Our nervous system state is inextricably tied to both our emotions and our physical posture. No matter who I’m teaching or what they’ve come to learn, I find myself always coming back to the concept of the nervous system— the big, broad general umbrella of all the systems in our body that work to keep us alive. And how when we or our horses become dysregulated, we trade our ability to live in the moment to simply survive instead.

Educating the horse to the bit in-hand is a kind, rational approach to training. Through soft, intelligent hands, we can teach the horse to unlock their jaw and tongue, thereby unlocking their whole body from the neck, chest, belly, back, to the hind legs. We can teach the horse to bend and extend the neck, engage the thoracic sling, steer, and so much more through methodical training in hand. (Remember to start with Part 1: Self-Bridling if you haven’t read that blog post already!)

The last 2 clinics I attended— the first as a participant, the second as a clinician, changed me. I grappled for an explanation of what happened there and within me and within all of us who shared those spaces. And this poem came through me.

I do not bridle my horses; my horses bridle themselves. This isn’t just some party trick I teach them for show– my process and practice of teaching horses to self-bridle is part of education to the bit, as well as a means of checking in to see how they’re feeling and asking permission to work off of the bridle in hand and/or under saddle. Part 1 of this Education to the Bit post is all about teaching horses to self-bridle. Part 2 goes through next steps of educating a horse to the bit so that nothing they feel under saddle is a surprise or a question to them!

Last week, I observed one of my clients struggling with her horse on the ground while I was out teaching others. Her horse was pulling her all around, leaning back on the lead rope, lunging forward, and diving for grass. While I couldn’t help in the moment, I took some time to reflect, and sent an email with some tips to help when I’m not available, and realized how universally needed that information was. I realized I wasn’t formally taught how to lead horses with ease, and chances are, others weren’t either. I was inspired to put together this blog post with the intention to help others understand how to handle horses in harmony and straightness on the ground, and how that impacts everything else you do with your horse.

What are you supposed to do when you’re experiencing normal human emotions, beyond the mindful calm I’ve described in other posts as a key to connection? How can we realistically get along with ourselves and our horses despite the normal stresses and events in life? This post describes emotional regulation skills with and without the horses for healthier coping and personal development.

Many students feel overwhelmed by too many things to focus on and control when it comes to their aids. Seat, hands, legs, and then I’m telling them to also bring their breath and back and jaw and tongue and knees and thighs and ankles and toes into their awareness… this list could go on. How can we integrate all of these pieces without our brains exploding and still manage to enjoy the ride? This blog post begins to answer that question and offer a framework to develop feel so it’s not just your brain knowing… it’s your body.