Through the Eyes of Equus

Where has the time gone?

2011-09-06T16:50:00.000-07:00

The months have flown by since moving to Florida. Do I miss Colorado? I miss my 2 legged and 4 legged friends and clients. What is it like here? Well, for one thing it is hot and it rains a lot between July and October, but we are adjusting.

Who is the guy in the photo? That is my new boy Savaent. He is as talented as he is handsome. He is half Friesian and half Arabian. He is amazing. Fable doesn't like the competition much, but after 4 months, he is getting used to the idea that he has a baby brother.

There is so much to tell and I vow to tell it, but it will have to wait a bit longer.

My web designer has been waiting for almost a year for the facelift on this website and hopefully, by winter I will have it for all of you. I have been so busy, the website was out of site and out of mind. Florida is a challenge and a journey. I wouldn't have it any other way!

Where Have I Been?

2011-01-26T06:35:00.000-08:00

There have been quite a few changes in my life of late. We are in Florida. My time has been devoted to listening, seeing, hearing, feeling and increasing my consciousness and awareness in regards to the horse. Fable and I have been inspired to develop new and higher levels of communication which have allowed us to explore new discussions about liberty maneuvers as well as riding techniques. We have taught each other a few things I can assure you.

I have also been working with a horse named Zeus...an unexpected gift. Zeus is a very unusual horse. I walked into the arena with him and he offered me a Spanish walk...JUST LIKE THAT! According to his owner, he has never been taught the maneuver in cooperation with a human. He has since shown me an aptitude for understanding and making sense of the bumblings of the human much like Fable. What a gift!!!! Photos of Zeus forthcoming. He and Fable look quite a bit alike. The interesting difference is whereas Fables nose is slightly dished like any good Arabian cross, Zeus' is Roman, like any proper Lusitano cross. The yin meets the yang. How much fun can one woman have with horses!

Another Glimpse into the Future

2010-09-13T08:08:00.000-07:00

My dream and my work can be summed up in a few words Liberty, Love, Spirit and Soul. Lately, I have been fortunate enough to see a bit of Cavalia from the inside. I see the beautiful costumes and horses, the precision of the work and the talent of the 2 and 4 legged performers, but mostly the commitment of the trainers to treat and train with understanding, compassion and consideration for the horse. My heart aches for the chance to be right in the middle of it. Then I look in the mirror or photos at my torn blue jeans, make-up consisting of arena dirt and mud and I laugh and cry at the orphaned child of an image I must portray. I look at my amazingly lovely horse, but the gray and white of his coat and tail often match my make-up. He is often a lovely shade of brown or green.

At first it didn't matter to me. After all, it matters little to the horse. I always thought that if I appeared larger than life, then clients would be too intimidated to look to me to guidance. Perhaps I miss the mark, perhaps not. Whatever the reason, it has stopped me from moving further until I figure at least some part of it out.

What I am finding is that in whatever direction I turn to help the horse and their human partners, something is missed in the presentation, the communication, the feel with the human....something. I am pretty sure my communication with the horse is spot on most of the time. I have been trying to figure it out, but like many others that do similar work to what I do, it is almost impossible to convey the feeling and the knowledge. I can give a performance that wows the students, but how does that help them? It is great for my ego and Fable seems to enjoy it; master that he is. The best I can do is guide others to to the place where the spark can be ignited and thus begin their journey....and I refuse to give up or give in. It is possible. If it is possible for one human, it is possible for all. I don't mean that to sound cliche; it makes sense from a scientific perspective.

When I say feeling, I must admit that part of that is about the concept of feel , but not entirely. I have been working at taking the mystery out of that concept for a couple of years now. I think I have finally found a solution in a combination of hands on work and written word that has gotten pretty good result. If the emails and "thank yous" can be considered a measure, then I am on the right track.

Ah,the childhood dream to run away and join the circus. However, the circus I want to join is no circus at all, but a group of artists, professionals and like minded souls who truly understand and acknowledge their own humanity and consider the horse first and foremost. The next question is how do you create something like that and ask a horse to travel from city to city, town to town, and still preserve their sanity and well being? It is a big question. That is why I don't travel far with my troop of 2.

What bothers me most is the misuse, misguided and misinterpretation of liberty work that is out there in the form of cookie-cutter and paint-by-number methods offered to the every day horse owner via DVD and manual and the professional performance troops that cover their ineptitude and cruelty with flashy costuming, bright lights, music and pretty, but miserable horses. The general public or every day horse owner doesn't know the difference, why would they?

So here we are...left to find a way and to figure it out. Every day I get a bit closer to the truth, with my horse as my tireless teacher and me as his human guide.

An Evolution In Horsemanship

2010-09-06T07:04:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,
I have been absent all summer. Hmmm. What is that about?

I have been working on renovating my website as my work is evolving faster than I can write about it or get my web designer to cut and paste. So, I have been working on it; which is code for I have done nothing to improve its content until I figure out what it should look like. Does that make me unsure of my job? ABSOLUTELY NOT.

There is an evolution is horsemanship happening like no other in history and I have been riding the cutting edge of it along with a group of like minded professionals who are very powerful in their work and message.

My personal work has taken the course toward a way for the horse owner, rider and coach to understand, experience and explain feel. Feel is not an elusive concept to be experienced by the few and understood by less. It is within the reach of all who love horses.

I have been working on the concept of leadership. I don't think we should be leading horse's. Leave that to the stallion or mare in the herd. Horses look to us for guidance and decisions. So let's guide and decide. All they want for us is to help relieve their stress connected to living in such an unnatural and alien world that wreaks havoc and battle within the instincts they were born with. Are we asking them to forget what and who they are? Are we breeding the horse out of the horse? Perhaps we want for them that which has happened to humanity. Misery does love company. We have forgotten who we are, so let's help the horse get there too. (*sigh*).

We have forgotten how to listen to the horse. We are too busy talking.

It is like being in a noisy New York Restaurant. (no offense) Everyone talks above everyone else, but no one gets or feels heard. Do you want to put your hands over your ears and run? Precisely my point.

My work is about working with the horse with understanding, consciousness and awareness of who the horse is and perhaps with it, opening myself to change. I have been doing a lot of changing: Ergo, the absence of new website offerings. Once a person understands that part, then what do you do with it? Plenty.

The horse has been trying to remind us who we are as beings, which would surely help us, but would absolutely make their lives easier too. Gone would be the days of power struggle and human dominance and coercion; replaced by mutual understanding, trust and love.

Does that make us weak and unempowered?(which is a popular fear) No, it encourages strength and confidence.
Does it mean that we no longer ride or work with horses as part of our interaction with them? Heavens no. I believe horse's take their jobs very seriously. I think they enjoy them if they are acknowledged for their part in the success of whatever the job may be. It might mean that sometimes their ideas are better or greater than ours. They deserve at least half of the credit don't you agree?

If you give a horse his voice, he will listen to yours. When you give a horse his choice, he will seek and be grateful for your guidance.

The series of workshops that I have been giving this summer; Liberty and other Conversations with your Horse, have been a work in progress meant to inform and educate. It is a shame that a few thought that by participating, they would be given the magic tools to perhaps take a nap with your horse in the pasture or read a book while he generously props you up with his front legs and selflessly offers you shade. Levades and piaffes at liberty are lovely tricks, but if done without care, serves to increase stress in the horse and he is left without the guidance he seeks. We must learn to walk before we can run. That might mean that your job is to simply walk your horse on a lead rope...with consciousness awareness and consideration; a far cry from what we have been doing all these years. Some students may have left disappointed and with misunderstanding that this was not remedial work. Others have seen the empowerment in simply walking with the horse with understanding and compassion.... How LIBERATING for both! I congratulate all who stepped up out of their comfort zone. You are truly special people.

I must add that with new material, even the teacher learns. I made a few mistakes. If anyone left unempowered, it truly my fault. It frustrates me when I know I haven't pierced the wall of understanding. Horses and humans deserve the same consideration when learning. I hope to do better as I fine tune the presentation.

The entire concept of Liberty needs reexamination. It is the most disturbingly misused, poorly taught and misunderstood aspect of horse/human interaction.

Liberty is the same whether working on the ground, in the saddle or without rope or rein. Liberty is the freedom to choose, the freedom from undue pressure or constraint. It is the giving of and owning respect and knowledge that you matter....It is the same for the horse as for the human.

Horses don't need our "leadership" or guidance when in the herd. We could use theirs for sure. However, they are smart enough to seek our guidance when in our world. We must learn how not to abuse the privilege.

More to come....

That is what I have been doing this summer.

Liberty and Other Conversations with your Horse II

2010-07-26T06:49:00.000-07:00

This link will take you to the invitation to the next in the series of my workshops designed to create a new aweareness and way of being with and training your horse. Don't miss it. Just hightlight the link below the photo and paste it in your browser!!!!
Kate

http://campaigns.ratepoint.com/campaigns/60418f9d7281f5bfc0f7cb70eb93fe64

Bath Time!

2010-06-20T07:21:00.000-07:00

How many of you wrestle with your horse at bath time? I would guess that many of you do. I have one who despite every effort, cannot tolerate having his head bathed. The poll and ear area is particularly difficult to get to. So instead of arguing, we compromise. It takes time to hand bathe with a sponge, but hey, that is a small gift to give to a horse who gives much. I didn't start this horse. Sometimes behaviors cannot be "fixed", but they can be modified. Maybe it is human expectation that could stand a little modification.

Now if I used cross ties to restrain the horse, I might have quicker success, but I am of the belief system that cross ties are not the answer until after bathing is comfortable for the horse. I prefer not to use them at all, but that is a matter of choice. Horses are not free to see what's going on around them when tied this way, but it is convenient for the human, so most use them even though they may cause stress. Excess pressure and stress are not things I would like my horses to experience coming from me. So what does one do with a difficult horse?

It helps if you are able to be the one to introduce your youngster to his/her first bath. You may have to experiment a bit. I like to have a long hose and an open area, so that I can observe when the horse needs to leave and when he is comfortable in staying put. If a horse is uncomfortable with the hose spraying water from a particular direction, I change it up until I find one little comfort zone, even if it is only a foot or a tail hair; I gradually build from that and work slowly from there. Sometimes the horse needs to have the water out in front of him for a while so he can feel like he has some control over it. I have one little filly who soon found that even though it was stressful to have water sprayed on her body, it was fun to drink the water and play with it. I also found that when I turned the water off, she would try to get me to turn it back on so that we could play some more. I used that to my advantage. Now she chooses when the water goes on by bumping the sprayer with her nose. I can now wash her, but she gets to decide when the water goes on and I watch for signs that the water needs to go off for a bit. Usually when she starts to get a bit stressed, all it takes is a moment or two of play to relax her. Her bath times are even fun for me as she is hysterically funny when playing with the water. The key is to stay relaxed, don't force, observe every detail and stay aware and present. It may mean that the bath doesn't get finished in one shot, but it gets better with time. If the horses opinion is considered, bath time can be a "BLAST" for both of you. No cross ties, no fights, just a halter, rope and a hose.

What about the horse who comes to you with bath time baggage? I like to use the same techniques I use with the little ones, but patience and consciousness is even more important here as the adult horse is twice the size of a youngster. If a horse is rushing to you for comfort, you can easily be hurt or worse. Learn to go slow with pressure and be quick to stop; VERY quick to stop. You may or may not have total success in your expectation. You may have a horse who is never completely comfortable with bathing. You can ease the pain of the experience by considering the horse and what he must feel. Although dwelling on the past doesn't do either of you any good, there has to be something that you can work with. Lowering your expectations may be the key to raising his confidence.

There are schools of thought that spraying until the horse stops moving is the way to desensitize to bathing. Be aware that horses freeze in fear as well a run or fight. Both are possibilities. It is up to you to know whether you have a fearful horse who cannot move or a comfortable horse who chooses to stay put. I rarely use this method. I am very quick to turn off the hose when I see discomfort. Many will argue that the horse can train a person to quit spraying when they act up a bit. This is also part of the observation process. If you can manage to change your approach to something the horse has not experienced before, you just might get the response you are hoping to get. Remember the definition of insanity is to do the same thing over and over; expecting a different result. It is fine to add pressure as long as you are not adding undue stress. I am suggesting that the excess of pressure causes undue stress.

Every horse is different. The cookie cutter approach works about as well with horses as it does with humans. Think about it. Happy bathing!!!

Pasturing Stallions

2010-06-11T08:15:00.000-07:00

I didn't write this, but I wish I would have thought to do so. I have personally seen this work. I have also seen geldings and stallions pastured together. My horse Fable has been pastured with stallions. The confident secure and well socialized stallion seldom resorts to agression. It is the ones who are locked up and separated that are prone to be problematic. That is why crimes are punished by jail time or taking away ones natural freedoms. Think about it.

Pasturing Stallions Together Can Work, Says Study
by: Christa Lesté-Lasserre

Behavior Quiz: If you put five breeding stallions together in an open pasture, what do you get? A) the Kentucky Derby, minus the jockeys, B) a new pro basketball team, or C) dramatic chaos?

Believe it or not, according to a new study by a Swiss research team, the answer is D) none of the above. In fact, the scientists, led by Sabrina Briefer, DVM, MSc, researcher at the Swiss National Stud in Avenches, found that within a few weeks, study stallions were not only living as a peaceful herd, but were even showing signs of positive social relationships, such as mutual grooming.

"It had a lot to do with hierarchy," Briefer said. "Once that was established, the stallions seemed to know their place and accept it, and then they were fine."

To carry out the test, the five stallions, which had just finished a season at stud, were brought into individual stalls next to each other in the same stable for one week. During that time they were allowed independent time to discover the 11-acre (4.5-hectare) pasture that they would soon be sharing with the other stallions. When the stallions, ranging in age from 9 to 18 years old, were first released together in the pasture, the researchers were ready with equipment to intervene if necessary.

"But actually, there was no need," Briefer said during the presentation of her results at the Swiss Equine Research Day held April 30 in Avenches. "For the first 45 minutes, there was a lot of squealing, rearing up, bucking, kicking--that sort of thing. But there was never actually any biting or kicking or other physical violence." Once the initial "introductions" were complete, the horses began grazing, she said.

However, it's important to recognize that this kind of "success" might not have been possible if several major safety precautions had not been taken, Briefer said. The stallions were in a pasture far from other horses and especially mares, and they had been given the opportunity to know each other in advance by living in adjoining stalls. All the stallions had their shoes removed, and extra-tall fences were set up around the pasture.

Establishment of hierarchy occurred over a period of several weeks for most relationships, Briefer said, which led toward a linear ranking order. However, the two leading stallions did not display a clear hierarchy between each other until after the first three months.

Living in groups in the pasture led the horses to attribute their time differently to their various activities than when they had been in stalls, Briefer said. This particularly affected how often they ate, stood attentively, and rested.

"The advantages of living in a herd are clear," Briefer said. "Horses are naturally social, and maintaining them in groups is what best meets their needs for physical and mental well-being--stallions included."

Even so, more research is necessary before specific recommendations and guidelines can be made for stud farms and stallion owners, she said.

June Issue of "Today's Horse Trader"

2010-06-06T19:33:00.000-07:00

Check out this link to Today's Horse Trader. Of course, the article by me is a must read. Enjoy!!!

http://www.todayshorsetrader.com/

Workshop synopsis

2010-06-06T19:12:00.001-07:00

I want to thank all that attended and participated in my workshop this weekend. It was a perfect day. I will put together a little synopsis and post it this week. Right now we are busy planning the next one.

Liberty Training and Other Conversations With Your Horse...a Workshop

2010-05-17T07:22:00.000-07:00

Horses are highly sensitive. Training can be very stressful for them. I discovered that interacting with horses in a way that decreases worry and anxiety serves to empower these majestic creatures to reach their fullest potential. Working with horses in a way that increases stress levels serves only to diminish them as beings. I believe it can drain the horse of his very essence. You can readily see the effects of human imposed stress and pressure when you encounter the horse who appears flat or has that glazed look in his eyes. It can also be expressed by the horse who behaves inappropriately or in those who are prone to certain illnesses.

Understanding this concept changed my way of being around horses. If a horse looks to me knowing he can depend on me to listen and to give him comfort when he needs it, I will be held in high regard by that horse. In allowing him the opportunity to be heard, the horse readily looks to me to decide which direction to take our training. It goes beyond leadership to a higher level of trust and understanding. I have trained the most unlikely horses to do the most unusual things. Imagine the possibilities...

WITH: Katelyn Kent and Special Guest Lisa DeLong

WHERE: Happy Dog Ranch 7811 W. Titan Rd., Littleton, CO. 80125
WHEN: Saturday, June 5, 2010
COST: $100
CONTACT: Kate@katelynkent.net 303-601-7797

Join us for this very special opportunity. Space is limited to 6 people and horses. Auditors welcome $15.

Lisa, along with being a gifted communicator, trainer and energy healer, is a talented videographer. She will be on hand to tape your work with Katelyn. You will be presented with a DVD as our gift to you for your participation. Lisa is available for
energy work or communication consultations for an additional fee.

* Photo of Katelyn, Fable and Bella courtesy of www.sallynortonphotography.com

Brought to you by: THROUGH THE EYE'S OF EQUUS
WWW.KATELYNKENT.NET

West Nile Vaccine Recalled

2010-05-10T10:04:00.000-07:00

I know that some of us vaccinate our own horses. Be careful and informed.

Be Aware: PreveNile West Nile Virus Vaccine Recalled
Posted: 09 May 2010 01:20 PM PDT

Finally there has been an action to remove West Nile vaccine from the shelf of your veterinarian. Years ago one of my veterinary friends told me that in her experience the vaccine could be even worse than the disease but she had no choice but to vaccinate. It’s my understanding that a lot of horses must have had adverse effects to cause this recall.
You can read a May 4 The Horse.com article by Stacey Oke, DVM, MSc on the PreveNile West Nile Virus Vaccine Recall by going directly to their site or by clicking
by: Stacey Oke, DVM, MSc
May 04 2010, Article # 16295
In a letter to veterinarians dated April 28, Brett Whitehead, Director, Equine and Ag Retail Business, of Intervet Schering-Plough Animal Health, encouraged practitioners to return all PreveNile vaccine. The recall was initiated after an increased incidence in the number of adverse events following vaccination with currently marketed serials of PreveNile.
The company noted in the letter that Intervet Schering-Plough has notified the USDA’s Center for Veterinary Biologics about this recall action.
West Nile virus (WNV) is an important neurological disease of horses in North America characterized by a wide array of clinical signs that include fever, ataxia (incoordination), depression, behavioral changes, weakness or partial paralysis, recumbency, and death. The mortality rate is an estimated 33%, and horses that do survive can exhibit residual effects (e.g., gait abnormalities, behavioral changes).
The disease is transmitted primarily by mosquitoes. While prevention can include reducing mosquito numbers and exposure of horses to mosquitoes, the most important means of preventing WNV infections is vaccination. The American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) considers the WNV a core vaccine and assures horse owners and veterinarians that it is “an essential standard of care for all horses in North America”.
Currently, only three WNV vaccines are available. PreveNile is a modified live chimeric non-adjuvanted vaccine that is labeled for the prevention of disease. In clinical trials, PreveNile was 100% effective and 99.9% reaction-free, and it was deemed safe to use in foals four months of age and older. Read the data.
According to Sharon Dilling, spokesperson for Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health, Manager of Global Communications for US Animal Health, “Reports included symptoms of acute anaphylaxis, gastrointestinal symptoms (colic), respiratory distress, and death following vaccination either with PreveNile alone or in combination with other vaccinations.”
Dilling assured consumers and horse owners that all reported adverse events were submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration-Center for Veterinary Biologics (USDA-CVB).
Will this recall impact vaccine availability and place U.S. horses at risk for disease?
“Currently, the product is off the market until further notice, but there are other vaccines available,” reported Dilling.
Owners or veterinarians with questions or concerns regarding PreveNile or any other product manufactured by Schering-Plough Animal Health are encouraged to contact the Technical Service Department at 866/349-3497.

Hippus- The first Humane and Pain-Free Bit

2010-04-30T09:12:00.000-07:00

These are amazing! They truly consider the horse. This bitting system allows the horse to move without pain or undue pressure to the mouth. It helps the horse soften and relax more readily as he doesn't have to worry about discomfort to his mouth or TMJ which can lead to discomfort, pain or injury to the delicate structures in and around the head. The first truly humane option for you and your horse is now available in the US. They are ergonomically designed with the horse in mind.
Email or call me for details
kate@katelynkent.net 303-601-7797

When there is Pain in the Mouth...Training goes South

2010-04-10T16:55:00.000-07:00

Whenever I have a training issue with a horse, the first thing that comes to mind is that there is a break in communication between the horse and me. Next, I have to figure out what is happening or not happening to cause the lack of understanding.

It is our nature of humans to make the assumption that a horse is simply not listening or behaving badly. It has been my experience that if a horse isn't listening, it is because he doesn't understand the question (human error) or he is in some kind of distress that makes it very hard for him to pay attention.

The first place I tend to look is for obvious signs of discomfort. Since you know that I am going to talk about the teeth, it might be helpful to know symptoms of mouth pain. Other than observing a horse having trouble chewing his food or dropping more grain on the ground than that which makes it to his belly or having an hard time with his bit, the other symptoms may surprise you.

I submit that the root of any number of seemingly unrelated training issues can be traced right to the horses mouth.

It is wise to have proper dental care done by an experienced equine dentist at least once a year or when you just can't pinpoint a problem. In the upcoming issue of Natural Horse Magazine www.naturalhorse.com, I will be uncovering clues to help you understand how you might recognise dental issues in your horse.

* Phil Ratliff pictured, works in conjunction with veterinarian Dr. Diane Wagner VMD

Defining My Work in Order to Help You With Yours

2010-03-28T07:47:00.000-07:00

What training method is best for you?

Step by step training is very popular these days. Its seductive because it is easy to simply buy a book or watch a video and then go out to the arena and try out what you saw on your horse. But, as popular as it is, it doesn't consider the horse as an individual and quite frankly seldom works as a long term solution. In fact, you may be creating new problems while solving the existing ones.

Go into your library and count the collection of books and videos you have purchased after the proceeding one fell short? Count the dollars you spent. But what is a horse owner to do? Are there other options? We all know the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over each time expecting a different result.

Take the First Step to a Better Way

Lets imagine that you believe what I am telling you and chance setting your cookie cutter approach aside for just a bit and attempt to consider that horse as his own entity. Notice I said put it aside, not throw it a way. There are handy tools in some of those books and videos. I have my own collection and use pearls of wisdom from them now and again.

Now what? You have no tools and there is no plan. That probably won't work well all by itself, but you have done something that matters to the horse. It is HUGE. With nothing in your hands and with a clean slate, you are actually looking at your horse, perhaps for the very first time for who he is. Don't judge, just observe.

Now you can start addressing what he does. What if you have a horse that has a behavior that you can't help or figure out? Do you revert back to the manual out of frustration and try again? When that doesn't work, do you buy a different book....and so on and so on? It is a vicious cycle. It doesn't have to be. I recommend you do nothing until you are calm enough to do something.

Learn to Consider the Horse

Learning to consider the horse, is easier than you might think and you don't have to be a world class rider to do it. I teach horse owners how to increase their powers of observation. I can teach you what to do with your observations once I help you to understand them. I work with you to develop a plan to get horse and human in agreement so that you can ride or compete together and have fun doing it instead of being stuck in the ongoing wrestling match that caused you to buy that book or video in the first place.

A New Seeing

What does a turn of the head or the direction of an eye or the twitch of a muscle mean to YOUR horse? Where do you need to place your body to work in communion with his? What works? What doesn't?

Working with your horse is like buying jeans. How many pair do you have to try on before the right pair fits the way you want them to? You have to be willing to try things on with your horse. It's really fun once you get the hang of understanding his reaction to what you have put in front of him. What if you get it wrong? You can't punish him for your mistakes any more than you punish yourself if you don't like the jeans on your body that looked great on the rack. Observe it, learn from it and try again. I can teach you how to know what to try.

One Of the Keys...Free of Charge

Explore your horse with calm observation with a foundation based on gentle forgiveness. Remember, every time your coerce or punish or MAKE a horse behave, you diminish him. Horses are way ahead of humans on the forgiveness trail. We have some catching up to do.

What is Observation?

Observation comes in many different forms. You might be using any combination of your senses to at any given time. Once you have learned what your horse is trying to communicate, it is possible to either interrupt the conversation and start a new one without coercion or if the two of you happen to be in a good place, encourage him to continue speaking. What this ultimately does is help to reduce stress in both horse and human so you can both exhale. It allows both of you to get on the same page. With me, you don't buy the manual, you learn how to write your own.

Have You Diminished your Horse?

2010-03-27T15:13:00.000-07:00

Whenever a human coerces a horse into submission it diminishes the horse. Most people have no idea that they do this. It is possible to create relationship with a horse where agreement does away with the need for coercion. I want to get to the point where if I think.. "come with me", the horse simply comes with me. I am almost there. What does this have to do with you the reader? When working with your horse and you ask him to "come with you" and he does, show your appreciation, but if he doesn't, what is the cost to the horse if you make him? You can tell the difference between a horse who has been diminished and coerced and one who hasn't. You might not know what you are seeing, but you can feel it. Just because you were told that horse's aren't capable of such relationship and intelligence, doesn't make it so. Think bigger, dream bigger, speak softly.

Building an Athletic Horse Helps Prevent Injury

2010-03-11T07:45:00.000-08:00

I included this link because the article is written well and gives needed information. I couln't have written it as well and as succinctly.

http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=10679

Renovation and Sign Up

2010-03-09T07:01:00.000-08:00

I want to remind everyone that my website is going through some growing pains and is under construction. One of the most exciting changes is that the blog will be reserved for training tips. So, if it looks sparse at the moment, it is because all non-training related comments and posts have been deleted. Don't forget to join (bottom right hand side of page). Stay tuned

Liberty Training

2010-03-01T07:56:00.000-08:00

Training a horse to go at liberty is becoming quite popular these days. It is fun, looks spectacular and provides a different way of working with your horse. But, try and look at it from the horse's point of view. Horses need and desire leadership. When training at liberty, there is a very delicate balance between what is leadership and what is not. In essence you must learn how to lead and not lead at the same time.

The liberty horse has to have a well developed thinking mind and be able to make decisions based on what you ask him to do, but at the same time the human has to lead and control the asking. We access a horse's mind by controlling his feet. How can we control his feet from a distance yet allow the horse to move freely? If it sounds confusing you you, imagine how it sounds to the horse? Proper liberty training is a tricky thing. Kate teaches liberty training with consideration for the horse. It is possible to just go out and arbitrarily start to "GET" your horse to do things at liberty. The horse, out of love and willingness to please may respond with what looks to be favorable. But have you considered that what you are doing may be no better than trick training or conditioned response? That is not true liberty training. Kate believes that kind of thing can be demeaning to the horse. He may as well be a trained parrot; a horse without a single original thought. There is a difference...a huge difference. Call 303-601-7797 or email Katelyn to learn proper liberty training.

Photo 1: It is difficult to teach the first manuever as it has to first be done in very close proximity to the horse

Photo2: Kate is teaching Fable to collect at liberty. A horse should be able to go in all gaits in collected posture before learning advanced movements.

Please Be Patient...website under renovation

2010-02-25T17:59:00.000-08:00

Please be patient, I am presently renovating my website. Look for many changes in 2010. So at the moment it is a bit sparse, but stay tuned for exciting new tips, concepts, articles.......

Ask and You Shall Receive

2010-02-19T14:44:00.000-08:00

When you ride, consider what you are asking your horse and ask it in the softest way you know how. Listen intently. Speak little. Listen and Feel for the answer instead.

Every time you ask a horse to do anything for you it is a new conversation. Asking him to take a step is one conversation. Once that is done, the second step is a new conversation. Sometimes a single step is too much to ask and you may have to end the conversation with half a step or the beginning of the try to step. The horse is doing the very best he can. Take what he gives you. Hear what he gives you. Rephrase the question if he doesn't understand.

I seldom let the horse have the last word in any conversation no matter how brief. My last word is ALWAYS thank you.

Learn how to work with your with feel; listening and feeling for your horse. Call Kate at 303-601-7797 or email her to se up an appointment

Consider the Horse when you choose your Gear

2010-02-09T07:35:00.000-08:00

Ahh… saddles. I love the look, the feel and the smell of the leather. I can sense the care and pride of the craftsman’s hand, but it is the peeerrrrrfffect feel and fit I am after. Not just for me, but for the horse.

Every time I tack up, I check the horse from stem to stern. When I dismount, I study my pad and the sweat on the horse's back like Holtzman studied the inkblot.

I want a bridle a horse is proud to wear. One who makes my horse say, "Look at me, this is lovely."

Finding the right bit is a must in my book. Imagine if you had to wear someone else’s boots and they hurt. So, I have my collection. It used to be that the snaffle was enough, now I know better.

I consider the horse first and foremost.

Learn how to properly outfit your horse with tack that is appropriate for him, his job and you.
Call Katelyn 303-601-7797 or email her to set up an appointment

Have Humans Lost Their Senses?

2010-01-28T10:12:00.001-08:00

Civilization has developed in a way that has upset the balance of how humans are taught and encouraged to communicate. People have come to rely primarily on the written and spoken word to interact. That leaves many of the natural instincts or tools in the human communication toolbox to collect dust.

This lack of balance can be a real detriment to a human who is attempting to lead and work with a species (horse) that finds little use for the spoken word and even less for the written one. Horses, unlike humans have managed to keep their instincts intact. Many people, on the other hand do not have the sense(s) they were born with. For more on this subject call Katelyn for an appointment 303-601-7797 or email her kate@katelynkent.net

Had it up to here with winter? Try Slow Motion Training

2010-01-15T14:51:00.000-08:00

You don't have to give up riding with winter weather. You just have to be willing to think outside the box a bit.

First of all, I am not a proponent of shoeing a horse unless it is necessary for optimum health and well being. Consequently, I ride outdoors in the winter. But even then, there are times when it is too muddy (Colorado clay turns to grease), or the snow is too crusty or slick. These are the days that I take advantage of less than optimal weather conditions and practice slow motion training. Many people, trainers included, forget that controlling the feet leads to tapping into the mind. If you can get very precise movements at a walk or a standstill, it will greatly improve your working relationship with your horse.

Try this exercise:

While mounted, see how little it takes for you to ask your horse to take one foot and move it forward and stop. Now, can you get him to bring that same foot back to a square stop? Can you get your horse rock forward, but not take a step? How about backward? Now ask your horse to move one foot backward or one foot sideways. What you are working on here is very important stuff. It may sound easy or even boring, but try it first before you scoff. This is a great exercise in feel. Jack Brainard, master that he is, asked me if I could get my horse to swing only his back end back and forth in a swaying motion. I worked on that for the better part of an hour before I figured out what needed to happen to get my horse to do what Jack calls, "The Hula". It took days to perfect it, and I still mess it up. I will give you the same hint he gave me. The key is to find a way to get the horse to separate his front feet to a place that is wider than his shoulders and keep them there. Have a nice Hawaiian vacation! Let me know how it turns out.

For more information and training tips call or email kate.

I Ride

2009-12-10T07:04:00.000-08:00

A page from an 87 yr old. horsewoman's journal
This is for all the women here who will no doubt shed a tear as they nod in agreement and for the men in the group who might just understand why we do what we do. I hope my fingers still work well enough that I may write something like this when I am 87.

I Ride

I ride. That seems like such a simple statement. However as many women who ride know it is really a complicated matter. It has to do with power and empowerment. Being able to do things you might have once considered
out of reach or ability. I have considered this as I shovel
manure, fill water barrels in the cold rain, wait for the
vet/farrier/electrician/hay delivery, change a tire on a horse trailer by the side of the freeway, or cool a gelding out before getting down to the business of drinking a
cold beer after a long ride.

The time, the money, the effort it takes to ride calls for
dedication. At least I call it dedication. Both my ex-husbands call it 'the sickness'. It's a sickness I've had since I was a small girl bouncing my model horses and dreaming of the day I would ride a real horse. Most of the women I ride with understand the meaning of 'the sickness'. It's not a sport. It's not a hobby. It's what we do and, in some ways, who we are as women and human beings.

I ride. I hook up my trailer and load my gelding. I haul to some trailhead somewhere, unload, saddle, whistle up my dog and I ride. I breathe in the air, watch the sunlight filter through the trees and savor the movement of my horse. My shoulders relax. A smile rides my sunscreen smeared face. I pull my ball cap down and let the real world fade into the tracks my horse leaves in the dust.

Time slows. Flying insects buzz loudly, looking like fairies. My
gelding flicks his ears and moves down the trail. I can smell
his sweat and it is perfume to my senses. Time slows. The rhythm of the walk and the movement of the leaves become my focus. My saddle creaks and the leather rein in my hand softens with the warmth.

I consider the simple statement; I ride. I think of all I do
because I ride. Climb granite slabs, wade into a freezing lake, race a friend through the Manzanita all the while laughing and feeling my heart in my chest. Other days just the act of mounting and dismounting can be a real accomplishment. Still I ride, no matter how tired or how
much my seat bones or any of the numerous horse related injuries hurt. I ride. And I feel better for doing so.

The beauty I've seen because I ride amazes me. I've ridden out to find lakes that remain for the most part, unseen. Caves, dark and cold beside rivers full and rolling are the scenes I see in my dreams. The Granite Stairway at Echo Summit, bald eagles on the wing and bobcats on the prowl add to the empowerment and joy in my heart.

I think of the people, mostly women, I've met. I consider how
competent they all are. Not a weenie amongst the bunch.. We haul 40ft rigs, we back into tight spaces without clipping a tree. We set up camp. Tend the horses. We cook and keep safe. We understand and love our companions, the horse. We respect each other and those we encounter on
the trail. We know that if you are out there riding, you also
shovel, fill, wait and doctor. Your hands are a little rough and you travel with out makeup or hair gel. You do without to afford the 'sickness' and probably, when you were a small girl, you bounced a model horse while you dreamed of riding a real one.

"My treasures do not chink or glitter, They gleam in the sun and neigh in the night"

More about Cowboy Dressage

2009-11-12T17:00:00.000-08:00

I never write about what I have not experimented with or tried out and tested, so here goes: I have been working with and upping my learning curve on Cowboy Dressage. I have found that from a training perspective, "CD" is not the easiest way to go. The rider must be truly committed to letting go of preconceived notions and the "paint by numbers" picture that we see on TV and at Modern Dressage shows and competitions. You have got to be willing to toss out old ideas and think outside the box a bit....something that is right up my alley, but not for the lemming. Cowboy Dressage is for those spirited individuals that are open to a new way of being around horses. That is its charm and appeal. The question one must ask is, "Am I willing and ready to look at movement of the horse and rider from a place that likens itself to the flow of a mountain stream or the breeze as it caresses the willow?" Remember, a willow gets its strength from its ability to bend and the stream curls itself around rocks and branches. It has clear purpose, but negotiates its path without force.

Yes,I have the tendency to wax poetic, but what else is the nature of the horse if not poetry in motion?

Cowboy Dressage

2009-11-10T07:07:00.000-08:00

I have been absent and for that I am sorry. It has been for a very good reason, so after you hear my reasoning, you will perhaps forgive. As many of you know, when I work with horses, my first and primary consideration is that of the horse, not the agenda or the ego or the trappings of the human. Well my friends, I have finally found a way to make it all work. I have become party to a movement in the horse world where humans can compete in a discipline, have fun without guilt or fear abusing or mistreating ones horse, make new friends and best of all bring out the highest and best in your horse..any horse. All that is needed is a good attitude, the intention of being the best you and your horse can be as partners, a western saddle and an adventurous spirit.

There is nothing wrong with healthy competition, but I feel Modern Dressage has taken a wrong turn. The stakes have become too high and the horse is suffering. Even the breed and discipline associations are taking notice. The goal is to bring back some semblance of reasonableness and truth to Dressage; the way the classic masters meant it to be, but with a little Western flair and Cowboy feel. Cowboy Dressage is truly a breath of fresh air.

For years I have been cross training horses and teaching them to do all kinds of unlikely things for their breeds or presumed athletic abilities or lack thereof. This practice has made much of my career possible and certainly made for novel conversation and fun workshops and clinics, but until I discovered Cowboy Dressage, there was never an organised or widely recognised venue to show the masses what I do; which is simply to try to bring out the best in a horse while keeping his well being intact.

My goal is and will always be to honor the horse by showing that all horses, not just the ones with 6 figure breeding, are capable of so much more than we allow ourselves to imagine. Within that walnut sized horse brain is a universe full of untapped beauty, grace and wonder.

Cowboy Dressage allows the horse and human to ride to lightness and balance in a way that honors the true essence of Dressage. I will continue tomorrow or the next day to tell more of this story, but for now, google Cowboy Dressage or get on YouTube and search its founder Eitan Beth-Halachmy, my mentor! I would make it easy for you and give the link, but this journey is much more fun if you do it for yourself.

A few words about Desensitization

2009-09-19T16:33:00.001-07:00

The definition of Desensitization: The elimination or reduction of natural or acquired reactivity or sensitivity to an external stimulus, a behavior modification technique, used especially in treating phobias, in which panic or other undesirable emotional response to a given stimulus is reduced or extinguished, especially by repeated exposure to that stimulus.

In theory, use of techniques to 'desensitize' a horse to certain stimulous is not a bad thing. I believe there is a decided lack of awareness about how and when to put the theory into practice.

Many misunderstand the art and science of desensitization. In my experience when a a horse is "desensitized" arbitrarily or without consideration, a couple of things can happen.

1. The horse can cope by choosing to avoid the situation entirely by going deep inside himself to a "happy place". The horse is in essense blocking the entire situation out. When the horse wakes up and comes back to the present, he is startled not by the object or thing that he was originally frightened of, but by his surroundings..ie. "Where am I?" The horse owner then misreads the startled horse and inappropriately desensitizes some more. It becomes a viscious and unhelpful circle with no good end for anyone.

2. The horse becomes dull and apethetic from being over-desensitized or desensitized for no good reason by an over zealous owner. The horse just doesn't give a hoot anymore. Think of the string horse. He loses his spirit to protect his very soul. That is a very sad commentary.

So when and how do you decide when a horse needs desensitization? Ask a few questions: Is the horse dangerous? Is the behavior really terrible or just an annoyance to the human ego? Is it really a behavioral issue or is the behavior caused by the ineptitude of the human rider?

Something else you might want to think about:
What other behaviors are inadvertently affected by desensitizing the "problem" behavior? For instance, a person decides he wants to desensitize a horse to keep him from spooking at sticks on the path or trail. The human must first ask him/herself why is the horse afraid? The fear may be irrational or he might just have a healthy fear of snakes. So, the human beats the stick problem (pun intended), and ends up with a horse who is bitten by a rattlesnake because he then sees them as no threat. This is an extreme and very unlikely example. However, if you apply that kind of thinking before-hand, you can avoid a lot of problems for you and your horse in the future. First and foremost, consider the horse.

A bit about Bits

2009-09-16T07:56:00.000-07:00
This is a very short post, but an important one. Please stay tuned for this feature article. I will discuss the use, misconceptions and misuse of bits and point you in the right direction to educating yourself about bits,bitless bridles, hackemores...all the inventions humans have created to "speak" to the horses' mouth. It will be worth the read. Have a great day and RIDE WITH CONSIDERATION AND AWARENESS FOR YOUR HORSE.

Cueing a horse at the walk

2009-08-31T06:44:00.000-07:00

If you want to do advanced moves with a horse, it is important to cue him at the right time. Most people cue a movement arbitrarily, with no thought to whether or not the horse will be able to execute the move when they are asked. When you repeatedly cue a horse at the wrong time, a few things start to happen: You will get a movement other than something that you asked for. You will have to give an inordinate amount of rein support (tugging on your horse) and/or the horse will become hardened to the leg, the rein or both.

Let's say you are walking along and your left foot is on the ground and your right foot is in the air. Your friend asks you to move your left foot one step to the side, "NOW." You couldn't do it uness you hopped or put the right foot down first. Either way your movement will be slow, awkward or late. Your friend isn't happy with
your lack of compliance, so the next time he asks, he gives you a shove on the right side to "help" you get your left foot to the left. The shove puts you off balance or worse.
You get the picture. Horse's are no different except that they have 4 feet to deal with instead of 2.
Here is the key:
If your friend asked you for the step to the side just before your left foot leaves the ground, your step to the side would be smooth and immediate.

Thus, in order for a horse to respond to you "asking" for a movement, you must cue the foot just before it leaves the ground. It is the only way he can move smoothly and lightly. In the previous blog entry, I showed you how the horse moves at the walk. Your job is to figure out not only when the horse's foot strikes the ground, but when it leaves. Cue him then.

Cueing a horses foot at a walk: the listening.

2009-08-18T08:41:00.000-07:00
The walk is the most important, most difficult to understand and most under-utilized of all the gaits. The walk sets things up for everything that is to follow. This next exercise is is going to take a bit of patience on the part of the rider. The first part is about listening with all of your senses. Later we will talk about the doing.

Exercise:
Get on your horse and just walk. Allow him to move the way nature intended. There is no point in putting him in a frame or kicking or pulling to get the kind of walk YOU might want. Let him decide for a moment. Now isolate each sense one at a time. What do you see, smell, hear, feel etc.? Really focus on the rythym of the horses footfalls and how it effects him and then how it effects you. You can learn a lot about a horse and yourself by just allowing both of you to relax and walk. Notice everything and do nothing. Are you breathing? Is your shoulder locked? Are you nervous or relaxed? Is his gait smooth in cadence or not?...make up your own list. Ride this way for no less than 20 minutes. Hint: If you start getting bored, you aren't paying attention.

Phases of the Walk

2009-08-16T06:58:00.000-07:00

How can anyone expect to get anything done on a horse if you don't know where the feet are?

The walk is a 4 beat movement. As the right hind foot wrapped in purple steps forward and strikes the ground it pushes the right front foot wrapped in pink forward (photo 1). The right front foot strikes the ground and pulls the left hind foot wrapped in blue forward (photo 2). The left hind foot strikes the ground and pushes the left front foot wrapped in red forward (photo 3). The left front foot strikes the ground and pulls the right hind foot wrapped in purple forward and the cycle repeats (photo 4).

Exercise: See if you can find the moment where each foot strikes the ground. This is the strike phase. The front feet are the easiest to find so we can start there. Count 1..2..1..2..as the feet strike. Feel what your body is doing when this happens. No cheating! Yes, you can stare at the shoulder to find it at first, but don't get into the bad habit of using that technique to find the motion. Staring at a horses shoulder will just serve to put your horse further on his front end. Listen for the thump as the foot strikes. However, Seeing and hearing is helpful, but feeling is the key.

Hint: What is your body doing as the front feet strike? Pay attention to your hips and breathe. Sitting pretty won't help you much here. Loosen up and allow your body to follow the horse's movement.

Next do the same thing with the hind. 1..2..1..2. If you can't get this one, as you count out loud, have a friend validate that you have it right. Listen for the thump as the foot strikes. Again, the object is to feel it so pay attention to what your body does as the horse moves. Allow yourself to relax and move with your horse. Don't do or force anything. Grinding your seat into the horse's back to move him forward ruins the cadence, tightens your body and makes for a resentful horse.

Next, find the moment just prior to when the horse's feet leave the ground. This is the push-off phase. First concentrate on the front, then the rear. Count it out: 1..2..1..2..

Hint: The horses front feet leave the ground at a place under the belly or saddle and strike in front toward the nose. The hind feet strike the ground under the belly or the saddle and leave the ground behind the tail. You aren't going to have much luck seeing this one. This is one you are going to have to feel. Use what you have learned about the strike phase of the walk to aid you in this part of the exercise. Practice until you can call out any foot at random in the strike or push phase of the walk. Once you can do that, you are ready for the next step.

Next: How to move a horse's foot at a walk.

Listen and Feel for the Horse

2009-08-14T08:23:00.000-07:00
I have chosen to use this well known but little understood quote by the late Tom Dorrance as the introduction to my blog. Many careers have risen and fallen and countless dollars spent trying to interpret and understand these 6 little words. What Tom said almost a century ago exemplifies my goal in helping to create and forwarding a new era in Horsemanship, based on increasing awareness and consciousness. Humans need to re-examine who and what they have become around horses.

I believe that all horses really want from us is to remember who and what we truly are as humans. With that in mind and heart our horse's can continue their work for us, but they can also know that we are willing to listen to what they need to make it easier for them to do so.

A horse has a lot to say if you are willing to open yourself up to hear. It isn't difficult or reserved for psychics and communicators. In fact what I have to share really doesn't have much to do with any of that. What I hope to share with you is how to pay attention and what to pay attention to. Consciousness and awareness shows no prejudice for training method or discipline. However, in the process you might just learn how your horse sees what you do and in turn how you view what your horse does in response.
Tomorrow: Tips and an exercise in feel