This site is all about my unique blend of classical dressage, traditional horsemanship and — yes — clicker training. If you have any question about how all that could possibly fit together, just browse around the site!  If the answers to your questions about clicker training horses are not here, well, just email or call me. I’m always happy to answer any questions.

For more help on clicker training horses, dressage and “true” horsemanship check out the Links page for my favorite websites from around the world. If you think your site should be there, just email me with the link.

Also, if you want to read what I’m reading my Book Store has a selection of the books (and DVDs) on clicker training horses, dressage training, and horsemanship that are either in my personal library right now, or are on my own wishlist.  AND if you buy a book via the Book Store a portion of your purchase price goes to support this site. Thanks in advance!

–Sharon

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Sharon’s Blog

Does your horse have the right to say No?

By sharon on February 22, 2010

Much of my appreciation for classical dressage training comes from my lessons with Karl Mikolka. One of the (many) things I remember him saying (probably while my horse was having a fit) was, “the horse is allowed to say NO!” I’m not saying that fits are desirable! Of course, what we’d prefer is a resounding YES. But if you want to be more than ‘just’ a rider you need to be willing to listen to the horse and if he says No then you need to accept responsibility for that feedback. Then you [more...]

Posted in Clicker training, Digging Deeper, Dressage | Tagged , | 1 Response

Are you training with a jackhammer?

By sharon on February 20, 2010

In my Secret Weapon post I talked about how important it is to remain focused on what we want and rewarding that and only that. 

Read it here if you want to be reminded about it or missed it the first time.

In her article in Psychology Today titled, Trainers with Jackhammers Need Not Apply, Susan Friedman, Ph.D. talks about this very issue from a slightly different point of view.  And, hearing the same thing said differently is always a useful learning strategy.  She brings up two key points to consider when training (any animal, horses included):

Identify what you want the [more...]

Posted in Clicker training, Digging Deeper, Horsemanship, On Getting to Yes | Tagged | Leave a response

My secret weapon

By sharon on January 30, 2010

Lots of rain and mud means I’ve only managed to say hello to my girls at feeding time. On nicer days I’ll visit, groom and massage. Actual riding is a distant memory. Ha! So posts have been thin at best as I await the inspiration of spring and more riding exploits! Something interesting did come up recently in conversation, though, that I thought I would share.

The topic was what I call my “secret weapon”. Do you want to know the secret to getting along with pretty much every horse? It isn’t a [more...]

Posted in Clicker training, Digging Deeper, Horsemanship, On Getting to Yes | Tagged , | 5 Responses

Guest Writer’s Corner

Getting a Horse to Work WITH her Massage Therapist

By heather on December 31, 2009

The author, Heather Davis, with Cheyenne

By Heather Davis

I am a certified equine “massage” therapist, applying principles of touch to encourage horses to release old neuromuscular strain patterns and relearn how to exist without previously held pain and resistance. Much of my work is informed by the work of Ida Rolf (known as “Rolfing” or Structural Integration), osteopathy, shiatsu, and myofascial release. Many horses, when asked to “let go” of old tension and memory stored within the body’s vastly intelligent network of innervated structural soft tissue, will take some time to relax into the willingness to release. [more...]

Posted in Clicker training, Digging Deeper, Health & Wellbeing, Heather Davis, Sensitive Chestnut Mare with Baggage, Solving Problems | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Responses