Patient and Gentle Training -
"Always For The Welfare of Horse" 
  
         
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Learn to be the "Herd Leader"
Understand Their Psychology
Staying Calm & Assertive
Using Energy To Communicate
Give Affection Only At The Right Time
Set Rules, Boundaries & Limitations
There Are No Quick Fixes
Control On The Ground Means Control In The Saddle
4 Reasons When Not To School or Train Your Horse
Ground Training                                      
Riding Instruction 
Schooling: Foals, Yearlings, Fillies, Colts, Mares, Geldings, horse of any age
Stallions 
Bits/No Bits
Sidepull/Double Reins
Saddle Fitting
Conformation Analysis/Gate Analysis
Yoga, Meditation, Balance Ball & Pilates for Balanced and Centered Riding
All Training and Instruction Includes and Requires Owner Involvement
Questionaire for New Clients With Horses
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" The rider should not regard his horse as a tool or an instrument of sport with which to satisfy his personal ambition, nor should he use him as a toy for his pastime. He should appreciate and love him as a living creature with a right to have a character of his own, with weak and strong points just like a human being. This attitude will make him understand his four-legged partner and will lay the foundation for confidence, which is the best guarantee for any success." 
Alois Podhajsky
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                                                Starbuck Working on His Turns

Herd Leader:
Becoming and maintaining "Herd Leader" is a 24/7 commitment that allows to you achieve balance and a better connection with your horse. Most all horses are born to be followers. They need a calm & assertvie leader. If you do not provide that, then the horse will feel the need to fill that job and most horses do not make good leaders. This is how bad behaviors start. A Herd Leader needs to project a calm & assertive energy which will create a positive and lasting relationship with their horse. Many people try to put human emotions on horses not allowing them to be as nature intended them to be. This is why it is so important to understand horse psychology.

Horse Psychology:
The more you learn about horse psychology "(herd mentality)" the better you will be able to communicate and understand your horse allowing both your horse and you to build a relationship of trust, respect, safety and love. It also allows to you know how the horse see us and how we fit into their world.

Staying Calm & Assertive:
In a herd horses are protective by the "Herd Leader" which gives them  stablility and they in return take a non-dominant roll to balance the herd. We need to achieve this same balance with our horses by becoming a "Calm & Assertive Herd Leader". We must learn to use calm & assertive energy to achieve this leadership role as they do in nature.

Using Energy To Communicate: 
Animals, plants and insects all use energy to communicate. They do not understand emotional humans trying to rationalize a situation. Your horse is your mirror and will reflect any emotion you use on him right back to you. It is important when you are working with your horse that you do not subject him to any upset emotions you might be going through. If you cannot assume your leadership role with a calm & assertive energy you need come back when you can. If you are nervious or anxious about something it will come out through your body language, your tone of voice and your energy. Don't take out your emotions on your horse, he doesn't deserve that and he will not understand because it does not work that way in nature in his world.  

Give Affection Only At The Right Time:
Remember anytime you give affection to your horse it is rewarding what previously happened and took place. Give affection when your horse is calm and relaxed. Right after he does something you just asked. When he is learning something new and gives the right response even if its little baby steps so he knows he is going in the right direction. Remember the greatest reward you can give to your horse is to "Release Pressure". So when he responds correctly to a command, immediately release all pressure and then give lots and lots of affection with words of praise and neck rubs. You will know he understands what he just did was right after you give him that affection because he will start to lick and chew and possibily drop his head towards the ground.

Set Rules, Boundaries and Limitations:
In a herd horses will know and be reminded by the lead mare and stallion what is their place by the rules, boundaries and limitations they have set in place. We must do the same thing for our horses because it establishes a healthy mind and body. Horses need to know where and how they fit into the herd. They need to know their place is one of safety, secuity, trust and balance.

There Are No Quick Fixes:
The rule of thumb is: for as long as the horse has been doing it, it will take twice as long to fix it. To start off being a good herd leader is the best way to open the lines of communication with your horse so  you can establish trust and understanding immediately. Most behavior problems start because people do not understand horse psychology and do not know how to be the "Herd Leader" to communicate affectively.

Control On The Ground Means Control In The Saddle:
If you cannot control your horse on the ground you will never be able have control in the saddle. What you do in groundwork should directly relate to work in the saddle. That is why learned, controlled, groundwork is such an important part of achieving balance, respect, clear communication and trust with your horse.

4 Reasons When Not To School or Train Your Horse:
1. Hungry
2. Afraid
3. Injury/Hurting
4. Being Fresh. 
1. Hungry:
All horses have basic instincts for survial, satisfying hunger being one of them. If a horse is hungry he/she will not be able to focus on what is being asked because hunger is more important to their survial.
2. Afraid:
Until you can gain the trust and respect of the horse through clear communication aids you will not be able to help them overcome what frightens them.  They will not be able to move ahead with schooling and training. One of the ways to achieve this is to become a calm and assertvie herd leader which gives the horse stability. Someone they know that will protect and lead them. Someone they can follow. That is why clear, consistent training aids are so important in the communication you establish with your horse.
3. Injury/Hurting:
If your horse is injured or hurting he cannot be schooled or trained on any level. These should be addressed and cared for allowing the horse to heal in whatever time necessary to achieve complete recovery. Without doing so a horse cannot focus on what you are asking of him/her because he will be focused on the injury and pain. Just as you would if you where in the same situation.  
4. Being Fresh: 
When a horse has been kept stalled or penned in a small area for one day or several days without being exercised he is what is sometimes referred to as "Fresh". Whenever you start a training session with your horse you should always allow them time before training to run, play, roll and just get the kicks and bucks out of that penned up energy. Without doing so your horse will not and cannot focus on what is being asked of him because he will still be wanting to run and play off that "fresh" energy. And its just plain fun to watch them enjoying themselves. Groundwork before saddle work is so important and should always be the starting foundation anytime you work with your horse.

Ground Training
                            
Riding Instruction

Schooling: Foals, Yearlings, Fillies, Colts, Mares, Geldings, horse of any age

Stallions
Please see page on Stallions

Bits/No Bits

Sidepull/Double Reins

Saddle Fitting

Conformation Analysis/Gate Analysis

Yoga, Meditation, Balance Ball & Pilates for Balanced and Centered Riding

All Training and Instruction Includes and Requires Owner Involvement 


 .                                               
                                                                 Little Lucky 
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Questions For New Cilents:

1.   What is the age and breed of your horse?
2.   How long have you owned your horse and at what age did you start ownership?
3.   If you aquired your horse from someone else, do you have any background
      information, history on the horse as to what kind of work the horse performed,
      (what discipline) and what kind of training it has or has not received?
4.   What is the health of the horse now and when it first came to you?
5.   Do you know the health history of the horse before it came to you?
6.   Has the horse had any physical or emotional issues before coming to you and
      during the time you have owned it?
7.   What kind of work does the horse do with you or whomever is working with it now
      and in the past? What discipline(s) does the horse perform?
8.   What type of tack do you use on your horse? Saddle? Blankets? Bits? Reins?
      Martinqales?
9.   What types of behavior issues does your horse have that you are wanting to 
      change? Example: bitting, kicking, aggression, not picking its feet up to be cleaned,
      charging, bucking, rearing, running away while riding, fighting with other horses, 
      etc., etc.
10. Please explain behavior issues in detail. 
11. What are your goals for this horse, short term and long term? What do what to 
      achieve with your horse?
12. How much time do you spend with the horse each day, week, month. Explain in
      detail what it is you do when you are with your horse.
13. What do you feed your horse and how much? 
14. When does the horse get feed?
15. How many times a day does the horse get fed? 
16  Do you free feed your horse?
17  Is your horse shod?
18. What is your farrier schedule? (how often does the horse get his feet trimmed and 
      or shod?
19. What is the worming schedule of your horse?
20. What types of wormers do you use and when?
21. What is the vacination schedule of your horse?
22. Is your horse stabled or kept on your own property?
23. Is your horse corraled with other horses?
24. Does your horse have any barn sour issues?
25. Does your horse have any buddy separation issues?
26. What is your horses pack status?
27. How would you describe your horses temperament and personality? 
28. If a stallion, do you breed him? If so, how offen?
29. If a stallion, do you work him around other horses? If so, how does he handle being 
      around other horses?
30. What has changed in your horses world? In your world?
31. Are you, the owner willing and open to learn new and improved ways of working and
      interacting with your horse together with me so you can develop a relationship of
      trust, communication and respect for both your horse and you?  
32. Are you willing to meet with me at least once a week or more to learn and work the
      new training techniques your horse will be learning.
33. Are you willing to meet with me once a week and go over where your horse is in
      his/her training so you will have a exact understanding to what is going on and
      where your horse is in relationship to the goals you have set for your horse and
      you?
34. Are your intentions of working with your horse to improve things that will be to the
      best interest of your horse?   
           
                                     
                                           Starbuck and Barb Working on Turns                         
                                                     
                         
                                                    Starbuck & Barb Long Linning