These articles explain various training principles employed here at Free Heart Stables as well as opinions on common techniques and approaches to horsemanship. Some articles provide advice on how to solve specific problems whereas other articles address the basic underlying principles of horse behavior and training. Check these articles out if you want to learn more about horsemanship or want to understand the “whys” behind our training methods.
When we think of working a horse we automatically think of movement and physical exercise. Many equestrians lament not being able to work their horses in the winter do to weather. While not everyone has an indoor arena to ride in, there are plenty of other ways in which we Read more
It is pretty well accepted that equestrians should be the leaders in their relationships with horses. However, the term “leader” means a lot of different things to different people, making it easily misunderstood. As with governments, there are many different ways in which we can be leaders to our horses. Read more
There seems to be this idea in the horse world that you are only training your horse when you are specifically working on something. Most people don’t consider their grooming and tacking up time to be part of their training. Training only occurs when you are actively working the horse Read more
With Thanksgiving tomorrow I thought it would be an appropriate time to give thanks to all the horses who have helped shape my horsemanship and all of you who have allowed me to learn and grow with you and your horses. Thank you for being patient and forgiving as I Read more
There are two distinct schools of thought in determining the correct rein length. Some people will say you should ride with a short rein until your horse earns the right to have a long rein. Others will tell you to ride with a long rein until you have earned the Read more
18 year old me with my horse looking at me and saying, “Really? I don’t believe you.” There is a certain school of thought in horse training that you should never hit, push, or otherwise use physical force on a horse. Although I certainly don’t want to promote beating horses Read more
Goals are great for life and they are great for our horsemanship journey. They keep us focused on the path ahead and motivate us to keep trying. However, goals also make us rush and forget about the journey that we are all on. When we become too focused on where Read more
It seems there are as many philosophies on tying horses as there are horsemen. Opinions vary from those that think every horse needs to know how to tie to a solid post to those that never tie. I think there is a middle ground. Safety Concerns When Tying First off, Read more
As equestrians I think it is common to anticipate certain outcomes. You might expect your horse to be spooky on the trails or you might worry about him loading on the trailer. You brace yourself for the worst as if being prepared for a bad result is the only way Read more
When looking at horse ads and iso’s, I constantly see the term “bombproof”. It’s what everyone is looking for and what every kid-safe horse’s ad declares. It seems that for most people “bombproof” is the ultimate sign that the horse is indeed good. However, when I think of the word Read more