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2009

Displaying Posts in Category "Natural Horsemanship Philosophies"

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SUNDAY, JANUARY 17, 2010

What Do YOU Think???

Owing Heartwood, where we have a lot of fun with our horses, lay a solid foundation and find them great new homes, is an amazing opportunity. Not only do we get to do what we love and meet great, like-minded horsepeople, but we get to experience many different horses. And what a gift that is for developing our horsemanship!

Because we are not currently blessed with an indoor arena or good weather, we are spending a lot of time this winter researching different horsemanship methods. Yes, that means that we get to read horsemanship books and watch horsemanship DVDs while on the clock. What could be better?!

Our goal is not just to further our own horsemanship, but also to outline a horse development strategy. In the spring, we plan to hire a student to come in and work with us. So far, since Anna and my philosophies are pretty parallel, we haven't laid out our exact program - that is, what we do, step by step, with our horses. But since we are bringing a student into the mix, in order to reduce the number of gaps and ensure that our horses have that real foundation, an written game plan seems like a good idea.

Anna and I have both always been very open-minded and explored many different avenues of horsemanship. We like to sort through information, take what we feel is relevant and in line with our philosophy and leave the rest. We love seeing the different methods out there and incorporating different techniques into our training as we find them.

Sometimes I wonder if it would be better to just stick with one program, but most of the time I'm pretty happy to take note of the similarities and differences in the approaches out there and use what makes sense to me.

So what do I want your input on? I want to know the one thing you have found most beneficial to you and your horse. Is there an exercise that you find indispensable? A technique? A game? Why?

As a 'collector' of horsemanship information, I'm hoping for some really neat ideas to try out!

POSTED BY CELENA AT 8:17 PM      2 COMMENTS     POST A COMMENT
CATEGORIES: ANNA, APPLYING NH, ASPIRING HORSEMAN, DEVELOPING HORSES, LAYING THE FOUNDATION, NATURAL HORSEMANSHIP EXERCISES, NATURAL HORSEMANSHIP PHILOSOPHIES, NATURAL HORSEMANSHIP TECHNIQUES

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2009

More Than Balls & Pedestals

When I started out doing natural horsemanship, I thought that ‘natural horsemanship’ was a discipline – like jumping or reining. I devoted myself completely to it, thinking that if I was doing natural horsemanship, I was limited to playing with balls, pedestals and the like.

Hey, I’m not knocking balls and pedestals – they’re lots of fun to play with and help to increase horses’ confidence. I love doing that kind of thing! But I was missing the point.

What I failed to understand was that a philosophy can be applied to any situation – and that natural horsemanship can be used to train high-level dressage horses and cutting horses alike. Natural horsemanship isn’t the end – it’s the beginning. It’s where you and your horse are going together.

Getting into natural horsemanship doesn’t mean that you can’t ride or compete in a discipline that you love. It gives you a challenge – learn, experiment, and put a purpose to what you were already doing. You’ll be amazed at how those natural horsemanship concepts suddenly make a lot more sense to both of you.

What discipline are you riding or competing in using natural horsemanship techniques?

POSTED BY CELENA AT 9:16 PM      0 COMMENTS     POST A COMMENT
CATEGORIES: APPLYING NH, DISCIPLINES, NATURAL HORSEMANSHIP PHILOSOPHIES

WEDNESDAY, JULY 1, 2009

Welcome to Wild Hearts!

"I found my destiny, not in far off places but within myself."
- Sonora, Wild Hearts Can’t Be Broken

Watching Wild Hearts Can’t be Broken should be mandatory for horsepeople. Strongly encouraged, anyway. If you are a horse person and you haven’t seen this movie, you have homework! It is a marvelous tale based on a true story that has, of course, been very Disney-ized, but I have seen it dozens of times and it always inspires me. It reminds me to create life from dreams, to do what I feel is right even if it isn’t always easy, and to really, truly love.

My name is Celena. I am the often-delighted, sometimes-exasperated mother of very nearly one-year-old little boy named Ben. I found my soul mate in a tall, dark and handsome man named Curtis, and am his usually-loving, occasionally-infuriated (and, let’s be fair, occasionally-infuriating) wife.

And I am an aspiring horseman.

The discovery and study of natural horsemanship has enriched my life – that is why I am starting this blog. It has not only brought the joy back into horses for me, but it has helped me with my human relationships, too. I believe that natural horsemanship, when applied correctly, is considerate of the horse’s nature and is life changing (and life changing in a good way!) for the people and the horses involved.

I am excited to reflect on natural horsemanship. I have read books and watched DVDs by many different natural horse trainers. These remarkable horsemen – Ray Hunt, Tom Dorrance, Buck Brannaman, Pat Parelli, John Lyons, Clinton Anderson, Sally Swift and Monty Roberts, to name a few – show such empathy and compassion for their horses. They have such feeling and timing – I love how they dance with their horses. I have been as intrigued by the many similarities in their methods as by the differences.

Everyone, regardless of experience or philosophy, is welcome on Wild Hearts. I am looking forward to hearing from the different natural horsemanship facets so we can really delve into the similarities and differences. It will be fascinating to hear about different methods to deal with the same problem.

There’s a lot of controversy around natural horsemanship. Please comment on my posts and on other people’s comments, whether you agree or disagree. I want to hear from you – your insights, your questions, your feedback, and yes, your arguments. All that I ask is that, even if we disagree, that we maintain a supportive and respectful community.

Just a heads-up – my family will work its way into this blog, too. Trying to balance horses and family can be quite the juggling act and makes for some pretty hilarious stories – although some are only funny a few weeks later! Although I will certainly focus on horses, life for me is horses and family; they are inextricably entwined and I have never been able to talk about one without touching on the other.

I’m looking forward to getting to know you!

Wishing you sunny days and sound ponies,
Celena

PS Are you wondering why I call myself an aspiring horseman? I’ll address that subject in another post!

POSTED BY CELENA AT 3:54 PM      0 COMMENTS     POST A COMMENT
CATEGORIES: MY FAMILY, NATURAL HORSEMANSHIP PHILOSOPHIES, WILD HEARTS CAN'T BE BROKEN