Northern Ireland?

[Elaine]

Found one for you ! Her name is helen spence from Down and she has workshops etc on every now & again... I'm on her mailing list (old editions posted here)

irishnhsociety.proboards41.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=1165307154

Her website: www.helenspencehorsesense.co.uk/

[intouch]

Hi TK
We're in Richhill Co Armagh - not 100 miles from Co Down!
I'm interested in odd things like Reiki, Equine Touch, equine assisted growth & learning etc and my daughter Jenny is a hoof anorak, training with KC la Pierre, she has also just spent a few months in NZ training in "holistic" for want of a better word) horsemanship, she rides bitless, we are hoping to have Laura (on this board) to visit us for an introductory day maybe next month, watch this space, and do please get in touch.
We've had Dr Helen for a couple of courses too, and are open to any suggestions about developing a northern network of interested folk.
www.intouchequestrian.co.uk
Lesley

[intouch]

Hi again
As you will realise, NI is notoriously difficult to convert to anything new or out of the ordinary (not meant as an insult, just the way we are!) until we are familiar enough with it to believe we thought of it first, anyway! So anyone with an inkling of an interest will cause absolutely NO offence! It's just great to know that there is someone out there! I don't expect to convert anyone, you can take bits & pieces that work for you, and leave the rest.
Helen is lovely, very genuine and good at what she does, I have used CT as a tool but not for the whole training programme, she runs clinics quite regularly and it is well worth taking one in.
What is it you would like to happen for your youngster? If we can help, we'd be glad to, or as I said, Laura will hopefully be coming here soon, so you could pick her brains, too.
PM me if you like.
Lesley

[Elaine]

My youngster (bought last march) was a little like that... was quite sensitive, and had been roughly handled during the previous 6 weeks before i got him, and so thought people were at best avoided, and at worst stayed well away from, and so his way of avoiding was to either keep half a field away from you, or if you did have him into a small space (stable, etc) like your fella he would try to ignore you... eg whole body flat against back wall and head COMPLETELY turned into back wall so he looked like a head less horse. He hadn't got to the aggressive stage, but mentally he just didnt want to know anything from a person.

Anyway, long story short (how old is yours?) it took about 2 months of daily work to get him to be 'fairly' confident in me, and easy to handle, catch, looking a lot happier, and have trust and confidence in me, and actually enjoy doing stuff with me. This was all on the ground now - so things like easy to catch (he was horrendous) easy to lead, happy in stable, polite to handle, stands still and isnt worried, comfortable with me around him, etc.

(He'd actually talk to you now and is pretty much a different horse )

Then I got Dad to appear around too (didnt like men /strange people) so when dad would go to give him a pat (literally, I'm more into rubs) horse would jump a mile. We got round that one hot summers day when the horse flies were out, and Ozzie suddenly realised that if he stood beside Dad he would swat them all off him Best friends ever since. (he's the grey horse on the front of this book at the top of the page, cute or what?!)

Anyway, I think with this stuff if you go right back to the beginning, and have some time to spend on it, focusing on asking on really small things and proving to your horse at every oppertunity that if he does something that you ask (which will always be easy & doable) he will get a reward, he'll actually start to look at you (and thus change his behaviour) in a different light. Its not so much about what you do, but its about how you do it, and rewarding your horse each time he does something small - literally you'll actually see him thinking 'what on earth is she up to? That never happened before!!!'

While I had a fairly fed up uncatchable wild yolk I wanted to be able to ride who was started badly, my goal right from the beginning wasn't to see myself up in the saddle as quick as I coudl (probably would have been nicely bucked off with very stressed horse) my goal was to create trust, which I think with horse who dont have much of an opinion of people (and they are usually right) is what its all about.

Anyway, thats a lot of waffle the beginning of Oz's story is here...

irishnhsociety.proboards41.com/index.cgi?board=foalsandbreeding&action=display&thread=1191338837

Best of luck with your horse, sounds like he's got a great trainer already

[intouch]

I second that!
Lauradominica on this board, sorry.
PMed you.
Lesley

[intouch]

Just to say we would be happy to come and visit to see if we can help. Is it the horse in the photo? If so, he might benefit from some bodywork. No charge - cup of tea maybe.
Lesley

[Elaine]

intouch, have karmaed you

[intouch]

I like Alfie!
Lesley
Thanks, Elaine!

[lauradomenica]

Hi Tk,

This is laura that Lesley mentioned. Your poor horse, backhanders indeed! As Elaine said, your horse is quite rightfully distrustful of humans and it will take time and patience to reverse his opinion.

So called bad behaviour like this is very often the horse just trying to survive in a place where he is fearful and understands very little. He feels that he has no choice but to look out for himself.

i notice you said...he ignores us if he sees something..that's an example of him looking out for himself.

You can begin to look out for him so he doesn't feel the need to do this any longer.

This means you take on the role of the leader in your little herd of two. In your leadership he will find, clarity, firmness when necessary, reward for his slightest try...consistancy.

Start by asking the smallest things from him, something he will find it easy to do. You have to set him and yourself up for success. This way you will build his trust and confidence in you more easily.

I find that horses like yours need to feel they are right, they crave the safe place where there is no pressure. Most of them change quickly when they get this.

if i can be of more help just email me with some more specific questions


laura domenica
www.connectedhorsemanship.com

[hoofsculpture]

hi tk, i have been looking at you,r posts and i hope you have good luck with you,r lovely horse, i will leave all the natural advice to laura, helen etc, they are great. i have been riding with no bit and no shoes for years , without probs. just a word of advice, you,r horses feet are in need of a bit of work, he has very low hoof angle, low under run heels[as far as i can see], the shoe is so far forward that his breakover is very late, in time this will hurt his ddft[tendon] and could lead to navicular probs, good luck.

[hoofsculpture]

well tk, you are a little touchy, you post a photo of you,r horse for all to see, and from all you have posts it would seem that you have an intrest learning anything you dont already know. but how will you learn if you dont listen. what i said about you,r horses feet is fact, so what about thanks for the advice. this is a friendly forum and most people would like a bit of advice, even if they did,nt specificly ask for it. if someone tells you you have puncture in a tyre do you tell them to mind their own busisness

[hoofsculpture]

tk i did not give you any advice on shoeing. i pointed out that due to low heels long toe and his shoe was too far forward[very harmfull] my advice is not rude, but fact, and believe me i know. i did not mention barefoot to you, nor would i, but i will say that hoof angle and hoor care is the same shod or unshod. also you should remember that all good horse care must include a knowlege of every aspect of the horses mind and body, this must include the feet, there is no point in working on any behaviour prob untill you establish that his back,teeth ,and feet are comfortable, many horses are not, i expect you will ignore this as you dont seem to want help from anyone, which makes me wonder why you posted on the forum in the first place