Is Sending your Horse to a Trainer a Bad Idea?
Have Reservations about Sending Your Horses to Professional Trainers including those Who use Positive Reinforcement? Totally understandable. Sometimes it's the best thing ever and other times....well you've heard the stories. (this is first post in a series about myths and sending your horse to a trainer)
As horse owners, we know how deeply connected we are to our equine friends. The bond you share is unique and special, filled with moments of joy, challenge, and growth. But when it comes to considering sending your horse to a professional trainer, itâs completely normal to feel a mix of excitement and apprehension as you want the best for your horse. You might worry about your horseâs well-being, the training methods used, or even what others might think. Such a valid way to feel.
  Letâs take a moment to explore some myths surrounding professional training, particularly those that use positive reinforcement, and hopefully ease your concerns.
**Myth 1: Professional Trainers Only Use Hars...
Positive Reinforcement for Practical Horse People - Relationship and Results!
⨠Calm, Confident Connections: A Positive Reinforcement Clinic Experience for Compassionate Equestrians â¨
Trust, clarity, and consentâthese are the fundamentals of a powerful horse-human relationship. Whether you're new to R+ (positive reinforcement)/clicker training or experienced, there's always room to refine behaviors, deepen your bond, and teach essential skills with kindness.
đż Positive Reinforcement for Practical Horse People is a unique clinic designed around YOUR goals! (whether under saddle, or on the ground â all disciplines welcome) Before the clinic, you'll share what you'd like to focus on, and together, youâll experience progress while youâre here and a take home plan for continued success. Relationships with resultsâthatâs our mantra!
đ April 4-6, 2025 | R+ Clinic Schedule | Burgaw NC
đ´ Friday Afternoon: Arrive, settle your horse, and join our evening gathering for intros, dinner, and discussion about your intentions, dreams and goals.
đ´ Saturday:
â 2+ coaching/tr...
This One Thing Could Make All the Difference⌠in the Success of R+ Training with Your Horse! đ´
In positive reinforcement (+R) training, we often believe weâre reinforcing one behavior, but our horse may have an entirely different idea about what they did to earn that reward. This little misunderstanding can make a big impact on your training results and your relationship with your horse!
⨠Ask Yourself: What does my horse think they are being reinforced for? Why does my horse think they got rewarded? â¨
Taking a moment to consider this question can be a total game changer building our confidence and that of our horses too. When we align our intentions with what we are doing and cuing / what the horse perceives, we can create clearer, more consistent communicationâand that means faster learning, less frustration, and a more trusting connection.
If this tip helps you, weâd love to hear about it!: What was happening in your training, and what shifted when you tried this perspective? âŹď¸
Happy clicking! đ
Melissa
PS Clinic dates and registration links can be found here:Â https://w...
đ¸ How can we fully enjoy our horses⌠when riding may no longer be an option?đ¸
I hear this often, especially from those of us facing agingâwhether itâs our own, our horseâs, or both. Riding may be our heart's calling, yet life asks us to adapt, which can be tough from an emotional and/or identity standpoint. And we need to consider whatâs best for the horses and our own safety too.
đ Finding It Hard to Stay the Course? Youâre Not Alone. đ
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Youâre discouraged because youâre not doing it right.
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You havenât been doing it long enough or with enough repetitions.
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Youâre not a professional.
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Or... your horse is just âdifferent.â
If youâre out there doing this on your own without guidance or mentorship, itâs not surprising that it feels hard sometimes. Youâre not alone in doubting yourself or the process. Weâve ALL been there. Even those of us who have been doing this for yearsâand have seen firsthand the amazing, life-changing resultsâexperience doubt occasionally.
Hereâs the thing: just because itâs uncomfortable, unfamiliar, or challenging doesnât mean itâs not worth it. The juice is 100% worth the s...
Stuck in small places with your horse this winter and at a loss for what to do with your horse???
Most all of these can be done in the stall or aisleway and with positive reinforcement, your horse is likely to be keen to interact no matter the weather. 
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Send to a stationary target (we start literally with the target very close by)
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Teach a hold or to stay (mat or other stationary target can be helpful) ...
When to Seek Professional Help: A Guide for R+ Horse Enthusiasts đ´
Should I engage a professional to helpHow do I knowâAs compassionate horse enthusiasts, we are often involved in attempting to train our horses using positive reinforcement methods. While it's a wonderful approach that fosters a strong connection and a lot of clarity and mutual communication between horse and human, there may be times when we need additional support - not always an easy decision because of our emotional attachment and concern for our horses. Here's a breakdown of when to consider seeking professional help, lessons, or sending your horse to training:
When to Seek Professional Help 
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Persistent Behavioral Issues: If you're consistently struggling to shape a specific response or behavior, especially if ov...
Embracing Winter with Your Horse
But then I remembered the card sitting on my dresser, and it reminded me of something important:
Ears... does your horse love having theirs touched, handled, and inspected?
Ear handling isn't just about health; it's about building trust, confidence and choice through +R horse training (positive reinforcement).
Watch this quick game of "Here's my Ear" to see how you can make ear handling a joyful experience for your horse in any situation:
Tips for mastering ear handling with your horse: You may want to...
- Start with your horse at liberty in protected contact, but on a lead where they can clearly step away will work if you don't have the option to do liberty/protected contact in a stall or paddock, etc.
- Begin by presenting your hand at a comfortable distance from the horse's ear. Bridge/click and feed whenever the horse allows you to get closer, regardless of the distance.
- Gradually reduce the distance between your hand and the ear, continuing to reinforce the horse for calm acceptance. Slow down and increase the distance if the horse is showing concern.
- Slowly introduce gentle touch and handling, always bridging and feeding for positive respon...
đżđ Experiencing Gratitude With And For Our Horses đđż
If I had a dollar for every time someone has said to me, âBut I bought/got this horse so I couldâŚtrail ride, do horse things with my friends, jump, show, go to clinics, ride around my yard, learn to â you fill in the blank.â - And the heartbreaking reality is that they are far from being able to enjoy whatever it is that they planned to at the outset of their decision to own a horse.
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So often, especially during the beginning of a coaching relationship, no matter how much the person loves their horse â the frustration and disappointment with what is going on with their horse, or what isnât, comes across no matter how hard the horse owner tries not to show it. Itâs so hard for us humans who give our all to our horseâs well-being, to understand why we canât do what we would like to do with our horses - what we think we "should" be able to do with them.
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I know. Iâve been there, once upon a time. And now, I talk to people who are living the loss of a dream on a regular basis, riding...
