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...
read moreI talk a lot about setting a horse up for success. You could go back and read this article on My Secret Weapon for a reminder. In that article I talk about seeing the little things and how they add up for the better or worse! Horses are remarkably quick studies. They are also designed to want to get along. In Mary Hunter’s kind review of my book she quoted one of my favorite sayings: “If the horse knew what you wanted and was confident that he was able to do it, he’d BE doing it.” So, if it seems like your...
read moreMary Hunter, over at stalecheerios.com, wrote up a really lovely review of my book on her website. I so appreciate when people really ‘get’ the message. Here’s a quote from Mary’s review: “Sharon Foley’s underlying philosophy is that the “horse would be doing what was asked of him if only he were clear about what was wanted and was confident that he could do it.” Our horses aren’t trying to be brats or challenge us or make us angry. However, they often don’t understand what we want or why they...
read moreThis week we lost our beloved Shepherd, Roxi, at age 12. I wrote this for her. There is a hole in the Universe where you used to be. I go through my day tripping over the impressions you left in my routine. Like a photograph negative I see the outline of you. But it is not you. At the door. Under the coffee table. At my feet under my desk. I get out of bed – late because you didn’t make me get up. I wander aimlessly in the morning thinking there is something I’m supposed to be doing. You would have told me. You knew our every move. ...
read moreI wrote this article several years ago. It had gotten lost in the shuffle of updating my website. Unfortunately the video that had gone along with it is among the missing. But, here is the article anyway. –Sharon Here in New England one of the things I really miss in the winter is the ability to ride outside on grass. Or, as we like to call it, the ‘Carpet of Motivation’. The reason it has earned that name is because of all the food rewards we’ve offered—and we’ve used just about every possible treat under...
read moreThis week I worked with Libby, a 30 year old Quarter Horse mare, for the first time. Libby and her owner, Kirsten, were referred to me by Libby’s massage therapist, Heather Davis. Libby suffers from some lameness due to injury and hard use (before Kirsten). Not surprisingly as a result she holds her body very tightly. The massage therapy has helped Libby but Heather believed that if Libby could become more mentally relaxed that it would help her body to relax as well. This is where I come in. Kirsten had started a little bit of...
read moreEditor’s Note: Laurie Grann is a dear friend and a most excellent horse woman. She recently participated in a week long clinic with Mark Rashid. She wrote up her thoughts about how she is working his ideas into her every day riding. The result is what follows. Perhaps if we are all very nice to her she will contribute again! Today, my sister and I went on a 14 mile ride–2 loops of about 7 miles each. The first loop was mostly flat and good footing and took us 1 hour and 20 minutes. The second loop was climbing and...
read moreI have “known” Ann Bradley (in the cyber-sense) for many years. I’ve always felt in her a kindred spirit, a person of like mind. So, it is no surprise, really, for me to be writing now that I nodded my way through her book, “Of Life and Horses: The Nature of the Horse.” I expected to enjoy the book and I did! This is not a book about training horses in the sense of providing “how-to’s”. This book is about enlightenment and perspective. It comes from her lifetime with horses which started...
read moreOn a recent visit my client, Nell, told me about an interview she listened to with Dr. David Bresler. FYI, David E. Bresler, PhD, LAc is a neuroscientist, board certified acupuncturist and health psychologist, author, and educator best known for his pioneering work with people in chronic pain. Anyway, during the interview much of the conversation was about strategies for changing habits that are really hard to break, like smoking or addictive eating. Call...
read moreOne of the members of the Clickryder group responded to an inquiry about retraining Thoroughbreds off of the track by referring her to a website (www.helpfortbs.org) created to answer this very question. Out of curiosity I followed the link and found the e-book, free to download, that was mentioned. The book is titled “A Guide to Understanding and Retraining Your Off Track Thoroughbred.” It is over 80 pages and packed full of detailed information about what an OTTB experienced as a race horse and his life on the track. It...
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