Connected Natural Horsemanship

05/15/2026

Yes!

Why are so many horse guardians giving up bits, spurs, and tight equipment—
and what are they finding instead?

If you’re not a “horse person,” here’s the quick version:
For a long time, the horse world relied on tools designed to control—metal in the mouth, pressure on sensitive ribs, gear that held everything tightly in place. It was normal. It was tradition. It was “how it’s done.”

But something is changing.
More and more people are quietly asking:
“What if there’s a kinder way?”

And when they try gentler approaches—less equipment, softer communication, more listening—here’s what they’re finding:

1. Horses become more expressive.
Without restrictive gear, horses show more personality and less tension.

They communicate… and humans finally hear them.

2. Behaviors once labeled “stubborn” disappear.
A lot of what used to be called misbehavior turns out to be discomfort.

Remove the discomfort?
The “problem” dissolves.

3. The relationship improves.
When a horse isn’t bracing against pain or pressure, they relax.
They seek connection.
They show curiosity.
They walk toward you, not away.

4. Humans become more intuitive.
Without relying on tools to make things happen, people start paying attention—
to posture…
breathing…
tiny signals…
and the emotional weather of the moment.

5. Safety increases, not decreases.
This surprises people.
But a relaxed, respected horse is far safer than a restrained, stressed one.

6. Things get… quieter.
Less force.
Less fear.
Less adrenaline.
More presence.
More conversation.
More peace.

This isn’t about saying everyone must do the same thing.
It’s not about shame, blame, or “you’re doing it wrong.”

It’s simply a cultural shift:
from managing animals through pressure
to partnering with them through understanding.

Whether you have horses, dogs, cats, or dogs who think they are horses, the movement is the same:
Less equipment.
More empathy.
Less controlling.
More listening.
Less “make you.”
More “with you.”

Animals have been waiting for us to notice this for a long time.
And now, finally, we are.

04/24/2026

I was looking through videos recently and I realized I never took one of how Francis is bridled so I asked my husband to video him being bridled after feeding tonight. I want to show this kind of cooperation, agency, and partnership really is possible. Here it is:

02/01/2026

Beautifully balanced lead changes :)

01/31/2026

Good information! I can confirm from experience this is true.

𝐂𝐚𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐛𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐞𝐭 𝐚 𝐰𝐞𝐭 𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞?

I have seen statements on this subject floating around social media and I felt it was time to step in and set the record straight!

𝐁𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐰𝐞𝐭 𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞.

For as long as I can remember, this practice has been taboo, you just shouldn’t do it. However, the University of Kentucky came out with an extension publication a few years back on why this generalization is false and I want to share that information with you along with some of my own relevant research.

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐰𝐞𝐭 𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐚𝐝?

The thought here is that by blanketing a wet horse, you trap the cold water next to their skin, which will actually make them colder. And if this actually happened, I would agree that this practice would be detrimental. However, if you have ever blanketed a wet horse with a blanket that has fill or added insulation, you know that within a matter of hours your horse will be warm and dry again.

𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐲?

Well the fill in the blanket will wick away and absorb the moisture and the body heat from the horse will help it evaporate.

𝐇𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚 𝐟𝐞𝐰 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐩𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬.

The moisture or humidity underneath the blanket could increase the risk of skin conditions or rain rot. As a result, you should change out the blanket as soon as you can to allow the blanket to adequately dry.

Also, if you use a sheet without fill, there is no insulation to absorb the moisture and this practice COULD be problematic. I found this to be true even for a dry horse. Two winters ago I performed research and placed temperature and humidity sensors underneath blankets of different weights including sheets with no fill. During the winter, I found that while the temperature under the sheet was warmer than the environment, the humidity under a rain sheet was far greater than the humidity under medium or heavy weight blankets as there wasn’t any fill to absorb the moisture. This is problematic because when high humidity occurs alongside cold temperatures, it can feel much colder, as humid air conducts heat away from the body faster than dry air. These results demonstrate the value fill can add to a blanket - not only to provide insulation but also to regulate humidity. Based on these factors, I would not recommend blanketing a cold, wet horse with a rain sheet.

𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧

Blanketing a dry horse is the gold standard. And if you are able to dry off your horse before you blanket, please do so. However, we know this isn’t always feasible, especially for those who don’t live with their horses or have to deal with unpredictable weather. And in those scenarios, blanketing a horse with a blanket that has fill is a much better option than letting a cold, wet horse shiver.

Cheers!
Dr. DeBoer