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Horse Training |
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| "HORSES DON'T
HAVE AGENDAS. THEY ONLY DO WHAT THEY DO BECAUSE THAT IS ALL THEY KNOW."
Harry Whitney |
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Shea's Andalusian
gelding Monterey expressed his fear of people by fleeing the scene. With patience and
understanding, Shea has helped him feel better inside about his handling and his life.
Here he learns to feel comfortable about having a person above him, and he learns to line
up on the fence to be mounted. |
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Shea's
training approach emphasizes establishing a strong foundation that allows the horse to
build confidence and learn easily. Acknowledging the horse, breaking down the steps, and
making things simple for the horse are the basics in Shea's training. Whether starting a
horse, or re-educating him, the goal is to encourage the horse to respond in a calm and
focused manner. For Shea, training a horse is more about teaching him to respond off of
feel and intent, and teaching his owner the feel behind the mechanics. |
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| The draft yearling learns to come
forward off pressure. She learns to follow the feel of the rope to direct her thoughts.
Shea's horse, Dagho, has his focus on Shea while they stop so she can work the yearling.
Dagho has been taught to respond off feel from Shea's intentions and knows when she is
talking to him versus when she is talking to the yearling. |
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| "LISTEN TO THE
HORSE. TRY TO FIND OUT WHAT THE HORSE IS TRYING TO TELL YOU. ALL WE ARE TRYING TO DO IS
FIX THINGS UP TO WHERE HE CAN FIND THEM; THEN IT'S THE HORSE'S IDEA."
Tom Dorrance |
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| Connecting the reins to the horse's
thought and feet is an important part of Shea's training. When Shea picks up the right
rein, the mare lifts her right leg, and Shea can use the rein to set her foot in the tire.
All the while the mare stays relaxed, focused, and understands her job. |
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| Being forward doesn't
mean moving fast. Forward means impulsion from the horse's hind end, and more importantly,
getting his thoughts engaged. You can change the way a horse feels about a job by helping
him put an effort into what he is doing. Shea helps this horse move forward which will
help his mind let go of holding back. |
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| Shea has an established
training business in Ben Lomond, and travels throughout California teaching horsemanship
clinics. Most people come to Shea looking for ways to get along better with their horse.
Shea works with novice horse owners looking to learn good horsemanship skills, seasoned
riders having difficulties, childhood riders getting back into horses as adults, and she
helps people with starting their youngsters.Following is an overview of common training
situations. Click on the links to learn more about each. |
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GROUND
WORK
Ground work is anything that is done with the horse in hand. A few examples of ground work
are: catching, leading, grooming, tacking up, trailer loading, and shoeing/trimming.COLT
STARTING & RE-EDUCATING
Some horses come in to get a good start under
saddle. However, some seasoned horses who come in need to learn the basics.
TROUBLED HORSES
Some horses have been pushed too hard too
fast and have developed issues. |
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BACK TO TOP |
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P.O. Box 1283, Boulder Creek, CA 95006
located in Ben Lomond
831. 336-3252
Email the Ranch |
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