In this video, I look at the PLAY system, what play is to horses and how you can use it in your training sessions to make your training more effective and joyful for both of you. This builds on the SEEKING and CARE systems covered in previous videos. You can watch all the videos in […]
Having Fun – 3. The PLAY System Read More »
Rescued equines need plenty of help to build trust in humans, whether they’ve never been handled or have suffered abuse. Reward-based training is the best tool I’ve ever come across for doing this and I’ve worked with hundreds of rescued horses over the years. Even so, these two stripy girls challenged my training… Zambi and
Zonkey Training: Touching the Un-handleable Equine Read More »
There’s often a particular horse who drives the search for finding another way to train and connect and overcome problems. For me, that horse was Toby. He started showing lots of problem behaviours early on in our relationship such as bolting, bucking, refusing to jump, not loading and so on. He really pushed me to
Problems to Performance – Hannah and Toby’s Story Read More »
This video is all about understanding what goes on in the brain when your horse is building relationships, both with you and his pasture mates. How can you use this to strengthen your connection and build your relationship together? Watch this video to find out… (If you haven’t watched the first in this series, yet,
Making Connections – 2. The CARE System Read More »
Getting connected in the saddle is a combination of using rewards to teach your horse behaviours and help him to understand your cues and aids as well as improving your own seat and balance, which your horse responds to naturally. For example, you can encourage and reward your horse for relaxing, lowering his head and
Riding with Connection: The Rider’s Seat Read More »
Ever wondered how your horse’s emotions affect your training? In this video, Rachel explains what makes horses curious, enthusiastic and happy to learn. This is the first in a series of 7 in which Rachel will explore the full range of your horse’s core emotions. Find out how a great emotional connection is the key
The Way Horses Feel: 1. Living the Good Life – The SEEKING System Read More »
This video shows how Helen used Connection Training to change her pony, Charlie, from running away from people in the field to coming to call! There are lots of reasons why horses might not like to be caught from disliking what happens next to separation anxiety to a bad history with catching. Charlie arrived to Helen
Can’t Catch Your Horse? Read More »
A shared dream of many of us is having a horse who loves to be ridden just as much as you want to ride. A horse who comes willingly over to mounting block, is willing to go forwards but just as happy to slow down again when you ask. A horse who moves evenly, soundly
Want to get connection under saddle? Join us for our 2016 Conference… Read More »
I LOVE this technique. It is so useful for so many situations and I have used it again and again over the years (and so many other people have told me how useful they find it, too!). The most common reasons to use it are: > Leading problems such as bargey, exploding, cutting in front
Around a Round Pen – For Leading and Lunging Read More »
In a previous blog I developed the traditional behavioural consequences model (aka the “learning quadrant”) to include my ideas of how Panksepp’s emotional systems may be considered in that framework. In this blog I want to take this further to look at the next consideration: arousal and threshold. Arousal levels have a massive effect on
The New Emotional Learning Quadrant: Adding in Arousal Read More »
Have you ever wanted to know: How your horse’s head position influences his whole movement? What head position you should be asking for? How to train it without force or gadgets? Well, you’ve come to the right place because these were the questions I also wanted to know the answers to! After years of watching,
Think this is just for the dressage folk? Think again – this stuff is for you! Of course, if you are a dressage’y person, you’ll know it’s for you, but even if you just want to tootle round the block on your pony, making sure he’s supple, strong and engaged will keep him sound and
How to Teach Shoulder-in and Haunches-in: At Liberty, In-hand and Ridden! Read More »
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