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GIFT CERTIFICATES AVAILABLE!
Purchase by clicking on PayPal link below.
Make a horse lovers dreams come true!
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Sherry is a member of
*NE Horse Council
*USEF (US Equestrian
Federation)
*EAGALA (Equine Assisted
Growth & Learning Assoc.
*Parelli 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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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:
March 26; April 9&23; May 7&21; June 18; July 2&30; 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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Dear Horse lovers,
I have noticed that a lot of people beat themselves up about the ability or lack thereof they have with horses. Then others think they are a lot better than they actually are. But all we can do is the best we can, because we only know so much and there is still so much to learn. None of us have reached perfection.
As I look back over my horsemanship journey I realize there are some things I thought were the best at the time, but later I came to see that maybe they weren't nearly as good as I thought they were. If I beat myself up about those mistakes I won't continue to progress. All I can do is be the best I can be right now, keep learning and trying and it will come. Sometimes I wish I could go back and apologize to some of the horses I have handled. Since that is impossible most of the time, all I can do forgive myself because I know I was doing the best I could at the time with the knowledge and experience I had.
When I peek back I realize how much I have learned and how far my skill level has progressed in the last 10 years. It was very evident to me this past weekend at a clinic when I worked with a horse on some despooking issues. This same horse five years ago may have taken me 4 days or even 4 weeks to get to the point where I got with him in less than an hour. I can't wait for the next five years to see how much deeper my understanding will be and how much better my feel timing, and ability to read horses might be.
One of the most difficult things I have had to learn is that it is not my place to tell folks how to work with their horses unless they ask. There are a lot of things I see which I might not agree with. Even if I feel the horse isn't getting a fair deal, I try to learn something to improve my own communication by watching each situation.
Many times when things go bad the horse is just confused or afraid, even if the person may see him as stubborn or uncooperative. Sometimes I cringe while observing such a scene. But I still don't judge the person, because they must be doing what they are doing for some reason, even if I don't agree or understand it. They are probably doing the best they can at this time with the knowledge and experience they have.
Just because I don't like the way a person handles a horse or the fact that we have philosophical differences doesn't give me the right to tell them how I think they should do things, unless they ask. However, I will admit it breaks my heart because I know the horse could offer so much more if he was given half a chance.
However, if I see someone doing something that will hurt the horse or I see a person in real danger, I will intervene, even if it means I might not win a popularity contest. We can't impose our philosophy or techniques on anyone unless they are curious, but we can help prevent unecessary injuries to either the horse or the human.
There is more than one right way to get things done. In fact there are hundreds of different ways to get things done with a horse, and all of them may work, but maybe only 10 or so of them are the best deal for the horse. I am seeking those 10 effective ways that are a good deal for the horse. Not everything suits every horse. That is why reading the horse, feel and timing are essential to an artisan of horsemanship.
All we can do is offer our horse the best we know and the best we are today. Then learn more so we can offer him even more and better deals. If we get so stuck in our ways we will miss the opportunity for new knowledge and understanding and therefore our best won't really be the best we could offer our horses. Keep an open mind, be ready to experiement, use some common sense. Give the horse a chance to teach you.
If you have a willing heart to listen and help people will notice. Then they'll start to ask questions. When this happens the door is open to share your personal knowledge and experience. Just be the best you can be and then realize you can still be better.
Happy Trails,
Sherry Jarvis
"Horsemen share knowledge. Showmen hide it in a corner and go home." -- AQHA Judge Dale Livingston
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Congratulations Winners of our drawings: at the NE Horse Expo
As many of you know I gave lots of prizes away at my demonstrations, including a 3 hour private lesson with a trail ride and 10% off a 2-day clinic.
If any of you got a business card at one of my demos with the free lesson it is your responsibility to call me and set up a date, because I don't know
who received them.
If any of you got a business card with 10% off a two day clinic, I just need you to send the card in with your registration and deposit in order to get the discount. Again for the most part, I don't know who received these.
Here is the results of the drawing on Sun.
Kent Feed Coupons for a 50 lb. bag of Dynasty ProM
Gina Farley
Theresa Moseley
Jennifer Andersen
Soni Hydo
Calendar
Laura Allen
Halters:
Vicki Hartmann
Kay Brown
3-Hour Lesson
Kim Johnson
10% off Clinic
Maddie Brown
$200 off Cowgirl Cowboy Cattle Drive Camp
Lonnie Owen
I ended up just giving the Foot Fall Art prints away at my last demo by throwing them into the crowd. So I'm not sure who got these either.
I also gave away T-shirts, Burwell back scrathers, and Bridle hooks at my demos. Congratulations to all who won!
I had a great time at the Expo and it was nice to meet many of you for the first time. I hope to see you again sometime this year!
Sherry
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Because I know the importance of furthering ones education as a horsewoman I am going to attend several clinics this year to continue the development of my own savvy. The better I get and the more I know the more people I will be able to teach, inspire and encourage and thus the more horses' lives I will touch.
Here are the clinics that Sherry will be attending?
AAHS Riding Instructor Certification
May 13-17 at Carol Joy Holling Camp, Ashland, NE
AAHS is the American Association of Horsemanship Safety. They conduct group and individual safety certification clinics for riding instructors, camp personnel and others interested in horsemanship safety. The clinics are 40 hours long and usually taught over a four-day or five-day period. They are taught by a AAHS Clinician from a standardized curriculum. Emphasis is upon legal liabilities, horsemanship skills, safety and emergency procedures, and assuring safety of riders quickly by teaching a balanced seat to beginners through use of the Secure Seat(sm) method.
I feel that by attending this clinic and getting certification my credentials will be even more credible, plus it will be an asset towards liability issues.
Advancing Horsemanship Clinic - Richard Winters
June 10-11 Grass Creek, WY
(Keith is going with me we'll be leaving on the 9th and not returning until the 12th)
This advancing clinic will revolve around the body control and maneuvers necessary for upper levels of performance. Through Richard's "4 Part Harmony" exercises, you will establish communication and suppleness of your horses head and neck, shoulders, rib cage and hind quarters. You'll gain greater understanding of stops, spins, lead changes, collection and refinement. This clinic will prepare you to perform at a higher level, regardless of your particular riding discipline.
I've known Richard Winters for over 25 years. He represents the principles of natural horsemanship for both the horse and the human as well as anyone I know.
—Pat Parelli, Founder of Natural Horse*man*ship
I chose this clinic for three reasons, it is an advancing clinic, he is highly recommended by Pat Parelli, and Keith and I are excited to take a vacation together back to WY near where we used to live and do a clinic at the same time.
Richard competed last year at Paso Robles CA in the arena along side Craig Cameron and Ken McNabb who dazzled the audience with an "Extreme Equine Experience." Each contestant drew for their own 3 year old un-started colt. They then introduced; ground work, saddling, riding, trotting, and loping to their colts. This contest culminated with negotiating an obstacle course during the end of the second day's 90 minute session.
It was a close contest and each contestant did an outstanding job, using his own tried and true techniques. When the dust setteled and the scores were tabulated, the five judge panel voted Richard Winters the 2007 Champion!
Pilates for the Dressage Rider Clinic -Janice Dulak
Sponsored by NE Dressage Asso. Date & place to be determined.
Learn How to:
Half halt with your body
Create forward with your seat
Open your hip angle
Sit the trot and canter with harmony
…and more!
Janice Dulak offers her popular clinic, Pilates for the Dressage Rider, based on her best selling equestrian Pilates book. The clinic will begin with Janice’s lecture followed by group mat work to find the musculature of Pilates that is used in dressage. Following lunch: private lessons with a certified instructor for more targeted work. The clinic is limited to 20 participants.
Since I am very interested in keeping in shape for riding, this clinic sounds perfect for me.
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If you are interested in a camp or clinic this summer, please check the schedule of events on the website often as the dates are flexible.
Once I have people signed up then the date is set.
April 5-6 2-day clinic near Grand Island, NE
April 9 Mini clinic and Free Trail Ride at Sherry's in Burwell
April 10-13 Lincoln and Elkhorn, NE
Thur & Fri. April 10-11
Private lessons with one individual at her place near Lincoln
Fri. April 11 Elkhorn Equestrian Center (EEC) (private lessons in the evening)
Sat. April 12 (EEC)
9:00-4:00 Ground Skills Workshop/ Sponsored by NE Dressage Asso. You will not bring a horse to this event it is demonstration lecture only.
$35 for non-members $25 for NE Dressage Asso. members
Lunch will be served, please let us know you are coming, we need a head count.
7:00-? Free DVD Watching for Study Group (Valley, NE)
Also private lessons at EEC available in the evening
Sun. April 13 (EEC)
9:00-4:00 Young Horse Handling Class (Auditors $35/person)
Also private lessons at EEC available in the evening
April 18 Private lesson at Sherry's Burwell (Terri F.)
April 19 1-day clinic Sargent, NE (Ground Skills)Only room for two more horses.
April 20FREE Study Groups in Lincoln & Broken Bow (DVD watching)
April 23 Mini Clinic and Free Trail Ride at Sherry's, Burwell
April 25-27 Hastings and Holstein NE
Fri. April 25 at Cottonwood Creek Stables near Holstein
Private lessons all day and Free demo at 7:00
Sat. April 26 at Hastings Fairgrounds (4-H Club Workshop)
Sun. April 27 1-day clinic at Cottonwood Creek Stables near Holstein
April 30 Private Lesson at Sherry's Burwell (Becky P.)
Some of our Camps are already full for this summer so be sure to sign up now so you don't miss an opportunity to have a life changing experience with your horse.
May 13-17 I am attending AAHS Certification in Ashland
I will be in the area for private lessons on the 18th.
Then I will teach a Workshop on the 19th for the Wranglers at Carol Joy Holling Camp in Ashland.
Sept. 20-21 I am going to the PNH tour stop in Kansas City
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Question:
My horse has rolled under saddle before. He has rolled once with someone in the saddle, and twice after someone has just gotten off. There has never been anyone around to show me what to do when he does this. I know it's wrong. But, in the instances when I'm leading him, I would prefer he not roll. I'd like for him to know the difference. Is that feasible?
Answer:
It is feasible for your horse to know when it is appropriate to roll and when it is not. The first and most important thing to establish is clear defined roles of leadership and partnership. Without a clear definition of roles between the horse and human the horse will test who the leader is by taking over the position whenever they feel like it. A person who does not set firm respectful boundaries will inadvertently reward undesirable behaviors and confuse a horse about whether behaviors are appropriate or not. Through consistent application of several simple ground exercises a person can establish confident leadership in a safe, non-threatening way. Reading the horse and being able to respond appropriately with clear communication will cause the horse to understand when things like rolling are acceptable and when they are not.
Sometimes it is ok to let your horse roll. Like after you have taken the saddle off and he has some itches to scratch. Use common sense. If your $2000 saddle is on his back it isn't a good time. There are times when it is appropriate for you to ask him to wait and there are times we can allow rolling. It depends on the circumstances and the reason the horse is choosing to roll.
Another time it is appropriate to let your horse roll is right after you take him out of his stall before you ride. A horse often needs a bit of a run and a roll after being cooped up for a long time. This simple preparation exercise often sets your ride up for even more success because the horse feels better.
I remember one winter in WY when our horses had been on ice for what seemed like months. We went to ride in a nice sandy indoor arena. The minute our horses felt the sand they dropped and rolled. We were anticipating it, so we hadn’t saddle yet. We wanted to give them an opportunity to just be a horse and feel good before we put them to work. There is nothing wrong with allowing your horse to just be a horse. It will help develop the relationship. But once saddled we expected them to be respectful of the saddle.
Another reason a horse may roll is avoidance of a task or to get rid of his annoying rider. This kind of rolling is inappropriate and should be corrected. I have seen horses lay down to roll in order to throw a fit like a 2 year old. Most people with any observation skills can tell the difference between an honest “I got a scratch roll and giving you the middle hoof roll”.
I've only had two horses give me the middle hoof roll. One did it to me several times before I figured out what I was doing. This horse was going very catatonic (withdrawing into himself) because I was putting way to much intense pressure on him with no relief. He didn’t understand my communication. I was yelling at him instead of finding a way he could understand my requests. Once I changed my approach so he understood me and gave him relief of pressure the moment he showed signs of understanding he stopped flopping down on the ground and rolling in frustration.
The other horse was a mare at a clinic using rolling as an avoidance and defiant behavior because she didn’t want to cooperate. She was used to being in charge and wasn’t going to give up her position with ease. I ignored her antics and went right back to doing what I was like it never happened. Because she didn’t get a rise out of me, she gave it up. Through ground exercises we were able to establish a leadership position with her. She gave up her tactics of rolling in order to get her own way because it didn’t work for her any more.
We can prevent rolling whether we are on the ground or riding by picking up the head then giving a simple forward cue the moment the horse acts like it is in their thoughts. The better your forward cue is and the sooner you catch them the better it will work. A person has to be paying attention in order to prevent rolling. If you are in la la land then you will have to do more. Less sooner is always better than more later.
Happy Trails,
Sherry Jarvis
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Coming Soon!
Video Evaluations and
Sherry's Book "Win Your Horse's Heart"
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VIDEO EVALUATIONS:
I have been supporting my students through many avenues to ensure their continued success as savvy horseman. I care about your progress so I have worked hard at remaining very accessible to those who desire to become excellent in a natural way with their horses.
One of the ways I have done this is through phone calls and videos. I have had some students who call me on a regular basis and also send videos from time to time for me to evaluate.
After the Expo I am going to offer this as a service for those dedicated students who can't always make it to my regular lessons at various locations.
There will be a charge for this service and a one year committment will be required. More details will follow after the Expo.
"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.
Call for more information: (308-730 2150)
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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!
The next one is a DVD watching March 15 at Shelley Troys house near Valley, NE at 7:00; Call 402-359-5844
More dates are availabe in 2008 go to the schedule page.
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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Click to join heartinyourhand
