I teach gentle horsemanship, gymnastic groundwork, balanced bitless riding and liberty training.
My basic philosophy is that the horses did not choose their life with us, we chose is for them. Therefore it is our responsibility to make sure that the horse's basic needs are met and that our training and riding is done in a way that the horse can understand and enjoy.
This does not mean that we can ask nothing of our horses, what it means is that we are not entitled to do what we want with them.
We have chosen to bring a living breathing creature into our life, now it is up to us to create something amazing from that, for both of us.
Training and riding can and should build the horse up in every way, both physically, mentally and emotionally.
In my work I combine many different things to keep the training interesting, motivating and fun for both horse and human.
If you would like to create a stronger relationship with your horse, to communicate with him/her at a deeper level, build him/her up physically and mentally, then I am here to help you.
Foundation training
I work with three elements of horse, human connection.
The first part is the foundation for everything else and it is about basic communication and creating a connection between human and horse.
Through leading work and specific groundwork exercises, I guide the human to pay attention to both their own and the horse's body language and to begin to consciously communicate through body language.
We work with intention setting, self awareness, inner calm, breathing, grounding, good timing, high/low energy, body balance, taking up space, giving space, setting boundaries and finding joy and playfulness.
I work with positive reinforcement and food rewards, but also with gentle pressure and release.
Using food rewards in horse training is an art form in itself, and something that requires much practice.
If we learn to master this language well, it can be extremely motivating for the horses, and will make training more interesting and joyful for them.
A big part of the foundation training, is about teaching the horses all the skills they need to have, to function well in our human world.
By taking the time to teach our horses basic skills like being led in a halter and lead rope, standing still without being tied, moving different body parts from light pressure, leg lifting and holding, being touched all over the body, being ok with weird noises, walking over weird objects etc., we help both the horse and the humans handling the horse, have a more stress free and conflict free life together.
Learning to set clear boundaries is an important part of the foundation training. I find it extremely important to work with boundary setting with horses. they are large and strong animals, and we can easily get hurt or pushed around if we don't have clear boundaries in place.
Setting boundaries is not about being angry and loud, it is about being clear, consistent and authentic in our own beings.
When we know who and what we are and what we find acceptable and not acceptable, we can set clear boundaries, calmly and firmly without being violent.
Setting boundaries for horses also means respecting their boundaries in return.
Gymnastic groundwork
The second part of my training is about helping the horse develop strength and suppleness in their bodies and to prepare them for riding.
Through groundwork exercises we can teach the horse to activate their thoracic sling and core muscles, to let go of tension in their defence system and to develop a strong topline.
I combine specific groundwork exercises where I encourage the horse to move in certain ways, with free movement at liberty. In this way I can help the horse develop and discover healthy movement patterns and at the same time allow them to move their body in a way that feels good to them.
I do not wish to control and micromanage my horse's every movement, I want them to feel that they can express themselves freely. At the same time, to prepare a horse to carry the weight of a rider, we must help them develop certain muscles and teach them to carry that weight in a way that doesn't break down their bodies over time.
The basic groundwork exercises I work with, helps the horse find inner calm and relaxation. It helps them to be able to stay focused and mentally collected when needed.
I find it important to be able to both share moments of calm and collected and wild and playful with my horses.
One element cannot live without the other if my goal is a whole, authentic relationship with my horse.
I love working with liberty training and I incorporate it in my teaching with students who are ready for it.
When we work with the horses at liberty they can express themselves more freely, and we can invite them to play and have fun, something that I find it extremely important to incorporate in training.
Riding
The third part of my training is balanced, bitless riding.
I work exclusively with bitless riding.
I do not think that bits belong in the mouths of horses and I believe that anything that can be done with a bit, can also be done without it.
A bit is a foreign object placed inside a very vulnerable place of the horse's body, and even if we ride with a soft hand, I believe that the bit in itself causes discomfort for the horse.
Riding bitless though does not automatically mean riding without harm or pain. Much harm can be done with a bitless bridle in the wrong hands.
It's important to find the right type of bitless bridle for the individual horse, and to learn how to ride with soft hands and light cues from the beginning.
I call what I do and teach balanced, bitless riding.
It is very possible to ride a horse bitless and out of balance and in a way that will harm the horse and break down its body, so the balanced part is important.
When we ask a horse to carry our weight on its back, it is important that we educate and develop both the horse and ourselves to find balance and move in a way that strengthens and empowers us.
This can be attained by doing our groundwork properly and build a language with the horse, based on gentleness and the use of very light cues, before we start our ridden work.
Everything we teach the horse through communication exercises and gymnastic groundwork, can then be transferred to riding.
Because, everything is connected.
