Archive for the ‘Natural Horsemanship’ Category

 By Christa Miramadi

*Note from Faye- I really enjoyed this article from Christa and thought I would share it with everyone. Enjoy!*

A Personal Connection …

Developing a feel is not something that happens overnight.  It’s not something that you can read about in a book and “get” and it’s not something that you can pay someone to find for you.  It’s a personal connection between you and the horse you’re riding and developing this feel takes patience, practice and dedication but in no way is it some impossible aspiration.  Anyone can develop a feel if they try.

What is a feel anyway? Read the rest of this entry »

By Christa Miremadi

Develop more confidence in your horsemanship… with a few practical tips!

How is it that most of the trainers and clinicians out there can make horsemanship look so easy?  Why is it that re-enacting some of the apparently simple exercises is never quite as simple as it looks?  How can you develop the easy-going, quiet, confidence of the pros?

If you’ve ever asked yourself (or anyone else) any of those questions, I have a tip for you.  This could very well be the most important tip you could get and if you take it seriously, I guarantee you, you won’t just come across with more confidence, you’ll be more confident!

Get to know your gear!!

And I mean really get to know it.  Your lead rope, your halter, your carrot stick, whatever it is you use, get to know it like it’s part of you.

There are very specific ways to use your equipment and if used improperly, anything is capable of hurting your horse. Read the rest of this entry »

By Christa Miremadi

Most of us who are pursuing a gentle, respectful way of being with our horses like to refer to our ways as soft.  We like to look at how we work with

Natural Horsemanship- Softness & Balance

 our horses as being balanced and gentle and we hope that others who watch us working with our horses will notice how soft and balanced we are too.

Horses are gentle, quiet creatures with big hearts and a bold spirit.  For centuries humans dominated, abused and used these animals against their will, relying on muscle and strength, ropes, chains and restraints in order to “break” their spirit and “bridle” their power and skills.  Using horses for transportation of goods, people, supplies, working cattle, sport and pleasure, hunting and war, horses served people and provided mankind with progress of all sorts. 

Somewhere along the way, a few cowboys realized that horses would likely be willing to do the same job, possibly with more heart, if they were given the ability to learn it in a gentler manner.  Read the rest of this entry »