"Be the Bridge, Not The Block"
"Bridging the gap between the natural herd dynamic and the domesticated world."
Step through the Doorway of Equine Psychology
When people ask me to describe my work in Horse Psychology, I often say that I am a translator of the equine mind. As an Equine Psychologist, my focus is on understanding and interpreting the psychological and sensory dynamics of horses, delving deep into how they perceive and respond to their environment. We all know what horses are; my work is about uncovering the unique elements that define who a horse is. It’s a journey of discovery, revealing the emotional and psychological nuances that shape their behavior and performance, bridging the gap between human intention and equine emotion.
What You’ll Discover: At the core of my approach is the belief that every horse has a unique psychological profile—a combination of Sensory Soundness, Stress Tolerance Thresholds, Individual and Group Herd Dynamics, Performance Capacity, and Emotional Intelligence Levels. These pillars shape a horse’s experience of their world and understanding them is key to fostering a deeper connection and a more effective partnership between horse and human. Through ongoing research and innovative methodologies, including the pioneering concept of Sensory Soundness, I aim to enhance the bond between ourselves and our horses. Sensory Soundness connects the physical world with the emotional horse, acting as the operating system that runs the machine. It measures a horse’s capacity to harmonize with their environment, mitigate emotional stress, and achieve the all-important harmony and contentment through the efficiency of their sensory sequence. For the herd-wired horse, harmony with their environment and contentment with their peers is the true definition of happiness. Understanding herd dynamics and the impacts of herd psychology in the domesticated environment is critical to comprehending how horses emotionally absorb, process, and express stress. This insight is central to my work in Equine Psychology, as I strive to help horses achieve a better state of emotional well-being. By analyzing a horse’s sensory profile—encompassing visual, auditory, and tactile sensitivities—we gain invaluable insights into who the horse is, not just what they are. This holistic perspective acknowledges the interconnectedness of a horse’s sensory experiences with their overall emotional well-being and performance all within the framework of natural herd dynamics. Your Journey with Us: As you explore this website, you’ll discover a wealth of resources—from in-depth equestrian lessons and lectures to tailored services—all crafted to deepen your understanding and support of your equine partners. Whether I’m leading a clinic, presenting a lecture, or pioneering new research, my mission is to equip you with the knowledge and tools needed to better understand and enrich your relationship with your horse, and to appreciate the internal beauty inherent in all horses. Through the lens of herd psychology, I explore how horses interpret their surroundings, adapt to situational chaos, and manage stress relative to their physical movements and the emotional environments around them—concepts that form the backbone of my educational offerings. This unique approach blends the art of horsemanship with the science of nature, offering you a journey of discovery that will deepen your understanding of the horse and unlock the hidden talent within each of you. Join me on this journey through the equine mind. Explore our services, dive into our educational opportunities, and discover the profound connection that can be achieved when we truly take our view, from the hoof. "When we discover how our horses are communicating with their environment, we can learn how to properly communicate with them. To better understand the world of the horse, we must explore the horse's view of their world." —KMT
Our Internationally Acclaimed
#1 Service
Through our Psychological Profile Evaluation, gain unparalleled insights into who your horse truly is.
“Our Boutique Services, Education Modules, and Special Events are all designed and curated for a refined and deeply insightful approach to equine psychology.” ~kmt
New!
Beyond the Hoof - Destination Hope Podcast
NEW!
The Mind of the Horse
Video Analysis and Coaching
Real Case Studies
Explore the mind of the horse through real-life case studies in this unique educational series. With detailed video and written analyses, you'll learn about equine psychology, behavior, and training techniques. Gain insights into sensory soundness
About: Few things are more fascinating than unraveling the mysteries within the mind of the horse. Laced through the intricacies of the herd-wired psychology are both strength and vulnerability. It is within this binding fabric of herd dynamics where the idiosyncrasies of sensory soundness are revealed. All the horse was, is, and can become is defined by the operating system, running the machine. Welcome to an educational journey like no other, where you’ll gain hands-on learning through real-life case studies. In this series, I will guide you through both the strengths and vulnerabilities of various horses, from the common and familiar to the uncommon and perplexing. Each case will provide detailed video analysis and training insights, offering you a comprehensive view of equine psychology and behavior. These are real cases with real stories, raw and unscripted encompassing a range of needs, disciplines and horses. From elite-level athletes seeking their full potential to learning relationship skills that help the horses we love realize harmony within their environment, and contentment with their peers. Each moment will unfold in an impromptu environment, combing video footage, verbal instruction and written analysis to offer the student a unique opportunity for learning and discovery. You’ll share in the journey as I evaluate, coach, and work to create psychologically enriching, interactive processes between horse and rider. With every new case that comes across my desk my first step forward is speaking with the person or persons directly involved, letting them share with me their ‘about this horse’ personal narratives. This is an essential part of my process regardless of the case. Sensitive to human emotion, horses are often a reflection of their environment. I need to hear and feel the perspective of the human story before I begin to interview the horse itself. Why is this so important? It comes down to the synergy of communication. How we as humans communicate our intentions to the horse must follow how the horse communicates with the world around them. No relationship can be strengthened without this cooperation; we must be the bridge not the block. With this unique opportunity you may well find yourself to be at once a student and instructor, applying what you’re learning to your own daily experiences. From subtle nuances to profound breakthroughs, you will journey through the mind of the horse and discover ways of unlocking your horse’s potential while unlocking the potential within yourself. Horsemanship is not itself a physical action, it is the pursuit of knowledge measured by the thoughtfulness of the acts that follow. When you have a pure and sincere love for horses, your pursuit of that knowledge and desire for personal growth is limited only by the freedom you allow yourself, in the pursuit of them. This unique course complements the efforts in that pursuit. ~kmt Module Overview and Details - Real Case Studies in Sensory Soundness, Enrichment Coaching, Sensory Mapping, - These are real case studies. You will share in the entire process as it develops, learning invaluable insights and practical applications with each new discovery, failure, and triumph. Type of Instruction - Video Analysis: Detailed breakdowns of coaching and assessment sessions. - Written Analysis: Comprehensive written guides, tips, and instructions as companion pieces to each video. - In case studies with a full written analysis of the horse, you will have access to the report for study. - Verbal Instructions: In most cases, you will get the verbal instructions as I give them. However, as these are real cases, we must be sensitive to the horse and client; thus, not all video footage will have fully audible coach-to-client instructions and conversations. Each video will be accompanied by a written breakdown of my findings along with coaching tips to enhance your learning experience. Instruction Modules This educational course is designed to offer a progressive learning experience through real case studies on a variety of cases. Each module will include video footage accompanied by written material to enhance your understanding and application of the concepts discussed, providing you with both visual and written learning tools. Case studies may contain one module or several. In cases that are developing and ongoing, both the number of modules and the timing of their availability here on the school platform are subject to the many factors of life with horses that we are all familiar with. Each case will have an introduction where you will learn if it is expected to be an ongoing case study of more than one module or if it is a single module or individual lesson format. Unique Learning Follow the ongoing psychological coaching and development of a real horse, observing and learning from its journey starting from the first analysis session. As the horse progresses, new modules will be released, allowing you to continuously build on your knowledge and skills. This unique opportunity lets you work through the horses’ strengths and weaknesses to create and apply enrichment coaching based on the horse’s unique herd dynamic. You will learn tips and gain practical knowledge on evaluation processes, sensory mapping, and discover how to generate enrichment programs based on “who” the horse is—the operating system running the machine. Target Audience - Level: Suitable for learners from novice to advanced levels. Learning Outcomes, Summary of Expectations By participating in this course, you will: - Gain insights into evaluating and assessing equine strengths and vulnerabilities. - Learn effective training techniques through practical, real-world examples. - Receive coaching tips and instructions aimed for practical application in your own training scenarios. - Gain practical knowledge of Sensory Soundness, Sensory Unsoundness and Sensory Mapping. - Learn the effects of emotional stress on physical action and mapping the distribution of emotional energy. Enrollment Options Each module will be uniquely priced and available as an individual purchase, allowing you to tailor your learning experience to your needs and schedule. Choose to follow the complete journey of the case study or choose to select the modules that interest you the most. My goal is to provide both valuable and accessible opportunities for you to gain comprehensive knowledge and insights in a cost-effective way with significant intellectual ROI. More There is a Sensory Soundness Map digital download available, which is recommended but required. Join me in this educational adventure and enhance your equine training skills through a dynamic and interactive learning experience. Kerry M Thomas
"A horse lives by the laws of their nature. Where they fit in to the herd, how they interpret their world, how they learn, how they're coached, how they ultimately perform, is governed by the rules of that nature; it is wise to make and effort, to understand it."
Kerry M Thomas
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