Utilizing our hands as targets is easy to teach and obviously convenient. In addition, pairing it with their name becomes is an easy way to teach a recall.

As we begin training we often teach behaviors with our horses at liberty. This gives them a choice and provides us with a lot of information. But how do we move from liberty work to utilizing equipment while still giving our horses a voice? In this lesson I will discuss the different ways to...

It is important to be sure that our horses understand and chose to focus on the things that we have taught them, even in new and distracting situations. I discuss ways to strengthen your horses focus and build reliability with your training.

Techniques for helping the spooky horse to focus under saddle. The key is that it is the horse’s choice to redirect his attention back to working with his rider. Often times we utilize equipment that controls a physical response, but the horses can remain in the same internal, emotionally...

In this lesson, I discuss equine body language, facial expressions and the importance of recognizing when our horses go over threshold. These observations give us important information that we can use to improve our training. Our horses’ emotions are an important part of our relationship...

Using positive reinforcement we can teach our horses to not only stand quietly, but to actually look forward to the clipping process. We will utilize systematic desensitization and counterconditioning. They sound like big words but it is a simple and useful tool to have in your toolbox for lots...

In this lesson we being teaching our horses to go from point A to Point B. This is useful for exercise, for teaching your horse to go away from you, to trailer load, and for teaching your horse to jump or go over obstacles.

Horses often times find unfamiliar things scary. In this lesson we will discuss(and practice) how to help your horse to perceive new things as good instead of worrisome. Technically speaking, it is called systematic desensitization and counter conditioning. It is a fantastic tool for all sorts...

Many people struggle with good ways to motivate their horse to go forward…to WANT to go forward when asked. In this lesson we discuss ways to help your horse go forward. By utilizing positive reinforcement we put something in it the the horse wants and values and this is a game changer....

The trailer is only part of the equation. Teaching your horse to be relaxed, settled and focused in new places is crucial for creating a good experience. Often times this element is overlooked. Yet, the fear of new places and things can become the impetus for your horse to refuse to load in the...

Trailer loading/traveling is actually a lot of behaviors all put together. So we are going to address how to use positive reinforcement for each of the different stages to ensure that the horse enjoys and understands each element. This time we introduce the trailer actually moving.

Helping horses who have difficulty loading become more than compliant about this essential behavior but actually enjoy it by utilizing positive reinforcement training.

Helping the rescue, feral, abused equine to go beyond acclimating to a life with humans, we will help them find their human interactions to be enjoyable utilizing positive reinforcement training. I address their fears, behavior and psychological state so that we can create a horse who is...

Help your horse to enjoy holding still for mounting. We will discuss techniques to minimize fidgeting, sidling and walking away. This technique will help them to be solid for mounting out on the trail, at a show, basically anyplace, anytime.

Shawna takes you through stationary targeting, shifting context and some pointers for horses who try to hard or are a little shut down using positive reinforcement.

In this lesson we talk about what a target is as it relates to positive reinforcement training and why it is useful and then introduce it to our horses.

We continue working on manners both on the ground and around food. However, we are going to take it a bit further and add movement. We will be reinforcing relaxation and downward transitions. Therefore we put a greater value on our horses choice to quiet their bodies AND minds. Overtime this...