Sam Powell has expanded his Teaching by Asking training program to include the Well-Horse Program ™

While listening to our horses is crucial to their well-being, listening alone is not enough. Through my 40 plus years of working with horses of all ages, breeds, disciplines, and temperaments, the most common reason the majority of the horses are sent to me is that the owner thinks the horse needs training, more training, better training, different training. I have come to realize that the vast majority of these horses do not need training, at least not initially.

The Well Horse Program ™ is just that. I have found that no matter how much training you attempt to put on a horse, if he’s not well physically, mentally, internally, externally, and peripherally, training will be a futile effort and a waste of time. The horse’s ability to learn and knowledge retention is seriously compromised and he will never perform at his maximum capability. If a horse is hurting and the trainer resorts to more severe training methods it causes a snowball effect. The horse hurts more and becomes more difficult and sometimes dangerous to handle and many trainers just get more severe. Some of the issues we frequently encounter are poor quality farrier work, which throws the horse off balance and ill fitting tack which causes a whole host of skeletal and muscular problems.

The Well Horse Program ™ is the first of its kind and it teaches a completely holistic approach to the well being of the horse. By this I mean that we look at the whole picture of the horse which includes his environment, his tack, and his individual needs to insure that everything works to the best interest of this horse. The program is designed to educate all horsemen and women on discovering the cause of the horse’s discomfort, and to provide the skills and tools needed to alleviate the problem by eliminating the cause. This will bring the horse to the most complete state of well being that can be achieved.

My genuine passion for a better quality of life for the horses has led me to seek out only the most qualified professionals in the fields of equine dentistry, veterinary medicine, chiropractic work, massage therapy, nutrition, farrier work, and tack construction. The team will assist me in educating horse owners on how to recognize and correct existing problems and ward off potential problems and improve the well being of their horses. Having a well horse enhances your riding enjoyment and allows you to make the very most of the time you have to spend with your horse regardless if that time is spent on the trail or in the show ring. Taking the time to discover the cause of the problem is the first step and taking the time to learn how to eliminate it is the second. The Well Horse Program™ will be taught as a regular part of the Teaching by Asking ™ program. Each step within the program will offer the student the means cultivate a happier, healthier equine partner and improve the relationship between horse and rider.

There are as many different ideas for training horses as there are horses, but it all comes down to one basic thing – communication. Communication with a horse is basically the same. You can’t expect the horse to learn your language. Horses communicate with each other through body language. If you associate with horses, you will have to establish yourself at the top of this pecking order. The horse respects the dominant being. Achieving dominance simply means getting the horse to respect and trust you. You gain the horse’s respect by establishing yourself as his leader and you gain his trust by always leading him to a place of comfort and well being. You must learn to dominate without being domineering. In the Well Horse Program ™ our goal is to enhance this respect and trust, once it is established, by ensuring that the experiences our horses have with us are good ones. When we observe the whole horse and examine each element of him as a separate entity within the whole, we can determine the cause of any problem the horse may be having. It is far too easy for us to figure that if the horse is misbehaving he must need to be trained. We never look any farther or even entertain the possibility that there may be another reason for the horse’s unacceptable behavior. Take the time to observe your horse and study his movement. We are going to help horse people help their horses. We may solve problems that have plagued the horse and the owner for years. Solving the problem can and often does make a big difference in our relationship with our horse (s).

Because there are so many things that can affect a horse’s well being, we have assembled a team of well-trained, highly qualified professionals who will be working with us to develop what I feel is the most important program to be offered on behalf of the horses of today. As our understanding of the equine culture improves, so does our ability to recognize, diagnose, and eliminate the problems that cause our horses discomfort. In helping the horse toward a better state a better state of well being, we help our horsemen and women toward a better relationship with their equine partners. A happier, healthier horse makes a more willing partner, a more eager participant, and a better friend.

I hope you will join us in our Well Horse Program ™. Your horse will thank you for it.