One of the biggest challenges I face in relationship based work is the issue of working in a grass arena with a horse who is not allowed much grass due to laminitis risk.

He has a genuine and...

These two horses are both carrying out a lateral movement - but can you see how one benefits the horse and the other does not? Recently, there was an interesting discussion on my page about leg...

Leg yield is such a good exercise for balance and suppling. It really supports the horse to explore their balance in the whole body by transferring weight from leg to leg, sideways as well as...

I find it very important to use a horse’s facial expressions as information as to whether the work they are doing is beneficial and enjoyable for them.

A lot of people use the analogy of a...

Why is it important that the poll is the highest point?

Imagine a triangle with the apex below the horse’s gullet. This apex is free to widen or narrow. The two sides follow the bottom of the...

Often in a quest to use the seat as a slowing aid, and from wanting to have the horse respond to seat aids,  the seat and hands become stuck together in a brace, kind of ganging up together...

A beginners mind is a beautiful thing. I’ve been learning about beginners mind and trying to nurture my own. I’ve learned so much about hoof trimming, coming in with a complete...

The sun beats down on the bright white sand

Instructor is yelling “More leg to hand”

I trot round in circles, my eyes to the ground

My ears overwhelmed by the bossy loud sound

I feel...

I do small amounts of lungeing from time to time interspersed with in-hand work, to allow the horse to release into trot or canter.

Flicker told me in no uncertain terms that the Cavesson...

To begin with, I want to emphasise that headset is part of a bigger picture, and is a product of correctly training the whole body. Headset should be mobile, and never fixed. Any fixed headset is...