Tranquilo’s First Outing

Sharon Madere and I have been investing time into preparing 2 year olds, Tranquilo and Bailador, for riding in the trailer.  We did this over the course of a month or so in several sessions.  We first ensured that they were happy to get on and get off.  Check.  Then...

Working with a Suspicious Mare – It Takes the Time it Takes

June 9 notes. “You really should be documenting this process!” says my wise amiga, Sharon Madere. Although the progress has been slow, we are miles ahead of where we were back in February.  Of course, I should have kept a daily journal.  It would have been...

Working with a Suspicious Mare – When Food isn’t a Motivator

In February, 2018, I started working with an 11 year old mare named Corazona.  Prior to this point she had been a brood mare.  However, this year she is not pregnant.  Seeing as she is a very nice horse, athletic and sensitive, we decided, although we have a bit of a...

Starting a Young Colt with Clicker Training

In April of 2017 I purchased a yearling Andalusian colt who I named, Tranquilo.  He’s kind of my last ditch effort to have the horse of my dreams before it is too late.  At this writing he’s a coming 2 year old and I could not be more proud of this young...

Why I’m OK With Combining Positive and Negative Reinforcement

This evening I read a post on HippoLogic titled “The Difference between Positive and Negative Reinforcement” by Sandra Poppema.  It inspired me to share some of my own thoughts on this subject. After explaining (accurately) the scientific difference Sandra...

The Importance of a Balanced Mouth

I talk a lot about setting a horse up for success.  You could go back and read this article on My Secret Weapon for a reminder.  In that article I talk about seeing the little things and how they add up for the better or worse! Horses are remarkably quick studies. ...

My Book Gets a Shout-Out

Mary Hunter, over at stalecheerios.com, wrote up a really lovely review of my book on her website.  I so appreciate when people really ‘get’ the message.  Here’s a quote from Mary’s review: “Sharon Foley’s underlying philosophy is that...

In Memory of Roxi – May 10, 1998 to August 10, 2010

This week we lost our beloved Shepherd, Roxi, at age 12.  I wrote this for her. There is a hole in the Universe where you used to be. I go through my day tripping over the impressions you left in my routine. Like a photograph negative I see the outline of you. But it...

Prelude to a Scratch (Solving a Problem with Hoof Handling)

I bought Libby for my non-rider husband and she came to me as a 25 year old with some age-related issues:  arthritis, sore hocks, and lameness in her left spavin.  Yet she impressed me by making a ten hour trailer ride from northern Ohio and trusting me enough to...

Grass – The Carpet of Motivation

I wrote this article several years ago.  It had gotten lost in the shuffle of updating my website.  Unfortunately the video that had gone along with it is among the missing.  But, here is the article anyway.   –Sharon Here in New England one of the things I...