Training Chicago (Part 4): horse with trust issues

*Please make sure you watch PARTS 1, 2 and 3 before proceeding*
Mia is invited to work as a horse behavioral therapist and trainer at the 1st Week of Welfare for Sports Horses in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
There, she had 5 days to train 8 horses of different ages and backgrounds.
This is Chicago, a Brazilian Sports Horse owned by Andrea Kober, a dressage instructor who works at the facility. Chicago is 6 years old and has a hard time trusting people, possibly because of hard events from his unknown past. Chicago has been under treatment for months from injuries from working as a young horse. He has developed a pattern of stress when asked to cooperate.

[@sidilicious11]

I just loved this series with Chicago. I adore your approach to being and working with horses, Mia. Inspired, I did a “ Mia” session with my distrustful gelding and it was magical. Just that one liberty session vastly improved our relationship. The petting, rubbing, praise, and direction made so much sense and helped him trust me, and me trust him way more. Thank you for showing us your way with horses. ❤🐴🐴.

[@whenhorseschoose]

Thank you so much🥰

[@high-bi-password]

That is so heartwarming 🥹 Mia has also helped me learn a lot as a dog trainer, there is plenty of crossover! Dogs and horses (and humans) let go of complicated traumas in a very similar way, speaking from personal experience.

[@ClaraRobin]

That was a beautiful series! I loved these videos so much. So informative and wonderful to see how Chicago developed in just 5 days of training! Thank you for sharing these videos with all of us Mia!

[@user-mf5pt4yj4p]

Such a great job! I was looking forward to watch this last episode, it is so enjoying and relaxing to watch your training videos. I loved Chicago since the first episode) I am happy to know that another one horse is happy now thanks to you. Thanks for your content

[@whenhorseschoose]

Thank you❤

[@lisacooper6328]

love it .. but the dressage riders hands need work to be lighter.... hopefully she can learn by watching the video..

[@gilliandarling9239]

Fabulous Mia ...@whenhorseschoose what does the gestures by Chicago mean when he keeps touching his side with his nose ?

[@high-bi-password]

Easiest way I can explain it is that he is grounding himself back into his own body. Over prolonged periods of high stress, especially from a young age, the nervous system becomes overwhelmed after spending so much time in survival mode, knowing the bad things that may happen tomorrow. If you look back at the first day especially, you’ll notice that trauma makes animals feel mentally lost and sort of “float away,” that’s why Mia sings to Chicago. She sang a lullaby to help calm him down and settle back into his body, that’s how he gradually became able to relax.

[@gilliandarling9239]

@@high-bi-password ok thanks i thought it was a nervous or self soothing thing but i have never seen it before and could not work out how it worked for him

[@terriedwards4820]

Yeah the girl just don't get it

[@high-bi-password]

She will in time, not everybody is good at everything the first time they try it. Mia and Andrea each have decades of experience with horses, Shioi did a wonderful job of not giving up and she got better as time went on. I hope she will continue to get better and learn from Mia and Andrea, in spite of comments like yours that might make someone quit and never get better 🤷‍♀️ I’d rather she keep trying and you stop judging

[@user-ik9zv2ih4s]

She placates to teachers but needs to not be in with horses What her expression s show Her true nature

[@whenhorseschoose]

The lady working with Chicago is doing her best, this is new for her as well, I think she did a great job, learning and being insecure, being filmed and trying and in the end she achieved a lot. I mean what is the alternative if now one tryes no one learns🙂

[@user-ik9zv2ih4s]

I would keep the Chinese girl away from Chicago

[@gilliandarling9239]

she has a good nature the horse can sense that

[@ClaraRobin]

Part of a horse's training is to be able to be flexible enough to adapt to different people who approach him. Mia has had decades of experience, and her confidence level is apparently greater than Shioi's with regards to handling horses that are not fully trained. Chicago can pick up on that difference in confidence and has to adjust himself accordingly, but he's still learning to do that. Shioi also has to learn Chicago's mannerisms and perceptions, and that comes with more training between the two of them. She was doing a great job in my opinion!

[@michelemacdonald552]

She's not that bad!! And can learn