Release of Book (Win Your Horse's Heart)

WIN YOUR HORSE'S HEART
(Be a Better Horseman)
Sherry's book will be available March first 2009

It is a must-read for those who love horses.
This is a "horse" book but really it is even more than that.

It is about building relationships with trust respect and love.

It is about self-acceptance, making choices, problem solving, and allowing for compromise.

It is about effective communication, leadership and confidence.

This is an important book about our self-discovery of the need for a makeover
for the way we think about and interact with horses.
A way which is more natural from the horse's point of view.

This book tells stories of life lessons which horses can teach us.
And how a good partnership improves our quality of life.

But most of all it is about winning a horse's heart in an unselfish way.

For ages the relationship between man and horse has been both positive and negative.
This is truly an amazing time in the horse world where horses are kept
more for their beauty and companionship than out of necessity.

We live in a time when a very few people can make a very big difference for horses everywhere. We hope you will help us make a difference in the lives of horses and horse lovers by ordering a copy and passing the word about this book along to your friends and associates.

Book Synopsis:

There are only two kinds of people, those who love horses and those who don't. This book is definitely for those who do love horses, whether you own one or not. Sherry's passion and love for horses has driven her to write a book which presents a way of being with horses which will change your way of thinking and acting so you can win any horse's heart. When a horse gives you his whole heart he will jump higher, run faster, stop quicker, slide further, spin better, and be safer. There is nothing you can't do together when a horse becomes a part of you. Dreams are sure to come true to those who follow the common sense principles presented in this book with real life stories to support the practices.

You will learn what it means to be natural with a horse and how to develop a working partnership. You will gain more knowledge and insight about attitudes which can help eliminate frustrations with horses. You will discover practical ways to overcome fears, build confidence, communicate more effectively and become the kind of leader your horse needs you to be. The personal horse stories will touch your heart as you realize that winning a horse's heart is the ultimate prize in horsemanship.

The book will be available the first of March. You can get it on Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble

High Headed Horse

Question: I am shopping for a new horse. One of the horses I am considering seems to be quite high headed. Is this something I should be concerned about, or can I fix it after I buy the horse?
Answer:
If being high headed is an occasional thing as a result of the horses trying to look at something far off in the distance or being afraid of something new then that would be a natural reaction, which I wouldn’t be too concerned about. However, if the horse is carrying his head high most of the time while being ridden no matter what the circumstance or who is riding him, then I would be somewhat concerned. Of course, all problems are solvable with all horses if you have enough savvy and time. It just depends on how good your feel is, how well you can read the horse, and how much time you are willing to spend with the horse to cure the problem. The more engrained the problem is the more skill you will need and the longer it will take to fix it because it has become a habit for the horse.

High headedness is just evidence of something else being out of whack. Usually if you remove the cause of the evidence the problem will solve itself. A horse who is high headed is thinking about evasion. He is seeking to relieve some kind of pressure. The first thing I would do is investigate the mechanical side of the problem. Is there any pressure causing physical discomfort for the horse? If I can eliminate mechanical problems then I need to look at the mental and emotional aspect. Is the horse being force or intimidated into performance without understanding which has caused the horse to brace in his body, especially his head and neck? Does the handler or rider have poor feel and timing causing confusion, fear, or resentment?

When looking for physical discomfort I would recommend starting with having a vet check his teeth. Does he have wolf teeth or a broken tooth which would give the horse reason to avoid a bit? Second check saddle fit. An ill-fitting saddle can cause a horse to lift his head and neck up to try to relieve pressure. Third have a vet or good farrier check his soundness. Old injuries or long term discomfort will cause the horse to adjust the way he carries himself in order to ease some pain in another area of his body.

Fourth, video and watch objectively your riding skill. A person can inadvertently cause physical discomfort to the horse with poor riding. If you watch the smaller things that indicate what is bothering the horse right before he throws his head up in the air you may be surprised that you are causing the problem. The horse may be trying to get away from your poor hands, bouncing seat, or legs which are squeezing while at the same time pulling back on the reins. When a rider’s body is more in tune with the horse’s body the horse will relax and lower his head. Learning about the timing and placement of the horse’s feet is a must when working to help a high headed horse quit this habit. Teaching the horse to give his head and neck in soft supple lateral flexion will go a long way in helping this horse quit bracing which results in a raised head.

If relieving any known physical discomfort doesn’t fix the problem then we have to look at the mental and emotional reasons the horse has developed this undesirable habit. A high head horse may have been starred at in the eye, dealt with too firmly, at too close of distance, too often which has caused his defensive behavior. Quick hands, loud voices, lots of motion right in front of the horse where he has no space for himself so he can lower his head in his own world can put too much mental pressure on the horse. When this happens the horse doesn’t feel secure enough to lower his head and be himself in your presence.

A horse that has been punished in the face will create high headedness on the ground and it can transfer to riding. This will take the horse some time to get over. If a horse has this kind of history I would recommend less touching on his face for quite a while. Wait until he presents his head to you. When he is ready he’ll look to you for affection or support at the place where he has been traumatized.

Unless a high headed horse’s spirits been broken he still has a tremendous amount of instinct that will work in your favor which you can use to help him break this defensive behavior. Use his natural curiosity about what is going on around him, and his inborn willingness to get along and be of service to your advantage. Slow down and give him a chance to get his confidence back.

Here are a few more ideas which might help you succeed faster with a confirmed high headed horse where you have eliminated physical discomfort as being the main problem and have determined the main issue is mental or emotional. When you bring this horse home the best thing to do may be to leave him alone for a while. Let him be with other horses, and get adjusted to a new environment in his own way and in his own time. When you approach him the first few times, don’t put a hand on him any closer than the shoulder. You might even go to the hip first brush his tail then walk away.

Next I would suggest a few sessions of bucket sitting with him. Let the first move be his toward you. Set it up so he has to reach down and toward you. Whatever you do DON’T reach up to him, remember let him come down toward you then you can touch him. This will be the start of him feeling comfortable with his head down around you, until it becomes the new habit. When you halter him make sure you don’t follow his head up, wait for him to come down to you. Try to position him so you set up his shoulders and hips where it causes him to want to reach down.

The habit of being high headed is usually a product of handling which doesn’t encourage the opposite, or is a result of something being out of whack. So if you think you can determine what is out of whack and encourage a more desirable habit then I would say you could fix this problem given enough savvy and time.

If you have other questions for Sherry you can e-mail her at sherry@heartinyourhand.com , attend one of her horsemanship clinics, camps or lessons, visit her website at www.heartinyourhand.com, or read her newly released book “Win Your Horse’s Heart (Be a Better Horseman)

Book Synopsis "Win Your Horse's Heart"

This is going to be an exciting year because the book which I have been working on for the past four years is finally complete. It will be hot off the press just in time for the NE Horse Expo March 13-15, 2009. Like many projects it has taken longer, is over budget and has been more work than I expected. The last few weeks since it has been with the publisher has been even more stressful. Thankfully we are on our final edit, we have chosen a picture for the cover and started the design layout. With hard work and luck we should be able to meet our deadline of having printed copies by the first of March.

People have been asking me how many pages it will be and how much it will cost. I do not have an exact quote just yet, as we are still in the design layout phase. However a good estimate is it will be around 200 pages and cost between $15 and $20. If you want a signed copy I hope to have about 500 copies at the Expo. After that it will be available through myself personally, (hand to hand at one of my clinics, I will not be shipping copies) But you can order it through any of the on-line book sellers like: Amazon.com, Barns and Noble, etc. It will be in bookstores of those who choose to carry it, or they can order it for you.

Book Synopsis
There are only two kinds of people, those who love horses and those who don't. This book is definitely for those who do love horses, whether you own one or not. Sherry's passion and love for horses has driven her to write a book which presents a way of being with horses which will change your way of thinking and acting so you can win any horse's heart. When a horse gives you his whole heart he will jump higher, run faster, stop quicker, slide further, spin better, and be safer. There is nothing you can't do together when a horse becomes a part of you. Dreams are sure to come true to those who follow the common sense principles presented in this book with real life stories to support the practices.

You will learn what it means to be natural with a horse and how to develop a working partnership. You will gain more knowledge and insight about attitudes which can help eliminate frustrations with horses. You will discover practical ways to overcome fears, build confidence, communicate more effectively and become the kind of leader your horse needs you to be. The personal horse stories will touch your heart as you realize that winning a horse's heart is the ultimate prize in horsemanship.

For a sneak preview into the personal horse stories in the book watch the video on Youtube: "A Lifetime Horsemanship Journey".

Here are some of the comments about the video:

Oh my gosh, I love the youtube!!! Great job.

It's beautiful, Sherry.

I loved it!

Absolutely beautiful, Sherry.

This was so very moving Sherry. I cried when I saw Sunshine jump the barrels because I know how long it took to get her the confidence to do that.

Wonderful Sherry - brought tears to my eyes. I paused through a bunch of the pictures to study them. You have some nice shots and heartfelt words to go with them. Can't wait for the book. Hope you can get it by Expo.

I very much enjoyed your video.

They are beautiful creatures....could never have one not enough land for one...blessings to you and all your horse babies.

AWESOME video!! LOVE it!! There was quite a LOT of emotions packed into that video ...good job!!

I hope you will watch the video and get a copy of the book when it arrives. I think you will be blessed by both, plus I promise you will learn a thing or two which will improve the relationship with your horse even more.

This is what my professional editor had to say about the book after receiving it:

"Good work on the book. I really learned a lot reading it. I've ridden infrequently and casually (never owned a horse) since I was a kid, so it was very helpful. Let's get it polished and get it out there."

To pre-order a copy of the book e-mail sherry or call 308-346-5663.
She will sign it and write a personal message inside if you order by March 12, 2009.

A Lifetime Experience (Video)

Do's and Don't for Savvy Horsemen

More Notes from Leslie Desmond Clinic

For my own education in 2008 I have attended several clinics. The one that meant the most to me was with Leslie Desmond in September at Fort Collins, CO. She impressed me so much that I have been inspired to take my horsemanship to the next level. I am finally taking seriously the concept that less is more. Through paying more attention to the little things and being more careful to watch for and feel the release my horses are becoming more responsive. I have especially been focusing on two horses that I haven’t done as much with as I should have. Or maybe I need to rephrase, saying that I have done as much as I could up until this point. I am now able to do even more because of the better attitudes and feel which I am developing as a result of the education I chose to participate in.

After each educational experience that I attended this year I found myself reaching new heights in different ways with each of my own horses. Plus I discovered that I was getting results a lot quicker with the horses I am able to interact with through the clinics, camps and lessons I provide for horse lovers hungry for further growth and learning. The three colts that I have had the opportunity to start this year went quicker and better than ever. I know that I am far from the perfect artisan of horsemanship that I hope to be someday, but I have been very pleased with the occasions I have had this year to continue to learn and grow, and even more happy with the outcome. I am looking forward to 2009 with great expectations for further chances to continue this awesome journey of horsemanship and sharing my passion with other horse lovers.

As I reviewed my notes from Leslie’s clinic one more time, I found some final thoughts I believed were worth sharing as we begin to think about our horsemanship goals for 2009.

Do’s and Don’ts for the Savvy Horseman.

Do everything from the horse’s point of view.
Don’t project human qualities on a horse, they don’t wear them well.

Do live in the now with the horse.
Don’t label a horse it sets an expectation.

Do take your time, you have nothing to prove.
Don’t ask a horse to make the change; you must make the change first.

Do give the horse time to take a break if he wants to, it doesn’t do any harm.
Don’t rush a horse. You can’t go slowly enough for a horse who doesn’t want you up there.

Do support your horse for being who they are.
Don’t stifle the curiosity in a horse or destroy his dignity.

Do work slow and accurate because it is the key to speed.
Don’t be late, you must read the intent of horse so corrections can happen sooner.

Do get physically and mentally fit, this is a thinking/acting person’s game.
Don’t forget to breath. When you breathe out it will release the horse.

Do blend with the horse.
Don’t stand in the way or get in the way of the horse’s movement when riding.

Do take care where your body position is at all times in relation to the zones of the horse.
Don’t stand in the blind spot, or create a blind spot.

Do realize that a horse moves from back to front, using diagonals in all gaits.
Don’t take away the diagonal, it causes bucking.

Do give more line to the horse by opening the lead hand for more speed.
Don’t liven’ a horse up in a short rope.

Do remember a good back up is the secret to a quality stop.
Don’t push or pull a horse back, instead lift and release to back.

Do keep the horse in a learning frame of mind; this is not the same as submission.
Don’t introduce too many new things at once, because you won’t be able to keep the horse with you.

Do ride a horse as fast as they can run.
Don’t shut down a lively horse, it is easier to collect him because of the life in him.

Do know the difference between taking and receiving.
Don’t think that trust is more important than respect.

The Missing Pieces

"More Notes from Leslie Desmond Clinic in Fort Collins CO"

Last month I shared with you notes from the Leslie Desmond Clinic I attended in Fort Collins Co. The article was titled "Everything Counts Even the Little Things". You can reread the article by going to the newsletter archive links on the left side of this page. At the end of last months article I promised to share more insights I gleaned from Leslie.

As I watched Leslie handle horses in a natural way with subtle yet clear communication I noticed some pieces I was still missing. The most obvious one was, I often lacked the awareness of what the root of the neck and shoulders of the horse were doing and how this affected the overall performance. I realized I was often too focused on the nose and the head of the horse instead of keeping the root of the neck available and the shoulders open and responsive.

When I got home from the clinic I started to notice a lot of tension in my horse's shoulders. I discovered I needed more access to his shoulders. Every time I went out to ride after the clinic I could hear Leslie's voice saying, "Don't stuff the forehand down. Never unstick the shoulders by pulling on the head. Get the belly out of the way and the hips under to get the shoulders opened up." I have been focused on getting the horses hindquarters and rib cage relaxed soft and responsive, which I have almost accomplished. When I started paying more attention to the rest of the horse especially the root of the neck and shoulders the whole horse started to balance better which in turn makes riding easier and more enjoyable.

We need a freedom and lightness in the shoulders in order to get good turns. When we have this freedom a hackmore or snaffle bit shouldn't weigh anything, because we are releasing the horse into position instead of pulling them into the turn. In other words we want to see how little we can do to get the best possible response.

Every good horseman, trainer or nationally know clinician talks a lot about pressure and release. However, Leslie said, "the idea of feel and release fits a horse better, because feel and release is what a horse NEEDS!" This is the second missing piece which I am still trying to find a way to put into words on a page so it makes sense to most of us. This concept is easier to see than to describe. Here are some quotes from my notes which may help us understand this other way of thinking about feel and release as opposed to pressure and release.

**Feel and Release with Intent has to be clear to you or the results won't be clear to the horse.

**The release has more to do with intent and focus than applying and letting go of pressure.

**Never pursue a horse who has yielded.
**Stop asking before the horse gives out.

**The response of the horse should be a reflection of intent, not an escape move from pressure.

**A horse is in self-preservation mode if he is moving to escape from something.

**The horse is never the target of pressure, if this happens step away and re-present with better intent and focus.

**When the horse stops being the focus they are able to blend in with you.

**Focus on where you are going and how you want to get there then the horse will have more confidence to come along with you.

**Step back to release a horse into speed.

**Give the horse more line opening the leading hand for more speed. (This could be a lead line or even reins while riding.)

**It's not about domination, it is about clarity.

**Don't think of punishment. Change your thinking because punishment has no place with horses.

**A genuine invitation to do something leaves "No "as an answer.

**Let a "No" response be OK because that makes a "Yes" response from the horse have meaning.

**However even though "no" can be a response we could accept from a horse, I want to clarify that Leslie stressed over and over the importance of respect.

**In fact she said, "Trust is not as important as respect." So if your horse is pushing you around while saying "No". It would be wise to change your approach. You must be worthy of respect and you must earn it from a horse.

**Accuracy comes from respect!

I don't want to put anyone on overload. There is enough to think about from these two missing pieces; (Keep the root of the neck and shoulders available & Feel and Release fits a horse better than pressure) I still have not exhausted the notes I took at Leslie's clinic. I will share even more in next months newsletter which may help link up some of the missing pieces we could still have in our horsemanship attitudes and skills. When we have more of the missing pieces in place it will help ensure our success with horses.

Happy Trails,
Sherry Jarvis

Everything Counts Even the Little Things!

"Notes from Leslie Desmond Clinic in Fort Collins CO"

Leslie is a woman of detail. It was obvious she always had a plan, was thinking about her options and adjusting to fit the situation. Everything mattered to her and most important she could read a horse better than anyone I have ever seen. Her super insight into what the horse needed gave her the uncanney ability to be in the right spot with the correct guidance for the horse and therefore the horse offered her a willing and soft response.

As I travel around the country it seems most people just want to get on and ride their horse. They want riding lessons more than anything else. Most of us don't pay enough attention to the little stuff like how we hold our horse. The very first thing Leslie addressed was the importance of how to set up a horse to be with you. She said, "A horse needs to learn how to be with you." This begins with the basics of how and where we stand as we hold a horse. She suggested we always stay at the shoulder behind the elbow, because this position is better for the horse. As we do this we should blend with the horse and let them be. Our belly button should always be behind the elbow to love and give affection to our horse. Don't love on the nose of a horse, it is RUDE! Even when we are hanging out with a horse we are training them.

Many people stand to far forward where they have to keep bumping the head of the horse to keep him still. In this spot they are in the horses blind spot. By not standing in the blind spot the horse will be able to keep his feet still because he can see anything he needs to look at by moving his head not his feet. When we stand in his blind spot the horse always has to adjust his feet in order to see something of concern to him. Blocking a horses view teaches them to move you because they are trying to see. So it is better to stay out of the way. This is all part of learning how not to set our horses up to fail, instead set them up to succeed.

Leslie pointed out there are many ways to be with a horse and some work better than others. However it doesn't matter what way you choose because horses can and do figure out what we want because of who they are not because of who we are or how skilled we are. She said, "Horses are PEOPLE EXPERTS!" This is why they have survived in our world for so long. Horses know what we know and more important they know what we don't know. We should never forget what a horse needs us to know.

Leslie pointed out that everyone who holds a lead rope is a trainer. Even the person who mucks your stall or feeds your horse, your vet, farrier, or anyone else who handles your horse are all trainers of your horse. If we miss the small stuff it will turn into big stuff. If your presence makes a horse upset you must make the neccessary changes in you which will make a difference for the horse. Don't expect the horse to change first. A horse will come to your level of competence. Your presence should bring out the best in a horse.

We heard over and over the importance of ground work in order to have a successful riding horse. Some of the quotes from my notes are:

Every ride reflects the ground work you have or don't have.
Efficiency of your ground work determines whether you can get shoulders and lightness into a turn or not when riding.
Refinement on riding needs to be built in on the ground first.
You can't get a better riding horse than what you have on the ground.
Don't ride a horse who doesn't respect you on the ground.

There are two other aspects I will mention in this newsletter which were a repetitive theme throughout the clinic : ATTENTION and INTENTION!

It seems fairly obvious you have to have the attention of a horse before you ask them to do something. But if you really start watching, it will amaze you how many times people ask a horse for something when his attention is else where. You don't have to bear down on a horse to get their attention. Be more subtle, use their curiosity. If you have the horses attention and you can think it and visualize it they will do it willingly and instantly.

Your intent has to be clear to you or the results won't be clear to the horse. When the horse stops being the focus they will blend in with you. If you focus with great intention on where you are going the horse will have more confidence to come along with you.

I took 10 pages of notes at this clinic so this is just the very beginning. You can expect more notes from what I learned in the next newsletter. I must go now, because tomorrow is the beginning of the Alumni Women's Confident Leadership Camp. The first year the theme for this very special group of women was "Hearts finding wings so dreams can fly". Last year the theme was "The Journey Continues". This year we will be asking ourselves "Are we there yet?" So until next time remember to make your intent clear and get your horses attention before asking him to do something, because everything counts even the little things.

Happy Trails,
Sherry Jarvis