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kirstennelsen
United States
เข้าร่วมเมื่อ 10 มี.ค. 2010
Kirsten Nelsen, professional horse trainer, owner of Wexford Training Inc. and developer of the teaching program, Training for Optimal Balance, shares theory, ideas, strategies and techniques to help horse owners improve knowledge, skills and training strategies in order to train their own horses successfully. All training ideas shared are compassionate, creative and always put the horse's health and well-being first.
Hercules 7
08/21/24
Our go-to exercise for Hercs who is still working on untwisting the twist. With allergies, some raw sores on his belly and a loose shoe, this is the exercise we can always keep doing in order to continue progress with internal coordination. We are getting closer, looking for a more consistent change of posture from short neck to long neck that indicates the straightness is getting more stable inside.
Kirsten Nelsen, professional horse trainer
developer of Training for Optimal Balance
www.kirstennelsen.com
Our go-to exercise for Hercs who is still working on untwisting the twist. With allergies, some raw sores on his belly and a loose shoe, this is the exercise we can always keep doing in order to continue progress with internal coordination. We are getting closer, looking for a more consistent change of posture from short neck to long neck that indicates the straightness is getting more stable inside.
Kirsten Nelsen, professional horse trainer
developer of Training for Optimal Balance
www.kirstennelsen.com
มุมมอง: 8
วีดีโอ
Horse Geeks Podcast 152: Superfluidity
มุมมอง 189 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา
The term superfluidity is a physics term that describes what it feels like to ride a horse in balance so succinctly. If only this was the goal of riding for all of us, this feeling of balance in motion that appears to defy gravity and feel like floating. We have all had accidental moments of this feeling, a small sneaky peek at what a beautiful ride feels like. These fleeting moments are what m...
Horse Geeks Lessons: Development on Long Reins
มุมมอง 2912 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา
Tracey and Stitch 08/22/24 Discussion about working with snarky Pablo, not shown on video, and then video of Stitch on the long reins. Looking at progress and challenges as Stitch begins making more significant changes to his coordination. Kirsten Nelsen, professional horse trainer developer of Training for Optimal Balance www.kirstennelsen.com
Horse Geeks Lessons: Key Points for Rider Balance
มุมมอง 5016 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา
Angi and Starlight 08/21/24 Looking at the midline of the rider, the axial skeleton of the head, spine, ribcage and pelvis and how vertical that midline is over gravity is how we balance. We cannot depend on the horse's balance for our balance. Using the saddle or our horse's back as a point of reference for our balance means that we unconsciously get pulled into our horse's imbalance rather th...
Rafalko 6
มุมมอง 2816 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา
08/20/24 Continuing to build hindquarter engagement and stability. I feel like we are almost to the point where new challenges are possible. For now we continue stabilizing skeletal coordination and building muscle support in the easiest way possible, walking on small circles with very little rein resistance. Kirsten Nelsen, professional horse trainer developer of Training for Optimal Balance w...
Horse Geeks Podcast 151: Engagement and Disengagement of the Hindquarters
มุมมอง 42วันที่ผ่านมา
This is a confusing topic even for professionals and difficult to describe accurately. But the way Deb and I discuss engagement of the horse's hindquarters, or pelvic engagement, is functionally not that different from how we ideally stabilize through our pelvis. Instead of sticking with strictly scientific terms, we talk about what it means for the pelvis to engage and what it means when the p...
Rarely Wrong 7
มุมมอง 4214 วันที่ผ่านมา
08/11/24 Still working on lunging at the walk waiting for Rarely to just shift from her chronic stress response into a relaxation response, or The Learning Frame of Mind, more consistently. It is coming, but Rarely takes awhile and this has been a step that has not been solidified in her foundational training. Kirsten Nelsen, professional horse trainer developer of Training for Optimal Balance ...
Horse Geeks Podcast 150: Torso Balance for Riders
มุมมอง 4014 วันที่ผ่านมา
Deb takes the lead on this conversation, sharing her expertise about how our perceptions of our body influences the use of our body. One issue common with riders is attaching our pelvis to our legs instead of our torso. But we actually balance on our pelvis in the saddle, as the supportive structure for our entire torso, while our arms and legs are meant to dangle while we straddle a horse. A f...
Horse Geeks Lessons: Blankets and Long Reins
มุมมอง 1714 วันที่ผ่านมา
Tracey and Pablo 08/08/24 Bit of a discussion about using blankets or rugs in the winter season related to rehab training. Update with Pablo on the long reins with some very nice coordination finally coming together, for just a few strides Kirsten Nelsen, professional horse trainer developer of Training for Optimal Balance www.kirstennelsen.com
Prima 4
มุมมอง 20921 วันที่ผ่านมา
08/03/24 Finally I am starting to see some physical improvements in Prima's body. She looks like she has put on more weight even though her diet has not changed. She is releasing layers of chronic tension throughout her body, that was part of her unique inflammatory response. She is also finally building the core muscles enough to improve her posture and that in turn is starting to strengthen t...
Horse Geeks Podcast 149: Rethinking Our Agenda
มุมมอง 5721 วันที่ผ่านมา
This is a tough discussion. Harsh and abusive tactics are still pretty common when it comes to horse training. If we continue to stand by silently we also condone harsh training tactics, at any level of training. Unhappy horses will be the end of riding as a recognized sport. Sport should be challenging but not induce suffering. Inside the horse world, we learn to accept abusive tactics as almo...
Hercules 6
มุมมอง 18528 วันที่ผ่านมา
07/09/24 Under saddle Hercules is a bit more comfortable, more balanced and even offering a little more forward to the right. But going left is still more of a struggle by comparison. So we warm up for about 15 minutes to the easy direction, the right. Then we spend more time, giving Hercs more opportunity to work through changes in coordination, on the harder direction, to the left. Before we ...
Horse Geeks Podcast 148: Inflammatory Responses in Horses
มุมมอง 64หลายเดือนก่อน
Although Deb and I are not experts in this field, we share our experiences of how inflammation has become a training issue in different horses we have worked with. Diet related inflammation has shown up in many ways that have been hard to detect. But once detected and addressed, the horses that had been really struggling to progress in training all turned around. When training feels stuck or be...
Horse Geeks Lessons: Hand Walking With Riding
มุมมอง 45หลายเดือนก่อน
Tina with Rani and Geisle 07/25/24 Updates on how Geisle is building confidence and gently beginning to work on his balance. His process is very delicate due to his past. Rani continues being ridden and also started Hand Walking work to supplement her development with something easier and less challenging that would continue to influence her balance. Kirsten Nelsen, professional horse trainer d...
RarelyWrong 6
มุมมอง 147หลายเดือนก่อน
07/07/24 Rarely graduates from Basic Handling work into official Groundwork. We begin her process of groundwork with lunging, but for the purpose of gaining relaxation in the walk, then trot, then canter on left circles and right circles before we can begin refining balance. This first layer of lunging is just to establish her understanding of the exercise and find enough calmness during motion...
Horse Geeks Lessons: Power Hour with Tess
มุมมอง 39หลายเดือนก่อน
Horse Geeks Lessons: Power Hour with Tess
Horse Geeks Podcast 147: Responding To Our Horse's Stress Response
มุมมอง 59หลายเดือนก่อน
Horse Geeks Podcast 147: Responding To Our Horse's Stress Response
Horse Geeks Lessons: Advancing Long Rein Work Gently
มุมมอง 54หลายเดือนก่อน
Horse Geeks Lessons: Advancing Long Rein Work Gently
Horse Geeks Lessons: Sneaky, Subtle Imbalances
มุมมอง 105หลายเดือนก่อน
Horse Geeks Lessons: Sneaky, Subtle Imbalances
Horse Geeks Podcast 146: Recognizing A Stress Response
มุมมอง 48หลายเดือนก่อน
Horse Geeks Podcast 146: Recognizing A Stress Response
Horse Geeks Lessons: Coming Back from "Un-ridable"
มุมมอง 128หลายเดือนก่อน
Horse Geeks Lessons: Coming Back from "Un-ridable"
Horse Geeks Podcast 145: Cooling Down Our Horses
มุมมอง 20หลายเดือนก่อน
Horse Geeks Podcast 145: Cooling Down Our Horses
Horse Geeks Lessons: Progressing with Ground Driving
มุมมอง 63หลายเดือนก่อน
Horse Geeks Lessons: Progressing with Ground Driving
Horse Geeks Lessons: Beginning Steps of Balance Under Saddle
มุมมอง 65หลายเดือนก่อน
Horse Geeks Lessons: Beginning Steps of Balance Under Saddle
Horse Geeks Podcast 144: Warming Up Our Horse
มุมมอง 36หลายเดือนก่อน
Horse Geeks Podcast 144: Warming Up Our Horse
Horse Geeks Lessons: Understanding Internal Straightness in Horses
มุมมอง 1312 หลายเดือนก่อน
Horse Geeks Lessons: Understanding Internal Straightness in Horses
Thanks for sharing :) Do you use Science of Motion in your work ?
What about Vaseline?
Am incredibly grateful to have learned from those two wonderful ladies how to move my body with more ease and efficency. My horse seems to notice the change as well- she too is more at ease moving in a relaxed, yet stable manner with me on her back. ❤❤❤ to both of you❤❤❤
Arab's are one of the most resilient breeds on earth. The thing I'm wondering is chiropractic treatment which most horse owners forget. Carrying weight on any back is going to affect skeleton alignment over the years. I had one full Arab and one Arab and saddlebred cross. Knees went out and rehomed to good trustworthy friends and still have them. Being 31 is incredible to begin with. She's beautiful.❤
Yes. The princess does get regular body work that is chiropractic in nature but works more with soft tissues. She loves it and it has helped her a lot. She is also just tough as nails that mare!
Good info, thanks! With Vern's EPM i always need to check for sweat or lack of... i also liked the physiology behind the heat acclimation, makes complete sense when u live with 4 seasons it does take a bit to get used to the weather changes.
Loved this podcast
❤Hercules
"The one place your horses still go upside down is during the transition from walk to halt and from halt to walk"...wise words Ladies.
This is a comprehensive summary of everything I needed to learn to work with Blaze. Watching what you are doing with the reins, legs,and back, listening to the introduction of what you are doing, and the continuing explanation of what is going on - all very helpful.
I DID read the article - 2x ( thanks for sharing/providing ❤❤) and Kinda understood, but you two ladies going over details and explaining sure helped. One thing I did not realize was the " Rib-cage, as a Stability muscle". Need to wrap my head around it for a little more ... Envious of you two, because you have each other to bounce off/ discuss/ brainstorm valuable reseach- findings. My horsie-friends are just not interested 😮 (besides Steph, that is). Thank you both for sharing so freely❤❤❤
That is why we started horse geeks - for the rest of us!
Wait. Is she saying that a strangulating lipoma can be caused by a grain diet? I've looked and looked and asked vets if there is any way to prevent this. They all said no. One of mine had 7 feet of small intestine taken out, and did well, but then had another strangulation a year and a half later and we lost him. 😞 He was a very picky eater (and hard keeper TB) and never did well on an all forage diet. I tried. So I did add some senior feed so he would actually eat. 😐
I need to do a follow up podcast about my horse that had 5 lipomas surgically removed. Just pure luck that none were strangulating. My mare lost a lot of weight on the forage diet and it has been hard to get back on her. BUT her poops restored to normal texture and not a single colic episode since. When I first tried the forage diet and she lost all that weight I panicked and put her back on senior. Then she had a bad colic - post surgery - where I thought I would lose her. I put her back on the forage diet knowing her poops had changed and just had to deal with weight issues another way. Losing weight became less of a problem than the colics! There is no direct proof that lipomas are an inflammatory response or related to the diet. I just know the theory as something new to consider and the anti inflammatory diet has definitely helped my now 31 year old mare remain colic free even though I still struggle to keep weight on her.
@@kirstennelsen thanks for the response. Strangulating lipomas are so frustrating and devastating. I've never seen a horse in so much pain in all my years. There just must be something to prevent this horrific experience. I look forward to the follow up podcast. 💜
@@theradiantcrone it is heartbreaking and without relief until surgery - and even then… Personally, just imho, I see the correlation between grain diet and lipomas in my mare. She lost a lot of weight but then I wondered if that wasn’t the truth of her body underneath chronic inflammation. Even though very skinny her poops returned to normal, soft ball formation where they had been cow patties or rock hard. Her movement improved with more willingness to go forward. But she looked like a rescue horse where she used to be a plump easy keeper. It was a struggle but she has not had any colics since. All worth it. I show my mare’s recovery under the playlist Wexford Training Barn on this channel under Prima 1,2, 3 etc if you are interested. It is slow but working. Am planning another update early August and I think she finally shows tangible improvement in weight and muscle.
My two favorite Teachers and Mentors 🎉🎉🎉🎉. Amazing Zoom- learning more and more about the fallacies of Cookie-cutter online courses.
12:59 12:59 12:59 12:59 12:59 13:00 13:00 13:00 13:00 13:00 13:00 13:01 13:01 13:01 13:01 13:01 13:01 13:02 13:02
can I ask how many of those things you used for your house and what did it look really like in your yard or in did it have come in the mail yet and how
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and the only reason we don’t want him to come is that he’s we are the not a team we have the talent but he has to play in the right direction position so to be honest he is the one to play for the best club and I
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do I have a good time at work tomorrow morning at seven I can get go for it I don’t think it’s too late I have
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😢😊😢😅😂😅❤😅❤😅😂😮🎉🎉😮🎉😅😂😅😂😅😂😮😂😮🎉😮🎉😂😅😅❤😂😅😂😅😮😂😮🎉😮🎉🎉😮😂😅😂😅😂😅😂😅😂😅😂😮😮😂😮🎉😮🎉😮😅😅😂😅😂😅😂😅😂😮🎉😮🎉😮😂😅❤😂😅😂😅😅😂😅😂🎉
Ahhhh. NOW I get it! This is a great explanation. On inside circle inside front and outside hind ABduct and outside front and inside hind aDduct ( am better " seeing it in diagonals). I remember ABduction as " somebody is taken away" ( only have to remember one😂). Now I just have to figure out what would happen to rest of legs if outside front aBducts.
You will see the front legs go the opposite way when the horse bends the neck to the inside of a turn. The neck bend rotates the back - so the inside front adducts towards the midline and the outside front has to abduct away from the midline. This how horses “escape through the outside shoulder” but it is just the horse trying not to fall over when we try to make the midline and neck a banana 🍌
Pausing to interrupt a habit🎉🎉🎉❤❤. Love jt- will be another of motto❤
One of my two is very bug sensitive. Agree on using the SWAT on the belly. I also use on his sheath area or any little spots that he has scratched raw. In his ears I use Dermafas, as those get irritated by bugs quickly. Fly mask with ear covers. -- I haven't looked into allergy shots. That's an interesting idea. Thankfully I have Summer Sore flies / nematodes under control, so it's just regular fly situation. -- Gotta combine fly management with the avoiding raw spots from scratching etc. It's a complex situation. Thanks for your video.
Thanks for the extra info on product and I am glad you found the video helpful.
I aquire a dysfunctional balance after an accident- am aiming to get back into my functual Optimal balance?
Whenever we have an accident or injury the nervous system sets up a detour. We and our horses automatically alter our coordination to protect the problem, letting it heal, by working around it. Once we are healed the detour remains in place as a new habit in the nervous system unless we actively, consciously restore ideal coordination or use. This is why physical therapy exists for people - and is what we have to focus on as part of training our horses.
Love the " Allow Space" for the horse - much more fitting than Micromanaging.
Ohhhh❤❤❤ what an Eye-opener🎉🎉. I always hated the stiff perched riders...so, I moved with the horse...but it was not. A Still move- more like a Drunk Sailor😂😂 ( or rag-doll)- unbalancing my horse even more. Thanks to you two amazinng ladies and a great Zoom with Kristen I can NOW feel the difference in Self and my horse🎉🎉🎉
❤from contraction to relaxation...the in-between to me sounds like a " healing-crises". Makes so much sense now, how difficult this in-between phase is for horses. I want my horse to feel Safe with me, trust me- that's the relationship I want. What I have now is wonderful- but my horses deserve more. Thanks-as always...you guys make me THINK!!❤❤❤
And WHY is this amazing info not known to average mortal? So much info to digest- can't wait to have it all sink in. Instability!! Thank you two ladies so much🎉🎉
So boring.... tzzzzz
no one is making you watch... move along then
What's that name
Of horse? Prima
Turtle-Dust😅😅😅 that's what my rather imbalanced lil pony " kicks up". Love the ' straighness" thru tight turns. Your explanation ( not sure here or in the other videos I bing-watched) of " neck will straighten out last" ( think I quited this correctly). Thank you so very much fir all the great sensible info. Will DEFINATELY get your help in long-reining🎉🎉
Watching this one now❤. The owner is sooo endearing- had to giggle lil on the tangled ropes and her calm repeated ask to ask the equaly endearing horse to move. I can see myself do same. Great learning video- and soooo much education fro. You. Thank you🎉🎉
Interesting!! I heard you say : " tighten hindend lead and give slack to front lead" in the beginning, but ...I did not " get it " until end of video😅😅😅😅. Will re-watch a few more times. Just started to be interested in long-reining...your apporach- as far as I comprehend at ti's point- seems the most sensible one🎉🎉🎉. Thank you❤
It works literally back to front on long reins so it can take awhile to really grasp how it works the way I teach - but the results are consistently amazing. Worth the effort.
Thank you@@kirstennelsen
JR gets an A+ for grass diving. Lol
She does look better Kirsten.
Another banger ladies. The advice on the long reins is legit.
Nice watching him do the rehab work himself, for himself. Second time watching… trying to understand the change in his posture. He seemed so much more comfortable at the end, moving smoother and happier.
What you are seeing towards the end of the video is the full lengthening of the neck and top line - the actual authentic version of long and low. Rafalko struggles with his old habit of dropping the back and overusing the neck so it takes a bit of time to actually stabilize internal straightness through the spine and stabilize the minimal degree of hindquarter engagement required for him to fully release the chronic shortening of his neck and back muscles. Once he makes that full transition you can see the ease of movement come through towards the end of the video. Good eye! 😜
😂 "promo sm"
?? Ok?
Excellent explanation as usual. You guys are great! Many thanks
I am rehabbing EPM horse he’s weak and wobbly. Have to avoid grass with him on a small track. I don’t want to flag too hard for relaxed nervous system but Walking is difficult without being on a grass or hill. He gets really bored easily too. Seems like I just have to push hard to get past grass Would you just push and allow him to get over it? Suggestions?
Instead of pushing with a flag I would lead him in order to maintain a consistent walk until he can maintain a walk at any speed, despite the grass and hills, for 20-30 minutes pretty easily. If he needs to rest or pause for a thinking break then the grass will not interest him. If he dives to graze then he may as well be walking instead. Hard to graze and walk at the same time. If a horse can get a bite of grass in motion then I don’t mind a bite to go now and again. A calm, steady walk for 20-30 minutes is the path to healing. It may take many sessions, some pulling on the lead rope and a lot of patience just to achieve that first goal with horse recovering from EPM but well worth the effort.
Love this. JR is both. Walked slow, stopped often, gaited at a slow movement...yes, whip, spurs, fuss...you name it, I tried it. Then the "road-runner" showed up. And you know how this story goes and ended.
We know from experience 😜
You're on the right topic don't know much. About the topic very boring but would love to talk to you
I don’t understand what you mean. But you can always reach me through my website at www.kirstennelsen.com
You're on the right topic don't know much. About the topic very boring but would love to talk to you
You can reach me through my website
You're on the right topic don't know much. About the topic very boring but would love to talk to you
You can reach me through my website
I felt itchy just looking at them 😬
Could you post pictures of your horses body changes? Looking for help with forming a successful diet change with Fancy, and of course JR. JR did not loose weight on the diet, however, Fancy looks larger???
This was so informative and made me think about my horses behavior in a whole different light. Plus I love what you said at the end about some of the issues are between the horse and the human. That is something to remember! You two are amazing!
Thank you so much for this video! I’ve been trying to medicate my horse’s eye for a couple days but it’s tricky on your own, this worked a treat!!!
Glad it was helpful!
This made so much sense! Awesome.
3:12 pm Traverse City MI
Love that I can understand more of this foriage nutrition. ... Thank you Kirsten and Stephanie.
Long and low has never looked good to me. Unnatural.
There were so many ‘aha’moments in this podcast. Great information. Thanks
Glad you enjoyed it!