Raw Wonder Diet!

I switched Mowgli from dry food to a raw meat and veggie-based diet and have noticed only the best positive changes! He is a McNab and they are bred to herd cattle over dry, hot, dusty terrain so his coat by nature is a bit more rough. Now I can’t stop petting him because his fur feels like a soft …

Make Up The Difference!

“You can accomplish amazing things with this if you have a passion and you work hard – I just think it’s a cop out to say ‘I wasn’t born with this, so it’s OK if I fail’. You can make up the difference with hard work and devotion.” – Buck Brannaman

“First Step” Dominance

When you think of “dominance” what comes to mind? An animal or human can express dominance in subtle ways that others may not realize until it has escalated to something larger and more extreme. One thing I like to keep in check is who takes the first step or, should I say, who decides when steps are taken. This means: …

Grass vs. Play

I’ve always found it interesting what it “means” when a horse eats grass in our company. It’s not a bad thing, but sometimes not a preferred activity from our point of view. It could mean that your horse feels comfortable enough around you to eat while you both take a moment to relax, but it could also mean that your …

Intention is the Main Aid

“”Inside leg!” “Outside rein!”, “Shorten you reins!” Ahh the sounds of a typical riding lesson! I learned long ago that riding involves more than applying pressures in certain areas of the horse’s body. Especially if you have done a thorough job desensitizing your horse to random motion and pressures that don’t have an intention. I have heard professionals often report …

Human Attributes

“I was recently asked what human attributes get in the way of communicating well with horses…. My answer: Ego, impatience, self-doubt, lack of self-awareness.” – Karen Rohlf

A Blind Man, A Parakeet, A Rabbit, A Dog…

I met this blind man who got a dog (a guide dog for the blind) from my colleague. Coming along with her as she introduced the two and trained them to work as a team was so interesting for me to observe. Mostly because the man claimed himself an animal communicator. He had a rabbit and a parakeet. The parakeet …