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scienceforsoundness

Steffi /Holistic Horsemanship

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Equine Scientist (MSc) & Therapist (ESMT) supporting your horse-human connection

www.scienceforsoundness.com

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I love that I become more and more aware of the fact that coregulation and regulation are such a natural part of our interaction. 🥹🤍 #scienceforsoundness #horseowner #horseownership #mindfulnesspractice #coregulation #equinewelfare #animalwelfare #regulation #holistichorsemanship #journeyofgrowth #paddockparadise #criticalthinking #younghorse #workingwithhorses #theoryofsafety #prohorse #mindfulnesswithhorses #horsetraining #growth #keepgrowing #polyvagaltheory #holistichorse #holistichorsetraining #holistichorsehealth #holistichorsemanagement #horsehumanconnection #horsehumanbond #voiceforanimals #voiceforthevoiceless created by Steffi /Holistic Horsemanship with Steffi /Holistic Horsemanship's original sound
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I love that I become more and more aware of the fact that coregulation and regulation are such a natural part of our interaction. 🥹🤍

#scienceforsoundness #horseowner #horseownership #mindfulnesspractice #coregulation #equinewelfare #animalwelfare #regulation #holistichorsemanship #journeyofgrowth #paddockparadise #criticalthinking #younghorse #workingwithhorses #theoryofsafety #prohorse #mindfulnesswithhorses #horsetraining #growth #keepgrowing #polyvagaltheory #holistichorse #holistichorsetraining #holistichorsehealth #holistichorsemanagement #horsehumanconnection #horsehumanbond #voiceforanimals #voiceforthevoiceless
I love these kind of interactions with my horses. 🥹

Normally it’s only in hindsight that I think “of course, this is what happened here, I should have filmed it”, but in this case, I interrupted our treasured time together to film it for you.

We’re all constantly in a state of coregulation with each other, but on that particular day my herd, especially Rubio, were very clear in what I needed to do.

Safe to say: After these beautiful moments together I DID feel lighter, more relaxed, calm. 😌

#scienceforsoundness #equinescience #equinescientist #horseherd #horsebehaviour #equinebehaviour #equitation #mindfulnesswithhorses #herdlife #herdbehavior #growthjourney #holdingspace #observations #healthyhorse #coregulation #selfregulation #selfregulationskills #polyvagaltheory #horsehumanconnection #equinestudies #selfcompassion #compassionforanimals #journeyofgrowth #autonomy #personaldevelopment #animalwelfare #horsewelfare #healthandwelfare #equinewelfare #mindfulnesspractice
Nobody on the outside can judge your progress or process when looking in! Only you know where you are on your journey and what hurdles you have overcome so far! ♥️

Seemingly little things to an outsider may be the biggest achievements to you! Nobody can know them as well as you (and your horse)!

Let this be your reminder that you have come far. You are exactly where you are meant to be. This is exactly the right time for it.

What’s your big thing that might seem small to anyone else?

I’ll go first: Sun having an actual afternoon nap lying on the ground with eyes closed with a new herd member in close proximity is SUCH a big thing since Bee’s death. I so appreciate seeing this 🥹 might seem ridiculous to you, but I know what it means for us. Especially for Sun!

I’d love for you to tell me your little big thing in the comments! ♥️

#scienceforsoundness #equinescience #horsehumanconnection #equinescientist #horseherd #horsebehaviour #equinebehaviour #equitation #mindfulnesswithhorses #herdlife #herdbehavior #growthjourney #holdingspace #observations #healthyhorse #coregulation #horsehumanconnection #equinestudies #selfcompassion #compassionforanimals #journeyofgrowth #autonomy #personaldevelopment #animalwelfare #horsewelfare #healthandwelfare #equinewelfare #mindfulnesspractice #polyvagal #polyvagaltherapy #theoryofsafety
I just want to remind you that there’s a difference between a life without you and a life lived well even when you’re not around. Us humans love to project the desire to be needed onto our horses. We light up when they show signs of “happy to see me”. But what if we remove ourselves as a stimuli from their environment? Is their life worth living FOR THEM? 🌿

It’s tough finding or even creating that kind of environment, but you totally got this! The benefits for the horses waaaaaayyyy outweigh the impracticalities for us humans 🥹
And if you’d like help along the way, you can book a 1:1 coaching session with me from everywhere on this planet to find an individual solution for you and your horse — let’s get chatting via DM straight away 🫶🏻

#scienceforsoundness #equinescience #equinescientist #horseherd #horsebehaviour #equinebehaviour #equitation #paddock #paddockparadise #paddocktrail #herdlife #herdbehavior #geldings #stallions #pre #purarazaespañola #cruzados #equinestudies #playfighting #younghorse #younghorses #equinewelfare #horsewelfare #animalwelfare #animalrights
Disrespectful Horses — At least so I was told. 🥲

If we would all learn to listen to the small behavioural signals that they continuously send us, we could avoid the more serious problems, trauma, accidents, pain, distress..

I’ll be forever the student of my horses and grateful that they feel safe enough with me to show the small signals. That way I also get to learn and fine-tune my work with and around them. 🥹♥️

Side note: horses don’t have the developed prefrontal cortex to to understand complex human concepts like respect.

When I say respectful of each other I mean more of an awareness of each others presence and taking this into account without overruling it. 🫶🏻

#scienceforsoundness #equinescience #equinescientist #horseherd #horsebehaviour #equinebehaviour #equitation #horsetraining #paddockparadise #paddocktrail #herdlife #herdbehavior #dominancetheory #dominance #naughtyhorse #horsetrainer #healthyhorse #bucking #horsehumanconnection #equinestudies #paddockparadisetracksystem #younghorse #horseproblems #horsepaddock #horsemanagement #equinemanagement #keepinghorseshealthy #mixedherd #autonomy #dominancetheorydebunked
Captivity vs. Wild

We’re trying to compare something that we cannot. I think a lot of people try their very best to mimic a somewhat free and autonomous lifestyle by offering their horses free choice of movement outside of training regimes.

It all starts by becoming aware that we set them up for success or failure with the choices we make. Let’s make those choices based upon the horse’s needs instead of our own human desires. Can’t go wrong that way ♥️

#scienceforsoundness #equinescience #equinescientist #horseherd #horsebehaviour #equinebehaviour #equitation #paddock #paddockparadise #paddocktrail #herdlife #tracksystem #herdbehavior #geldings #stallions #mares #pre #purarazaespañola #cruzados #equinestudies #tennesseewalkinghorse #younghorse #younghorses #holistichorse #horsehealth #equinehealth #equinehealthandwelfare #equinewelfare #horsewelfare #animalwelfare
One year ago today..

.. I sat down to take a break.
.. I allowed my mind to rest.
.. I embraced some time and space with this beautiful soul.

We still miss Bee dearly. Grief comes in odd waves, and just now, my phone started one of those waves by showing me memories from one year ago.

It’s been almost 3 months without you Bee. 1/4 of a whole year that will be spent without you. You’d have loved going for a swim soon. 🥹🤍

I still feel that moment as if it was today.

Hug your loved ones. Try to not get wound up about the little things too much. Those little things might be exactly what you’ll miss one day. 🫶🏻

#scienceforsoundness #exmoor #exmoorpony #exmoorponies #nativepony #horsehumanconnection #horsehumanbond #griefjourney #bee #holistichorse #equinescience #equinescientist #horseherd #horsebehaviour #equinebehaviour #equitation #paddock #paddockparadise #paddocktrail #herdlife #herdbehavior #equinestudies #animalwelfare #equinewelfare #horsewelfare
Provide the resources. Keep the peace within your herd. 🤍

I’ve recently changed a lot in my horses feeding regimes.

I was probably pouring into already overflowing cups. And it took a little experience, like seeing them forage in the forest, in order to realise this. If you provide your horse with an environment that is rich in offerings, they will be able to find what they seek and need.

I’m happy to keep you posted on the progress as soon as I can draw some conclusions.

Side note: Please always be aware, that your horse needs to learn how to regulate first, before you can fully trust them in an environment rich with different plants, shrubs, herbs,… 🌿

If your horse is likely to just gobble everything up, you might want to slowly re-introduce them to a more natural environment, before allowing them free access. 🌿🪵

Safe to say: there’s enough input and resources available to not cause food aggression within the herd, as they remain to have access to hay 24/7.

#scienceforsoundness #equinescience #equinescientist #horseherd #horsebehaviour #equinebehaviour #equitation #paddock #paddockparadise #paddocktrail #herdlife #herdbehavior #dominancetheory #dominance #naughtyhorse #tennesseewalkinghorse #tennesseewalker #purarazaespañola #cruzados #equinestudies #paddockparadisetracksystem #younghorse #younghorses #horsepaddock #horsemanagement #equinemanagement #keepinghorseshealthy #mixedherd #autonomy #dominancetheorydebunked
Linear vs. Dynamic Herd Hierarchy

I keep hearing that there’s only one alpha and we can see a top down leadership style. When in actual truth I can’t. No matter how many horses we’ve had within our herd, the one thing I was never able to see was linearity.

There are so many roles, so many individual bonds, so many different constellations even with just these current four horses. I’ve seen interesting situations and very bold moves, but they always served the purpose of keeping the herd together and keeping everyone safe and well. That’s not done by fighting each other, but by finding a common ground.

Isn’t that what we’re all striving for? 😌

#scienceforsoundness #equinescience #equinescientist #horseherd #horsebehaviour #equinebehaviour #herdwisdom #equitation #paddock #paddockparadise #paddocktrail #herdlife #herdbehavior #dominancetheory #herd #tennesseewalkinghorse #hierarchy #purarazaespañola #cruzados #equinestudies #paddockparadisetracksystem #younghorse #younghorses #horsepaddock #horsemanagement #equinemanagement #keepinghorseshealthy #mixedherd #herdrelationships #dominancetheorydebunked
I love it when I’m told that I’m the alpha leader of this herd 😅😵‍💫

#scienceforsoundness #equinescience #equinescientist #horseherd #horsebehaviour #equinebehaviour #equitation #paddock #paddockparadise #paddocktrail #herdlife #herdbehavior #dominancetheory #dominance #naughtyhorse #tennesseewalkinghorse #tennesseewalker #purarazaespañola #cruzados #equinestudies #paddockparadisetracksystem #younghorse #younghorses #horsepaddock #horsemanagement #equinemanagement #keepinghorseshealthy #mixedherd #autonomy #dominancetheorydebunked
Sometimes it’s all a little too much.

I’d lie if I told you that I never struggle. The thing that pains me the most is the fact that I see a lot of problems when looking at my horses. And those problems sometimes paralyse me so that I don’t DO things with them that bring us joy.

Every interaction becomes a form of therapy or rehabilitation. And that’s not always a healthy relationship!

I used to hang out with my horses so often. I used to sit with them and drink my morning coffee. Listen to them munch their hay or watch them snooze in the sunlight. My phone on dnd. I used to have fun riding because it IS fun, not because we needed to achieve anything on our therapy/rehab journey.

I’m not saying I want to ignore all the things we need to work on. 🚧
But I want to invite joy back into the game. 🌞

For this next year around the sun I wish to gift myself more lightness and ease with my horses again. Less clouded thoughts. More being in the moment. More doing things that feel good rather than overthinking them. More laughter and joy. I think .. they can feel it, too. 🤍

#scienceforsoundness #equinescience #equinescientist #equinemassage #horseowner #horsemassagetherapy #horserehabilitation #inspirationdaily #thrivenotsurvive #paddockparadise #horsetherapy #equinemyofascialrelease #horsemassage #holistichorsemanship #holistichorse #holistictherapy #horseherd #horsehumanconnection #selfawareness #growing #healyourself #connection #relationshipgoals #compassion #selfhelp #awakening #awareness #personaldevelopment #innerpeace #motivationalquotes
It’s in the details. But what details should we look for?! 🤯

I keep saying every horse is unique and they each have a unique way of expressing. Of course there are some general things you can go by, but whilst Sun is quite the introvert, Rubio is extrovert. Ravi is super sensitive and Cosi’s response is slowly starting to shine through quite boldly now that he’s come out of his shell.

You got this ♥️

#scienceforsoundness #horseowner #horseownership #mindfulnesspractice #herdlife #equinewelfare #animalwelfare #horseherd #holistichorsemanship #journeyofgrowth #paddockparadise #paddocktrail #horsepaddock #workingwithhorses #horsemanship #prohorse #youdoyou #mindfulnesswithhorses #horsetraining #horsepsychology #keepgrowing #horsebehaviour #holistichorse #holistichorsetraining #holistichorsehealth #holistichorsemanagement #horsehumanconnection #horsehumanbond #voiceforanimals #voiceforthevoiceless
Community Day! 🤍

We’re all on this journey somewhere. I keep saying this, but what does it actually mean?

Through my reels you have a glimpse into my life with my horse herd. You can see bits and pieces of my journey. I’m hoping to inspire you to trust in yourself and your horse more, by sharing that I am a normal person doing normal horsey things with a little extra background on one thing or the other through the path I chose. But this doesn’t mean that I am better in any way. Maybe my journey just took a different turn to yours somewhere. Maybe we all could even open up to the idea that we can ALL learn from each other. We all have so many different things we bring to the table. 😌

I share my thoughts with you on a daily basis, so today I would like to flip it around in the comments. 🙌🏻

I would love to hear about you and your horses. WHO are YOU? WHAT moves you? WHERE on this journey of horse human connection and personal growth are you currently at? What struggles do you face? What moves you? What lights you and your horse up?

I can’t wait to read those ✨🤍

P.S.: if you don’t feel comfy in the comments, you can also share with me via DM 🫶🏻

#scienceforsoundness #equinescience #equinescientist #horseowner #horseowners #equinemassage #horsemassagetherapy #hoofcare #horserehabilitation #horserehab #equinephysio #horsephysio #equinetherapy #horsetherapy #equinemyofascialrelease #esmt #horsemassage #lamenessrehabilitation #lameness #horselameness #cremello #holistichorsemanship #holistichorse #holistictherapy #equinetherapist #growthjourney #horsehumanconnection #trainyoureye #horsewalk
Help — my horse is eating soil!
🚨 alarm bells ringing 🚨

Okay okay. It’s a little less dramatic than that! But when horse owners see this, their first reaction may be to break out in a panic, they worry about colic and they worry about how the hell that soil will travel back out of the horse. 🤯

But I would like to throw in a different perspective:
The perspective of the horse. Trust them! Don’t micromanage everything. Allow them to explore. 😌

In this case it’s quite nice to see how Cosi is actively seeking out what his body needs. He’s not eating huge amounts — he is micro dosing.

This doesn’t mean let your horse dig their way to the other side of the world, but this was a super insight for his owner @svea_duvernay to buy him some nettle (as they aren’t growing yet) and offer him additional nettle with his food. Since then he stopped digging, because he’s being supplied with it as and when.

As for the soil — very simplified, soil can also be a great way to bind toxins within the digestive tract and transport them out of the system. We sometimes feed zeolith for this reason. So it’s not all bad.

It’s always worth checking up on those things before breaking into a sweat and then also check in with your horse. Obviously, if they don’t stop eating soil on their own you might want to interfere. But I would like to always call upon your common sense in order to judge this in your individual situation. And if you’re in doubt — speak to your equine nutritionist! 🫶🏻

All I’m saying is that your horse can learn how to (additionally) supplement themselves with bits and pieces here and there if they are given the chance and aren’t deprived of anything in their environment! 🌱🌿

#scienceforsoundness #equinenutrition #equinescience #equinescientist #equinestudies #trustthehorse #horsenutrition #horseherd #horsepower #autonomoushorse #paddockparadise #paddocktrail #paddocklife #equinelife #horselife #selfhelp #selfhealers #trustinyourhorse #horsefeed #horsefeeding #herbology #horsedigestion #equinedigestion #turnout #livery #horselive #horselivery #horseyard #horsey
Herd Life = Hard Life?!

There seems to be a lot of misconception around herd life for horses. I hear worry and doubt if horses can even learn this. If they get accepted in the herd. If they will enjoy all herd activities.. But I also hear your stories about horses that don’t fit into their environment. And I get it. I really do. It can be SO dang overwhelming!

But I hope I can take your stress away a little by sharing with you that horses are allowed to take time to arrive within a herd. Just because we want something for them it doesn’t mean they agree from day one. As long as the herd fits for your horse’s personality, there should be no way why your horse can’t fit in.

There are a few things, however, that I would like to emphasise: horses need forage, space, shelter and friends.

If you have too little of any of these, there may be a struggle for resources and this more than often leads to tension within a herd.

Herd life does not have to be a hard life. Quite the opposite actually. If there is safety and there are enough resources, your horse can be their true self! Now isn’t that amazing?! 🤍

If you have any questions on this, feel free to send me a DM!

#scienceforsoundness #equinescience #equinescientist #horseherd #horsehealth #horsey #horseyard #stablemanagement #holistichorse #horsepower #workingwiththehorse #horse #horserelationship #equinetherapy #equinetherapist
We have this image in our heads that horses need to be worked hard, when in fact less can be so much more.

I’m not saying horses shouldn’t have a good condition. I’m also not saying that working on said condition is a bad thing. I’m all for fitness! But I often feel that equestrians have this image in their minds of horses that need to be ridden in a circle for at least 60 minutes at a time, they have to at least be super sweaty, if not exhausted. Because horses are designed to move.

Yes.
And no.

Because here’s where I would throw in that our horses often learn dysfunctional patterns from repetitive movements that we practice with them over and over again. Often beyond the point of physical or mental exhaustion. Not even to speak of the emotional aspect.

Throw in a somewhat dysfunctional hoof balance and you’re in for a treat. The body will find a way to compensate for a while. Probably a long while. Until it can no longer sustain the extra strain and fatigue will run its course.

So here we have a super mare, successfully undergoing a full rehabilitation thanks to her owner listening to her and making everything possible 🤍
This mare is showing you how even standing square and balancing herself, plus her rider, is work. And she’s still practicing after her injury.

How do you think her body would respond to hard work and tiring repetition at this stage in her healing process?

#scienceforsoundness #equinescience #equinescientist #equinemassage #horsemassagetherapy #hoofcare #horserehabilitation #horserehab #equinephysio #horsephysio #equinetherapy #horsetherapy #equinemyofascialrelease #esmt #horsemassage #lamenessrehabilitation #lameness #horselameness #appaloosa #holistichorsemanship #holistichorse #holistictherapy #equinetherapist #horsehumanconnection #trainyoureye

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