“I always try to work with a horse's natural instincts, so I start to behave and act like a horse. I give support in the direction and speed I ask for, working loosely and from the ground. This gives the horse freedom of expression whilst at the same time providing me with an idea of what it has previously been exposed to. I call this process my job interview – once I have earned some respect from the horse, it starts to trust me and follow me freely.
Horses are flight animals; fear and anxiety are inherently inbuilt for survival. To try to escape is a common expression for a horse and it often occurs as a result of confusion created within the human environment in which it exists. Unfortunately some training methods use punishment as a way of dealing with anxiety in a horse, by using pressure halters, whips, spurs etc. However, this only serves to create horses that are disrespectful, dull, anxious, challenging, frightened, and so on. Patience, knowledge and a willingness to listen to what the horse is trying to say creates a respectful partnership.
The key things that I focus on are the horse’s instincts, its natural movement, getting in time with its feet and not pushing the horse away whilst asking something of it.”
