Lately, I had the great fortune of continuing some of my training in behavior with horses. I audited a Shawna Karrasch clinic (go here now and find one to attend, you will not be disappointed! https://shawnakarrasch.com/)

I rode and competed as a child in dressage and jumping. My family even had a horse named Foxy Lissa, an OTTB (off-the-track thoroughbred). I have some really fond memories of riding and my horse.

However, it seems as I’ve learned more about animal behavior, I am very content to observe, watch and interact with less “control” in mind, and more “cooperation.”

Of course, I didn’t listen to my gut and scheduled some lessons in the last year or has it been two. (seriously, the pandemic ruined my ability to tell what year it is) It was mostly enjoyable, but something still needles at me. Is this how I want to spend my time with horses? More questions keep popping up about horses and so I keep wanting to be around them. It’s not to ride them, so what is it? The seeker in me says, who knows! go hang out with them and find out. So I do and recently met this awesome not-a-pony, horse named Biscuit. Biscuit is clicked!

Meanwhile in the social media universe… lookee here ya’ll! (said in fine cowboy twang)

How great is this cowboy showing how to reinforce behavior using pellets. Positive reinforcement isn’t the traditional method for horse training and handling, so it tickled me to see positive reinforcement demonstrated at all. But things progress over time and here is one example.