Exercises for emotional balance for the horse

Absorption capacity

Trauma therapy for horses – A gentle exercise specially developed by Johanna Thanheiser for deep relaxation of horses, which is based on somatic therapies. Ideal for releasing accumulated stress caused by traumatic experiences, e.g. after accidents or difficult experiences with people.

Only a calm mind can listen and grow. Horses are mammals and also flight animals. As mammals and even more so as flight animals, they are just as predestined as we are to build up stress. The nervous system is like a barrel of water, when it is full, one drop is enough and it overflows – then the horse explodes because of something small. Frightened, hectic horses have a low capacity to process stress because their barrel is already full to the brim. It is therefore important that the stress stimuli absorbed by the nervous system are also released again so that the biochemical energy provided by the body for flight (or, in the case of horses, attack in an emergency) can be broken down again. If this does not happen and the horse is disturbed in its relaxation reaction (or has been disturbed in the past, for example through impatience, harsh punishment or traumatic experiences), more and more stress accumulates in the nervous system. The result is excessive startle, aggression, resignation, dissociation (lack of body awareness) and other behavioral abnormalities. In any case, the receptivity required for learning is then not given, as the horse acts out of a survival mode. Here it is important to work together to find the triggers and use the exercise to relieve excessive tension. In addition, the correct interpretation of the horse’s behavior and body language is essential, as is the transfer of knowledge on how to avoid stress accumulation in the future.

Trust

Dialogic communication.

Making horses strong and self-confident. We let the horse have a say in these relationship-building exercises and enter into compassionate interaction with it. As a result, the horse feels honestly perceived and begins to trust you deeply. The whole thing is done with minimal aids and we pay attention to the smallest facial expressions. We don’t want to dull the horse to things, so I don’t do any wild “desensitization” with objects and frightened horse eyes that eventually freeze in resignation. Instead, I work with you to train a horse that has learned how to process its fears and regulate itself again – initially in conjunction with a human who is also regulated and later, at best, on its own.

Security

Gently set clear boundaries.

Feeling confident is the basis of every communication and every relationship. With my guidance, you will learn to communicate gently yet clearly and to refine your own body language and imagination. Without plucking the halter, without shaking the rope, without opening the horse’s eyes, but with minimal aids, clearly communicated for the horse and also positively reinforced and therefore crowned with long-term success. Building trust between you and your horse is the top priority, because a trusting horse is also much safer for humans. It is also sometimes important to be able to set clear boundaries and learn to recognize dangerous situations early on and to be able to interpret his behaviour.

Motivation

Logically structured step by step.

Whether you want more motivation with your young horse or your older horse, I will be happy to accompany you on this rewarding journey. We proceed in logically structured steps that the horse can understand and we also reinforce positively with the ideal timing. As a result, you will train a horse that not only works, but also understands you and thinks for you in a motivated way.