Meet Alessandra Deerinck | Equestrian trainer and riding instructor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Alessandra Deerinck and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Alessandra, can you talk to us a bit about the social impact of your business?
Traditionally, the interaction between man and horse happens through training by conditioning horses to respond to certain stimuli. In reality, for the possibilities of the behavioral response, the trained actions still coexist with instincts, experience, and emotions, components that can be difficult to control when the horse does not comply with our request. Human Horse Sensing is a system for horsemanship based on a dynamic dialogue by behavior that gives us a way to always manage the relationship, and not be limited by the stiff boundaries of training.
The relationship between human and horse, both naturally social species, is considered as a spontaneous event where the communication with the horse is purposefully modulated through movement considering the sense through which it is received, and can be applied in any equestrian discipline on the ground (through sight, hearing and touch) and in the saddle (through touch and hearing).The horse has a basic instinctual response to movement, by going away from approaching things, and moving in the direction of going away things that interest him. In the interaction with a horse if we receive the response we were seeking, our communication was appropriate, if we get a different response, we reformulate the request, leaving out punishing a noncompliant horse that would end up trying to avoid us. We do not use force and fear because they can trigger a dangerous response through the horse’s survival instincts.
Through experimenting with this kind of relationship we have formulated some parameters that we monitor, and modulate by movement, that are naturally common between human and horse because of a social meaning connected to instinctual behavior. Human Horse Sensing Horsemanship builds a dynamic social relationship, that can be modulated in real time, where we give our actions a form that horses understand and want to participate, instead of being forced, because they are scared or inconvenienced. As a result, when horses experience a pleasant interaction they seek time with humans, even when it involves the practice of an equestrian discipline.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
AD Bio I was not “born with horses” in Milano, Italy. I “pulled” horses in my life because I always felt drawn to them like a magnet is drawn to metal. I wanted to ride, since I was two, but my Dad asked me to wait until I was eleven; later, he also asked me to stop because he was concerned about the dangers of riding, but I could not obey him. Riding is my passion, and has become my work. At the age of sixteen, in order to keep riding I went to work at the racetrack, exercising horses before I went to school every morning. At the age of 18 I also earned my license to ride in flat racing, and rode and won for ten years. I value the time I spent at the racetrack as well as I am thankful to my parents for insisting that I graduate from the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Milano. During that period of time I followed in his work Dr. Bassignana, a racetrack Veterinarian and Professor at the school of Veterinary Medicine in Pisa. I also worked at different breeding farms to assist in the foaling season, and did student internships in small and large animal surgery. While I was studying, I illustrated with drawings and edited a book Dr Bassignana published, about lameness in horses.
I competed in flat races between 1980 and 1992, until an accident ended my racing career. In 1992 , during a trip to California I met Charles Deerinck, and we got married two years later. In 2005 I attempted to get a racehorse trainer license in the US, and started to exercise racehorses, but I had another major fall in which I broke my back for the third time. Too often jockeys risk their lives riding, because not much care is taken about the racehorse’s proper training. Since then, changing this very wrong situation became important to me, and I am very aware of how fortunate I am, for having a husband and children and still being able to ride without permanent consequences from my accidents.
Of the many racehorses that left their influence in me, I have to mention Downtown Rosalie, who helped me explore all the possibilities of the human to horse relationship and another very special horse, who started it all. His name was Maslogarth, an ordinary racehorse that, just for being a “good boy”, became the S Siro racetrack mascot, and earned himself lifetime room and board from this institution. Together we won and placed in several races. I was able to ride him bareback with a simple halter on the racetrack. On the ground, he walked at my side free of tack, even when we were between other horses. At that time, I could not explain how I was able to work with him like that. It was spontaneous, and beautiful. Later in my life, I met Carolyn Resnick, and in working with her I understood a lot more of what I had previously experienced. I created HH Sensing, a new way relating to horses, based on my experience with horses, but rooted in the goals and nuances of classical dressage training, and current horse behavioral sciences. I have ridden in many different disciplines, trained many horses and now, aside from being the mother of three children, I compete in any venue that is suitable for the horses I train. I believe in a comprehensive approach, and take care of any and every aspect of the horse, from managing their health and nurturing their mind, to trimming their hooves, from training to competing if the owners would like to do so. The thrill of an endurance race is for me as exciting as jumping or teaching my horse to keep eyes and ears on me, or to walk truly straight on a loose rein, or to teach my skills to others.
Since the year 2009, I have worked as a horsemanship clinician and horse trainer, between the US and Italy, my country of origin. I coded HH Sensing to be able to teach it online, as well as in traditional settings, and in 2018 I wrote and published a book about it on Amazon in English and by Edizioni Equitare in italian.. My horsemanship instruction program runs year around and can be personalized to everyone’s needs and wants, in order to give people a way to communicate with horses in a spontaneous and immediate way.
I am a regular contributor in the training section for Elite Equestrian in Ocala Florida.
In 2010 I translated, and got published in Italian, the book Naked Liberty, by Carolyn Resnick. During 2010 I was invited to present at Cavalli a Milano, a worldwide equestrian trade show held in Italy, and in 2011 I presented my work at Equine Affaire in Pomona.
2010 was also the year I first rode a Mangalarga Marchador, and fell in love with this breed, which sums up all of the traits I appreciate in horses. They are very responsive, attentive, they tune in with the rider, and move effortlessly at each gait. Their movement is one of the smoothest a rider can experience in the saddle, yet natural and very effective, up to speed even for endurance.
I worked for Rancho de Los Cielos a Mangalarga Marchador breeding operation in Riverside, CA. Of all of their horses, Allegria de los Cielos is my favorite. I trained her and introduced her to endurance in 2012, rode her in the Tournament of Roses Parade for 2016, won the title of Champion Mangalarga Marchador mare 2014 in Las Vegas, participated in rail shows, trail competitions, cowboy challenges, cowboy dressage and endurance LD rides.
My 10 y/old Mangalarga Marchador mare Aria de Los Cielos and I have shown in dressage, done competitive trail rides, have won in endurance and even tried mounted archery, fox hunting and polo together. I had her since birth and she is my dream horse coming to life.
I always like to work to give form to every feeling, expression to every thought and reality to every dream.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I would take them to San Diego to see the city and the Coronado Island, them to the beach in Del Mar and eat at Jake’s, then go to the Wild Animal Park in Escondido and after that to have dinner at Buona Forchetta in San Marcos

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Enrico Camici Italian Jockey (deceased) Alain Kerbiriou French racehorse trainer (deceased)

Website: hhsensing.com

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Yelp: Human Horse Sensing

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