Training/Starting horses using Horsemanship
I have been envolved with horses since I was a little girl. My sisters owned horses and I would ride a little shetland that the owners of the agistment property had. I think I spent most of my time being brushed off by branches that this little shetland would head straight for. I was given my first pony at the age of 9, however again it was a very smart welsh who had ended up at the doggers yards because people just didn't understand her. Needless to say, she was not suitable for a 9yo with non-horsey parents. My next pony came to me as a Christmas/Birthday present when I was 12. He was a great little gelding, but would bolt like a steam train on full throttle. Unfortunately, I learned to hang on a horses mouth from a very young age even with bigger and stronger bits. From then on, I have had alot of faithful equine friends whom I loved dearly, but just felt that there was something I was missing. It was at that stage that my best friend and I started looking at different natural horsemanship training, some of which I was not overly impressed with - it seemed like alot of different games that really got me no-where, or very harsh training with no real results or rewards for the horse.
It was not until 7 years ago that I attended my first Silversands Clinic with Steve Halfpenny. This clinic literally changed my attitude toward the way I was with horses full stop. I had considered myself to be a very caring horse owner, who just wanted the best for my equine buddies, but little did I know that continually set them up to fail. Not just in the ridden area, but right from the groundwork up. I expected my horse to understand me, and would continually force my thoughts and ideas on them - regardless of how they felt or understood the sitation.
For the last 7 years, my daughter and I have been studying under Steve Halfpenny and also learning from greats such at Ray Hunt (dec) and Buck Brannaman. These gifted horseman truly understand how a horse thinks and they are great at getting US to understand the way of the horse. A horse will never think like a human, so it is our job to understand and think like them.
My daugher, Jessica, starting riding before she could run and began starting horses at the tender age of 9 years. Her first ponies were shetlands and most of these came to us as rejects that were going to be dogged from bad behaviour, or stallions that no-one wanted. She managed to turn these guys around and sold them as great childrens ponies. She soon got a reputation for having a gift with horses (especially ponies) and had people asking her to start or restart thier ponies. Over the years she has graduated from kids ponies to big horses as well.
All horses that come to us, learn right from the beginning on the ground. Unless your groundwork is done and you can place your horses feet where-ever you want, when-ever you want, how do you expect them to understand you when you are in the saddle. All problems that arise in the saddle are problems that existed on the ground to start with. Everything is taught to gain a soft feel, so that your horse will yield to the slightest pressure. This makes for a much better riding horse. Rome was not built in a day and it is the same with horses. Often we are in such a hurry to accomplish things, we forget that our equine friends do not understand our hurry and are not rewarded for the slightest attempt on their part to understand us.
I thoroughly recommend everyone to look into True Horsemanship with an open mind and give the greatest gift you can to your horse - TRUE UNDERSTANDING - your horse will be forever grateful.
This young gelding came to Jess to be started in 2011. He is a horse with an inquistive mind, but would not have put up with the usual harsh training methods of most breakers.
A horse like this would have been written off, instead he blossomed and became a lovely riding horse with a can do attitude.
He is for sale by his owner now as she can no longer ride and has filled out considerably since this picture.
A horse like this would have been written off, instead he blossomed and became a lovely riding horse with a can do attitude.
He is for sale by his owner now as she can no longer ride and has filled out considerably since this picture.
This little guy "Major" came to us after his owner's husband threatened to dog him. He was used on a Warmblood Stud as a teaser stallion until he was 9 years old. He was lan unhandled stallion and when we picked him up he literally walked to the float on his hind legs, pawing and stricking at anything that came close. He was gelded the next day as he was a very frustrated and worried individual. Jess started him a couple of weeks later and here he is 6mths later with my then 2yo daughter Kimberley riding him unaided.
This is Sajjan, who Jessica was privileged enough to start for his lovely owner. This is his first ride and here he is learning to yiield to the leg. As you can see, he is quite happy and relaxed with no bit or saddle. The trust is already built in with the groundwork and Jess will not get on them until they are ready in this area. The saddle and bridle come later, once walk and trott are established and she has a nice soft feel on turns, stopping and reining back.