Hart's Horsemanship

PUTTING YOUR HORSE FIRST- 6 Keys to safe, successful equine partnerships

You know the relationship you want with your equine, the calm, relaxed one, where you do things together, mutually respecting each other, but ensuring they and you reach their potential, whatever that maybe. You also probably put pressure on yourself to be perfect for them so you can have the perfect partnership. There are always those questions nagging around the back of our minds about am I doing the right thing for my horse? How do I teach them to…? How can I help them overcome…? What is the right way to…? There is also the almost constant questioning of who we are, and are we good enough? Are we doing enough with our horse? Are they happy?  On and on we go, why? We do this because we care, we want to be the best human we can be for our equines, but have we lost the sense of joy and fun we wanted when we started out?

There is also the paralysis so many equine owners now feel with so many different opinions on how you should be with your horse, donkey or mule. Trainers, internet forums, yard experts, well-meaning friends and horse whisperers to name but a few, don’t get me wrong there is some good advice, but much like finding a prince you might have to kiss a few frogs first to find what you need. With all of this information we tend to become stuck with whom to believe what and what we should do for the best.

What about the personal accusations that you are being to soft on him/her, that can cause you to question your role and relationship, the rubbish advice you have to endure such as “you must show them who is boss!” Incorrect assumptions like he is just taking the mickey or being naughty, who do you tell right from fiction, personal opinion from fact? Who do you determine your relationship. Won’t it be nice to have the answer to those challenges?

It feels lovely just to know what to do, how to approach different situations, how to deal with problems, how to teach something new and imagine the confidence of just calmly dealing with the challenges of being a good human for your horse. Imagine the calmness of know what to do  when your horse asks a question like “why should I do that?” The relaxed enjoyment that comes from having a consistent approach also allows us to be more confident in our daily interactions. Communicating with equines doesn’t have to be complicated, stressful or even that difficult if you understand and use these 6 simple principles of learning and behaviour.

If you recognise some of the situations above then you are joining a growing community of equine owners who want to follow an animal centred approach to training. No ego, no hard sell, just evidence based training that we all can do and that puts the equine’s needs first.

Over the 18 years I have been professionally working with behaviour all over the world, these are the 6 things that have been at the core of everything I have done. If used and embraced, these are the 6 things that I have learnt form the foundation of everything else. Whether with an experienced owner or a novice it doesn’t matter, teaching something new, solving a problem or just building a better relationship, these keys are the core of communication.

With a new client or a course participant there is so much to learn, that it is always a case of where do I start? What I have learnt is that if I they can master these 6 keys to communication everything else will fall into place. These keys become the foundation of the rest of the person’s life with equines. The confidence that comes from knowing how to concentrate on these 6 keys helps people focus their attention on what works and allows them to assess all the other information and advice they are given.

This isn’t everything there is to learn, but without these 6 keys in place and in use in your equine relationship everything else is harder to learn and do. I will demonstrate what you believe is possible, no force or pain, putting the horse first, safety, connection, enjoyment and you will feel empowered that you can do it, you can trust yourself and achieve your goals. A horse, donkey or mule that is willing to work with you because you listen, understand and communicate clearly.

I know you want to enjoy your time with your horse more, so take the pressure off, cut yourself some slack and spend time developing your skills so you can be the best you can be for your horse, get your tool bag open and learn how mastering these simple principles of learning will transform your equine communication skills.

In this equine centred approach to training I am going to share with you the science of behaviour, and explain how using these 6 simple principles we can simply and safely improve communication with our equines without force, pain, quick fixes or expensive equipment. Whether we want a more connected relationship, want to help our horse overcome a problem or would like to train something new safely without force in an effective way, I will give you the tools and confidence you need to follow your path to a successful and connected relationship with your horse, donkey or mule.

• Feel like you are the best you can be for your equine
• Have a sense of confidence that your horse can feel too
• Develop clarity end confusion
• Be confident when it comes to dealing with problems
• Become consistent so you can become trust worthy
• Help them feel more relaxed so you can relax too
• Increase safety by develop the self-control to never over reach your horse
• Enjoy your equine time more

This is the foundation of everything else, do these 6 things well and everything else gets easier. Simple steps that create more connected, understanding, empathetic humans who have better relationships with their equines

Becky Power "Hi, I also attended your event yesterday. Was an inspirational afternoon"

Ali Grove "It so lovely to watch you with Biscuit,Annie and Jack.
The pace, your style and humour were just right for me.
I came away with you six steps written down and your common sense approach to tackling tasks by putting them into shaping plans firmly in my "to do" box !"

I will demonstrate how to use six simple behavioural elements to improve our clarity, confidence and effectiveness when working with our equine partners.

In this lecture demonstration I will also help you to clarify the myths about horse training and simplify the science of behaviour. He will empower you to feel more confident, remove your self-doubt and encourages you to trust your instincts because no one know your horse like you do.

I use my experience and humour to explore the practical application of the art and science of behaviour and how you can communicate easily and effectively with your horse by focusing more on the relationship and less on the goal. I want you to know that you can solve problems without showing them who is boss and that you are right when you think about taking smaller steps. I want you to feel you were right you do know what is best for your horse and that you know have the tools to move forward, without the doubt or negativities feels

I have divided this recording of a lecture demonstration into ten videos covering two and a half hours of learning with three different horses, 6 keys covered along with loads of general information on training and behaviour. I have added workbook to allow you to follow the course and record your specific learning and action points if you want to.

The principles in this lecture demonstration are used to train donkeys and mules too, in fact they are a necessity if we want to train donkeys and mules safely and without engaging their instincts for self-preservation.

This is the foundation of finding your own path to horsepersonship so sit back, relax, laugh and learn in your own time as you watch this video presentation.