It’s interesting to read of the problems people have with their horses and the advice given. In a lifetime of working with horses, the problems haven’t changed and unfortunately, the thinking about horses hasn’t changed much either. People think they need to make a horse ‘soft in the face’ or ‘control his hindquarters’ or chase … Read more
Fear-free Horse Training, every step of the way explains every facet of horse training – from catching a foal for the first time, starting a horse under saddle, teaching your horse to move forward and give, overcoming problems such as shying, rearing, pulling back, and much much more. A horse training book built on removing … Read more
When a horse is frightened, his first means of defence is to run away. When a frightened horse is cornered and can’t escape, he’ll instinctively defend himself by kicking, striking, biting or bucking. These aren’t signs of aggression, they’re simply signs that a horse is frightened and can see no other way out of the … Read more
I’ve lost count of the amount of people who say things like, ‘I’ve tried your method but it didn’t work. Usually I just take a little bit of training from here and a little bit from there and I use whatever works for me.’ I hate to disillusion everyone but it’s not ‘my method’. I … Read more
There are a few key words that we should all think about every time we train our horses. First and foremost is confidence – a word that should be heard far more often in the horse world. Confidence is one of the most valuable traits that your horse can have in you. Confidence is defined … Read more
Asking how long it takes to saddle and ride a young horse for the first time, is like asking how long is a piece of string. I started training horses for a living more than forty years ago. Horses of all shapes, sizes and varieties were sent to me to be started under saddle. Many … Read more