This is focused on an individual horse basis. We adapt how we train and what we do to each horse after assessing conformation, physical strength, emotional state, mental ability and catering to what the “end goal” is.

No horse will learn to master its own body and movement under a rider if it is tense and worried. At best you’ll just be gaining a reaction rather than a response, which can look like training when the rider is talented at their pressure release, but it will all unravel when the horse returns to its home and is more relaxed and not in a reactive state. So here we don’t like to work to a 6 week and the horse is broken in system. Sometimes it happens in 6 weeks or even less, but it’s much more likely that in the first few weeks we are just settling the horse into its new environment and gaining his/her trust whilst training in some easy rules of synchronising with their handler whilst respecting their space.

We don’t want to train and establish tension. We want a relaxed learning environment so that the lessons fully establish to create a partner who is willing to work and cooperate with their rider. Small steps in the early stages often lead to greater strides later on in the training programme. We will teach the horse to lift into a rider and to bring its balance into better alignment for performing under the rider, whilst learning the correct response to light suggestive aids. For ridden work we are asking a horse to change their posture and use muscles that haven’t developed strength for that work. Short regular training sessions can help slowly build these muscles. If we try to condense this work too quickly and try to be cantering under saddle in just 5-6 weeks we increase the risk of muscle soreness and quite frankly just doing it badly!