Focus Training & Flower Essences with Diana Thompson

Class Outline

• Mental/Emotional Focus Evaluation - Diana will demonstrate how to evaluate a horse's ability to focus. The physical aspects of a horse's ability to focus include relaxed posture, proper eye movements, flexibility of the poll joint (the joint between the horse's skull and first cervical vertebrae) and diagonal coordination. The emotional aspects of focus include the attitude of the horse toward the handler (this can be observed in the degree of willingness to follow cues, nervousness or resistance by the horse in response to a training request). The horse's ability to focus is also influenced by the level of fear, anxiety, anger, and other emotional states the horse holds in his or her body from past events.

• Mental/Emotional Focus Training System includes ground handling and acupressure- Diana will demonstrate and students will practice ground handling methods which teach the horse to adopt a balanced relaxed posture and willingly focus on the handler. Diana will show students how to use specific acupressure points to reduce fear and anxiety and improve the horses' mental focus.

• Flower Essences - Diana will lecture about the qualities of the 38 single flower essences and the combination formula developed by Dr. Edward Bach. These preparations transform negative emotions such as fear, anger or lack of confidence into peace and stability. Diana has used the Bach Flower essences in her horse training and equine rehabilitation work since 1985. She has found the essences to be valuable in calming fearful, hyper and belligerent horses.

Diana will teach students how to combine the essences into formulas which assist frightened horses, those who are unable to focus, the angry horse and those who have been traumatized. She will also share flower essence formulas she has used to help horses with trailering, competitive events, training situations, farrier and veterinary work. During hands-on flower essence sessions, students will learn with-the-horse exercises in choosing the essences and methods of applying the formulas.

Why Horse Owners Should Use Flower Essences & Focus Training For Horses
When the fight-or-flight reflex of a horse becomes overstimulated, he or she becomes overreactive, fearful or angry. The horse can become unfocused and scattered. He may habitually tense his muscles and use poor movement. This tension limits a horse’s athletic ability and leaves him prone to injury. These states limit the horse’s ability to accept training as well as receive massage and other therapies.

The flower essences and acupressure help balance a horse’s emotional state and ease the reactivity of his fight-or-flight reflex. The ground work system Diana has developed (what she calls focus training) helps the horse become easier to handle and more relaxed physically and emotionally. This allows the horse to benefit from training and enjoy handling sessions.

DIANA THOMPSON, of Santa Rosa, California, is a lifelong horse owner and since 1980, a professional trainer. She teaches massage and holistic horse care methods which solve stiffness and performance problems and prevent injury. In 1996, Diana founded The Whole Horse Journal, an award-winning newsletter devoted to natural horse care and training. She wrote "The Horse Will Tell You," a horse training column for RIDE! Magazine for many years.
For additional information and an acupressure how-to lesson, visit Diana's website at www.dianathompson.com.