Spring 2008 News

Most days it seems like Spring here in Aiken, such a great time to enjoy a hack through the blooming dogwoods and such!  It has been wonderful to finally get some time riding my own horses for a change.  Dezi and I are working with Del Wideman to get collection naturally and I have to admit it is very fun to be on the learning side of teaching!  My young horses continue to amaze me at how quickly they learn new things.   

The book is coming along, yes...I am about one-third of the way through an educational and inspirational book for the thinking horseman!  I think you will love it and find it a wonderful addition to your collection.

 In case you haven't heard, the wonderful man of my life Andrew proposed.  So it is official, we will be splitting our time between NY and SC.  I will be in Aiken, SC from January thru June, then NY from June-October, then back in Aiken for November-December.   Check out the Workshops page to see the what, when and where details!

The Partnership Challenge was a wonderful event and thanks to all the volunteers from STAR Therapeutic Riding who helped make the event a success.  Thanks to Cathy and Tommy Coward of Hopeland Farms for the use of the cross country course.  We will host another one hopefully in the fall in Aiken, SC. 

 Look forward to seeing you at an event real soon!

Happy Horsin'!  -Julie

Help your Horse:  Push, Don't Pull 

Just the other day, one of my students was sharing how glad she was to be back on a regular work schedule with her horse thanks to the longer daylight hours.  "I am feeling a bit overwhelmed at getting back into my horsemanship and I was wondering what would be the one thing that you would suggest to help improve my relationship with my horse?"  I thought about this a while and tried to think of something simple she could do that would be easy to remember but would have the greatest impact. 

 I finally said, "Take all the pulling out of working with your horse.  

Try to find ways to push on your horse instead."  

This seems like such a simple thing, but it is a bit harder than you might think and often requires some creativity on the human's part.  This applies both on the ground and in the saddle and will make a huge difference in how your horse responds.  So, instead of pulling your horse's head up to get him to stop grazing you could simply get his feet moving by driving him forward.  Instead of pulling him onto the trailer, take the time to teach him to self load.  Simply by making sure there is slack in the lead rope when you lead, you will help your horse be happier and less resistant.   I checked with this student earlier tonight to see how things were going and she was thrilled to report that almost instantly her horse seemed to be more eager when she went to get him in the pasture and was less fussy overall.  She was amazed!  So give it a try, stop pulling and start pushing.  Offer your release quickly, and be creative and clear with your communication.
Happy trails and look forward to seeing you at a workshop soon!  Best Wishes,       Julie

                       Helpful Horsemanship...What is it?

It is simply a name for a way to be with horses naturally, both on the ground and in the saddle.  It is lessons, workshops, help with horses, and many other learning opportunities.  Based on the idea that horses are prey animals and humans are predators, Helpful Horsemanship offers a common language between the two.  Skills are taught starting on the ground, then followed with complimentary skills in the saddle.  Ideas are presented to enable the human to see things from the horse's perspective. People are empowered to create the relationship that they have always wanted with their horse.

Who created Helpful Horsemanship?

After constantly being asked, "what is it that you do with horses?", Julie Robins named her techniques of working with people and horses "Helpful Horsemanship".  Evolving from her work of starting young horses under saddle and  helping people with "problem" horses, Helpful Horsemanship has been Julie's tool for sharing what she has learned from the horse.  Along the way, Julie has been fortunate to work with a variety of clinicians including Pat Parelli, John Harms, Tom Dorrance, Ray Hunt, Buck Brannaman, Dave Seay and Del Wideman.  Her goal is to help horses and humans develop a common language so trust and respect can develop and a harmonious relationship can occur.

Why not call it "Natural Horsemanship"?

With the rise in popularity of Pat Parelli and his "Parelli Natural Horsemanship", many people associate "natural horsemanship" with Parelli's program.  Though Pat's work was an early influence on Julie's journey of horsemanship, Helpful Horsemanship is not associated with Pat Parelli's program (Julie studied through level two).  If you are studying the levels of Parelli's program and are looking for like-minded people, feel free to email.  With all the different "natural" horsepeople out there, many of the principles are the same, though some application of techniques may be different.  Helpful Horsemanship works with the individual to offer horsemanship skills as tools to be used in everyday life with horses. 

Who is Julie Robins?

She is a NARHA Advanced Instructor with a lifelong passion for horses. A graduate of University of Florida (BA-1990, MA-1992), Julie retired from her Architecture and Urban Planning career for a full time life with horses, teaching therapeutic riding to children and adults with disabilities and studying the art of dressage.  In 1993, after acquiring a dangerous and aggressive horse named Ozzie, Julie's journey with horses took a turn down the path of natural horsemanship, out of dire necessity not to be injured or killed.  Today, Julie and Ozzie are wonderful partners, and Julie is committed to teaching people about understanding horse behavior.  Clinicians she worked with along the way include Tom Dorrance, Ray Hunt, Buck Brannaman, Pat Parelli, John Harms, Dave Seay, and Del Wideman.