HORSE TRAINING

An integral part of Shea's training program involves the horse owner. Educating the owner is just as important as rehabilitating or training the horse. Shea's training approach emphasizes establishing a strong foundation of keeping and directing the horse's focus so he can build confidence and learn easily. Shea finds that the majority of horses who come in for training have learned to go through the motions and may conform to the human's request. However, they are not feeling good inside about it, have shut down, or have become fearful. 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.

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. The relationship with a horse starts from the moment we enter the horse's paddock. Shea asks for the same focus from the horse whether she is picking the feet or working on collection. A lot of horses are not asked to focus until the rider is on their back and asking for a specific maneuver. We should be present with the horse every moment we are with him, including on the ground. ...more...

COLT STARTING & RE-EDUCATING

Shea takes in a few horses each year whose owners are dedicated to establishing a solid start. Their start is the most important part of their lives. When trouble ever arises in the future, a horse will always fall back on their start.

The most important aspect of starting and riding a horse is keeping his thoughts and feet in the same place. Too many horses are trained to move without thinking. Then they end up operating in spite of us instead of operating with our feel. A horse's thoughts and feelings can change from moment to moment; this is why Shea trains horses based on a feel and not by forcing them through a system of steps and levels…more...

TROUBLED HORSES

Some horses have been pushed too hard too fast and have developed issues. Shea has rehabilitated numerous horses who came to her when nobody else would take them for training. Sometimes the trouble in a horse comes from being pushed too hard and too fast through their initial training, and sometimes a horse is just confused from poor handling. Shea takes these horses and basically re-starts them. She takes her time through each step to find the holes and work the horse through those troubled spots. It is basically about reading what the horse is presenting to us through each step, and breaking down each step to make things simple for the horse to process. Once the horse learns how to cope with a stressful situation and the human is there to help him through it, life goes along much better for the horse and rider. ...more...