them how we can do our best for the horses in our care The traditional approach to working…
ByRobyn Harris
When talking about body language, another point I’d like to mention is that, just like us, the horse’s body language obviously shows how he’s feeling. But the reverse is also true – ie the shape we encourage him to hold will affect how he feels. Just as the act of smiling and standing up straight…
ByRobyn Harris
Another common concern is when people see their horse standing still with his head lowered for periods of time. Is he depressed? Or is he just resting? Horses can sleep standing up, due to an inbuilt locking mechanism in their legs, meaning that they can stay upright without any conscious effort on their part. Their…
ByRobyn Harris
One question that people often ask is: How can I tell if my horse is in pain? The signals given by a horse in pain will vary depending on the horse and the location and severity of the pain. Any sudden, unexplainable, change of behaviour could be due to pain and so it is worth…
ByRobyn Harris
In the following diagrams I will look at each feature in isolation, but this can be misleading. These comments are therefore just a guideline. You will need to take the whole face and body into consideration. For example, if the ears are facing slightly backwards the horse could be listening to something going on behind…
ByRobyn Harris
As humans we use a verbal language and often we place so much emphasis on this that we are no longer used to reading visual clues. This is compounded by the fact that much of our communication is done at a distance – by email, text and telephone – and so we are less familiar…