Ditto. I've had horses in my past and I thought I was pretty good with them. I cringe now looking back at stuff I got wrong. Turns out I didn't know the half of it! What I wouldn't give to have my time over.
I used to have one but a long time ago. I’ve have so many “if I’d only known” moments watching these posts. The change is this horse is so good to see along with confidence of the people 😊. Nicely done again Steve! 😊
I'm no rider--I'm a "cat person" if anything. But I do love & respect horses & especially burros. I like the care & training that THE CLEVER COWGIRL, an experienced horsewoman in Montana , US, demonstrates. She is kindly, compassionate and skilled. She has some rescue horses, also.
4 years old, imported from the Netherlands, no wonder she felt lost. She was looking for someone to guide her with Steve's kind of horse knowledge. Wish this kind of horsemanship was more widely known ❤ the 2 girls did great under Steve's guidance!!!!
@margaretmacneill3133 I have 2 Dutch warm bloods but I speak Dutch. The tone of the voice and body language is the same in any language. As I have horses that only heard German not a problem.. Tip when the Dutch praise a horse they say Goed Zo in a high pitch voice. Or Braaf in a soft voice. Walk slow is Langsaam. Trot is Draf. But they say deeeeeraaf. There is no word for canter it doesn't exist in Holland. You have a slow gallop and a fast gallop. The one thing Steve said .. kwpn horses have a thin soft coat and very thin skin. Also a lot of them now also have a form of pssm2. Not many negatives anymore too much inter breeding.
@margaretmacneill3133 but I thought it is better to use body language? I could be wrong but with animals I have worked with, I say almost nothing at all. I generate, if you will, "feelings" of things I want out of animals. it's hard to explain but I get much further with "feelings" than I do with words.
What is so nice is how calm the mare stayed while Steve fixed a very serious problem. There was no yelling, chasing the mare or aggressive attitude towards the mare. Steve was firm in a kind way, giving the mare a chance to think and thus learn. This video had so much information. Wonderful.
STUNNING BEAUTY of a HORSE!! But: until you got there - she was IN CONTROL!!! You ALWAYS do an AMAZING JOB, STEVE!! ...and, now, these owners will have some confidence in training her to be able to trust her people and not be so panicky and threatening! LOVE IT!
I think that mare loves you ☺️. As soon as you got her attention with the flag, for ear pinning, you could see her working through it. She made a huge effort not to pin her ears, it was wonderful to see her perk those ears forward every time she looked at you! Great work, great video.
He has such a kind gentle approach, it’s not aggressive, but a ‘respect my space’ and you see her direct response. And it’s going to save her life. I love watching him. Always so very grounded and consistent.
When you put the halter on, she helped you put it on by moving her head in position. That was nice. Somewhere along the line, this pretty horse decided she was the one in charge and she was herding her people around.
Just tuned in decided to subscribe. Great transformation. Kindness with respect works even on humans. If your pay close attention to the videos , there are things you can apply in relationships ; to humans, animals, and children. Like Tina Tuner would sing RESPECT… I love animals , was raised on a ranch . A lot we can learn from them and vises versa. Thanks Steve. 😊
Awesome transformation! I think we all relax when we understand each other much more clearly. Bravo ladies, for going beyond your fears to change your relationship with that horse.
I dont have horses. Have not ridden a horse for 25 years. Its Friday night 7:30 my youngest kids (adults) are out and what am I doing with my free time? Hilarious; watching and listening to Steve and Tanya...love them.
What a lovely, intelligent horse. Steve is a blessing. Wish we had about 100 Steves in Virginia, USA. Time goes by so fast when I’m watching. Thanks for the videos
Another lovely transformation Steve. I’ve never even been around horses, but it brings me so much joy to see these beautiful creatures find peace.. love these videos.
Another brilliant video showing what skill, confidence and kindness can achieve. Heard you say years ago don't slap a horse and back then thought, well, humans don't like it when people pat or slap their heads so why would a horse?! Now when I see 'slappers' I think "they have no idea how much their animal hates that". 😅
Learned helplessness : In psychology, learned helplessness is a state that occurs after a person has experienced a stressful situation repeatedly. They believe that they are unable to control or change the situation, so they do not try, even when opportunities for change are available. Example: A person remains in an abusive relationship, because any thought of leaving it has been beaten out of them. This means you learn to give up, learn to never try, learn to never fight back. Ot is not a good state of mind, it has nothing to do with trust or wellbeing. An abused horse that does what its told because its beaten into submission, is not a happy horse. A horse that does what the handler suggests because it has learned that it tends to bring some kind of reward to do so, and that it is safe when doing it, that is trust, that is confidence. So no, that mare was simply showing the foal that bad manners have consequenses, it is NOT learned helplessness, if it was, that foal would end up being terrified of its mom, and possibly other horses.
Yeah being given the choice to do what I asked nicely you to do with no threats, and being to scared witless to even think to do anything else but comply are very different things. I'm old enough to remember circuses with live animals .. that was learned helplessness. I'm glad I was too young to feel more than slightly uncomfortable with what I saw.
This horse's immediate shift to curiosity & approaching Steve by choice is a sure indication that this is NOT a learned helplessness situation, but one of mutual respect between horse & human.
Thank you for another great video! What a beautiful horse! Watching these videos makes me realize that the "language of the feet" is a universal horse language, but horses can quickly pick up dialects. For example, they may have been taught "back, back, back" or "sh-sh-sh", but in no time they learn that tutting means the same thing. This horse from the Netherlands may feel better if the handlers can throw in a couple of Dutch words. So in addition to saying, "Good girl," they could say, "Goedzo! Braaf." The first is pronounced more or less like "good so," and the "aa" in the second is pronounced like the "a" in "father". It looks like this young mare is on the right path now.
Lol... I was also thinking that Throw in a couple of "Braaf and Goedzo. (I'm Swedish, and Ditch is almost a mix of English, Scandinavian and German, I think. 😘 "Braaf and Goedzo" is almost swedish/English... Bra (Swedish) and good (English) 🫠
Actually children are the same. You can show boundaries with body language and praise. You ask, get results or they get consequences. And you show calm and love.i find from watching super nanny, dog, and horse training, it’s all the same.
I brought my kids up with consequences and they have turned out very well. My daughter does similar (in her own way) with her children and it is also working. The saying that a volunteer is worth more than 10 pressed men is very valuable here. You get more out of asking nicely with good consequences than any other way.
I’ve had 45yrs experience and your advice on slap-Patting is spot on mate. And I have another reason horses dont respond or much like being touched in that way is it mimics kicking in the sensation to them. Some great horsewoman told me that once and it’s definitely something most people (especially professional horse riders) don’t know but should. Great advice there!! Gold star
She seems very well bred. Maybe coming to this new stable had her really out of sorts and then her initial uncertainty and fear turned into learned behaviour. But she seems to have learned a new way to behave pretty quickly. Steve doesn’t often jokingly imply he wants to whisk a horse home with him so you can tell it’s a horse with a lot of potential when he does. Great video as always.
She had learnt very well how to be aggressive. Its like she didnt know any other way. When she found out that there was another way to be she was really amazed and so happy. Yes, there were times when she wasnt sure about what was happening and how she should deal with it but it was lovely to see her relaxing around people with her head down.
I love to watch you give people confidence and understanding of how to take back their space with some of these horses, without the anger and aggression that some horse people use in an attempt to get this result. Always a joy to watch
Thank you Steve for another great learning video!! So much to take away from this one. Another horse saved thankfully, all due to you going there and working with this mare. I'm super chuffed they are continuing with everything you showed them. Your friend, the Retired Paramedic and Horse Trainer in Ontario, Canada, Jenn 💖 🇨🇦
So great to see the girls go in. It took a lot of courage after their experiences with her. Great work in such a short time. Happier horse and people, and much safer.
Beautiful horse and such a different attitude after your session. Wonderful work as usual Steve and Tanya. All achieved with grace and quality. Keep em coming Steve love every one. Thank you for. Sharing. 😊
Steve, I know this is a video and I have been so engrossed in it. I’m surprised you could not hear me shouting she’s pinned her ears from 3000 miles away. This was a great video. I really appreciate it. Thanks so much for uploading!
Ever so often in a video, Steve refers to the amazing horsemen he has learned from. His comments are often regarding things like gentleness, rubbing not slapping, the importance of timing, having personal space respected and not eyeballing. It always instinctively seemed to me that these things were so obvious (and therefore I'd wonder how so many people didn't seem to understand this). Then, watching this video, something clicked. It's about repeated intuition. That people may well have the right instincts, but what they don't necessarily know is how to apply those correctly and consistently. This structure and meaning is what has to be absorbed, understood and learned. Once again, Steve, a wonderful lesson of how to communicate effectively with a horse, but, as ever, a life lesson too.
Super great again!!! Wow. And imagine how much better the horse feels! They don't feel good when they are on defense and confused. She looked totally different after she processed it . What a super informative video. Love the updates at the end. Thx
@@louisegogel7973 Hi Louise! Since he was a foal he was super macho and bossy, opinionated, dominant, ear-pinny and obsessively nippy. We’d had horses before but not like him. Now he’s 10 and 90%of those behaviors are pretty much gone due to me doing untold hours of ground work and guessing my way through. I’ve watched Steve’s videos for maybe the last 3 years and picked up lots of tips that I’ve done my best to use. Steve’s repertoire of establing ground manners has been invaluable. The timing of his releases is just so marvelous to emulate. They are strong enough to convey a desire but never overbearing, impatient, or emotional. At first he releases for very small tries on the horse’s part, as subtle as a shift in stance or attitude. I learned natural horsemanship by studying Pat Parelli ‘s methods back in the eighties with another difficult horse. Pat was a leagues kinder trainer for his times, but Steve is at another level. The latest thing I’ve been doing are all things he does with this horse in this video, not putting up with the remnants of ear pinning and nipping that my horse has. Steve’s approach really works! The relationship with my horse has improved tons since trying his methods. I love my handsome beast!❤️🐴And he’s much safer and way more of a pleasure to be around.
That was an amazingly quick response to approaching Steve with ears back and flat. After Steve's two responses to pinned ears she appears to be extremely cautious about her ear position, almost as if she really wanted to keep them up and forward around Steve. It was almost comical to watch her "correcting" herself. Former horse owner, not a trainer back then, dog trainer now and there are distinct crossovers that have made me a better dog trainer for learning from Steve. So Thank You Steve. My dogs thank you, too!
Training the horse by training the people who are going to work with the horse. Teaching confidence and comfort. Lifetime skills for all! Well done you lot!!!!! Look again at the mare and foal video….how gently she touches the foals nose with her own to confirm good behavior……that is all it takes! Right there she shows us….gentle touch to the nose and all is well with the world! Beautiful! ❤
That was a MONSTER improvement…it reminded me of Cooper (the horse in the states) you could see the calmness in the horses eyes at the end. The kinda funny bits …I was watching the ears…and you could see she so wanted to pin them…but then thought better of it. 😂. Nicely done. PS…I have learned so much about patience and calmness by watching these videos…thank you so very much for that
What can I say, once again Steve, you’ve shown another beautiful horse the way, her life will be so much richer for it! And well done to all your clients who carry on with your advice , it’s a win win all round! Lovely to see these transformations of these beautiful creatures 😊
About to watch this video and am expecting a horse whose life is changed for the better through Steve's astounding horsemanship skills. Thank you Steve❤
Wish I'd had access to this kind of horsemanship back in my former life when I had a 16.2 thoroughbred. He was always sweet, never ran up in my space, offered to kick or pin me against walls. One fine day I went in his box to retrieve his food bowl. He had his face in the hay net in the back corner so I spoke a greeting so he'd know I was there. As I bent over to get the bowl, he chomped down on my upper arm and had no intention of letting go. Had I tried to jerk my arm back I would have left a goodly chunk of arm in his mouth, so I decided to push my arm towards him. Prayed he wouldn't jerk his head up. Nothing. OK, I kept pressing into his mouth and ended up roundhouse kicking his butt. We went around in circles with my arm in his mouth when he finally let go and that was the end of it. Nothing ever happened again either. That bruise was spectacular and still visible 2 months later. Crazy days!
As Steve says over and over, all a horse wants is a leader they can trust and they can’t steal food from a leader or move a leader around so if you let that happen they can’t trust you.
I love watching you work Steve! This round with the group of young people so eager to learn. Its a magical transformation for all of them. Moving into their highest potential is a beautiful thing!💛
We give our animals positive reinforcement when we shouldn’t and we don’t even know it. Thanks for the lessons in how to properly deal with our horses and really all our animals.
Ohh she did, she tested a few boundaries and was a little unsettled by somethings but the way she kept looking at Steve and ALL the listening she was doing I think she finally got what she needed and will turn into a snuggle bunny ... mark my words
@@Psylaine64I think the comment was meaning BEFORE Steve got working with the mare. Both of your comments makes sense, but the first before and the second, yours, during and after Steve working with her.
The foal did a try to check what she did wrong and immediately get a warning and got it. Then went to mom and ask if all was good again and mom said ok. Smart baby good mother. 💞No helplessness. Must have gotten some new meaning in that case.
Did I hear some calming noises that mothers usually make? Like this very low calming sound? I'm pretty sure I did. That's also very important because they all know it and connect to something good and comforting. That's building rapport. Steve is the maestro!
Steve, I have learned so much from you. You make it possible for us to improve our horse relationships by all these excellent videos. Thank you for sharing your knowledge
What a wonderful video....I loved this one. These folks were terrified of the horse and the horse knew it and controlled them. The mare thought she could do the same with you Steve. CONFIDENCE as you said was a key factor, leadership...just WOW! I have seen you do these steps over and over on videos but this one really stood out to me. Wise suggestions about making the stall and alley way more safe. I hope they follow through with those ideas. What a beautiful mare, with the "double heart" marking on her forehead. She was as you say just a bit lost and therefore doing what she could to maintain herself. This was exceptional in teaching that we tell the horse how to treat us, training them as you said. You have given that mare freedom from having to be the leader. She is lovely and those young people did very well in learning to control their fear and take back control. Applaud you and Tanya too for this very important video. Well done.
❤ Improving horse handling and their quality of life, one barn visit at a time. This horse really deserved a more mindful approach (well, they all do but this one got my heart) and just look how sweet she came around to being.
There are some horses, like this pretty mare, that you can really see them thinking. In the first few minutes with Steve, her brain was working like crazy trying to figure out what was going on. And you could see how thankful and eager she became once she realized that here was someone who could explain what the rules of behavior were, and help her get herself under control. Imagine what a load off it must be for them, what a relief. Now they could feel safe, all they have to do is follow the rules and everything would be okay.
I was hand treating my horses everyday.. since watching you I stopped my horses are a lot less pushy. I do give them the odd apple off the tree, but I use my flag get them lined up and put an apple each on the floor for them. Not often anymore but taking them a gift as opposed to trying to buy their attention works. They now see the apple as a gift without any intentions. They even give me space when I take their buckets now. The change is so big it's impressive. They even stand still for the farrier, I use the lickit sometimes but before they were asking for that's all the time and we're more interested in pockets than standing for the farrier. Hand feeding caused so many problems I didn't realise until I stopped it took a couple of weeks and when they realised no more pocket stuff a multitude of behaviour problems just disappeared. I didn't want to stop hand feeding but I trust you and your methods, so I decided to try it. Wow the difference is life changing for Me and my horses. Ty for pushing this and hopefully more people will realise that hand feeding is one the cruelest things we do to a horse. As it can lead to aggression which in turn could result in the horse being too dangerous to deal with.
@margaretmacneill3133 wow I used to breed German shepherd's and train them. Dogs are different to horses in the way they think. If they did what I asked the got a toy to play with. Gundogs are also train the same way. They retrieve or bring you something you give them something in return.
when i went to train my dog, the trainer said that it's not that hard to train an animal, it's harder to train people/owners 😅 I never forget that, but it's true.
--that horse was the "Tazmanian Devil" ... I think it is somewhat similar with dogs, the aggression has everyone scared, the animals are just fed but not worked or exercised , don't see the outside world, so it becomes a bit of a vicious cycle, the horse becomes stuck in a small space, becomes frustrated at being "warehoused", put on a shelf, stuck behind walls, and becomes mad at the world ... thanks STeve and Tanya, well done, your legend grows. Hoping you get to 100k subs.
Another great job Steve & Tanya . Beautiful big young horse with lovely girls who are obviously dedicated to the horses in their care. Well done everyone ❤️🐴
I Can't think of A PLEASANT, COMFORTING OR REWARDING interaction between horses IN NATURE that would equate to then slapping on each each other! Can anyone?
How at the 45min mark ish can they say they need to go?!/donthave timefor the stablework?! They asked for the help...... What was the intention with thishorse when they bought her? I hopei amwrong but my gut is that this horse will not stay in this home. The young girl in the black tshirt has better affinity / body language for the mare . Fantastic video from steve explaining the behaviour and reactions needed 👍👍👍
what a gorgeous horse and she picked everything up quickly . I do wonder if the busy yard is what is stressing her and she'd prefer a quieter box /area
Yep I really believe a behavioural or temperament problem in an animal means a trip to the vets can be required to rule out pain or sickness. I had a beautiful gentle well trained German shepherd. When he was ten years old he bit my dad in the face when been petted one day something he had never did this dog never as much as bared his teeth or growled once in all the time he was with us a vet examination showed he had a tumor
I dont have a horse never have and doubt i ever will but i get so much pleasure watching these videos and seeing you turn them around form troubled minds is amazing 🥰
When I was in my teens I went with my father to visit a work friend and he had horses who I absolutely loved all horses, I worked at a riding stable so I could ride for free, so I knew about horses. Anyway he had a beautiful white stallion in the barn and I had went in there and the stallion backed up to let me in the stall and I was in there petting him and the man told my father I cannot believe it that stallion is a killer. I don’t know if God watches over babies and fools or it was the fact that I was unafraid and the horse didn’t sense anything bad from me. I believe that was during a time 50 years ago when some people thought you beat horses into submission. A very bad policy and I’m glad horsemanship has grown past that
❤she's learning to trust too. She's been confused when she didnt know what to do. When u 1st put the bucket of grain down she swished her tail while she ate with her eye on u. Then the 2nd time she enjoyed the grain, no doubt (tail swish).❤😊
Another great video, I know you have to keep the time down, but I did enjoy the driving to and from the horse places, it was like a day out for the viewer. ☺
Oh Wow,-- she is High-bred. Handful. She is Smart, Sensitive, and Brave. . . An inexperienced owner/rider could destroy her Sooo Easily. She is Raw Talent wanting to properly do what she was Bred for. Wow Again.
It's always wonderful to watch you work with horses. Your work pays off in so many ways, and I know you haved saved many owners, and most importantly (imo), many horses, from a lot of heartaches and woes. Thanks for sharing your videos here.
Your insights about “learned helplessness” are exactly right. I studied the subject for my masters. What has happened is that people have latched onto some catchy words, assumed they knew what they meant, then applied them erroneously. The original studies that resulted in the use of that term had examined animals that had been tortured. If the animal had been offered food, but to get the food had been given an electric shock, slowly that animal will learn to not go and take the food. That is the basis of learned helplessness.
I don’t even have a horse but I could watch these for hours.❤
Ditto. I've had horses in my past and I thought I was pretty good with them. I cringe now looking back at stuff I got wrong. Turns out I didn't know the half of it! What I wouldn't give to have my time over.
@@AggieL48 I don’t either and I spend hours 😂
@@GalaBrissy ditto
I used to have one but a long time ago. I’ve have so many “if I’d only known” moments watching these posts. The change is this horse is so good to see along with confidence of the people 😊. Nicely done again Steve! 😊
I'm no rider--I'm a "cat person" if anything. But I do love & respect horses & especially burros. I like the care & training that THE CLEVER COWGIRL, an experienced horsewoman in Montana , US, demonstrates. She is kindly, compassionate and skilled. She has some rescue horses, also.
4 years old, imported from the Netherlands, no wonder she felt lost. She was looking for someone to guide her with Steve's kind of horse knowledge. Wish this kind of horsemanship was more widely known ❤ the 2 girls did great under Steve's guidance!!!!
Terms like, Goedzo meaning good job/well done are used with horses from the Netherlands-native tongue Dutch. Foreign everything for this young horse.
This learned behavior isn't because she's imported.
Absolutely, she would have heard nothing but Dutch all her life and suddenly a strange language. @@Beeytress
@margaretmacneill3133 I have 2 Dutch warm bloods but I speak Dutch. The tone of the voice and body language is the same in any language. As I have horses that only heard German not a problem.. Tip when the Dutch praise a horse they say Goed Zo in a high pitch voice. Or Braaf in a soft voice. Walk slow is Langsaam. Trot is Draf. But they say deeeeeraaf. There is no word for canter it doesn't exist in Holland. You have a slow gallop and a fast gallop. The one thing Steve said .. kwpn horses have a thin soft coat and very thin skin. Also a lot of them now also have a form of pssm2. Not many negatives anymore too much inter breeding.
@margaretmacneill3133 but I thought it is better to use body language? I could be wrong but with animals I have worked with, I say almost nothing at all. I generate, if you will, "feelings" of things I want out of animals. it's hard to explain but I get much further with "feelings" than I do with words.
Many children would benefit by the same type of learning experience.
I work in a Primary School and I am beginning to wonder if having a flag in my back pocket would be handy 😂
@@AussieTracy There’s plenty of high school teachers who wish the kids were disciplined from day dot.
I often think that about dog training. ❤ XXX
@@cajsheen2594all animals use this technique, one short tap can only be beneficial
Children aren’t horses.
What is so nice is how calm the mare stayed while Steve fixed a very serious problem. There was no yelling, chasing the mare or aggressive attitude towards the mare. Steve was firm in a kind way, giving the mare a chance to think and thus learn. This video had so much information. Wonderful.
STUNNING BEAUTY of a HORSE!! But: until you got there - she was IN CONTROL!!! You ALWAYS do an AMAZING JOB, STEVE!! ...and, now, these owners will have some confidence in training her to be able to trust her people and not be so panicky and threatening! LOVE IT!
I think that mare loves you ☺️. As soon as you got her attention with the flag, for ear pinning, you could see her working through it. She made a huge effort not to pin her ears, it was wonderful to see her perk those ears forward every time she looked at you! Great work, great video.
Yes, it's always amazing to see the love 🥰 coming from a horse desperate for the security they seek from fair leadership.
He has such a kind gentle approach, it’s not aggressive, but a ‘respect my space’ and you see her direct response. And it’s going to save her life. I love watching him. Always so very grounded and consistent.
When you put the halter on, she helped you put it on by moving her head in position. That was nice. Somewhere along the line, this pretty horse decided she was the one in charge and she was herding her people around.
Warmbloods are very clever, so you can’t bully them you’ve got to show them with firm kindness. So many people don’t get that.
Just tuned in decided to subscribe.
Great transformation.
Kindness with respect works even on humans.
If your pay close attention to the videos ,
there are things you can apply in relationships ;
to humans, animals, and children.
Like Tina Tuner would sing RESPECT…
I love animals , was raised on a ranch . A lot we can learn from them and vises versa. Thanks Steve. 😊
Awesome transformation! I think we all relax when we understand each other much more clearly.
Bravo ladies, for going beyond your fears to change your relationship with that horse.
I dont have horses. Have not ridden a horse for 25 years. Its Friday night 7:30 my youngest kids (adults) are out and what am I doing with my free time? Hilarious; watching and listening to Steve and Tanya...love them.
What a lovely, intelligent horse. Steve is a blessing. Wish we had about 100 Steves in Virginia, USA. Time goes by so fast when I’m watching. Thanks for the videos
What we need is MILLIONS of Steves ALL AROUND THE WORLD! 👏👍👌❤
Thank You Steve for clearing up about the stroking verses petting horses!! i have OFTEN wondered why the stroking was better than the petting!!
It was brilliant! One of the best videos. The clip you inserted of the mare and foal...a perfect illustration. Well well done...a fan from the US
Thank you so much for your videos. I've know several horses over the years who I'm sure would have benefited your techniques.
And likely many people too
Another lovely transformation Steve. I’ve never even been around horses, but it brings me so much joy to see these beautiful creatures find peace.. love these videos.
Night & day, what a difference. Another horse saved and more people made safe. Thanks for sharing. Blessings on you all.
I felt so scared watching you with her... she is massive! What a beauty! Thank you for everything you do for the horse community!
Another brilliant video showing what skill, confidence and kindness can achieve. Heard you say years ago don't slap a horse and back then thought, well, humans don't like it when people pat or slap their heads so why would a horse?! Now when I see 'slappers' I think "they have no idea how much their animal hates that". 😅
Learned helplessness : In psychology, learned helplessness is a state that occurs after a person has experienced a stressful situation repeatedly. They believe that they are unable to control or change the situation, so they do not try, even when opportunities for change are available. Example: A person remains in an abusive relationship, because any thought of leaving it has been beaten out of them.
This means you learn to give up, learn to never try, learn to never fight back. Ot is not a good state of mind, it has nothing to do with trust or wellbeing.
An abused horse that does what its told because its beaten into submission, is not a happy horse. A horse that does what the handler suggests because it has learned that it tends to bring some kind of reward to do so, and that it is safe when doing it, that is trust, that is confidence.
So no, that mare was simply showing the foal that bad manners have consequenses, it is NOT learned helplessness, if it was, that foal would end up being terrified of its mom, and possibly other horses.
Yeah being given the choice to do what I asked nicely you to do with no threats, and being to scared witless to even think to do anything else but comply are very different things. I'm old enough to remember circuses with live animals .. that was learned helplessness. I'm glad I was too young to feel more than slightly uncomfortable with what I saw.
@@Psylaine64 Same on the circus part, It is now illegal in my country to do that, And that is a good thing.
This horse's immediate shift to curiosity & approaching Steve by choice is a sure indication that this is NOT a learned helplessness situation, but one of mutual respect between horse & human.
@@RWelsh-ro9gb exactly. This is building trust, not fear.
❤❤❤ awesome explanation! I hadn’t known of that term, but was sure it was NOT applicable in this situation.
Thank you for another great video! What a beautiful horse! Watching these videos makes me realize that the "language of the feet" is a universal horse language, but horses can quickly pick up dialects. For example, they may have been taught "back, back, back" or "sh-sh-sh", but in no time they learn that tutting means the same thing. This horse from the Netherlands may feel better if the handlers can throw in a couple of Dutch words. So in addition to saying, "Good girl," they could say, "Goedzo! Braaf." The first is pronounced more or less like "good so," and the "aa" in the second is pronounced like the "a" in "father". It looks like this young mare is on the right path now.
Lol... I was also thinking that
Throw in a couple of "Braaf and Goedzo.
(I'm Swedish, and Ditch is almost a mix of English, Scandinavian and German, I think.
😘
"Braaf and Goedzo" is almost swedish/English... Bra (Swedish) and good (English)
🫠
What a gorgeous horse. Nice mover too. So glad she made good progress.
This is a beautiful horse. With much calmness and repetition she is and will become fabulous. Love Steve’s horsemanship. Thank you!
horses (and dogs) get the message across immediately and then they GET OVER IT. They move on. Humans are not the same.
Actually children are the same. You can show boundaries with body language and praise. You ask, get results or they get consequences. And you show calm and love.i find from watching super nanny, dog, and horse training, it’s all the same.
I brought my kids up with consequences and they have turned out very well. My daughter does similar (in her own way) with her children and it is also working. The saying that a volunteer is worth more than 10 pressed men is very valuable here. You get more out of asking nicely with good consequences than any other way.
I’ve had 45yrs experience and your advice on slap-Patting is spot on mate. And I have another reason horses dont respond or much like being touched in that way is it mimics kicking in the sensation to them. Some great horsewoman told me that once and it’s definitely something most people (especially professional horse riders) don’t know but should. Great advice there!! Gold star
She seems very well bred. Maybe coming to this new stable had her really out of sorts and then her initial uncertainty and fear turned into learned behaviour. But she seems to have learned a new way to behave pretty quickly. Steve doesn’t often jokingly imply he wants to whisk a horse home with him so you can tell it’s a horse with a lot of potential when he does. Great video as always.
She had learnt very well how to be aggressive. Its like she didnt know any other way. When she found out that there was another way to be she was really amazed and so happy. Yes, there were times when she wasnt sure about what was happening and how she should deal with it but it was lovely to see her relaxing around people with her head down.
Wow she was big and beautiful and moved like she had wings. On top of that very willing to understand what you wanted of her. What a horse💗
Steve you taught those girls such valuable lessons. They will always remember how to do the smart thing, and have happy behaved horses. Bravo
Depends on the owner😢😢.
I love to watch you give people confidence and understanding of how to take back their space with some of these horses, without the anger and aggression that some horse people use in an attempt to get this result. Always a joy to watch
She needed someone to tell her how to behave, and make her feel safe. You did that.
Steve's work is so masterful, almost magic! Beautiful mare with a good mind!
Thank you Steve for another great learning video!! So much to take away from this one. Another horse saved thankfully, all due to you going there and working with this mare. I'm super chuffed they are continuing with everything you showed them. Your friend, the Retired Paramedic and Horse Trainer in Ontario, Canada, Jenn 💖 🇨🇦
So great to see the girls go in. It took a lot of courage after their experiences with her. Great work in such a short time. Happier horse and people, and much safer.
Beautiful horse and such a different attitude after your session. Wonderful work as usual Steve and Tanya. All achieved with grace and quality. Keep em coming Steve love every one. Thank you for. Sharing. 😊
Steve, I know this is a video and I have been so engrossed in it. I’m surprised you could not hear me shouting she’s pinned her ears from 3000 miles away. This was a great video. I really appreciate it. Thanks so much for uploading!
What a graceful beauty! Woah..! She is very young and imported from abroad and in need for leadership and good communication. I love this video!
Leadership saved her life. Bravo!
Ever so often in a video, Steve refers to the amazing horsemen he has learned from. His comments are often regarding things like gentleness, rubbing not slapping, the importance of timing, having personal space respected and not eyeballing. It always instinctively seemed to me that these things were so obvious (and therefore I'd wonder how so many people didn't seem to understand this). Then, watching this video, something clicked. It's about repeated intuition. That people may well have the right instincts, but what they don't necessarily know is how to apply those correctly and consistently. This structure and meaning is what has to be absorbed, understood and learned. Once again, Steve, a wonderful lesson of how to communicate effectively with a horse, but, as ever, a life lesson too.
Super great again!!! Wow. And imagine how much better the horse feels! They don't feel good when they are on defense and confused.
She looked totally different after she processed it . What a super informative video. Love the updates at the end. Thx
I have raised a horse with habitual ear pinning, and I’ve learned SO much on how to deal with it from Steve and Tanya’s videos. THANK YOU 🙏👍❤️👍❤️👍🐴
How is it going and which of Steve’s techniques are you using?
@@louisegogel7973 Hi Louise! Since he was a foal he was super macho and bossy, opinionated, dominant, ear-pinny and obsessively nippy. We’d had horses before but not like him. Now he’s 10 and 90%of those behaviors are pretty much gone due to me doing untold hours of ground work and guessing my way through. I’ve watched Steve’s videos for maybe the last 3 years and picked up lots of tips that I’ve done my best to use. Steve’s repertoire of establing ground manners has been invaluable. The timing of his releases is just so marvelous to emulate. They are strong enough to convey a desire but never overbearing, impatient, or emotional. At first he releases for very small tries on the horse’s part, as subtle as a shift in stance or attitude.
I learned natural horsemanship by studying Pat Parelli ‘s methods back in the eighties with another difficult horse. Pat was a leagues kinder trainer for his times, but Steve is at another level.
The latest thing I’ve been doing are all things he does with this horse in this video, not putting up with the remnants of ear pinning and nipping that my horse has. Steve’s approach really works! The relationship with my horse has improved tons since trying his methods. I love my handsome beast!❤️🐴And he’s much safer and way more of a pleasure to be around.
Steve, you are so talented, its so interesting to watch
That was an amazingly quick response to approaching Steve with ears back and flat. After Steve's two responses to pinned ears she appears to be extremely cautious about her ear position, almost as if she really wanted to keep them up and forward around Steve. It was almost comical to watch her "correcting" herself. Former horse owner, not a trainer back then, dog trainer now and there are distinct crossovers that have made me a better dog trainer for learning from Steve. So Thank You Steve. My dogs thank you, too!
Without a doubt, you saved that horse's life.
You can see her soften....just makes me smile.
Training the horse by training the people who are going to work with the horse. Teaching confidence and comfort. Lifetime skills for all! Well done you lot!!!!! Look again at the mare and foal video….how gently she touches the foals nose with her own to confirm good behavior……that is all it takes! Right there she shows us….gentle touch to the nose and all is well with the world! Beautiful! ❤
That was a MONSTER improvement…it reminded me of Cooper (the horse in the states) you could see the calmness in the horses eyes at the end. The kinda funny bits …I was watching the ears…and you could see she so wanted to pin them…but then thought better of it. 😂. Nicely done. PS…I have learned so much about patience and calmness by watching these videos…thank you so very much for that
I think that was habit showing I'm not so sure she wanted to do it .. just it happened or started to and she was nooooo this is nice I dont need to
@@Psylaine64 totally agree
What can I say, once again Steve, you’ve shown another beautiful horse the way, her life will be so much richer for it! And well done to all your clients who carry on with your advice , it’s a win win all round! Lovely to see these transformations of these beautiful creatures 😊
About to watch this video and am expecting a horse whose life is changed for the better through Steve's astounding horsemanship skills. Thank you Steve❤
Wish I'd had access to this kind of horsemanship back in my former life when I had a 16.2 thoroughbred. He was always sweet, never ran up in my space, offered to kick or pin me against walls. One fine day I went in his box to retrieve his food bowl. He had his face in the hay net in the back corner so I spoke a greeting so he'd know I was there. As I bent over to get the bowl, he chomped down on my upper arm and had no intention of letting go. Had I tried to jerk my arm back I would have left a goodly chunk of arm in his mouth, so I decided to push my arm towards him. Prayed he wouldn't jerk his head up. Nothing. OK, I kept pressing into his mouth and ended up roundhouse kicking his butt. We went around in circles with my arm in his mouth when he finally let go and that was the end of it. Nothing ever happened again either. That bruise was spectacular and still visible 2 months later. Crazy days!
As Steve says over and over, all a horse wants is a leader they can trust and they can’t steal food from a leader or move a leader around so if you let that happen they can’t trust you.
That was wonderful to watch. Thank you Steve and Tanya for this video. 🇨🇦🥰Sharon.
I haven’t ridden in years but I never get tired of watching your videos.
Gorgeous horse and great results. ❤
She has a double heart on her face. Such a brave heart!♥️
Well done so happy to hear the fix stuck. Good on the handlers, for following through
Excellent tutorial by Steve for the horse and her handlers. Just brilliant.
So wonderful to see, once again, kindness, knowledge and confidence bringing positive change. You're saving lives.
I love watching you work Steve! This round with the group of young people so eager to learn. Its a magical transformation for all of them. Moving into their highest potential is a beautiful thing!💛
She looks positively Regal, fit for the Royal Household Calvary , stunning looking Mare
We give our animals positive reinforcement when we shouldn’t and we don’t even know it.
Thanks for the lessons in how to properly deal with our horses and really all our animals.
Horse didn't know if it's coming or going. Self defence. Tough Journey. New people.
Ohh she did, she tested a few boundaries and was a little unsettled by somethings but the way she kept looking at Steve and ALL the listening she was doing I think she finally got what she needed and will turn into a snuggle bunny ... mark my words
@@Psylaine64I think the comment was meaning BEFORE Steve got working with the mare. Both of your comments makes sense, but the first before and the second, yours, during and after Steve working with her.
The foal did a try to check what she did wrong and immediately get a warning and got it. Then went to mom and ask if all was good again and mom said ok. Smart baby good mother. 💞No helplessness. Must have gotten some new meaning in that case.
I'm so happy to see anew video! Thank you so much, Steve and Tanya! ❤ Loved it! ❤
Love the content. Love the references of consistency and repetition. Great work Steve and Tania
Thank you ❤ 😊
Did I hear some calming noises that mothers usually make? Like this very low calming sound? I'm pretty sure I did. That's also very important because they all know it and connect to something good and comforting. That's building rapport. Steve is the maestro!
Thank you Steve, always learning from the most knowledgeable
Wonderful video you taught those young woman and the mare to have such a better relationship. So enjoy you and Tanya.
What a gorgeous horse! Gosh Steve what a difference you make for people, it's wonderful!
Steve, I have learned so much from you. You make it possible for us to improve our horse relationships by all these excellent videos. Thank you for sharing your knowledge
What a wonderful video....I loved this one. These folks were terrified of the horse and the horse knew it and controlled them. The mare thought she could do the same with you Steve. CONFIDENCE as you said was a key factor, leadership...just WOW! I have seen you do these steps over and over on videos but this one really stood out to me. Wise suggestions about making the stall and alley way more safe. I hope they follow through with those ideas. What a beautiful mare, with the "double heart" marking on her forehead. She was as you say just a bit lost and therefore doing what she could to maintain herself. This was exceptional in teaching that we tell the horse how to treat us, training them as you said. You have given that mare freedom from having to be the leader. She is lovely and those young people did very well in learning to control their fear and take back control. Applaud you and Tanya too for this very important video. Well done.
❤ Improving horse handling and their quality of life, one barn visit at a time. This horse really deserved a more mindful approach (well, they all do but this one got my heart) and just look how sweet she came around to being.
There are some horses, like this pretty mare, that you can really see them thinking. In the first few minutes with Steve, her brain was working like crazy trying to figure out what was going on. And you could see how thankful and eager she became once she realized that here was someone who could explain what the rules of behavior were, and help her get herself under control. Imagine what a load off it must be for them, what a relief. Now they could feel safe, all they have to do is follow the rules and everything would be okay.
I was hand treating my horses everyday.. since watching you I stopped my horses are a lot less pushy. I do give them the odd apple off the tree, but I use my flag get them lined up and put an apple each on the floor for them. Not often anymore but taking them a gift as opposed to trying to buy their attention works. They now see the apple as a gift without any intentions. They even give me space when I take their buckets now. The change is so big it's impressive. They even stand still for the farrier, I use the lickit sometimes but before they were asking for that's all the time and we're more interested in pockets than standing for the farrier. Hand feeding caused so many problems I didn't realise until I stopped it took a couple of weeks and when they realised no more pocket stuff a multitude of behaviour problems just disappeared. I didn't want to stop hand feeding but I trust you and your methods, so I decided to try it. Wow the difference is life changing for Me and my horses. Ty for pushing this and hopefully more people will realise that hand feeding is one the cruelest things we do to a horse. As it can lead to aggression which in turn could result in the horse being too dangerous to deal with.
Same with dogs! My Mum was a trainer and NEVER allowed treats in classes! The dog must willingly learn to work without treats.
@margaretmacneill3133 wow I used to breed German shepherd's and train them. Dogs are different to horses in the way they think. If they did what I asked the got a toy to play with. Gundogs are also train the same way. They retrieve or bring you something you give them something in return.
when i went to train my dog, the trainer said that it's not that hard to train an animal, it's harder to train people/owners 😅 I never forget that, but it's true.
--that horse was the "Tazmanian Devil" ... I think it is somewhat similar with dogs, the aggression has everyone scared, the animals are just fed but not worked or exercised , don't see the outside world, so it becomes a bit of a vicious cycle, the horse becomes stuck in a small space, becomes frustrated at being "warehoused", put on a shelf, stuck behind walls, and becomes mad at the world ... thanks STeve and Tanya, well done, your legend grows. Hoping you get to 100k subs.
Another great job Steve & Tanya . Beautiful big young horse with lovely girls who are obviously dedicated to the horses in their care. Well done everyone ❤️🐴
Great vid. Love her heart/arrow marking on her forehead
The element of surprise can be a terrific teacher! I've used it many times with dogs. Works like magic, like you say!
You're so good with horses - and even better with people!! Love watching your videos!
Another great video. Thank you Steve and Tanya and keep these brilliant videos coming. xx
I Can't think of A PLEASANT, COMFORTING OR REWARDING interaction between horses IN NATURE that would equate to then slapping on each each other! Can anyone?
How at the 45min mark ish can they say they need to go?!/donthave timefor the stablework?! They asked for the help...... What was the intention with thishorse when they bought her? I hopei amwrong but my gut is that this horse will not stay in this home. The young girl in the black tshirt has better affinity / body language for the mare . Fantastic video from steve explaining the behaviour and reactions needed 👍👍👍
what a gorgeous horse and she picked everything up quickly .
I do wonder if the busy yard is what is stressing her and she'd prefer a quieter box /area
I'm very happy to hear you mention pain as a cause of behavioral problems
Yep I really believe a behavioural or temperament problem in an animal means a trip to the vets can be required to rule out pain or sickness. I had a beautiful gentle well trained German shepherd. When he was ten years old he bit my dad in the face when been petted one day something he had never did this dog never as much as bared his teeth or growled once in all the time he was with us a vet examination showed he had a tumor
I dont have a horse never have and doubt i ever will but i get so much pleasure watching these videos and seeing you turn them around form troubled minds is amazing 🥰
Hi, brilliant lesson!!!!
What an amazing change you brought out for that horse, totally saved her life! Thank you Steve and Tanya!!
That foal is an exact clone of its mother! ❤ just beautiful.
Wonderful information! Thank you!
When I was in my teens I went with my father to visit a work friend and he had horses who I absolutely loved all horses, I worked at a riding stable so I could ride for free, so I knew about horses. Anyway he had a beautiful white stallion in the barn and I had went in there and the stallion backed up to let me in the stall and I was in there petting him and the man told my father I cannot believe it that stallion is a killer. I don’t know if God watches over babies and fools or it was the fact that I was unafraid and the horse didn’t sense anything bad from me. I believe that was during a time 50 years ago when some people thought you beat horses into submission. A very bad policy and I’m glad horsemanship has grown past that
❤she's learning to trust too. She's been confused when she didnt know what to do. When u 1st put the bucket of grain down she swished her tail while she ate with her eye on u. Then the 2nd time she enjoyed the grain, no doubt (tail swish).❤😊
Another great video, I know you have to keep the time down, but I did enjoy the driving to and from the horse places, it was like a day out for the viewer. ☺
Oh Wow,-- she is High-bred.
Handful.
She is Smart, Sensitive, and Brave. . .
An inexperienced owner/rider could destroy her Sooo Easily.
She is Raw Talent wanting to properly do what she was Bred for.
Wow Again.
Steve your patience with horses is so beautiful to watch.I love seeing the transformation.God bless you and Tanya and the work you do God bless🙏💝💪💝🙏
Brilliant, and the edits with foal were perfect.
It's always wonderful to watch you work with horses. Your work pays off in so many ways, and I know you haved saved many owners, and most importantly (imo), many horses, from a lot of heartaches and woes. Thanks for sharing your videos here.
Your insights about “learned helplessness” are exactly right. I studied the subject for my masters.
What has happened is that people have latched onto some catchy words, assumed they knew what they meant, then applied them erroneously. The original studies that resulted in the use of that term had examined animals that had been tortured. If the animal had been offered food, but to get the food had been given an electric shock, slowly that animal will learn to not go and take the food. That is the basis of learned helplessness.
Fantastic session! Not only showing your great horsemanship skills, but also the reality of horses’ behavior and training.