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Sherry is certified by:
* AAHS (American Asso. of Horsemanship Safety)
* EAGALA (Equine Asisted Growth and Learning Asso.)
* NEA Nebraska Education Assoc.
She is a member of
*NHC Nebraska Horse Council
*USEF (US Equestrian
Federation)
* AQHA American Quarter Horse Asso.
* PNHSC Parelli Natural Horsemanship Savvy Club
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"Sandhills Horse Sense"
is devoted to promoting
relationships and
choices that lead to
a positive future.
Sherry is now an
EAGALA Certified
Horse Professional
working in conjunction
with Melissa Dearmont &
Mid-West Country Clinic
L.E.A.D.
"Leadership through
Equine Assited
Development"
will help you with
building relationships,
problem solving,
attitudes & behaviors,
conflict & stress,
responsibilities,
positive choices,
and much more.
Individual sessions by appointment!
Classes & Retreats adapted to families or groups are
also offered .
Call 1-866-757-3853
1-402-684-2908
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Items in this months newsletter:
Either scroll down the page or use the Quick Links below.
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MINI CLINIC with FREE TRAIL RIDE
available at Sherry's House starting again this spring on 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month.
Also upon special request any open weekend or day Sherry is home.
Tenative Dates:
July 2,3,4, or 5th, & 30th; August 27; Sept. 10&24; Oct. 8&22; Nov. 5&19;
Make plans to ride in the sandhills this year
Individual instruction in the morning then a Free Trail Ride in the afternoon (Very easy trails)
Only accepting 4-6 riders. It only takes two to make a day of it, so Call a friend now and join in the FUN!
Call Sherry at 308-730-2150 for more details.
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Sherry & Cisco
Having a great time!
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October NEWSLETTER Feature Article "Everything Counts, Even the Little Things"
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Dear Horse lovers,
"Everything Counts Even the Little Things!"
"Notes from Leslie Desmond Clinic in Fort Collins CO"
Leslie is a woman of detail. It was obvious she always had a plan, was thinking about her options and adjusting to fit the situation. Everything mattered to her and most important she could read a horse better than anyone I have ever seen. Her super insight into what the horse needed gave her the uncanney ability to be in the right spot with the correct guidance for the horse and therefore the horse offered her a willing and soft response.
As I travel around the country it seems most people just want to get on and ride their horse. They want riding lessons more than anything else. Most of us don't pay enough attention to the little stuff like how we hold our horse. The very first thing Leslie addressed was the importance of how to set up a horse to be with you. She said, "A horse needs to learn how to be with you." This begins with the basics of how and where we stand as we hold a horse. She suggested we always stay at the shoulder behind the elbow, because this position is better for the horse. As we do this we should blend with the horse and let them be. Our belly button should always be behind the elbow to love and give affection to our horse. Don't love on the nose of a horse, it is RUDE! Even when we are hanging out with a horse we are training them.
Many people stand to far forward where they have to keep bumping the head of the horse to keep him still. In this spot they are in the horses blind spot. By not standing in the blind spot the horse will be able to keep his feet still because he can see anything he needs to look at by moving his head not his feet. When we stand in his blind spot the horse always has to adjust his feet in order to see something of concern to him. Blocking a horses view teaches them to move you because they are trying to see. So it is better to stay out of the way. This is all part of learning how not to set our horses up to fail, instead set them up to succeed.
Leslie pointed out there are many ways to be with a horse and some work better than others. However it doesn't matter what way you choose because horses can and do figure out what we want because of who they are not because of who we are or how skilled we are. She said, "Horses are PEOPLE EXPERTS!" This is why they have survived in our world for so long. Horses know what we know and more important they know what we don't know. We should never forget what a horse needs us to know.
Leslie pointed out that everyone who holds a lead rope is a trainer. Even the person who mucks your stall or feeds your horse, your vet, farrier, or anyone else who handles your horse are all trainers of your horse. If we miss the small stuff it will turn into big stuff. If your presence makes a horse upset you must make the neccessary changes in you which will make a difference for the horse. Don't expect the horse to change first. A horse will come to your level of competence. Your presence should bring out the best in a horse.
We heard over and over the importance of ground work in order to have a successful riding horse. Some of the quotes from my notes are:
Every ride reflects the ground work you have or don't have.
Efficiency of your ground work determines whether you can get shoulders and lightness into a turn or not when riding.
Refinement on riding needs to be built in on the ground first.
You can't get a better riding horse than what you have on the ground.
Don't ride a horse who doesn't respect you on the ground.
There are two other aspects I will mention in this newsletter which were a repetitive theme throughout the clinic : ATTENTION and INTENTION!
It seems fairly obvious you have to have the attention of a horse before you ask them to do something. But if you really start watching, it will amaze you how many times people ask a horse for something when his attention is else where. You don't have to bear down on a horse to get their attention. Be more subtle, use their curiosity. If you have the horses attention and you can think it and visualize it they will do it willingly and instantly.
Your intent has to be clear to you or the results won't be clear to the horse. When the horse stops being the focus they will blend in with you. If you focus with great intention on where you are going the horse will have more confidence to come along with you.
I took 10 pages of notes at this clinic so this is just the very beginning. You can expect more notes from what I learned in the next newsletter. I must go now, because tomorrow is the beginning of the Alumni Women's Confident Leadership Camp. The first year the theme for this very special group of women was "Hearts finding wings so dreams can fly". Last year the theme was "The Journey Continues". This year we will be asking ourselves "Are we there yet?" So until next time remember to make your intent clear and get your horses attention before asking him to do something, because everything counts even the little things.
Happy Trails,
Sherry Jarvis
"Horsemen share knowledge. Showmen hide it in a corner and go home." -- AQHA Judge Dale Livingston
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Question:
My horse just doesn’t stop very well. She sorta stops sometimes, but most of the time she won’t stop well. What can I do to help my horse stop better?
Answer:
I like the way you asked the question. It tells me a lot about your attitude towards horsemanship. I think you are the kind of person who is trying to see this stopping business from the horse’s point of view. Many people would have asked the question in a much different way. If a person asks me “How can I make my horse stop?” It tells me they might be thinking the horse is doing something wrong rather than thinking the rider needs to change the way they present a request to the horse in order to help the horse feel like stopping.
The stop in a horse starts way before you are riding at a gallop and pulling back on the reins to make your horse stop. The stop starts before you ever mount your horse. The stop starts by teaching your horse to stand still when you halter the horse, brush and saddle him, trim his feet, or mount, etc. A stop is nothing more than a request for the feet to stay still. If your horse won’t stand still any other time very well, then stopping him while riding will be difficult no matter what aides or cues you use to request a stop. So I would start with the basics of teaching my horse to stand still in many situations at any time I ask, and that does not mean through physical restraint like cross ties or hobbles. Although it will also benefit your stop to teach your horse to stand still in hobbles or while being tied. You see everything is related to everything else, and everything matters even the little things. So every hole you have in your training will affect another part of your training.
Since you didn’t really explain to me what kind of stop you wanted to build in your horse, I have to make some assumptions. I’m not sure whether you want to learn a one-rein stop for emergencies or a sliding stop? Some people are satisfied with a dribble to a stop as long as the horse eventually stops for them. It depends on your goals and what you like doing with your horse, what kind of stop you want to build in your horse. However there is no doubt about it, the better your stop is no matter what discipline or activity you choose to do with your horse you will be safer if your horse stops well. I believe everyone who rides a horse should know how to do a one-rein emergency stop so well they could do it in their sleep. It may save your life some day. But if you haven’t trained for it, it won’t work!
A real stop is when the butt drops and the hind feet dig in right now at the slightest hint of asking for it, then the horse stays put happily, until asked to move off. I like to train so my horse enjoys giving me the stop because it is comfortable for him to do it. He also has to be content to follow my lead when stopping and standing still, which means I have to stop in my mind and body then stand still for him to be able to follow my lead. If I keep squeezing my legs and keep my energy up while pulling on the reins in order to try to stop the horse I am giving him mixed signals and it won’t be comfortable for him to want to stop. I have to present a feel in my whole body that signals a stop, before I ever do anything with the reins. Then I have to stand still in my mind and body in order for the horse to follow my lead.
A good stop is built from getting a good back up first, whether you are on the ground or riding the horse. So I ask you the question “How light and responsive is your horse to backing up?” If it feels like pulling a freight train which is off its tracks and the front feet are leaving trenches in the ground, then you have to fix the back up before the stop will improve. The idea is to go from forward to backing and then stop.
The next question which is important to ask and seems so obvious is “Do you have the horse’s attention?” Without the horse’s attention, you’ve got no horse to stop or back up.
Clear communication is possible only when you have the horse’s attention. See if you can get the horse to willingly move his thoughts along the direction you ask. Horses are heavy, but thoughts weigh nothing. So if you can direct a thought it requires only the slightest effort on the person’s part. When a person learns to direct the horse’s thoughts, there is no battle, no hauling back on the reins for a stop. If you and your horse can share the idea of “stopping together” then you don’t need to put any real pressure on the reins. You should be able to get a stop from adjusting your seat, but that takes a good independent seat. Which leads us to the next question in order to answer your question?
How is your independent seat when riding? Without a good seat, it will be very difficult if not impossible to present a properly timed feel and release with your seat and hands so the horse understands he is to stop and stand well. I have noticed a person with a poor seat cannot have quiet soft hands which are able to present clear communication. A rider with a good seat can have good hands if they pay attention to it, and therefore can avoid getting too heavy in the horse’s mouth in order to build a good stop.
If your horse stands still in all kinds of situations without physical restraint whether you are on the ground or riding, if you have and can keep your horse’s attention, if your horse is thinking of stopping, if your horse backs light and responsive, if you have as good independent seat and know how to stop in your body, if your hands can present a firm feel without pulling, if you can present a perfectly timed release you will have the ingredients for a good stop. There are other ingredients which will be necessary to build a long sliding stop like Reiners do, but these are the basics which will set most recreational riders up for success at building a better stop.
If you would like individual instruction on the ingredients discussed above for building a better stop, Sherry instructs riders on all of these foundational skills at every clinic she teaches. Go to our schedule page for a clinic, camp, and private lesson schedule, or host your own clinic and ride for FREE.
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FALL SCHEDULE
If you are interested in a clinic or private lesson this fall,
please check the schedule of events on the website often as the dates are flexible.
Call Sherry at 308-346-5663 to set up a special personal time for you
Several people have come to Sherry's house this fall for a few days to learn in a private setting with her.
There is a small house nearby to rent on a daily basis at a great price.
Oct. 3-6 Women's Alumni Horsemanship Camp at Calamus Outfitters (FULL)
Oct. 10-12 Clinic in Kansas City by Sherry, contact Kriss 816-678-7958
Oct. 17-20 Clinic and private lessons in Omaha at Fairview Stables and Lincoln at BKT Stables
Fri. Oct. 17th Private lesson in Omaha area
Sat. Oct. 18th Clinic at Fairview Stables Gretna
Sun. Oct. 19th Clinic at BKT Arena Lincoln
Mon. Oct. 20the Private lessons, Lincoln area
Oct. 24-26 Clinic at Niobrara, NE Contact Janet 402-358-5576
It's not too late to sign up for fall events!!!!!
Go to our web registration page to sign up or e-mail sherry at her new address
sherry@heartinyourhand.com
Ride for FREE
Anyone who hosts a 2 day clinic and gets 7 other people signed up will get to participate in the clinic for free plus get a coupon for $100 off a camp for next year at the Calamus Outfitters.
**You will also be required to make arena arrangements etc.
The camp and clinic schedule for 2009 will be out in the Nov. newsletter.
So start planning now for a horse vacation which will give you a new perspective and confidence about your horsemanship which will take you to even more success and fun with your horse.
Horsemanship is a lifetime endeavor. The more we learn and experience the more artistic we can become in our expression of movement with the horse and the happier and more willing the horse will be.
Horse ownership is for fun, recreation and personal growth. Making the right investment to help insure less frustration and more safety will put the joy back into the experience. That is an invaluable gift.
Spending hard earned dollars on riding lesson, a clinic or camp may sound like a self indulgent luxury. But, without coaching on a regular basis, the best professional athletes admit their performances begin to deteriorate. At an amateur level, your investment in riding lessons will create personal joy and yield measurable progress in your goal to become the best rider and horseman you can be. Isn't that what you expect?
Internships
Erica spent her second internship with me the last month. Erica lived and breathed with me for a month. She had private lessons with me every day, attended all my clinics and camps as part of her internship. We also started two colts this year, and both of us were pleasantly surprised and happy at how quickly both of them came along. I am looking forward to having her back again next year. We are going to start another colt for one of my other clients.
If anyone is interested in this opportunity, call Sherry for more information at 308-346-5663.
Our internships are not a paid position, it is more like private lessons and there is a small daily room and board fee.
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THE MISSION: To help people Live and Achieve their DREAMS across the miles.
Here is another idea to help fight rising fuel costs. THE SUCCESS JOURNEY is a personalized instruction and training program which can reach across the miles by using your phone, video camera, computer, and the old fashion paper and pencil.
For a while now I have been doing phone consultations and even some video evaluations using You Tube to give people advice and ideas of how to solve their horse problems and advance to the next level. More recently I have also been doing some business consulting work for people diving into the horse business giving them confidence and tools to move forward or for people needing new ideas and direction for an existing business.
Whether you need advice, assistance, more confidence, new ideas, and tools, to go to the next level I will help you achieve your dreams by giving you one/one assistance and a customized curriculum that is designed specifically for you.
Did you know that all the best athletes, horsemen, teachers and trainers all have coaches and mentors? Pat Parelli often credits his teachers for helping him achieve his successes with horses. No one ever made it alone. We all need somone who inspires us, encourages us, acknowledges our triumphs and holds us accountable. I am no different. I have had many mentors to guide and direct me through business, my personal life and horsemanship. With hard work and determination I am now applying with success the principles I have learned from these mentors.
I now want to offer the same opportunity to some of the most dedicated students in a way that won't break your bank. With rising gas prices causing travel to be more difficult for some, this new idea for continual learning seems to make sense. Instead of waiting and hoping you are on the right track in achieving your horsemanship dreams and goals, I want to be there and guide you each step of the way, thus the birth of THE SUCCESS JOURNEY opportunity.
How does THE SUCCESS JOURNEY work?
Each month as a SUCCESS JOURNEY student you will receive:
Personal Phone Calls: (For either horsemanship or business) This is where we get to outline and assess how everything is going, celebrate successes, provide motivation, build confidence, avert common pitfalls and define new goals. You will need a pencil and paper to take notes and write down your assignments for the week.
Horsemanship Video Coaching: In the videos we ask for 15 minutes of recorded footage where you are with your horse now. We will review the video footage together in our phone calls. I want to see what you are playing with to help you excel and improve. Video coaching has proven to be a very powerful tool and an exceptional way to mark progress and success.
What's in it for you?
My goal is to hold nothing back allowing the truth within you to be revealed which will empower you for a SUCCESSFUL JOURNEY. I will share all of my knowledge and experience, inspire and empower you. You will enjoy the benefits of a safer relationship with your horse a reguvenated confidence and motivation to reach new heights. You will face new challenges with more excitement and fun. Past frustrations will begin to fade being replaced by more celebrations!!! More than anything, you live your dreams!
Given each and every person has different needs there are 3 opportunities to choose from.
HORSEMANSHIP SUCCESS JOURNEY OPPORTUNITIES
GOLDEN SUCCESS JOURNEY
* Once a week scheduled 45 minute one/one phone calls
* Three 15 minute video coaching session each month
* Unlimited email questions
* Retainer; which is a quick response program for our top priority students giving you access to call or email us anytime with the ability to trouble shoot questions or problems.
* 25% off all 2-day clinics and the camps at Calamus Outfitters
* 15% off all 1-day clinics
* Free Internship (Only pay for room and board, plus help with chores)
SILVER SUCCESS JOURNEY
* Two scheduled 45 minutes one/one phone calls/month
* Two 15 minute video coaching session each month
* 15% off all 2-day clinics and the camps at Calamus Outfitters
* 10% off all 1-day clinics
* Internship (Pay for room and board, help with chores and $50/day)
BRONZE SUCCESS JOURNEY
* One scheduled 45 minute one/one phone call/month
* One 15 minute video coaching session each month.
* 10% off all 2-day clinics and the camps at Calamus Outfitters
* Intership (Pay for room and board, help with chores and $75/day)
***With these programs a one year commitment is required, as this will give us enough time to analyze your skills and then take you to the next level. The HORSEMANSHIP SUCCESS JOURNEY service is limited to a small number of dedicated students.
BUSINESS & PERSONAL LIFE SUCCESS JOURNEY OPPORTUNITIES
THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED SUCCESS JOURNEY
* Weekly scheduled 45 minute one/one phone calls
* Retainer; which is a quick response program for our top priority students giving you access to call or email us anytime with the ability to trouble shoot questions or problems.
* Planning Packet: A Guide to Succes
* A two month commitment is required
THE HIGH ROAD SUCCESS JOURNEY
* Bi-weekly scheduled 45 minute one/one phone calls
* Two e-mail question per week
* A four month commitment is required
STILL GET THERE SUCCESS JOURNEY
* Once a month scheduled 45 minute one/one phone calls
* One e-mail questions per week
* A six month commitment is required
***The reason I have not put out the pricing for these services is they are not like any other program. This is a unique individualized program. I will guide you through the process and make sure you get the right program for your needs. Please phone us to get more detailed information. 308-346-5663
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Who will I be coached by?
I will be coached by Sherry herself?
How do the phone calls work? Who calls who? When will you call?
Sherry will call you at a scheduled date and time.
What do I need for my phone call?
You will need a pen and paper to take notes.
What if I miss my phone call?
Sherry will try three times to get hold of you, if we are unable to connect, then she will try again at the next scheduled time.
How do the videos work? How can I send videos?
Video tapes can be sent in a few forms.
Most preferably by email, as this is the fastest, most efficient and cost effective.
If this is not an option, post is fine, send DVD or VHS.
Putting these clips up on a web hosting site like You Tube is also a good option.
What do you want to see in the video’s?
The idea of these video’s is so I can view what you are playing with or having trouble with, in the next phone coaching session we would watch this together, outlining what is going well and what could be done differently.
Sometimes I may ask for specific topics that arise from our conversations.
Is there a time frame within the month that I need to send the video in?
Yes, I need to have the video clip at least one week before the call so I can look at it, to make sure it works etc.
I am a Golden Success Journey Student can I send one 30 minute video rather than two 15 minute videos?
Yes you can.
Horses? Do I have to have just one horse or can I do this program with multiple horses?
Lots of people have lots of horses. I prefer you pick one horse to go through this success journey with.
Of course the more you learn you will be able to transfer to many different horses. If questions arise about your other horses, we want to address them with any extra time we may have in our phone calls.
What if my horse goes lame or has a problem?
You can of course change horses if there are any issues.
What if I want to upgrade during my year to Silver or Golden Success Journey?
You are welcome to upgrade at any time. Please notify Sherry to make the arrangements.
Call now to sign up for your SUCCESS JOURNEY!
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"WIN YOUR HORSE'S HEART" Sherry's book will be out sometime this year.
There are only two kinds of people, those who love horses and those who don't. This book is definitely for those who do love horses, whether you own one or not. Sherry's passion and love for horses has driven her to write a book which presents a way of being with horses which will enable us to win any horse's heart. When a horse gives us his whole heart he will jump higher, run faster, stop quicker, slide further, spin better, and be safer. Dreams are sure to come true to those who follow the common sense principles presented in this book with real life stories to support the practices.
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In addition to the many camps, clinics and lessons we continue to offer, we have formed some study groups for those interested in getting together to support, inspire, and encourage one another on their horsemanship journey.
There are several women in the Omaha, Lincoln, Broken Bow and Grand Island areas who have already started meeting on a regular basis in order to advance even quicker and stay motivated toward excellence with horses.
We would like to see other groups popping up in other areas. If you are interested in starting or joining a study group call Sherry 308-730-2150.
For now the locations change because sometimes we meet at a person's house to watch DVDs,and other times we will meet at an arena to ride.The study groups are free unless there is an arena charge.
So Please call before coming!
STUDY GROUP GUIDELINES
These study groups are not exclusive, meaning we want to encourage people to come who may not be familiar with "natural horsemanship". We don't want this to be a club where only the "chosen few enlightened ones" can join, however we also don't want this to turn into a place where people bring problem horses expecting free lessons and a quick fix. If you have a problem horse please seek the support of a professional trainer like Sherry.
These groups are meant for students to express and show what they have learned with each other. It is a day of sharing creative ideas and free expression.
In order to encourage people who have never taken a lesson from Sherry to attend we respectfully ask that the first time you attend you do so as an observer only. This way you will have a more objective view of what it is all about by not having to attend to a horse. You will get a better sense of the expression and techniques of natural horsemanship.
Of course if the study group is watching DVDs that day instead of playing with their horses, then anyone is encouraged to attend whether they have taken a lesson from Sherry or not. It doesn't even matter whether you have a horse yet, maybe you are just thinking about getting one, then by all means come and learn.
Please always call before coming 308-730-2150
We now have over 70 members on our Heart in Your Hand Yahoo Chat Group.
This group is dedicated to natural horsemanship students lead by Sherry & Keith Jarvis whose aim is to help both the horse and rider to become even more successful by presenting a balanced foundation from which you can build a confident, trusting, respectful relationship,without sacrificing the spirit of either the horse or the human. This is a place to share natural horsemanship philosophies and how horses change our lives including those little victories/defeats that don’t mean anything to the "normal" crowd, to have a place to celebrate/vent leadership issues, blinding flashes of the obvious, or brainstorm creative ideas! We will be able to organize natural play days, tournaments, and post information and announcements of natural horsemanship happenings.
This group is by invitation only. You are officially invited by receiving this newsletter. If you would like to join Heart in Your Hand Horsemanship's Yahoo group please e-mail Leigh the moderator at freeman@diodecom.net
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Physcial Health
Skin Care, Diet and Exercise
Sherry has been told over and over that she looks and acts much younger than she is. Those who have taken lessons with her have experienced her energy and passion.
Her secrets are eat well, exercise regularly, get plenty of sleep, don't drink or smoke, use sunscreen, wear a hat and take really good care of your skin with a dermatology tested and proven skin care system.
If you would like to find out more about the special skin care and dietary aide products that Sherry uses to stay looking young and full of energy call her at 308-730-2150 or 308-346-5663.
Sherry knows that a good horsemanship program will affect every area of your life. Staying in shape is part of it. Call Sherry to visit more about how she stays in shape for her horses. Or maybe, how her horses keep her in shape.
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Mental and Emotional Health
Sherry has been through some stressful and challenging times in her life like the rest of you.
She has bounced back through many life changes by keeping a positive outlook on life even though depression tried to take over at times. It seemed that her horses always kept her on track and so it was only natural that she wanted to share their healing powers with others.
Check out
"Sandhills Horse Sense" a program devoted to promoting relationships and
choices that lead to a positive future.
Sherry is now an EAGALA Certified Horse Professional working in conjunction
with Melissa Dearmont & Mid-West Country Clinic.
L.E.A.D. "Leadership through Equine Assited Development" will help you with building relationships, problem solving, attitudes & behaviors, conflict & stress, responsibilities, positive choices, and much more.
Right now sessions are by appointment!
Classes & Retreats are offered upon request!
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