Training
I am currently taking a limited amount of horses into full training, and offer services on an hourly basis here, or at your home or boarding facility, a public arena, or on public trails. Horses in training will be assisted with properly fitting tack, health and soundness evaluations and referrals for treatment from local professional veterinarians, bodyworkers, saddle fitters, or other equine professionals. Horses’ owners will be expected to make a commitment to improving their horsemanship skills through regular lessons. It can take 3-6 months of proper care to see lasting results in behavior and performance, depending on where we are starting from.
I specialize in helping horses to understand what is expected of them, clarifying cues so that their response is easy and effortless. I help horses become safe and willing partners for all levels of rider, both in the arena and on the trail. I have focused on top quality colt starting for two decades, and I continue to use the basic principles of Equine Learning Theory as they apply to horses at all levels of training. I will ride English or western, and am confident in my ability to prepare a young horse for any discipline, or condition a seasoned horse to be more responsive. My primary goal is to help each horse be happy and well cared for.
Most of my work is done with riders whose goals are recreational. For riders with competitive goals, I can work in conjunction with other competitive trainers to help maximize a horse’e quality of performance. I have a soft spot for misunderstood horses needing a new approach , and am happy to re-educate horses and riders so that they may enjoy one another in safety. I have rehabilitated many horses that had been 'given up on' by other riders. Whether or not I am the solution, I believe that every horse can become a good riding horse with the right approach, given enough time with quality care and conditioning. I am open to discussing special payment arrangements and other options for horses suffering from abusive or neglectful situations.
I have a knack for rehoming horses with their perfect match. Please let me know if I can help you find your next horse, or if you feel that your horse could benefit from finding a different home. It's really important to me that my horses are healthy and happy, and that their people stay healthy and happy, too!
After I have spent some time with a horse, he or she will understand my clearly expressed expectations. I will then need to share my methods with the person intending to ride the horse in the future, so that the horse receives consistent cues, and doesn't become confused. Owners are encouraged to take frequent lessons to allow for consistent success for both horse and rider. I will work directly with each horse and rider to ensure that clear communication is established, and that both horse and rider will continue to perform safely and consistently.
It is of primary importance to gain the horse’s trust so that the animal can learn from its handler, and to minimize their natural ‘flight animal’ instinctive behavior. Once this has been established, and the horse has a relaxed mind and is able to learn, my focus is on explaining cues to the horse in a way that they can understand what is being asked of them, and perform without resistance. Once the horse trusts us and understands what we are asking of them, we can refine our cues to develop their physique, so that they can be sound and useful throughout their life.
Horses I work with will happily learn to behave politely, move forward, backwards, and laterally off of light aids, give softly to a light hand on the reins, and carry themselves in a properly balanced manner, all on the ground and under saddle. Of primary importance is the way in which the horse uses its body, strengthening its topline while remaining soft, supple, and relaxed. Willing, compliant horses offer no resistance or tension, which would compromise the integrity of the movements that they perform. The most important aspect of my job is to present the horses with cues that help them learn to use their bodies correctly, so that they will only become stronger and healthier through their lifetime of work.
A ‘finished’ horse is one that is willing and capable of executing higher level maneuvers in a balanced frame. These horses look and feel as though what they are doing is effortless. They are capable of true collection, which is an engagement of the hindquarters that allows the horse to elevate his forehand. It takes many years to develop the strength to execute these collected maneuvers with quality. Many riders do not need a horse with this level of refinement, and many horse lack the capacity to accomplish these movements, but there is much to enjoy at every level of horsemanship.
I pay close attention to a horse's physical condition, and expect the horses I have in training to get the treatment that an athlete deserves. I have a great team of professionals helping diagnose and treat any issues a horse may have.
One critical aspect of my training program that differs from most is that I insist on allowing the horse freedom of movement, especially in his neck and back. I refuse to use restrictive devices, such as side reins, draw reins, martingales, etc. I work most horses in a simple smooth snaffle, both on the ground or under saddle, and in a halter, seretta (caveson), or bosal. Occasionally, I find that a horse will respond better to a leverage bit, but this is something that I will use only when I have exhausted other options, in the interest of the rider’s safety.
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