Balanced Equine Performance Training Centre in Kilmore, Victoria | Education

Balanced Equine Performance Training Centre

Locality: Kilmore, Victoria

Phone: +61 415 309 417

Address: 80 Foley Rd 3764 Kilmore, VIC, Australia

Website: http://www.balancedequineperformance.com.au/

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• Education
• Horse trainer

25.01.2022 Sharon’s interview for people’s listening / learning pleasure! C6/C7 malformation awareness needs to get out there!!

24.01.2022 Let’s talk about the Itty Bitty Shitty Committee for a second (or those little voices in your head that you tell you what you can and can’t do). Most conversati...ons that centre around the inner critic focus on solutions that start at the level of the mind. Think positive! They perkily profess Remind yourself of your value! They fist pump into the air Which is all well and good. Except that when it’s coming at you as advice, it either feels like an impossible ask, or a load of BS (because let’s face it, when you are under attack by the committee makes it hard to think about anything other than what they are shouting in your ear). I, too, used to attempt to conquer thoughts with thoughts. But I’ve since realized well that’s the tough road. Why? Because soapbox that the committee stands is resting on nervous system dysregulation. When you are feeling out of whack- hypervigilant, anxious, frustrated or angry- and that feeling has become bigger than your body, you are operating from the smoke alarm part of your brain and not plugged into your higher wisdom and logic (which is happily supplied by the pre-frontal cortex). As a consequence, your self-talk is going to be demonstrative of where your nervous system is sitting and mirroring the sense of threat that you feel like you are under. The solution? Meeting the committee with empathy and kindness. Feeling into the edges of your skin. Resourcing yourself to come back down inside your window of presence. Onwards. Jane I also did a podcast on this that really hit the spot for some people if you want to check it out. It’s a (slightly) oldie but a goodie. You can tune your listening ears in here: https://confidentrider.online/understanding-positivity-cat/

23.01.2022 I was just waxing lyrical with another person about helping a horse gain confidence in us. The long and short of it was basically to make the right thing easy. Nothing new, right? :) I often talk at clinics about nurturing an ethic in the horse to try, and go on to talk about the film from the 90's called "Dangerous Minds". An establishment of boundaries without denying our vulnerability, then nurturing every ounce of try in her students, when normally they would have more ex...pected of them, and they'd lose interest. The teacher rewards those small, and unique/novel achievements and the students find a return on a small investment that encourages them to make bigger investments they otherwise wouldn't have. I think that film has so many parallels to bringing out the best in a horse, and especially a 'dangerous' horse. Anyway, the conversation brought out that analogy about return on small investment determining if a bigger investment is valuable/worthwhile for the horse, and I reckon it's something worth checking in on in our work with horses :)

22.01.2022 I haven’t watched this yet, but you can bet there’s many angles of observation we can add to help up better decipher the feedback our horses give us and learn to communicate even better.

21.01.2022 I mentioned recently that I don't buy into horses simply being cold backed. I feel it is either pain related, or a strong negative opinion about being mounted that they resign from of we stay on til 'the back warms up'. This guy has a past of bucking, and we've had some laminitis issues with him since he arrived last year. Ann has brought him to soundness and now back into work. She's very effectively used clicker training to help him come out of his shell.... Today was qbout his 5th session that included some form of preparation for mounting, and the first full mounting session where no clicker was used. This is at the end of about 40 minutes of half mounts, and whatever I felt the stress that provoked needed to guide big Taz back to emotional comfort. The shorter video was my end point. He looked better in the longer vid, but he hadn't moved his feet yet. When he did, you can see he came undone a bit. Thankfully the work Ann did previously gave him a neural pathway to fimd his way oit of this rather than morph into full panic (cold backed?). I will never sit astride a horse until I experience them moving their feet while I'm half on them. I think these two videos show why that os important. When Taz did move his feet, you can see he panicked a bit, but softened out of it. I have been thrown hard in the past when I skipped this step bending to the right. Patrick King Horsemanship blew my mind with his kindness, generosity and help after that and I feel obliged to thank you again for that Patrick. That meant so much to me and has been so helpful! This is a version of something I learned from Warwick Schiller's Performance Horsemanship . It's part of an amazing video library of tuition. On my personal page, I shared a meme that said roughly 'why do we long to go back in time to change something to change the present, yet seldom take the time in the present to make a small change now that will have a big positive impact on the future'. I didn't truly understand its power until today, both Amy Skinner Horsemanship and Cadence Horse Training shared posts about the wow factor, and the irony that seeing it helps give some faith in trainers' ability, yet avoiding it is probably more a sign of ability. All this session I was thinking, probably through anxiety of just getting the mounting out of the way, man I should just get on. But that is short changing the horse if I do it, because I know better. Anyway, three things I wanted to share. - The fact mounting can be turned imto a process that mitigates so called 'cold backed' bucking. - The inspiration not to be wowed or imspires by the wow factor, when it's kind of short changing the horse. - And the people I mentioned in this post. Excellent excellent trainers to follow, if you don't already :)

21.01.2022 A few days ago, a gorgeous little black riding pony mare, Annie, made her way into our family. She's rising 6 and has some classic issues we see in some of the more difficult horses to handle etc. I have decided to video every session with her, share what her behaviours are that can sometimes be labelled as naughty or bad behaviour, and talk about what things might be like from her point of view, and isolating and helping her with her challenges as individually as possible.... Windy Willowmavin lived up to its name yesterday and drowned out my voice, so I have done a vioceover on this one. This is the first time I've handled her, beside the odd pat. https://youtu.be/2zbpmsrrj0s

20.01.2022 This is the kind of thing we will be learning in the taping course in April. Still some available spots - get in touch if you’re interested in attending!!

19.01.2022 My Dad had a life long career as a plant operator in major construction, before seeing out his pre-retirement years in management of one of the biggest construction companies in Australia. One of his good mates was a project manager pretty much all the while. I remember once after this bloke did a stint at the mine I did my apprenticeship at, he went to do disaster recovery work in a country well known for rife corruption, to safely demolish high rise buildings that had been ...damaged. The next time I saw him I asked him about his experience there, and the lasting impression was the way the concrete slabs had been filled with anything from junk to empty paint drums to cut costs but still fill the required volume! I'm just going to straight out say it. Aside from a martingale being used only as a mean to stop reins being stepped on, and even that is a stretch, anything attached to the bit that isn't reins, a bridle, or a chin strap in green horses, HAS NO PLACE IN HORSE TRAINING. At best, like the buildings above, they smooth over big holes, and will only look OK until stress is increased. At worst, the evasion and resistance they cause by their very design, have a huge negative impact on a horse's body. and will cause all manner of physical soundness issues, not to mention the mental and emotional issues they either cause, or gloss over. Why throw a few empty buckets in the mix to complete the picture, when we can take the opportunity to address these holes? The benefits are huge. We're not leaving a mental/physical/emotional weak point that will fail under increased stress, and we're developing physical strength and willingness that will help the horse get much closer to it's potential as a safe mount and/or a performance mount. The truth is, it is usually pretty easy to properly fix the issues we think we're fixing with gimmicks like side reins and such. It just needs a commitment to learn a new skill, and to slow down and work at the horses pace. They are a sign of impatience.

18.01.2022 This is me this afternoon after yet another technical fail while trying to film working with Annie today. Damnit!!! We consolidated the 4 previous sessions which achieved these steps, in this order....Continue reading

17.01.2022 10 handy facts about lameness 1. A forelimb lameness is identified by looking for the head nod. The head will go up when the lame limb hits the ground and down ...when the sound limb hits the ground. It is easier to notice the 'head nod', therefore when the head nods, it is the opposite leg that is lame. 2. Check for heat and a pulse. Inflammation brings blood to the area. 3. A horse with arthritic wear and tear (common in older horses), will often get better as he goes, which is known as 'warming out of it'. The lameness will usually be less obvious after a few minutes. Additionally he will often be worse on hard ground (tarmac) in comparison to the ménage. This is due to more concussion on his joints. 4. A horse with soft tissue damage will often get worse as he goes and is often lamer on a soft surface (ménage), as the tissue such as an affected tendon or ligament is being stretched more than it would be on a hard surface with no give. 5. A horse with bilateral forelimb lameness will be harder to detect as the head nod will now be apparent when both limbs hit the ground. However he will show a shorter cranial phase (his forelimbs will not come out very far from underneath him resulting in a 'choppy' gait). 6. If you are struggling to detect lameness get the Slo-Pro app for your mobile phone and record your horse. This will slow everything down until you train your eye into detecting lameness. 7. A hind limb lameness is more difficult to detect. If you watch the horse trotting away from you, the lame leg usually has more movement at the hip. It helps to attach white sticky tape to both hip bones to make this more obvious to the eye. 8. Putting a horse on a circle (lungeing), often shows up a forelimb and hindlimb lameness more easily. 9. If the horse looks lame on one limb, but has a stronger pulse in the opposite limb, it is usually because the sound limb has taken more weight to allow pressure relief of the affected limb. 10. A horse can look completely sound without a rider, and then almost three legged once someone is on board. Therefore if your getting a feeling that something just isn't quite right, do not just jog him up on the straight or on the lunge and assume all is well. ** Shoeing/trimming intervals should be kept as short as possible. Studies have shown that as the toe grows, the foot 'shoots' forward (long toes, low heel), putting excess strain on the flexor tendons. If your horse always looks slightly 'off' just prior to shoeing, then this is a very probable cause and it may be worth shortening your shoeing cycle. As a horse owner, developing an eye for lameness is one of the greatest skills you can learn. This will not only allow you to have your horse treated more quickly, but will hopefully nip smaller issues in the bud before they escalate into far bigger ones. E. J Westwood on behalf of NVG

16.01.2022 Hi All, Not training related at all, but this may be of great interest to those of us managing land for our horses, or anyone into soil health. https://youtu.be/FZ22IV2tDvs

16.01.2022 This mare busted my fingers right in front of everyone just after I had finished saying, they will do better when they feel like they are never in trouble, so they feel safe enough to drop their defences. Aside from containing my fear/anger response under huge stress after being kicked, she taught me a hell of a lot of lessons that have heavily influenced not just more work with horses, but my empathy and compassion for the fearful, defensive ones.

16.01.2022 Reminder to everyone that we are running a taping course at El Castillo in April. Please get in contact if you are interested in attending!!! Practitioners only course.

15.01.2022 A little info about what’s going on inside your horses mouth.

14.01.2022 Horsemanship... What is it? I had a moment of clarity today when I realised it is something we can label about how we go about things, in order to be judged good at it, by other people. Context...Continue reading

13.01.2022 These memes make me feel sad for the horse. Let's change these to useful questions that will actually help the horse, and help us. - why might you be doing this?... - yeah ok I shouldn't have left that where you could eat it. - no amendment. - am I saying whoah but my actions and body language saying otherwise? - just no! Not ever! Not even about ourselves! - what are you struggling with here? Have I overfaced you? How can I get you feeling safe enough to be relaxed and mentally still, not just physically still? - aside from a genuine fright, and even then if they don't cool off quickly, why am I riding you while you're so close to the edge of what you can cope with? What can I do to help you feel safe under saddle and further beneath your limit? Also, is there a pain issue or feed issue I have missed? - if you feel you need to go that way, time to pit my money where my mouth is and display some harmony. We need to work on excersise x, let's do it where you need to be, and have an easier go of things where I want to be? (Try this for a month and tell me how much more enjoyable your horse becomes to ride! :) ) - why am I clicking? Overwhelmingly, the meme will perpetuate negative outcomes. Sure it shift the blame off of us and keep us and our ego protected. But it's ultimately bullshit. Unfair to the horse, and unhelpful to us. Says the bloke who still sometimes finding himself calling hisself or a horse stupid on a bad day.

12.01.2022 Here's a fun quick quiz from Warwick Schiller's Performance Horsemanship. I got analytical, and in the detailed reply, it reminded me of the benefits of remembering there are many roads to Rome, not to lose sight of the fun factor, and to stay open to new info. Aside from keeping it fun, the other two are things I have to keep an eye on as I self analyse, as they aren't defaults for me, but rather a part of the constant work I need to do to stay humble. Give it a try and shar...e your results if you like. The emailed reply also has a link to a weeks free access to Warwick's on-line video library. A good safe way to try before you buy :)

11.01.2022 It's funny how much I can talk with a horse in front of me, describing what I am seeing. It's sad how many things I commit myself to remember, but forget :p Today some stuck. One is self learning in a nutshell. Ask something of the horse, pay attention to how it respinds, and ask ourselves what we will do differently next time. Repeat. :)... And this one as well. I am so grateful to spend time with people and their horses. What a privilege <3

10.01.2022 The three brain centres, vulnerability, and the 6th sense (or is it the first?...)

07.01.2022 Hi All, Just wanted to let you know I won't be taking on any more horses to start. I absolutely love it, and feel privileged everytime a horse accepts me on their back, especially for the first time!... But I just can't manage it. I took January off work to catch up, and there were about 5 days, even in summer, that I enjoyed being outside. It was really depressing to be honest. My own horses, and the farm, have been neglected, and being so busy has impacted my ability to be a good attentive husband and father, and it has taken from my ability to support Ann's growing business. I love sharing what horses teach me and I will still do lessons and clinics, but after the current horses leave the farm, I won't be taking anymore in. I will revisit after I have regained a bit of vitality, but I suspect it won't be tenable until Matilda is at school. I hope to compete again and just spend time with Buddy and Banjo and our other horses. I've dedicated the last 5 years to starting and training and suddenly my boys are aged, and I don't feel right missing such a big part of their life after I spent so much time and effort giving them faith in people. This will make some people angry, some gleeful, and others will surely think it's a good thing, but after a lot of reflection and thought, I just can't do it anymore with the passion required to hold up to my self expectations of dedication and authenticity. I'll continue to share my thoughts, for sure. Thanks for everyone who has trusted me with their horses. It is truly humblimg and I will miss it, but it's time to focus closer to home for now. Much love. Tony

06.01.2022 Today's mantra - Motivate when you need to. Allow when you can.

04.01.2022 Saffy has been a great little pony. She'll be 4 in November, and Ann has began starting her under saddle. She's had a little in hand work since we got her, and has even been used by a clinic participant who wasn't able to bring their own horse, to learn ground work with. She can be quite a character with plenty of personality in her paddock, but has been a dream when being worked.... My niece and I worked to get Saffy used to being backed, and she went from confused and stiff, to soft and forward without rushing, in only a few sessions. Ann worked with her through the saddling steps, and then the mounting steps, and Saffy is soft to the rein, responsive to the leg, and wonderfully honest in her learning. I watched them in the roundyard together yesterday, and little Saffy doesn't even so much as swish her tail, even while trying really hard to work things out. We'll be selling her once she's going well under saddle, and she's shaping up to be a ripper little pony <3

04.01.2022 Here's an amazing treat available free! Essential viewing in my opinion :) It is ABSOLUTELY relieving to hear the science as to why respect from a horse is a BS notion. Phew!... https://youtu.be/Suy8XRH82wU See more

04.01.2022 I can't think of many professionals who are immune to this <3

04.01.2022 Still taking applicants

01.01.2022 Your work is too slow. It’s true. If I had to compete with a snail for who moves faster, I’m not sure who would win. And the more horses I work with, the mor...e I learn, I only go slower. I’m horrified looking back sometimes at work I did years back, and how overfaced some of the horses I rode were. We got through it, maybe through luck, but sometimes problems came back. The thing is, I spend a LOT of time fixing problems that come from rushed and sometimes flat out greedy work. It’s quicker if you don’t mess up the basics, but many horses are sent to me for remedial work- so we go slower. So yes, I am still walking, but look at the change in the horse’s confidence, in their posture, in their body condition and general quality of life! No I’m not at a show yet, but look at the change in the horse’s health! Yes I’m aware some students have left, but I have some amazing, dedicated, caring individuals who are still here - and their hard work pays off. We don’t walk forever! The thing is, going too fast is too costly and in the end, takes up way more time. I know this personally from going too fast in the past with my own horses, and in the difference of time it takes me between a young, unstarted horse and an older one with poor basics. It starts slow, but we’ll be riding laps around yours when problems come back to haunt you. So yes, I’m still walking, or no, I haven’t ridden your horse yet- and I’m gonna be here for a while, til the horse and I are ready. Because the time is worth it, and in the end, slow is much faster.

01.01.2022 An excellent opportunity to learn from an amazing trainer.