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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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Company Biography: Heart in Your Hand Horsemanship LLC with Sherry Jarvis
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Heart in Your Hand Natural Horsemanship LLC with Sherry Jarvis began as a dream when Sherry was just a little girl. However, it official began in 2004 when Sherry was overloaded with too many jobs. A long time professional teacher in the public school system, a part time horse trainer, plus giving riding lessons was more than she could handle all at once. As the horse training business was growing faster than she expected she decided to quit her teaching job with a steady pay check and turn her love and passion into a full time job.
Since that time the business has grown from individual lesson on a part time basis to clinics and private lessons nearly every weekend of the year, to 3-5 day camps for youth, parents with their youth and women at the Calamus Outfitters Ranch near Burwell, NE.
She now has home base training facilities in Elkhorn, Seward, Grand Island, Holstein, and Curtis from which she provides regular services.
She is also now EAGALA certified in equine assisted psychotherapy and teams with Melissa Dearmont of Midwest Country Clinic doing individual sessions, marriage and family, plus cooporate and group trainings.
Sherry is also a popular motivational speaker and writer for several websites and equine publications. Her monthly newsletters are sought after for their inspiration and common horse sense. She also has a yahoo chat group that is very informative and an interesting blog about her natural horsemanship journey
Sherry also provides equine psychology classes to local groups and continuing education courses. She does demonstration with her horses at Expos, Fairs, for 4-H groups and pony clubs.
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FACT SHEET ABOUT OUR SERVICES
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Our mission is to help horse enthusiast discover more about leadership, confidence and communication so they have even more success and fun with horses. The learning experiences we provide will transfer to other areas of a persons life.
When the thrill of working with the horse fades the benefits and learning will continue long after-wards.
We do this through:
1. Private lessons at various locations throughout NE.
2. 2-3 Day Clinics at any location requested.
3. Mini Clinic with a Theme at many locations.
4. 4-5 Day Camps at Calamus Outfitters Ranch for Youth, Youth with a Parent, and Women
5. 3-Day Youth Camps at Chance Ridge, Elkhorn, NE
6. Young Horse Handling Classes at Chance Ridge, Elkhorn, NE
7. 4-H Club & Pony Club 1 day clinics or demonstrations.
8. Trail Rides
9. Family Horse Vacations.
10. Internship program.
11. Equine Psychology/Behavior Classes.
12. Speaking engagments on Starting a Successful Horse Business, Motivation & Inspirational, Horse Sense, etc.
13. Write articles for horse publications & newsletters on a regular basis.
14. Publisher of our own weekly newsletter, and blog.
15. Starting or finishing horses with Sarah Sortum.
16. Consultation on buying a horse.
17. Consultation on Planning and Marketing a Horse Business.
18. Through Sand Hills Horse Sense we do Equine Assisted Psychotherapy with Melissa Dearmong of Mid-west Country Clinic for individuals, families, and groups.
19. Through Sand Hills Horse Sense we provide Equine Assisted Learning and Development: Marraige Retreats, Coroporate or Group Trainings or Retreats on Client Relations, Stress and Conflict Management, Team Building, Management, etc.
20. Through Sand Hills Horse Sense we offer Introduction to Equine Assisted Therapy for Health Care Providers and Horse Enthusiast.
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Feature Article "Natural Horse Sense"
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(Burwell, NE) – Some would call it a “knack,” while others would say it’s a skill, but for Sherry Jarvis, horses and working with them is a life’s passion. She lives horses. Her first pony was named “Ginger,” which she received at the grand age of two years old. They grew up together and were "partners at a very young age.”
Jarvis got her start with horses growing up in a rodeo family. Competition with horses became very much a part of her family life. Along with rodeos, there were also 4-H competition, local horse shows and “gymkhanas.” It became evident to Sherry in those early years that there was a lot more to horses than practicing perfect for a competition. For the young Sherry, that was not her sole objective; instead, she preferred to spend her time building a relationship with her horse. She loved riding the pastures for pleasure, jumping the hay bales in the alfalfa field, swimming the rivers together, and pretending to be a pioneer, a jockey in the Kentucky Derby, a rider in the Olympics, or a circus trick rider.
The relationship was what mattered to Sherry – more important, in fact, than winning any competition. She found the thrill of winning was not near as satisfying as a ride bareback along the river experiencing a special connection with her horse.
After attending college where Sherry majored in education with an eye on a teaching career, she took on a job with the Howard Pitzer Ranch near Ericson, NE, riding horses. It turned out to be a great learning experience for her. Even without the knowledge and skills she has since acquired, the Pitzers said Sherry was “great with horses.” “That could only be attributed to raw talent,” Sherry said in retrospect, “because what I truly knew about horses was very limited,”. As Sherry continued to seek professional horsemanship advice that raw talent became molded and refined into a more effective communication with horses and people. Although it came only in time through experience, persistance, a lot of perspiration and an intense desire to study, learn, and change.
From those early beginnings, a span of 25 years may have seen her take on a host of jobs and occupations – from waitress to teacher– but she has managed to return to her first love: horse and people training. In time, Sherry began drawing people who wanted to learn about natural horsemanship. So, her teacher education wasn’t wasted; she combined the latter with her gained experience with horses.
A favorite horseman who inspired Sherry, told her that “luck is when preparation and opportunity meet.” Added to that statement is Sherry’s desire to help people realize their dream with horses. Subsequently, Sherry initiated a program called “Heart in Your Hand Horsemanship LLC.” Jarvis took what she has learned and transformed her previous raw talent into a harmonious art form. Her view is to develop a relationship between horse and rider, one that is life changing for the equestrian. In reality it is a self-development program that is designed to change the person into the kind of confident leader and communicator that their horse needs to perform with willingness and exuberance.
Working with Sherry on is a memorable experience. She has a website you can go to for additional information(www.heartinyourhand.com) or you can call her for more information (308-730-2150).
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Feature Article: Horse Enthusiasts Camps
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Nestled in the sand hills of central Nebraska lies an opportunity for horse enthusiasts to experience a natural horsemanship camp where they will discover more about leadership, confidence and communication so they can have even more success and fun with horses. In reality it is a self-development program that is designed to change the person's life through interaction with horses.
The camps are sponsored by “Heart in Your Hand Horsemanship LLC,” The intent is "to help both the horse and rider become more successful by presenting a balanced foundation from which they can build a confident, trusting, respectful relationship, without sacrificing the spirit of either the horse or the human.” The founder and instructor of the camps, Sherry Jarvis said a strong foundation based upon focus of the mind, emotions, and the body is the key to success with horses. The reason most horse owners have issues and problems is they have either left out, or skipped some of the foundation based on the mind and emotion.
“Remember, foundation work is not only for young horses or beginning riders. Many horses and riders who experience difficulties, soundness issues, mediocre performance or fear issues will benefit by going back to the basics.” Through participation in the various activities at the camp from round pens to trail rides equestrians can expect an expansion of existing knowledge, reconstruction of existing holes, restoration of broken relationships, and addition of new perspectives on horse development through equine pysiology and pyschology.”
People often wonder why this this called Heart in Your Hand Horsemanship? Sherry once heard a prominant horse trainer say, “Put your heart in your hand.” Those words hit her hard, because she realized her hands had often been hard, selfish, controlling and unpredictable when it came to handling horses. She realized that through the actions of our hands we can often see what is inside our heart.
Sherry explained, "Your hands tell the horse who you are through your rhythm, feel, and timing. The touch you give on its body, and the relaxation or lack thereof in your wrist and arms reveal your intentions to the horse. Your hands need to communicate an unselfish attitude, be soft yet firm and predictable. Your hands tell him how the rest of your body is from moment to moment, so while your hands are the tools, your body is the fulcrum from which the tool is suspended. It needs to be calm, relaxed, fair, and confident in order to help your horse become a partner. But it all starts in the heart with an attitude.”
These camps are designed to allow a person to recognize their own heart attitudes through a horse's response and then they are given tools and techniques to apply new attitudes with success. Some of the skills we focus on are: non-verbal communication, assertiveness, creative thinking, problem-solving, leadership, responsibility, teamwork, relationships, partnerships, confidence, reading horse behavior, and physical agility. We also lead participants through activities and discussions that heighten awareness of safety issues, trust, respect, communication patterns and equine psychology.
Besides all of the horse activities, canoeing, tanking, tubing, swimming, fishing and bird watching are also availabe. The lodges and cabins are modern and comfortable, along with home cooked meals. An indoor arena is available if we have bad weather. Participants may bring their own horse or lease a lesson horse.
Working with Sherry on this beautiful sand hills ranch in central Nebraska is a memorable experience. She has a website you can go to for additional information(www.heartinyourhand.com) or you can call her for more information (308-730-2150).
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Ribbon cutting with Burwell Chamber of Commerce |
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Sherry & Cisco at NE Expo 2006 |
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Recent New Release Sherry attends EAGALA Conference with partner Melissa Dearmont
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Burwell Tribune (March 2007)
Local Provider Presents at National EAGALA Conference
Melissa Dearmont MSW, LCSW, LMHP, CMSW, EAPI presented at the National Annual Conference for the Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association (EAGALA) in Ogden, Utah March 14 -17th, 2007.
Melissa Dearmont presented “Winning Strategies to Fiscal Responsibility in Behavioral Health Practice”, drawing on her experiences in building, managing, and selling mental health practices. Melissa, a certified equine assisted psychotherapist, will be presenting a one day version of this program for EAGALA throughout various parts of the United States.
EAGALA is a non profit organization dedicated to improving the mental health of individuals, families, and groups around the world by setting the standard of excellence in Equine Assisted Psychotherapy
and Learning. Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) is an emerging field in which horses are used as a tool for emotional growth andlearning. EAP uses a team approach, bringing together a horse specialist, a licensed therapist and the horses, to assist
individuals and groups. Because of its intensity and effectiveness, it is considered a short-term, or "brief" approach. It has an incredible impact on individuals, youth, families, and groups. It is
experiential in nature. This means that participants learn about themselves and others by participating in activities with the horses, and then processing (or discussing) feelings, behaviors, and patterns.
The focus of EAP involves setting up ground activities involving the horses which will require the client or group to apply certain skills. Non-verbal communication, assertiveness, creative thinking
and problem-solving, leadership, work, taking responsibility, teamwork, relationships, confidence, and attitude are several examples of the tools utilized and developed by EAP. No experience
with horses is required to participate and all activities are on the ground. There is no riding in Equine Assisted Psychotherapy.
EAP addresses a variety of mental health and human development needs including behavioral issues, attention deficit disorder, substance abuse, eating disorders, abuse issues, depression, anxiety, relationship/marital/family problems, communication needs, severe mental illness and many more.
EAP is used by groups to learn different approaches to problem solving, conflict management skills, improve teamwork, as well as address many other problems that groups, employees, employers, and
corporations face. Through a collaborative experiential learning process, people use experience, reflection, generalization, and application to facilitate learning. The equine-assisted model helps
individuals learn about themselves and others by participating in activities with the horses and then processing feelings, behaviors, and patterns, recognizing how these may relate to the workplace or at home.
Melissa Dearmont is a licensed mental health practitioner. She is the founder of Midwest Country Clinic, LLC with offices in Burwell and Bassett, Nebraska. EAP services are offered to individuals and
families who are enrolled in therapy services. Team building and corporate training services are offered locally and nationally. Midwest Country Clinic, LLC is one of four facilities in Nebraska
offering Equine Assisted Psychotherapy and Learning. Dearmont’s co-facilitator, Sherry Jarvis (horse professional), owner of Heart in Your Hand Horsemanship LLC in Burwell, also attended the conference in Ogden. Jarvis and Dearmont are planning a number of equine assisted programs throughout Nebraska in the next few months. Topics such as
“Strengthening Client Relations”, “Introduction to EAP”, and “Strengthening Marriages” will be offered to Nebraska professionals and residents.
Go to
"Sand Hills Horse Sense" to discover more
Sherry is now an EAGALA Certified Horse Professional working in conjunction
with Melissa Dearmont & Mid-West Country Clinic.
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News Release: Women, Horses Connect at Leadership Camp
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Custer County Chief (Oct. 12, 2006)
By Kerri Kempp
Fifteen women experienced closer relationships with their horses this week after spending four days doing nothing but eating sleeping and breathing horses.
Sherry Jarvis owner of Heart in Your Hand Horsemanship, hosted a Women's Confident Leadership Camp for women and their horses near Burwell Friday through Monday. The large extended camp was the first of its kind in this area, and it drew women from across Nebraska.
The camp focused on how to build trust with a horse, teaching basics of horse language and psychology.
"They're learning how to read the horse and to find the innate characteristics of that horse," Jarvis explained.
The women worked with their own horses as well as each others, finding it sometimes challenging to get someone else's horse to work with them. Using the round pen, the women spent an afternoon seeking "join-up," the point at which a horse will connect with an individual and follow her lead.
Jarvis had the women working in 15 minute increments, which was sometimes enough and sometimes wasn't. In a matter of minutes, one participant had a strange horse following her around the pen, backing and trotting in a circle whichever direction she wanted - all without a halter.
"It's a lot harder to talk to them without that halter," the participant said. Instead, she had to find other ways to communicate with the horse -starting with waiting until the horse touched her before she touched it, retreating as soon as the horse looked at her with both eyes and mirroring the horse's behavior.
"You have to open your communication with your body language,"Jarvis said, when explaining what it takes for horses to connect with an individual.
Leigh Freeman of Beatric worked with Broken Bow's Cory Steffen's horse. Fifteen minutes weren't enough for the two of them to connect, and both Freeman and Steffens were somewhat frustrated.
Freeman realized it was hard for her to not pressure the horse, while Steffens said she was grustrated because she knows her horse will do the things Freeman wanted him to, but he wasn't responding, instead showing more interest in the grass.
Jarvis explained that some horses require more energy and more creative ways of getting their attention, while other horses necessitate the individual remaining calmer and quieter. After talking through a few examples, she had Freeman try again, with bigger movements and more energy, which showed some success for Freeman and the horse.
Different horses have different "horse-analities" Jarvis said. None are better than the other, but as owners we have to learn how to deal with the type of horse we have.
"They're learning what makes the horse connect and disconnect,"she explained. "It's not about how much pressure can I put on the horse. It's how much pressure can I take off when it joins me."
For more on Heart in Your Hand Horsemanship visit www.heartinyourhand.com
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News Release: Horsemanship Clinics Fun for Horse Lovers
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Voice News, (June 1, 2006)
By Bob Desh
Michele Lincoln, Palmyra's Village Clerk, has a great set up at her "Horse Haven Playground" south of Palmyra, for a horse clinic.
This past weekend, horse lovers gathered to have fun and learn with their horses at Michelle Lincoln's Haven. Sherry Jarvis and instructor from Heart in your Hand Natural Horsemanship near Burwell, was there to help students discover more ways to communicate even better with their horses.
Lincoln's class was made up of level ** alumni students. The participants were Robyn Bartlett and Coda a seven year old black and white paint gelding from Omaha, Shelia Christiansen and Cooper a 10-year old dapple gray gelding from Gretna, Soni Hydo and Foxy, a three-year old black and white paint filly, from Beatrice, LeighAnn Freeman and Hobby a five-year-old red Tennessee Walking horse, from Beatrice, and Michele Lincoln and Major, a 12-year old Tobiano paint gelding, from Palmyra. These people are dedicated to developing a closer relationship with their horses.
The mornings began with ground games to develop respect. The games are friendly, porcupine, yo-yo, driving, circling, sideways, and squeeze, which are the ABC's of horse language. The horse handlers move different body parts of the horses by using steady or rhythmic pressure. Then, they cause the horse to move in circles with direction changes and transitions between gaits.
The afternoon session was the playground, filled with obstacles. The students had fun putting the ground games to purpose by asking their horses to go forward, backward, or sideways through, around, and over individual challenges such as logs, barrels, and a bridge. The round pen was utilized for playing the games at liberty where the horse is not controlled by halter or bridle, but by body posture and signals from the students.
The evening was spent riding the horses until after dark. After a camp fire chat, complete with s-mores, the tired gals and horses welcomed a night's sleep.
On Friday more of the same activities occurred with the focus being hind-quarter control and lateral movements. A new student joined the group on Friday; she was Michele's 8-year old niece, Katie Goldsmith, and five-year old pony Zorro, from Beatrice. Katie and Zorro prove that the younger ones and the small animals can do the same thing as the big ones do.
At the end of the two days, the students rode a challenge pattern. As goodbyes were exchanged, everyone knew they would be doing this together again in the future.
Sherry Jarvis has similar camps and clinics for both adults and kids at various locations in Nebraska. Discover more at www.heartinyourhand.com
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