If this is your first time reading my blog about training horses at liberty, I want to give you a very warm welcome. I want to fill you in on what today’s blog post is about. This blog post is a continuation that started two weeks ago. If you start at the beginning, you will know what I am referring to in today’s entry.

It is that time of year again and I am delighted to offer our special Valentine’s Day Coaching Call, Tuesday February 14th, 2012 where the topics will be:

“How to Make a True Heart Connection with Your Horse: Which comes first Respect or Love?
Discussion: What 10 things are on your Horse’s Bucket List?”

The format for our call will be a short introductory piece and some coaching from me followed by an open question and answer session. Please bring your HORSE’S BUCKET LIST as we’ll be sharing our lists with each other on the call. A Bucket List is a list of things your horse would like to do or things your horse would like to have – like my horse

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From riding waves to riding horses

Sports like white water kayaking, surfing and windsurfing took up the bulk of my life, sports that teach you to work together with nature rather than against it and the occasional encounters I had with horses and their riders didn’t match the pictures I had in my mind.

My background with horses

One day I went for a ride on a dude string which is another funny story I might tell in another occasion, either way it led to me taking riding lessons and some months later to my decision to get my own horse. I bought Oli when he was around 9, he was an extreme horse, a thoroughbred off the track with plenty of go but no whoa. Researching horse training on the internet, I found lots of information on natural horsemanship and for sure this was the path I wanted to be on. One method I tried, was round… Read more

Continued From Last Week: “After Liberty Training – The Importance of Leading Your Horse” After all your comments of anticipation for this lesson, I surely hope I do not let you down! These simple exercises that follow will teach you how to hold Ora’s horse. You can use them any time you are leading your horse.

Reminder of the upcoming clinic in March:

Developing Your Approach to Connection: In a Nutshell

Taking this approach will help your horse to follow your lead. Become the change you want in your horse and accept what you get back from your horse. Do not beat yourself up when you do not receive what you think you should get back, either.

Imagine your approach and the connection you are wanting to gain before you do this exercise. Before you begin, take a few moments or an afternoon to become relaxed and grounded. Feeling calmness will help your horse become centered when he feels scattered. Not being scattered yourself draws a horse to your leadership. Develop a habit of projecting calmness when your horse feels scattered. As you are practicing this exercise, take your horse to places… Read more

In other exciting news, we have added a new Beyond the Waterhole Ritual Clinic for Spring 2012. For more information please view the Beyond The Waterhole Rituals Clinic page. Remember this is… Read more

New Year Wishes

My wish for the new year is for an apprentice or two who have a solid background in training horses that would stay for a long time to learn all aspects my method (Waterhole Rituals, Uberstreichen Exercises, Single Lining, dressage training and bridle-less riding) who could represent my method as I would like it to be. In exchange, I would like you to help me with educational material, office work, emails and bookings or your own unique skills (video, marketing, ???…). Thank you for all the greetings you left me on my blog. There is been no one in the office during the holidays but me. I was not able to respond to your comments because something in the system that was blocking my response. However I do want you to know, I read them all and I’m back to being able to write.

Expectations and Performance Horses

Expecting performance is… Read more