Equine, Equestrian & Nature Consulting, Coaching & Education

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New Book Release A Horse By Nature A Horse by Nature provides hundreds of tips to help you better understand the natural social behaviors of horses living both with and without humans. You will gain an insider’s view of wild horse culture based on the authors years of research, and learn how to apply the … Read more

A Horse By Nature

Mary Ann Simonds A HORSE BY NATURE The first complete reference to help equestrians make the changes needed to ensure social license and the ability to ride and compete horses for years to come. ORDER NOW! GET A SNEAK PEEK! Renowned wild horse ecologist and equine behaviorist Mary Ann Simonds provides a practical soup-to-nuts manual … Read more

Between The Ears

Year of the Horse in Review – Horse Think vs. People ThinkDecember 01, 2014 By Mary Ann Simonds Category: Equine Behavior, Horse Communication, horse psychology, Horse Temperaments, Horse Thinking, people and horses The Year of the Horse has sped by so quickly I am sure we live in a “time warp”. How can it possibly … Read more

Equine Behavior

Horse Human Communication

This section is continually being updated with resources and information. So please check back as I am adding references.

Programs & Products

PROGRAMS / PRODUCTS This section will continue to have featured programs and products as they develop.  It will also feature other people’s programs or products if I feel it would be helpful. We are all in this together so if you have a program or product you think I would be interested in knowing about, … Read more

A Horse by Nature

A Horse by Nature A Horse by Nature provides hundreds of tips to help you better understand the natural social behaviors of horses living both with and without humans. You will gain an insider’s view of wild horse culture based on the authors years of research, and learn how to apply the essential knowledge horses … Read more

Blog

MY BLOG QUICK LINKS RECENT POST Sport Horse Welfare – Economics and Ethics Between The Ears Equine Behavior Nosebands – To Use or Not to Use Smell You Later! The Noseband Controversy Buns of STEEL Boredom in the Barn? Mindfulness With Horses Vibration Therapy: Making Sense of Subtle and Physical Energies RESOURCES Alleviate Stress Aromatherapy … Read more

Education/Resources

EDUCATION & RESOURCES This section is divided into videos, audio recordings, articles, blogs, network resources, and products/programs. Within these areas, you can search by topic of interest. Most of what is presented are my work, but when appropriate I share the information I feel would be of value from others. For example, you will find … Read more

Nosebands – To Use or Not to Use

Horse’s Nosebands  Originally published in Holistic Horse Magazine by  Mary Ann C. Simonds, B.S. M.A.    For most horses, using restrictive devices on their faces is insulting and really not necessary for effective communication. Searching for control, obedience, and connection? These are words used to describe the ultimate goal of training for many equestrians. But … Read more

Services

SERVICES How Can I Help You? Whether you are a professional or individual, interested in horse-human relationships, human-nature interactions, leadership development, or expanding awareness and consciousness, please explore the services below and/or the Education/Resources section for more information. Using various educational modalities, I offer a variety of learning opportunities that can be customized to your … Read more

Smell You Later!

Mary Ann Simonds THE IMPORTANCE OF SMELL IN HORSES Horses have a sophisticated sense of smell, far beyond that of humans. Horses use smell like we use speech, gaining information from their environment, their friends, their sexual partners, and to identify food and water. Smell may be the most important sense to a horse, as … Read more

The Noseband Controversy

Communication, Control, and Comfort by Mary Ann Simonds hh Horse in a tight noseband Three Horses, One Message The black mare refused to go into the arena, backing up and shaking her head, as her rider encouraged her to go forward. Spurring the mare more intently, the mare eventually reared up. When I went over and … Read more

Buns of STEEL

Exercises for Correcting Sacral & Hind End Weakness in your horse. by  Mary Ann C. Simonds The large muscles of the hind end are critical for most performance sports, but many horses havedifficulty developing these muscles correctly. Even without exercise, themuscles of the hind end should all be in similar shape and tone, but this … Read more

Boredom in the Barn?

Busy Horses are Happy Horses by Mary Ann Simonds Managing the mental and emotional welfare of confined horses Originally published in Holistic Horse Magazine Horses are “free-ranging social herbivores.” So, from a horse’s perspective, the idea of staying in 12-foot-by-12-foot stalls is unnatural. However, the “social” part of the horse  often overrides the “free-roaming” part, particularly if they are able to stay with their friends all day in a … Read more