The Natural Gait Campground Hosts Wanted

The Natural Gait Campground Hosts Wanted

May - October
Two week minimum commitment

As a campground host, you serve as a "live-in" ambassador for The Natural Gait facility.

* Set an example by being model campers
* Practice good housekeeping
* Obey all campground rules and regulations
* Greet visitors and hand out information
* Clean campsites & pick up litter
* Replace restroom supplies
* Let park staff know about potential problems
* Have your own RV or trailer
* Like people and be courteous, outgoing and helpful to people of all ages
* Physically capable of completing duties
* willing to volunteer varied days and hours

Horses are Welcome!

For more information call 563.535.7314 or email:  ntrlgait@acegroup.cc

The Natural Gait, LLC
The Natural Gait Website
1878 Old Mission Drive
Harpers Ferry, Iowa 52146

The Birth of a Butterfly Youtube Video by jamesmenful

This is not intended for infringement, sound track used and copyright still belongs to the owner.
Background music by longzijun
The Birth of a Butterfly You Tube Video

The Natural Gait Website

The Natural Gait Happenings Website

The Natural Gait Horse Happenings

Versatility Clinic with Terri Jordan Sept. 15-16, 2012 at The Natural Gait

Versatility Clinic with Terri Jordan Sept. 15-16, 2012 at The Natural Gait
Obstacle training on the ground and in the saddle. You will come away with new confidence in yourself and your horse.

Call Linda at 877-776-2208 for further information, pricing and to Register.  Stalls, Cabins, Bunkrooms & Camping also available for Rent.
The Natural Gait
TNG horse Happenings
TNG Happenings

Training on the Trail with Terri Jordan Sept. 12-13, 2012 at The Natural Gait

Get ready to learn - moving and controlling the 5 body parts of the horse, gaining respect, applying these principals to trail riding, controlled catastrophe strategies, building confidence and more....

Call Linda at 877-776-2208 for further information, pricing and to Register.  Stalls, Cabins, Bunkrooms & Camping also available for Rent.

The Natural Gait

TNG Horse Happenings

TNG Happenings

Another Photo of Students with Their Horses at The Natural Gait in Beautiful Northeast Iowa

Another Photo of Students with Their Horses at The Natural Gait in Beautiful Northeast Iowa

Girls and Their Horses Having So Much Fun In The River

We have a beautiful facility for trail rides, clinics, events, and horse clubs. We have access to many trails with river crossings and grassy mown trails through forests and glades – it is very peaceful and scenic.

For Further Information Visit Our Websites Below of Call Linda at 877-776-2208

The Natural Gait

TNG Horse Happenings

TNG Happenings

More Pictures of Students Who Love Learning at The Natural Gait With Their Horses

Another Photo of Students with Their Horses at The Natural Gait in Beautiful Northeast Iowa

Playing A Game Of Soccer

For Further Information Visit Our Websites Below or Call Linda at 877-776-2208

The Natural Gait

TNG Horse Happenings

TNG Happenings

The Natural Gait Women's Equine Retreat August 19-20, 2012

Our Annual Womens Equine Retreat

August 19-20, 2012 (Rain or Shine)

You'll love this one, pamper yourself, pamper your horse!

Wine tasting, bonfire with entertainment, massage for you, learn horse massage techniques, trail riding, hiking, horse training demo or just come and relax...

For further Information Contact Linda at 877-776-2208

The Natural Gait

TNG Horse Happenings

TNG Happenings

Mother Daughter Days Horse Riding with Terri Jordan August 6-7, 2012

A weekend designed for mothers and daughters who love horses!

The Natural Gait hosts music festivals, concerts, family activities,

educational equine clinics, church retreats, family reunions, seminars, plus Ion Exchange Native Wildflower Workshops and clinics.

Ion Exchange, Inc.

 To register for any of our events or find out more information call 877-776-2208 or visit Our Websites Below

The Natural Gait

TNG Horse Happenings

TNG Happenings

Don't Miss The Natural Gait's MOONLIGHT Ride August 3, 2012

Nothing better than a peaceful ride on your horse through the night with a full moon shining above.

The Natural Gait hosts music festivals, concerts, family activities,

educational equine clinics, church retreats, family reunions, seminars, plus Ion Exchange Native Wildflower workshops and clinics.  Ion Exchange, Inc.

To register for any of our events or find out more information call 877-776-2208 or visit Our Websites Below

The Natural Gait

TNG Horse Happenings

TNG Happenings

Video Of The New Horse Tie Stalls At TNG Lower Campground

Earthyman views new tie stalls at The Natural Gait lower campground on the Yellow River in NE Iowa. People can come and camp with their horses and ride the beautiful trails or enjoy fishing, swimming, kayaking, canoeing or just simply put your lawn chair in the water and Relax.

The Natural Gait

TNG Horse Happenings

TNG Happenings

Horses at TNG Playing With Soccer Ball Video

Video of Playing with horses at The Natural Gait in NE Iowa Arena with Equine soccer ball

The Natural Gait

TNG Horse Happenings

TNG Happenings

Versatility Clinic with Terri Jordan July 7-8 2012

Obstacle training on the ground and in the saddle. You will come away with new confidence in yourself and your horse.

Hurry Space is Limited So Call Linda Now at 877-776-2208

 The Natural Gait

TNG Happenings

TNG Horse Happenings

Don't Miss The Natural Gait's MOONLIGHT Ride July 6, 2012

Nothing better than a peaceful ride through the night with a full moon shining above

Moonlight Rides at the Natural Gait

The Natural Gait
TNG Happenings
TNG Horse Happenings

Terri Jordan Confidence Clinic

Terri Jordan 's Confidence Clinic held at The Natural Gait. How to deal with fear around your horse or fear of riding your horse. Watch Terr's video on her Confidence Clinic. Check the schedule to see the next date to attend Terri's Confidence Clinic at The Natural Gait Calendar.

Mari Monda Zdunic and Dennis Auslam join forces for this one of a kind horse clinic that is being held in NE Iowa at The Natural Gait. Call 877-776-2208 and book your spot now. Accommodations go fast so get your room or cabin reserved now.

A Nice Way to Pick Up Your Horses Feet

A nice way to pick up your horses feet would be to touch the chestnuts inside the front legs and the hocks on the back legs.

I have dealt with lots of horses. One of the saddest experiences that comes to mind is a horse that lifts his feet in defense. He is afraid so he lifts his leg high and tight into his body. Then he holds his breath and leans against you with his shoulder. What could cause this reaction?

Some of us are taught to reach down the horses cannon bone and pinch or squeeze the nerve near the fetlock to get the horse to pick up his foot. Some horses are whipped in the legs (leg whipped or whip trained) to teach them to pick the feet up. Well, I can personally tell you, if I were a horse and my owner pinched a nerve to get a foot from me, I wouldn't like it much and would probably build some resentment or fear towards them.

Assuming you are working with a horse that is used to human touch all over his body. I'd like to share this easy and much nicer way to teach your horse to pick up those feet.

Let me help you grasp a concept before we go on. When teaching horses, you shouldn't just "go and take it" from them. It's not fair. They don't understand this direct way of "taking" and their self defense mechanism will kick in and they will brace against you. Instead, think in phases of as little as possible but as firm as necessary. To make it easier for you to understand, try to think of, Ask (how little will it take to ask your horse). Tell (getting a little bit firmer in your request). Promise (what does it take to become effective to get the desired response).

Inside the horse's front legs is a little waxy nub called a chestnut. Rub your hand along your horses neck, down his shoulder making your way to the chestnut. In this case, ask, tell and promise would go like this: Ask=Touch the chestnut. Tell=Grasping the skin around the chestnut and the chestnut itself between your thumb and index (pointer) finger. Promise=Twisting the skin and the chestnut together slowly giving your horse a change to make the slightest try to respond correctly to your request of picking up the front foot. The slightest try could be a slight weight shift. Release him and go through those phases again until he learns that if he picks up on the Ask he won't have to feel the Tell or Promise phase.

Same thing goes for the hind legs. Rub your hand down the hindquarters making your way to the hock. You are not going to pinch the bone of the hock. Simply, the cap of the hock, which is the skin on top of the hock bone. Again, you will be using the technique from above and the phases of ask, tell, promise. Ask=Touch the hock, Tell=Take the skin of the hock between your index finger and your thumb, then Promise= Gently twist the skin paying attention to when the horse makes an attempt to figure out what you want. Then release and ask again. Always starting with the phase of Ask=touch - FIRST.

Never just go to the chestnut or the hock, grab the skin and start twisting because you are in a rush. This is rude. This will only develop fear, anxiety and lack of trust in you as a leader for your horse.

Being successful takes patience, time and empathy for the horses we teach. When we get impatient is when we resort to painful measures and quick fixes in horsemanship. Trust me, your horse would much rather prefer a twist of superficial skin to pinching a nerve when learning how to pick up his feet with confidence.

PLEASE NOTE: If the horse you are working with is not used to human touch on his legs, there are steps BEFORE you use this approach to keep you safe. Do not attempt the above without the preparations of human touch all over the horse first.
Terri Jordan contact Terri at TNG Horse Happenings ntrlgait@acegroup.cc

Doc Hammill Horse Driving Clinic June 25-27 at The Natural Gait

Doc will teach us to use the language of the horse in ground skills, hands on fitting and adjusting the harness, hitching the vehicle, driving the draft and driving horse.
Dr. Doug (Doc) Hammill is a semi retired Veterinarian and comes to us from Kalispell MT. Doc has taught private instruction, college courses and conducted clinics on driving and working horses in harness for over 30 years. Doc conducts very few clinics away from his beautiful ranch in Montana, so The Natural Gait is thrilled to host Doc’s clinic and welcome him back for his 6Th clinic in his boyhood state of Iowa.

The Natural Gait
Call today and reserve your spot for the clinic and don't forget to reserve your room! 877-776-2208
Breakfast and lunch included.

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Outdoor Recreation Benefits Health

Written by Kevin Schneider Health Happenings
Alamogordo Daily News
With the New Year upon us, many of us start with resolutions to improve ourselves and our lives. And of course, year after year, the most popular New Year's resolution for many people is to lose weight and get fit. Getting outside and enjoying outdoor recreational activities are a perfect way to lose weight, stay fit, relieve stress and actually generate more energy. Just think back to the last time you went out for a hike in the woods, a bike ride along a back road or a paddle on a lake. Like many people, you probably felt many of your worries ebb away for that time. You came home in a better mood and you felt better physically, mentally and spiritually.

Perhaps conservationist John Muir said it best: "Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul." Scientific studies have shown that getting outdoors inspires us, refreshes us and relieves stress.

Outdoor recreation is great for the family, too. Spending time with your children outdoors helps keep people healthy, relieves anxiety and hypertension, and builds confidence and self-esteem. By taking your children outdoors, you'll be laying a positive foundation about the importance of exercise and the outdoors for the rest of their lives.
Unfortunately, children today aren't spending as much time in the outdoors as their parents did. Why not?

A study in 2005 found that the average American child spends more than six hours per day in front of electronic screens. Amazingly, that is more than one-third of their waking hours. Some experts have called this "Nature Deficit Disorder." As a result, obesity rates for adolescents in America have tripled compared to two decades ago.

Luckily, those of us at The Natural Gait are in a great position to enjoy outdoor recreation and reap its health benefits. Here are some top active outdoor recreation ideas right in our own backyard:
*Hike the four-mile Yellow River Hill and Valley trail at The Natural Gait. If that sounds like more than you're ready for, try the one-mile Black Forest Trail. Watch and identify scores of song birds as this is one of the greatest places in the U.S. for bird watching. The Natural Gait Birding
*Have some fun by bringing your horses to ride miles of trails with 4 river crossings. You will have covered stalls right outside your log cabin.
The Natural Gait-Horses
* Bring your children to The Natural Gait for a picnic and let them wade and swim in the Yellow River. Also, many children play for hours searching for crawdads under rocks in the clear water.
*Hike the trails at Effigy Mounds National Monument and observe the bear and eagle mounds close up.
*Hike up to the old Indian Shelter at night and build a fire just as the natives did when they lived here.
* Breathe the fresh morning air as you stare out over a fog laden valley and ponder your day’s fun activities while sitting on the porch of your log cabin, The Grand View.
*Bring your own canoe or kayak and float the Yellow River with the whole family where you shoot through rapids and watch Bald Eagles and Great Blue Herons fly along with you.
The Natural Gait-Canoeing
*Don’t forget to bring you fly rod or spinning gear to catch some of those trout or small mouth bass in the Yellow River. The Natural Gait Fishing
Active outdoor recreation can play a crucial role in leading a happy, healthy lifestyle. With our beautiful bluffs, valleys and the Yellow River, we live in a perfect setting for enjoying America's great outdoors.
Make your resolution in 2010 to get outside and be healthy.
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Keeping Horse Manes and Tails Beautiful

It’s a popular notion that the hair is a person’s crowning glory. If you spot someone in a crowd that may not be considered pretty by normal standards, a great hair cut and lustrous tresses can almost always sway a judgment. Gorgeous hair is a priceless asset, and the dozens of hair salons in every city are a testament to this.

Keeping your horse’s mane and tail beautiful is one of the most important steps in having a gorgeous horse. The difference between a beautiful mane and tail and a scraggly, thin mane and tail can make as much difference in a horse’s beauty as a person’s attractiveness.

The first step is to untangle the mess that often happens over winter. Start by untangling the hair and getting out all the dreadlocks. Don’t rush this process, as you don’t want to pull the hair out.

Work your way through the matted mane and forelock first. Start at one end of the mane and work your way slowly down the mane untangling one section at a time. Saturate sections of the hair with any over the counter detangler. Choose a large tangle, and slowly apply the product and separate the tangles with your fingers.

Start at the bottom of the tangle and work your way up to the roots. Work the product into the hair by using your fingers, and gently pull the hairs, a few strands at a time. Keep doing this until the knots and tangles get smaller and then are gone.

Repeat the same process with the tail once you have the mane and forelock untangled. You should stand to one side while detangling their tails, so you avoid being kicked by the horse. Help them maintain a calm and relaxed attitude by patting them gently, and then slowly move your hands down their necks and sides until you get to the tail.

Once their hair is free from tangles, it is now safe to brush their hair by using a stiff bristle hair brush. Never use a comb, which does nothing but pull hair out. Start brushing the bottom of the hair and then work your way up to the roots. Don’t use too much force, and make sure that you don’t stretch the hair while brushing.

Try to brush as gentle and slowly as you can. Patience is the key to leaving the most amount of mane and tail possible. It takes a long time to grow, so you don’t want to pull out what you have already grown by rushing this important step.

Beth Moore has been a leading authority on horse grooming and especially on growing long, thick manes and tails on horses for over 20 years. You can learn more about her methods and claim a free report on the benefits of owning gorgeous horses at FairyTale Horses