How To Use Horse Training Thinking To Solve Dang Near Any Problem With A Horse

Horse training can be a relatively mysterious subject to people who have not studied it. Even more mysterious is a behavioral problem a horse has that causes his owner stress and frustration.

What many horse owners don't understand is often the handler, not the horse, is causing the problem.

That being said, that is the first consideration in unscrambling the horse's ill behavior.

For instance, a common problem riders have is a horse being spooky. In layman's terms, that means a horse is nervous and afraid something is going to "get him". Thus, whenever the horse and owner go for a ride it's not usually a relaxing moment.

As a matter of fact, both horse and rider are on edge.

So if we take the premise that the rider is causing the horse to spook, then we must ask, "How is the rider causing this."

An uninformed rider may not be aware that perhaps he is sitting tensely in the saddle. Also, maybe he's stiff as a board and has a white-knuckle hold on the reins.

Believe it or not, the horse can sense and feel this tense. When the horse is in the habit of feeling it then the horse's spookiness is also the rider's.

Picture it like this. Two deathly scared kids are walking home at night. They both hear sounds and see things. One kid thinks he saw something and nervously asks, "D-d-d-did you see that?" Seconds later the other kid hears something and cries, "D-d-did you h-h-hear that?" Together they intensify each other's fears and their anxiety grows leaps and bounds.

So it is with the rider and horse. Maybe not to that extent, but still it happens.

And since the rider is human and capable of reasoning, then he or she must be the one to interrupt the pattern of behavior. The rider must loosen up while in the saddle. Relax. Have fun. Learn to watch the horse's signals that he has spotted something - and then talk to the horse and start giving him confidence.

Soon, the horse's demeanor will change and the result will be a more relaxed, fun to ride horse.

Whether the rider realizes it or not, he or she is training the horse by just riding. The horse simply reacts to the stimuli he gets. If the stimuli is consistent, the horse's reaction will become a habit until changed. If the stimuli is tense, causes fear reactions, and so on, the result is a spooky horse.

This is but one example of how us humans can actually be the reason the horse does or does not do something we ask of him. Although it's true that the rider is not the cause 100% of the time, it's a good place to start untangling the problem because it's often where it begins.

How To Use Horse Training Thinking To Solve Dang Near Any Problem With A Horse   Rider Fitness - Targeted for Equestrians   How To Use Horse Training Thinking To Solve Dang Near Any Problem With A Horse   

How To Use Horse Training Thinking To Solve Dang Near Any Problem With A Horse

Horse training can be a relatively mysterious subject to people who have not studied it. Even more mysterious is a behavioral problem a horse has that causes his owner stress and frustration.

What many horse owners don't understand is often the handler, not the horse, is causing the problem.

That being said, that is the first consideration in unscrambling the horse's ill behavior.

For instance, a common problem riders have is a horse being spooky. In layman's terms, that means a horse is nervous and afraid something is going to "get him". Thus, whenever the horse and owner go for a ride it's not usually a relaxing moment.

As a matter of fact, both horse and rider are on edge.

So if we take the premise that the rider is causing the horse to spook, then we must ask, "How is the rider causing this."

An uninformed rider may not be aware that perhaps he is sitting tensely in the saddle. Also, maybe he's stiff as a board and has a white-knuckle hold on the reins.

Believe it or not, the horse can sense and feel this tense. When the horse is in the habit of feeling it then the horse's spookiness is also the rider's.

Picture it like this. Two deathly scared kids are walking home at night. They both hear sounds and see things. One kid thinks he saw something and nervously asks, "D-d-d-did you see that?" Seconds later the other kid hears something and cries, "D-d-did you h-h-hear that?" Together they intensify each other's fears and their anxiety grows leaps and bounds.

So it is with the rider and horse. Maybe not to that extent, but still it happens.

And since the rider is human and capable of reasoning, then he or she must be the one to interrupt the pattern of behavior. The rider must loosen up while in the saddle. Relax. Have fun. Learn to watch the horse's signals that he has spotted something - and then talk to the horse and start giving him confidence.

Soon, the horse's demeanor will change and the result will be a more relaxed, fun to ride horse.

Whether the rider realizes it or not, he or she is training the horse by just riding. The horse simply reacts to the stimuli he gets. If the stimuli is consistent, the horse's reaction will become a habit until changed. If the stimuli is tense, causes fear reactions, and so on, the result is a spooky horse.

This is but one example of how us humans can actually be the reason the horse does or does not do something we ask of him. Although it's true that the rider is not the cause 100% of the time, it's a good place to start untangling the problem because it's often where it begins.

How To Use Horse Training Thinking To Solve Dang Near Any Problem With A Horse   Rider Fitness - Targeted for Equestrians   How To Use Horse Training Thinking To Solve Dang Near Any Problem With A Horse   

The History and Meaning of Festivals

A community festival is an event that is more often than not organised and staged by a local community to celebrate or highlight a unique aspect of that self same community. These unique aspects include the celebration of historical, social and religious festivals such as:

Historical Fests: These festivals include the celebration of major historical events such as the end of a war or the overthrowing of a particularly cruel government. Examples of this type of festival would include Armistice Day in the UK and Commonwealth Countries and Freedom Day in South Africa.

Social Fests: Social festivals include celebrations of art and music such as the Edinburgh Festival in Scotland and the Grahamstown Festival in South Africa.

Religious Fests: Religious festivals are held in areas all around the world in honour of a God or Gods specific to that areas religious belief. These festivals include the Christian festivals of the Feast of the Nativity of our Lord (also known as Christmas) and the Feast of the Resurrection (also known as Easter).

The History of the word "Festival"

The word festival comes from the Middle English word fest, which in turn is derived from Middle French word festivus, which was adopted into the French language from Latin. The first use of the word festival as a noun can be traced back to 1589, but before then it was used as an adjective and meant "to celebrate a church or religious holiday".

Different festivals for different reasons

Festivals around the world are there to meet specific needs of specific communities, groups and countries while provide entertainment and a break from everyday life. However, there are also cultural and ethnic festivals that are used to educate people about traditions and pastimes.

Types of Modern Festivals

Although festivals have a connection to our human religious past, the modern version is based more on common interest than spiritual glory. These festivals include (but are most certainly not limited to):

• Arts festival • Beer fest • Comedy fest • Film fest • Food fest • Literary fest • Music fest • Science fest • Wine fest

Did you know? I past ages many of the festivals that were held were to celebrate the changes of the seasons. This was done because they seasonal changes played a large part in the production of food and animal breeding. Examples of this can be seen in the history of the Egyptians, who celebrated the seasonal flooding of the Nile River banks.

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Parks in Sydney

Planning a day out with the family? If you're looking to escape the bustling noise, traffic and crowds of the Sydney CBD, the grounds of Sydney Olympic Park offers families, couples, pets and exercise enthusiasts some of the best parks in Sydney.

Bicentennial Park One of the largest and most popular parks in Sydney, Bicentennial Park is set just 16km west of Sydney city and features 40 hectares of beautiful parklands. A combination of grassy hills, sweeping, green vistas, mangrove wetlands and lovely lakes, Bicentennial Park is great for picnics, BBQs and kids, with playgrounds, sandpits and water play areas on offer. Cafes, shelters and public toilets can also be found at the park, as can extensive cycling and jogging tracks (bicycle hire is also located nearby).

A trip up to the Treillage Tower - the highest point in the park at 17m - will allow you to take in the spectacular high-rise views over the park, the Parramatta River and the city skyline.

Blaxland Riverside Park Blaxland Riverside Park runs, as the name suggests, alongside the gorgeous strip of the Parramatta River. Once part of the Newington Estate and owned by pioneer John Blaxland, Blaxland Riverside Park is one of the most attractive parks in Sydney and is a hub of lunch-goers, picnickers, walkers and cyclists, all looking to share the open beauty of this prime, riverside location.

Activities for kids are encouraged here and aside from running and bike tracks, children can have a go at the climbing walls, rope nets, slides and flying fox, all located in the park's 'play space.' For those interested in a spot of alfresco dining, the Armory Wharf Café and a Kiosk are also close by. Dogs are welcome here too, but must be on a leash at all times.

Cathy Freeman Park We all know (and cherish) Olympic gold medal runner Cathy Freeman, and her namesake park is now located on the grounds adjacent to Sydney's famous Olympic Stadium (now known as ANZ Stadium).

This beautiful, tree-lined park in Sydney is ideal for those who are keen to picnic, walk their dogs, entertain kids at the playground or indulge in a game of oversized chess! Cafes, bars and public toilets are easily accessible and during school holidays, and some 'Kids in the Park' school holiday activities areas held here (which includes events like circus classes, kite-making and sports camps). Visitors will also find the Cauldron here, which is now both a flowing waterfall for children to play in and a homage to the Australian medallists who participated in the Sydney Olympic Games.

Wentworth Common Perhaps one of the lesser-known parks in Sydney, Wentworth Common is a gorgeous, open grassland adjacent to Haslams Creek and the Waterbird Refuge. Sausage sizzles and picnics can be perfect here and the park features a large range of outdoor art and sculpture, as well as various playgrounds for the kids. Wentworth Common is one of the better parks in Sydney to visit if you're after something a bit less crowded and a little more peaceful.

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What Did You Just Call My Daughter?

On the benefits of having an open mind about one's child called a "retard", or having intellectual deficits, being mentally deficient, and other interesting and ridiculous things...

When I was just starting out as a child and school psychologist in Syracuse, NY almost 35 years ago, I administered batteries of tests to children to determine their eligibility for programs designed to remediate their learning disabilities, what were termed their "handicaps" at that time. I thought I knew so much. Armed with the best that Syracuse University's school and clinical programs taught, I offered parents a clear and cogent understanding (using of course the best practice efforts at that time) of their child's diagnosis and needs in clinical terms.

I was so impossibly wrong about how to go about sharing this information, not having the slightest clue about how to impart this information mindfully and with humility. I cringe at the thought of my arrogance then at those parent interpretives. At remembering how the parents bravely fought not to crack open, break down, cry with shame. And I was so proud of myself: laying out their child's disabilities and deficiencies with devastating clarity.

I became one of those parents 20 years ago.

I sat, holding back my sobs, my fears, my heart and body slammed and split open by the devastating words, the mountain of words, that inadequately described our beloved and struggling daughter. We listened, as professional after professional mounted, with devastating clarity of their own, a campaign designed to convince my husband and myself of her inadequacies, her deficits, her inability, her other-ness.

When we finally found a school community in another state which offered her a chance at a life filled with purpose, with laughter, with opportunity, I cried with joy. For the first time in her life and our lives with her, her new teacher asked us, "What does she need from us?" and told us that the community could learn as much from her as she could learn from them.

Recently, over a Skype conversation with our daughter, she proudly held up a stunningly multi-colored handmade card. She had delighted in making it for our 29th anniversary this year. It is a tribute to her resourcefulness, her determination - and to the love which flows between all of us.

About 10 years ago, we were told by a sorry excuse for a teacher (my daughter's name for the woman was "That Witch") at a public school meeting that included over 15 school staff and four of us (my husband, myself, our amazing Occupational Therapist Jo Teachman and our friend Dr. Gail Rodin, neuropsychologist extraordinaire) that our daughter would never learn to read or write, or tie her shoes. The absolute truth is: if someone can imagine it, they can find a way to do it. And our daughter wanted to read and write. She now acts in plays, writes in her storybooks, and reads at a fifth grade level. Her level of generosity and compassion is quite something. She has, however, never learned to tie her shoes.

As my mother (the teacher who retired after 43 years) once remarked about the way my daughter is put together: "The cloth is whole (it's cloth of gold). There are just some holes in the cloth."

In closing, I'll submit this poem for your consideration by Laura Davies Foley, a most sensitive poet and mother of three wonderful young people.

Parents of Children with special needs are blessed. Their hearts grow every day larger, softer. There is no armor, no shell hard enough but it cracks and in comes the painful sun. There is no forgetful cave of sleep for them, no loud gestures from mountaintops, no scaling trees, no surety but a growing, steady wakefulness, an attention to simple leaves and how they gently hold the morning light, holding and not breaking.

(reprinted with permission from the author from her book of poetry: (2007) Syringa. Rowe, MA: Star Meadow Press, p. 32.)

Speech Delay   Asperger's Syndrome Concerns   

Individualized Family Service Plan - Help for Families of Young Children With Developmental Delays

Individualized family service plans (IFSPs) are a tool to assist parents of children with disabilities from birth through the age of two. They are created collaboratively by multi-agency teams of professionals and the family of the child with a suspected developmental delay. IFSPs revolve around helping the family to facilitate the child's development. The guidelines for IFSPs are spelled out in Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and all states in the United States have laws and processes for providing early intervention services.

Children are usually referred to early intervention services through their doctor or through child find services available from your local school district. In some states, IFSPs are coordinated through the Department of Education and in other states, IFSPs are coordinated through the Department of Human Services. If you Google your state's name and IFSP you should be able to find the resources you need. If you have a child who exhibits developmental delays in their physical, cognitive, communicative, social and emotional and/or adaptive skills areas they may qualify for an IFSP.

IFSPs may include screenings, providing a range of therapies to the child, providing family training, providing financial assistance, providing important medical and educational information and providing emotional support to the families of children with developmental delays in one or more areas. Services are not based on financial need and service fees are usually based on a sliding fee scale and vary from state-to-state. There is a strong emphasis on providing support to families of underserved populations, which include; children of color, children living in poverty, homeless children, children living in rural communities and children who are wards of the state

IFSPs are generally revised annually and reviewed every six months or sooner if the parents put in a request for an earlier review. IFSPs are focused on the family as a whole rather than just the individual child because the environment that the child is developing in strongly correlates with their development. Services from agencies are not forced upon parents but are offered to assist the parents in helping their child to reach developmental milestones. The child find team usually includes professionals from the field of education, the medical field, the social services field, the pediatric therapy field and the counseling field.

This diverse team usually screens and assesses the child and then works with the family based on their level of need in different areas to access services their child may need. Whenever possible, therapies are provided in the natural environment of the home or community to enhance the families ability to help their child develop the skills they need and to foster independence. If the team determines that services and support are no longer needed the IFSP may be closed. Usually a few months prior to a child's 3rd birthday, children with developmental delays will be reassessed to determine their eligibility for special education services, which may begin on a child's 3rd birthday if he or she is deemed to be a child with a disability as defined in Part B of IDEA.

Speech Delay   Asperger's Syndrome Concerns