Fears vs. Phobias

     Whenever a client tells me that he or she has a fear of something, the first thing I must do is confirm that the experience is a fear and not a phobia. A "fear" has a specific origin. For example, someone may develop a fear of dogs after being bitten by one during childhood. Such a fear can be treated by repeatedly exposing the person to the memory of the fear-inducing stimulus (the dog)--and "passing" that fear--during hypnosis. This repeated process of experiencing and passing the stimulus gradually desensitizes the person to the fear.
     Conversely, a phobia does not have a specific origin. To treat a phobia, the person is repeatedly exposed to the phobia-inducing stimulus; however, he or she is immediately "removed" from the stimulus and returns to imagery of "a special place" or somewhere safe, through guided imagery before actually experiencing the emotion or phobic reaction. This process would be repeated until the person is completely desensitized to the phobia.
     Once the client has resolved the fear or phobia issue, I have the person anchor these new sensations of relaxation, calm and comfort. While the client is still in hypnosis, I have the person continue to draw, hold, and then slowly release several deep breaths to increase relaxation throughout the body. I remind the person that each deep breath draws in confidence and relaxation, replacing the old anxiety/fear with relaxation and a sense of well-being.

 

 

Sara R. Fogan, C.Ht. is a certified hypnotherapist based in Southern California. She graduated with honors from the Hypnosis Motivation Institute in 2005. For more information about Calminsense Hypnotherapy® and to set up an appointment, please visit http://www.calminsensehypnotherapy.com/.

© 2014

What Is a Hypnotherapist Qualified to Do? Part 3

    

As December comes to a close, many people are making a list of “New Year's Resolutions” that they would like to achieve in 2012. Following are just some of the issues (behaviors and attitudes) that I can help you change through hypnotherapy and or/therapeutic guided imagery.

Words that are followed by an asterisk (*) indicate issues that do not fall under the vocational/avocational self-improvement parameters of hypnotherapy. I would require a psychological or medical referral to address these issues. Similarly, items followed by two asterisks (**) may also require current enrolment in an addiction-control program (e.g., AA, NA, etc.).

 

Abandonment, Addictions**, Aggression, Agoraphobia, Anesthesia*, Anger, Anxiety, Assertiveness, Assist Healing*, Attitude Adjustment, Bed-Wetting, Biofeedback, Breathing, Career Success, Change Habits, Child Birth*, Chronic Pain*, Communication, Concentration, Controlling, Cramps*, Cravings, Creativity, Death or Loss, Discouraged, Dreams, Exam Anxiety, Exercise, Fears (general), Fear of Loss of Control, Fear of Animals, Fear of Death, Fear of Dentist, Fear of Doctor, Fear of Failure, Fear of Flying, Fear of Heights, Fear of School, Fear of Success, Fear of Surgery, Fear of Water, Forgiveness, Frustration, Gagging, Gambling**, Guilt, Hair Twisting/pulling*, Headaches*, Helplessness, Hopelessness, Hostility, Hypertension*, Hypochondria, Immune System*, Impotency, Improve Health, Improve Sales, Indecision, Inferiority, Inhibition, Insecurity, Insomnia, Irrational thoughts, Irritability, Jealousy, Lack of Ambition, Lack of Direction, Lack of Enthusiasm, Lack of Initiative, Lower Blood Pressure*, Medication Side Effects, Memory (improvement), Mistrust, Moodiness, Motivation, Nail-Biting, Nausea*, Negativism, Nightmares, Obsessions, Obsessive-Compulsive Behaviors*, Overeating, Overly Critical, Pain Management*, Panic Attacks, Passive-Aggressiveness, Past-Life Regression, Perfectionism, Performance Anxiety, Pessimism, Phobias, Postsurgical adjustment, Premature Ejaculation, Pre-surgical preparation*, Problem Solving, Procrastination, Public Speaking, Reach Goals, Rejection, Relationship Enhancement, Relaxation, Resistance, Resistance to Change, Responsibility, Restlessness, Sadness, Self-Awareness, Self-Blame, Self-Confidence, Self-Control, Self-Criticism, Self-Defeating Behaviors, Self-Esteem, Self-Expression, Self-Forgiveness, Self-Hypnosis, Self-Image, Self-Mastery, Sexual Problems*, Shame, Skin Problems*, Sleep Disorders, Stop Smoking, Social Phobias, Sports Performance (improvement), Stage Fright, Stress, Stubborn, Study Habits (improvement), Stuttering, Substance Abuse**, Superiority, Surgical Recovery*, Tardiness, Temptation, Thumb-Sucking, Tics, Trauma*, Ulcers*, Victimization, Weight Loss, Worry, Writers Block.

I look forward to working with you in the New Year!

     Sara R. Fogan, C.Ht. is a certified hypnotherapist who specializes in helping equestrians to achieve their competition and riding goals. For more information about Calminsense Hypnotherapy®, please visit http://www.calminsensehypnotherapy.com/.

What Is a Hypnotherapist Qualified to Do? Part 2

     In my previous blog, I explained the legal and ethical parameters in which I provide hypnotherapy. Now, I would like to describe how I use hypnosis and therapeutic guided imagery to help my clients achieve their vocational and avocational self-improvement goals.

     Hypnosis has been used as a therapeutic tool for centuries. It is also a safe, natural state that everybody experiences twice each day: thirty minutes before drifting off to sleep, and thirty minutes after waking up. Other examples of being in a similar, naturally induced trance state include: being so deep in thought that you “missed” your exit on the freeway; becoming dazed wandering a shopping mall during a holiday sale; or losing a sense of time while studying for a test in the library.

     As a certified hypnotherapist, I use hypnosis and therapeutic guided imagery as a tool to help my clients change behaviors that no longer work for them. The reason why most attempts to change a habit don’t work is because the subconscious mind overpowers conscious willpower to make that desired change. Hypnosis is an effective, safe and drug-free tool that allows you to gain access to your subconscious mind and change the mental scripts for behaviors that no longer work for you. Each “suggestion” that I use during hypnosis will be based on your specific ideas/words/images/reasons why you want to change a specific behavior. In other words, through these suggestions you will essentially be hypnotizing yourself. You will be completely conscious and extremely aware of everything in your environment. You are always in complete control of what you do and say during a hypnotherapy session.

     Each hypnotherapy session lasts approximately one hour. During the first part of the session, I will discuss/review your (the client’s) goals for the hypnotherapy session. It is usually appropriate to discuss other aspects of your life/experience that may be influencing that goal; however, you guide the pace and direction of each session. As the hypnotherapist, my role and responsibility is to help you make specific behavioral changes (e.g., stop smoking, lose weight, increase self-confidence, etc.).

     The hypnosis component of a hypnotherapy session occurs in the last fifteen minutes or so of the session. I encourage clients to achieve a state of deep, complete relaxation through deep breathing and processes of visual imagery. When you are in this deeply relaxed state (hypnosis), your body is very comfortable and becomes completely relaxed. This state of complete relaxation is very similar to being asleep. In fact, I say the words “sleep,” “deep sleep,” and “going even deeper,” but these terms are used to induce increased relaxation and awareness, not slumber.

     I am a certified Master in therapeutic guided imagery, and I use a lot of visualization and imagery techniques while you are in hypnosis. Imagery techniques involve seeing, feeling, hearing, smelling, and tasting. I use terms “imagine, visualize, picture or pretend” to facilitate this process. Unlike hypnosis, where I (the hypnotherapist) would do most of the talking, you are encouraged to describe and interact with the “images” that are evoked during the therapeutic process. Like hypnosis, therapeutic guided imagery is a safe, non-invasive way to help you change behaviors that you believe or think no longer benefit you.

     Again, you will be conscious and aware, and in complete control of everything that you say and do during the hypnosis and therapeutic guided imagery processes of a hypnotherapy session. Specifically, no one can make you say or do anything that is in conflict with your personal, ethical standards, values or goals. There is complete confidentiality, and I observe the ethical guidelines of the American Counseling Association for the conduct of counseling therapists at all times.

 

 

Sara R. Fogan, C.Ht. is a certified hypnotherapist who specializes in helping equestrians to achieve their competition and riding goals. For more information about Calminsense Hypnotherapy®, please visit http://www.calminsensehypnotherapy.com/.

What Is a Hypnotherapist Qualified to Do? Part 1

     At this time of year, many people make a list of their New Year's resolutions: I will give up smoking. I will stop procrastinating. I will start exercising more. I will lose weight. ... All of these goals are within the scope of what hypnotherapy can help you achieve.

     Hypnotherapy is a very powerful, alternative treatment tool that may be used to complement healing arts, such as medicine and psychology. According to Dr. John Kappas, a clinical psychologist and the founder of the Hypnosis Motivation Institute, and his colleague, psychiatrist Dr. Ron Hodges, the scope of a hypnotherapist's expertise lies in his or her ability to help clients to deal with vocational and avocational self-improvement issues. These areas include the topics listed above, as well as general relaxation, increasing self-confidence, and improving study habits and sports performance. In addition to helping clients achieve those goals, I also work with equestrians to achieve their competition goals and improve their relationship with their equine partners.

     In some instances, hypnotherapists may also work with a client who is addressing other issues that ordinarily fall outside of the scope of vocational/avocational self-improvement, such as pain management or depression. In order to work with these clients, the hypnotherapist must first obtain a referral from the client's medical doctor, psychiatrist or psychologist. This referral protects both the client and the hypnotherapist: Hypnotherapists do not have the expertise to determine whether there is a medical reason why a person is experiencing a physical symptom, such as a headache or discomfort elsewhere in the body. When a person wants to lose a lot of weight (e.g., 25 pounds or more), it is always a good idea for the doctor to make sure that there is not a medical reason why their patient has gained the weight and that he or she may safely participate in an exercise or physical-fitness program.

     George Kappas, the current director of HMI, also insists that hypnotherapists may only work with someone who has a substance addiction if the client is also enrolled in an appropriate 12-Step program to help manage that addiction.

     Following is the Business and Professions Code 2908, which is the guideline of practice for hypnotherapists in California: "California law allows access by California residents to complementary and alternative health care practitioners who are not providing services that require medical training and credentials. The purpose of a program of hypnotherapy is for vocational and avocational self-improvement (Business and Professions Code 2908) and as alternative or complimentary treatment to healing arts services licensed by the state. A hypnotherapist is not a licensed physician or psychologist, and hypnotherapy services are not licensed by the state of California. Services are non-diagnostic and do not include the practice of medicine, neither should they be considered as a substitute for licensed medical or psychological services or procedures."

     I will discuss the way(s) in which hypnotherapy and therapeutic guided imagery can help you achieve your New Year's resolutions in the next blog.

    

    

     Sara R. Fogan, C.Ht. is a certified hypnotherapist based in Southern California. She graduated with honors from the Hypnosis Motivation Institute in 2005. For more information about Calminsense Hypnotherapy®, please visit http://www.calminsensehypnotherapy.com/.

    

   

Eyes on the Ground

        No matter who you are, everyone benefits from having someone observe you ride. Ideally, you can train with a riding instructor who can constructively critique your position, aids, etc. while you work with your horse. No matter how good or experienced an equestrian you are, it is almost impossible to notice every detail about your position or technique that another person’s experienced eye could easily see. There is nothing so valuable for improving your ride as receiving feedback—good or bad—at the precise moment you are asking for a movement. This kind of instruction can truly make all the difference in how you ride.

        Many years ago, figure skater Michelle Kwan decided to train without a skating coach. She had previously won a silver Olympic medal, and she owned many national and world championship titles. Surely, these experiences and her talent as a skater qualified her to work without a trainer. However, she did not skate so well on her own; within a year Miss Kwan re-hired her former coach and started winning medals again.

        Even trainers have trainers. At the very least, they acknowledge the philosophies of other horsemen who have influenced their own work with horses. In 2010, I was privileged to audit a couple of Jan Ebeling’s dressage clinics at Equine Affaire (Pomona). In addition to teaching his own students, he competes at Grand Prix dressage competitions around the world. At one point, Mr. Ebeling disclosed that in addition to being coached by his wife (also an accomplished dressage competitor), he sends videos of his training sessions to his own instructor…in Germany!

        I will be riding in my first horse show in a few days. To prepare, I am taking riding lessons almost every day. I follow the mantra, “Perfect practice makes perfect performance,” and I rely on my trainer Julie Van Loo’s experience as a riding teacher and a successful competitor in dressage to help me prepare for this competition. I want to ride accurate tests on show-day, and I trust Julie’s insights as she advises me how to fine-tune my position and aids when I ride Candy through walk-trot transitions. She even corrects my mistakes before I even make them—or, at least before I am aware that I have made the error.

        As the tagline for those MasterCard advertisements read, “Having a trainer to watch you ride: Priceless.”

     Sara R. Fogan, C.Ht. is a certified hypnotherapist based in Southern California. She graduated with honors from the Hypnosis Motivation Institute in 2005. For more information about Calminsense Hypnotherapy®, please visit http://www.calminsensehypnotherapy.com/.

Grooming is Greeeaaattt!

Photo by Rick Hustead

Geeves enjoyed getting rinsed off after being ridden
on a hot day.

 

   According to an old horseman's adage, "If you don't have time to groom, you don't have time to ride."  I am ashamed to admit that there was once a time when the last thing I wanted to do was spend time brushing a horse when (I thought) I could be riding. But, that was then, and I have since learned (and corrected) the error of my ways. These days, grooming is one of my favorite things to do with (and for) a horse. Here's why:

• Mutual grooming is a way for horses to establish, maintain, and strengthen relationships with their herd mates. By the same token, every time you handle a horse you are part of his herd. The time you spend brushing and currying your horse is an opportunity for you to reinforce your status as a fair leader that he would choose to follow.
• 
  If you observe a group of horses in a pasture, you will see that the animals tend to pair up with same, specific individuals; they are "buddies." As they nibble each other's withers to scratch an itch and use their tail to swat flies away their friend's face, they reinforce their bond. The time you spend brushing and currying your horse (and cleaning his hooves) is an opportunity for you to bond with him in a similar way as a pasture mate.
• I liken grooming my horse to a sort of moving meditation that helps to quiet my mind and relax the muscles in my body the same way it helps to relax my horse. Geeves's eyes often became heavy and started to close during our grooming sessions; and when I come home, I was also ready for a nap because I was so relaxed just from brushing him.
• 
  Horses like to be groomed. Think of how good it feels to have someone else rub a sore spot or scratch an itch that you can't reach. I would liken this to getting a back rub or a massage after a vigorous run or working out at the gym. It's the same for your horse; and grooming is equally important after he is ridden or exercised on a lunge line. 
• Grooming helps to stimulate the horse's cardiovascular circulation and improve the condition of his coat.
• The time you spend grooming is a good opportunity to check your horse for injuries or physical abnormalities that may require veterinary attention. The earlier you detect a potential problem, the sooner you can get your horse treatment and on the way to recovery.
• The more time you spend brushing and currying your horse, the better you will know his moods and behaviors. Horses can get in bad moods, too. For example, the corners of my horse's mouth literally curled down in what looked like a frown if Geeves was annoyed about something. Having said that, he also flashed a toothy "smile" at me a few times!

   Grooming provides an opportunity for you to enjoy a whole other level of communication and deepening the partnership bond you share with your horse. I, for one, wouldn't miss that for the world.



 

     Sara R. Fogan, C.Ht. is a certified hypnotherapist based in Southern California. She graduated with honors from the Hypnosis Motivation Institute in 2005. For more information about Calminsense Hypnotherapy®, please visit http://www.calminsensehypnotherapy.com/.

Riding Lessons

     When it comes to riding and working with horses, my education is on-going. Following are several things I have learned this week:

·         Know your geometry. When it comes to horses and riding, everything has a shape—even a straight line. The mare I ride, Candy, and I are working on trotting a perfectly round 20-meter circle. This is more difficult than it looks: Both of us have a more comfortable “side” that we like to work on, and I tend to lean to the inside while Candy likes to bulge to the outside. Therefore, I keep tracing a mental image of that round circle in my mind as we trot the pattern on the ground…all while I am using my seat, leg and hand aids to keep the horse “straight”!

·         Ride with your eyes. This is one of horseman Chris Cox’s mantras, and his advice has really been coming in handy as I practice those circles. If I don’t look where I’m going, I can’t expect the mare to know where I want us to be!

·         Ride the next stride. In other words, “the show must go on.” Every time you work with a horse, you need to have a plan. Where are you going to ride? What are you going to work on? The horse is looking to you to be his “leader,” so you must be worth following. It is easy, and natural, to get distracted by what is happening or has just happened during a ride. Whether your horse spooks or your circle is starting to look like a potato or the ride is going perfectly, keep riding forward. Rather than become distracted or obsess about what just happened, file a mental note in your mind about how you dealt with the issue and ride on.

·         Stay in balance. Riders are often reminded that if they look down at the ground when they ride, they will be “picking the spot to land.” That may be true, but if you are feeling dizzy or off-balance when you ride, this will also affect the horse you are on. Riders at the Spanish Riding School, in Vienna, never ride with stirrups when they ask their horses to perform the “airs above the ground,” because the rider needs to find his balance on the horse without interfering with the animal’s balance. A few days ago, I lost my balance at the canter; while I didn’t come off the horse, the mare tripped and took several missteps. This experience reinforced how much the rider’s balance can affect how easily, comfortably, and safely the horse can move with someone on his back.

·         Peanut oil. During the summertime, one of my friends paints peanut oil on her horses’ hooves (including the frog). This helps to add and seal moisture into the hoof during hot and dry weather.

     Sara R. Fogan, C.Ht. is a certified hypnotherapist based in Southern California. She graduated with honors from the Hypnosis Motivation Institute in 2005. For more information about Calminsense Hypnotherapy®, please visit http://www.calminsensehypnotherapy.com/.

Horse Shopping

 

 

Photo by Rick Hustead
 

“You're not perfect, sport, and let me save you the suspense: this girl you've met, she's not perfect either. But the question is whether or not you're perfect for each other.” –Good Will Hunting

I love that quote. Ben Affleck may have been giving romantic advice to Matt Damon in Good Will Hunting, but the insight is also appropriate when you’re looking for an equine partner. Now that I have started “shopping” for a new horse, I must ask myself/address some very important questions about my goals and ideas about my future, “perfect” equine partner.

·         What kind of riding do I want to do? I train in dressage, a riding discipline which I would like to continue to do. Therefore, the horses I look at will be schooling in this discipline and working at a slightly higher level than I am at.

·         How much more “experienced” should the horse be? Despite daydreaming about riding my horse in a single-tempi canter down the centerline, doing this is a long, long way off. I am about to compete for the first time, and I will be riding training-level dressage tests, at that. My trainer suggests that I look for a horse that is schooled to Level 2, so I can work on my riding skills without having to teach the horse movements that I don’t know how to do. However, the horse should not have so much more training/experience that he is likely to get bored working on material he has already mastered

·         What kind of riding ability do I need to have in order ride a horse that is working/training at a higher level than I am currently training? I am currently taking two lessons each week, plus riding on my own to practice the instructions that my trainer gives me. I must also be patient, relaxed, and confident enough in my riding skill to go beyond my comfort zone. For example, I am not used to riding a “forward” mount—Geeves was very arthritic at the end of his life—so I must get used to this kind of action. I must improve my strength and balance in order to be able ride this kind of action.

·         What kind of ability/talent should the horse have? This will come down to the horse’s conformation and its work ethic/attitude. I am looking for a “forward” moving horse, with plenty of flexibility, impulsion, and action and strength in the hindquarters. I am looking for a horse that has the physical and mental ability to advance in its dressage training, as well.

·       Which breed of horse should I be looking at? I know that Warmbloods make good mounts in dressage competition. However, I love Thoroughbreds, and my last horse was a Thoroughbred. Is this still a good choice for me? The Thoroughbred is very sensitive and can be a lot of horse to handle. Also, like Warmbloods, many TB horses are large, standing an average of 16-plus hands. I am very petite, and I agree with my trainers that a large pony or small horse is a better match for me in terms of size and ease/accuracy of applying riding aids. To some extent, the horse’s breed will be less important than his personality/attitude, patience, conformation, and ability to achieve my riding goals.

·         Most important of all…. One day, I would love to ride single-tempi changes and to experience the piaffe or passage. But, I would also like to gallop on a beach or ride a mountain trail. I am looking for an equine “partner,” a buddy, that I can have for many, many years. I want a horse that I like, trust, and respect; and who likes, trusts, and respects me. I had that once. I know I will have it again.

     Sara R. Fogan, C.Ht. is a certified hypnotherapist based in Southern California. She graduated with honors from the Hypnosis Motivation Institute in 2005. For more information about Calminsense Hypnotherapy®, please visit http://www.calminsensehypnotherapy.com/.

Notes from the Myler Bit Seminar

Myler Bit Seminar by Dale Myler

 Valencia Sports Saddlery

May 19, 2011

 

 

Signs of resistance to the bit: rooting àMB01 (comfort snaffle/narrow barrel)

Ron Myler started the Myler bitting system. RM rides cutting horses. Bob Myler does cowboy shooting.

Don’t expect more from the horse than you put into it.

When you start working with the horse, handle their face. Better-educated horses need very light contact.

How relaxed is the horse when you handle him?

The horse follows his shoulders. The head and neck are balancing points.

Look for: How can you keep the QD, Master of Equine Dentistry, says: The most important thing about bitting a horse is to make sure the mouth is in excellent condition.

Horse age: 1 year of a horse’s life=3 human years

Myler does dentistry 2x year through first 5 years of its life

Wide/think tongue vs. shallow palate

The lip cushions the bar of the mouth, but the skin at the corner of the mouth is very sensitive

Levels of bits:

·         Pressure points

·         Bars

·         Tongue

On the ground, the bit goes into the palate.

A bit will never collapse enough to be free in the mouth and create even pressure=least amount of resistance.

The animal avoids tongue pressure, not bar pressure.

The horse’s tongue twists and elevates when the animal swallows.

Horses are willing to close off their airway to protect their mouth/tongue.

There is a direct connection between the heart and tongue. The tongue is a sensory organ.

Check the color of the horse’s gums and tongue.

Damage to the tongue can cut off oxygen supply.

The tongue is connected to the horse’s sternum and shoulders.

The tongue is the strongest muscle in the horse’s body. It is directly connected to the horse’s sternum and shoulders. Tension in the horse’s tongue creates tension in the sternum…resulting in the inability to round up.

Muscles in the TMJ control balance and proprioception (coordination)

When the tongue is soft, the horse moves more freely. Restricting the jaws and neck movement/creates tension that alters movement patterns.

Dr. Robert Miller observed “how little the horse world—including me—knows about bits and bitting.”

·         According to Miller, bits are “instruments of discomfort.”

·         “Clinging to bits because they are traditional is not justified.”

·         Prey animals’ instincts/response to pain is to flee, and horses enter “flight” mode.

Most people change bits because of resistance, not connection. The horse is trying to release pressure of the bit.

We don’t bit a horse to hurt it; we bit a horse to handle it. Put a bit on the horse that has no collapse/take some pressure-points away. Don’t presume that the horse is being bullish/belligerent if it evades…the only way it communicate.

99% of recreational horses never need a correctional mouthpiece.

Myler bits only use the part of the bit that you need to achieve the maneuver.

How much freedom can we give you and still be able to handle him?

The more places on the bit that you ask from, the less pressure/easier it is for the horse to find you.

Go to www.mylerbitsusa.com to look at the combination bit.

There should always be an introduction to the bit.

Every time the horse does something/makes and effort to do what you ask, he deserves praise/a reward.

Choose the combination bit when taking into account the pressure-points in a horse’s mouth/face include:

·         Hard palate

·         Nose

·         Bars

·         Tongue

·         Chin

·         Groove

·         Outer lip

·         Poll

Look at the size of the horse’s mouth and bit to determine where he’s comfortable to close his mouth.

Horse=prey. Rider=predator.

The more relaxed the horseßà the more relaxed the rider.

The average human produces 32-51 ounces of saliva per day. The average horse produces 10 GALLONS of saliva per day.

Humans and animals will always seek the comfort zone in the job they’re doing. If the horse is interfered with, it can’t stay in that comfort zone.

When you collect a horse, he collects from the brain first. He has to be relaxed into the bridle to lift his

withers and back, to move through the hindquarters.

The brain is the most important thing to the horse. He must be relaxed in his mind so he can lift in his withers and move from the back.

When you bit a horse up and he gets nervous, he starts evading again.

MouthàMindàMouth

The horse must press his tongue against the palate to swallow…imagine the discomfort/pain at the dentist.

Bits will not train the animal. People train the horse. The more relaxed the horse is, the more you can do with/teach it.

We need to figure out and develop equipment that is comfortable for the horse, not develop equipment to force the horse’s mouth closed.

Never put more bit on a horse than we take off.

The point is: How can we go out and have fun with our horse?

You want the horse’s withers and back up so he can carry the rider more easily.

Every time you step up on the horse, he’s learning. But he’ll only show you what he’s learned when his mind can relax.

It’s virtually impossible to develop a good/nice set of hands if the horse is always moving away from you.

Help the horse to get relaxed into the bit/bridle so the rider can learn to use other aids.

Horses are like people: they remember the last thing that happened to him.

MB Level 1 bit: anyplace he goes except where you want him, he applies pressure to himself. Correct position I s comfort.

Will the horse allow you to pick up and school/teach him something new?

Only the horse’s lower jaw moves—like people!

Go to the questionnaire on MB Web-site: www.mylerbitsusa.com

Tradition is held by members of the discipline.

The mouthpiece is for the horse; the shank is for the rider. A long shank is OK for gentle hands.

MB01, MB02 bits are acceptable in dressage competitions!

MB Level 2, 04 combination is for starting the horse.

Transitioning from the O-ring snaffle to the Myler bit is no different from any other bit.

You should have 1 to 1 ½ wrinkles at the corner of the horse’s mouth.

The curb balances the bit; the head-stall pulls the bit back into the horse’s mouth.

 

 

     Sara R. Fogan, C.Ht. is a certified hypnotherapist based in Southern California. She graduated with honors from the Hypnosis Motivation Institute in 2005. For more information about Calminsense Hypnotherapy®, please visit http://www.calminsensehypnotherapy.com/.

Equine Teacher, Equine Student, Equine Partner: Part 3

The Horse as Equine Partner

Photo by Rick Hustead

 

 

 

I believe that people who train and work with horses should aim to achieve a partnership with their horse. I love the way Monty Roberts and Kelly Marks talk about their “equine partners” when they teach horsemanship and training techniques. My trainers teach every student at the barn to consider and interact with their mount as an equine partner. But, what does this term really mean? What does it mean to be a human partner to your horse?

Enid Bagnold’s classic novel, National Velvet, depicts a teenage Velvet Brown’s bond with a piebald gelding, which she rides to victory in the Grand National horse race. In Walter Farley’s The Black Stallion, Alec Ramsay earns the trust of a wild Arabian stallion when they are shipwrecked on a deserted island. “The Black” demonstrates his devotion to Alec when he kills a cobra poised to bite the boy; after they are rescued, Alec enlists the help of a former jockey to train them for an important race. Finally, in one of the most exciting scenes in my favorite movie, The Man From Snowy River, Jim Craig’s trusted mount gallops at breakneck speed, headlong down a cliff and over rugged terrain in their quest to round up a herd of wild horses.

Now, consider the horses that you have known in your life: The horse that carried you safely home when you were sure that you were “lost” on the trail. The horse who, even after “dumping” you at that oxer, stood patiently beside you and waited for you to catch your breath (and gathered your pride) before climbing on his back. The horse that braced his body perpendicular to a steep incline, allowing you to pull yourself up the hill by using the reins and his weight as leverage. Finally: The horse that carried you to a first-place win after crossing 100 miles of grueling terrain in an endurance race, or bested the other equine athletes at a three-day, combined-training event. How—or, why—do they do these things for us?

While considering this question, I am reminded of the famous challenge in President Kennedy’s inaugural speech: “Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country.” I believe that this theme forms the basis of the partnership that is forged between a horse and his rider.

Horses are social animals. They thrive in groups (herd or band) and want a confident leader that will help the group survive. Unless he is challenging another member for this leadership role, the horse is likely to cooperate with the current status quo. Therefore, rather than focus on the prize or reward that is being offered at the end of the ride, consider what it takes to achieve that goal: i.e., earn the respect and cooperation of your equine partner.

Spend time watching your horse in pasture and take the time to learn how to communicate and interpret the horse’s body language. Groom him and establish a mutual bond of trust and respect before you even think about climbing onto his back. Rather than jabbing a spur into his side and demanding your horse to go forward, first “ask” him to walk/trot/canter out with gentle aid, such as a cluck or squeeze. Reward the horse with praise and gentle pats when he does what you have asked. When you must correct the horse’s behavior, be firm—but fair: refusing to go forward because he is belligerent is not the same thing as not understanding what you have asked him to do. If your horse spooks at something on a trail or in the arena, help him to build his confidence by remaining patient and calm through the incident. Be an example of bravery as you desensitize him to what has previously startled him. Demonstrate and reinforce your role as herd leader by providing him with food, water, shelter, and time to just be a horse.

If, as Kelly Marks writes, you can “be the owner your horse would choose for himself,” he can be a reliable equine partner for you.

     Sara R. Fogan, C.Ht. is a certified hypnotherapist based in Southern California. She graduated with honors from the Hypnosis Motivation Institute in 2005. For more information about Calminsense Hypnotherapy®, please visit http://www.calminsensehypnotherapy.com/.

 

Equine Teacher, Equine Student, Equine Partner: Part 2

Photo courtesy of Sara Fogan

Grand Point learns to jump

 The Horse as Equine Student

   "Suggestibility is how we learn."
   This is one of the first lessons that I was taught when I began my hypnotherapy training in 2004. And, we continue to learn all of our lives.

   According to Dr. John Kappas's "Theory of Mind," this learning process begins the moment we are born. Everyone is born with two instincts: (reaction to) fear of loud noise and (reaction to) fear of falling. (I will elaborate on this subject in another essay.) We are most strongly influenced by our primarily caretaker--usually mother--from birth until age five. The father becomes more influential between ages five to thirteen. Then, when we become teenagers, peers become primary role models.

   I believe that, to some extent, this model is also applicable to horses. In the wild, a mare teaches her foal what it means to be a horse. She encourages him to take his first, halting steps. She shows him where to find grass and water. She teaches him "good manners": i.e., to show deference to higher-ranking horses. If the foal nips or kicks her, she will correct his misbehavior with a nip or kick of her own. As the foal grows older, and throughout his life, he will play and interact with other horses to establish his own place (rank) in the herd. Depending on this individual's rank, this growing foal will be on the giving or receiving end of the disciplinary action.

   In the case of domesticated horses, it will be up to anyone who rides and/or handles horses to teach and reinforce the behaviors that you want the horse to know. When my trainers gentle their young horses, school green prospects, they speak to the horse in an almost musical, sing-song voice: "good girrrlll" or "good bo-oy."  As the horse learns the lesson, the challenges may increase--but so too do their patience and desire to increase the horse's confidence.

   Yesterday, one of the students where I ride was helping an off-track Thoroughbred negotiate his first jumping course. Grand Point came to the barn three years ago, the pedigreed son of a major-stakes winner with a successful track career of his own. I don't know what the trainer at the racetrack did to encourage this horse to run well. When he raced, he probably flew down the track at over 35 miles per hour. He was asked to "fly" yesterday, too, but at a much slower speed, and literally eight inches off the ground. If people are afraid of falling, imagine what goes through a horse's mind when he is asked to go over an obstacle with a predator (rider) on his back.

   I sat outside the arena with a couple other students and watched jumping lesson. Julie Van Loo, the head trainer at Silver Gate Farms (www.silvergatefarms.com), reminded the rider to reward every try that the gelding made. She explained that it is important to build his confidence so he would enjoy the work. So, Grand Point was rewarded with pats and praise even if the horse tapped or knocked a pole, so long as he was trying to clear it. A couple of times, he balked at a jump; but the rider patiently put him into a circle and tried again; the second time was a charm. Those of us watching the lesson applauded his tries, too. By the end of the lesson, the horse was making more energetic departures and, it seemed, clearing each obstacle with more confidence. I think Julie even raised the pole a notch, and the gelding had started to tuck his front legs in a very cute jumping form.

   Many years ago, my riding instructor told me: "Every time you get on this horse, you are the trainer." Whenever we give and reinforce an aid or instruction, our horse will learn to do what we have asked of him. By the same token, when we project confidence and relaxation when we are riding or handling a horse, we are subconsciously communicating that he can be confident and relaxed, too.

    Grand Point was a very good student, yesterday... and his rider and the trainer were very good teachers for him.

 

 

     Sara R. Fogan, C.Ht. is a certified hypnotherapist based in Southern California. She graduated with honors from the Hypnosis Motivation Institute in 2005. For more information about Calminsense Hypnotherapy®, please visit http://www.calminsensehypnotherapy.com/.

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