Tame is not always safe. Tame without leadership can be an unexpected bomb!

Why?

If a horse is accustomed to taking a feel off their own mind or feeling off of their own world they can react in a way that they instinctively believe keeps them safe in a world constantly changing around them. They...

Three Rules:

1. To rest is to rust.

2. You only keep what you give away.

3. Live everyday no matter how old you get, the best is yet to come. 

I recently had a visit with my dear friend, Herb Williams. Herb was the owner and host of the international show, Super Dogs. With this famed...

Let's talk about equitation tips! Proper equitation is simply our good posture on the back of a  horse. The fundamental elements of this body position is to mirror a horse, stay out of the way, in balance as each stride changes. Easy right?. . .

Baseline Equitation on the FLAT - A rider...

All equestrians are excited to get going with their horses as winter starts to taper off, especially those of us in cold climates. Spring is on its way and we can’t wait!

As enthusiastic as we are to get going, our horses need some consideration and preparation for the riding...

Developing yourself as a rider takes self discipline and a genuine interest in examining yourself with the same intensity that we study our horses. 

As part of your self improvement plan, a great way to develop yourself as a rider, awkward as it can be sometimes, is to video yourself. Get a...

Building connection with horses is a work in progress!

As riders, we seek softness from our horses at all times. Softness is defined here as when our horse is tuned in to us in the same way they are tuned into each other, like in a herd.  They are in a state of awareness (without fear), of...

Teaching a horse to willingly follow a feel is an important part of your communication and applies to skills on the ground and in the saddle.

This component of the Primary Equine Language is about moving the horse with a constant physical pressure such as your hand directly on them, the...

If there was one thing I could do all day, it would be to play with a horse at Liberty. When all the ropes and all the tack is gone I feel I am getting to the purest form of communication. 

When some of my old, very job driven, cowboy friends hear the word Liberty, their first response is...

Jonathan's Reflections

We sat down the other night enjoying the Paramount Series, 1883. The story and cast are amazing and I had to pause it when the character, Elsa Dutton, said this;

Student Question: 

I was reading Alois Podhajsky (former Director of the Spanish Riding School in Vienna) and am wondering; where does the rider’s weight go on lateral moves? This question has historically been answered differently in English vs. Western disciplines.  

My...

When you are using circles (on-line) to warm up for exercise, or to develop smooth transitions and gaits, it is helpful to use changes of direction.  

When you change direction online from one circle to another, categorize two parts;  the Bring Back and the Send Away. The...