Kinship With Horses 

Some of you have purchased a dream horse.  Others have had a horse for years and consider him a good friend.  Still others have a horse that you have been working with for some time and feel that you are not making progress or you have had setbacks or events that scare you.  

Regardless of your circumstances, first and foremost, I want you to breathe and I want you to smile.  I want you to enjoy your horse.  Naturally, I want you both to be safe.  So the first thing I can do for you is to assure you that you are not alone.  There is help and guidance and together, we can engineer a solid plan.

This is a good start to any lesson.  We need to first understand what has brought us to the point where we meet.  Did your horse, for example, buck or rear?  Did you have a bad experience with him spooking on the trail?  Were you trying to show him and suffer a major training set back?   Are you in search of techniques to make you a better horseman?

To understand, I need you to be honest, candid, and willing to share.  I will learn a lot by handling the horse and watching you ride, but I need to understand what has brought you to call from your perspective.  I will listen.  I will ask some questions.  I will watch.   Then we will put our heads together and come up with a mutually agreeable plan.  

I should say at this point that it is not unusual or uncommon for people to give me a reason that they called only to learn that there is a more basic or global reason.  You may, for example, say that you can't train your horse to sidepass when the real problem may be that you cannot release him to move his shoulders and hips allowing him to sidepass.  Or you may say that your horse runs your knees into trees when you trailride when really you may be blocking him from taking another line on the trail.

So while I say I need to understand, you need to understand as well.  What has brought us together?  And what can we do to improve your experiences with your horse?

Aside from what is noted already, I need you to do your best without compromising the principles of good horsemanship.  We will focus on strengths and work in a positive manner.  We will not cut corners and we will not "settle".  We will strive to turn weaknesses into strengths using feel. 

I have worked with children as young as the age of three and adults as young as seventy-three.  Whether you desire trail riding, western performance classes, hunt seat, dressage or gymkhana, a solid foundation using the principles of true horsemanship through feel will improve your horse's performance and will enhance your pleasure overall. 

In addition, I help when there has been a misadventure or an accident and/or where there is significant fear due to lack of good communication with your horse.  But just as importantly, I work with those who have had no "big event" but just feel that they are missing something in the relationship.  So whether you have been unloaded by a disgruntled mount; been aboard a runaway; scored miserably on your dressage routine; or just plain feel like you are missing the fun that others seem to be having, Kinship with Horses opens the dialogue for a better relationship.   

As for the horses - Kinship with Horses Training offers a program that is naturally effective for weanlings, yearlings, two year olds, and up!  In cases where horses have learned less than desireable behaviors, we will seek to understand first and then communicate to resolve.

Before we go on, it is important that you understand that what you will be experiencing from this point forward will likely be very different from other training and riding instruction that you may have experienced.  Unless you have prior experience with Horsemanship through Feel, you may think that changing what you do so dramatically is unnecessary or "more" than what you planned.   You may be so focused on a single task or set of tasks.  Our mutual goal will be to establish a language that inspires intent, feel and timing to achieve a meaningful communication or "conversation" if you will with your horse.  There is no advantage to a "quick fix" if it has a shakey foundation.   Having said that, progress may be swift.  It is very important to always keep in mind that good horsemanship through feel is an evolving process.  It is never truly complete.  The conversation will always go on.

It may surprise you to learn that some of the techniques that you have learned over the years and practiced to perfection acutally block your horse's movement and prevent him from doing what you actually want.   Somehow, he has managed to "fill in the blanks" and found a way to get the release that he seeks.   You may find that you need to change what you do dramatically.  But this is an adventure we will undertake together.  If you struggle trying to find the feel and the release, you are welcome to pratice with one of my horses before resuming the conversation with your horse.  Don't be surprised to discover that your horse does not need to "relearn" very much.  He will soon be responding in a way that comes quite naturally to him.  He will no longer have to "fill in the blanks".

You may choose to begin this adventure in a number of ways.   I can work with you in one of my clinics, in a group lesson (subject to availability) , or in a private lesson.  The best place to start is to meet and discuss your desires and your goals and then to take inventory of our options for times, locations, and horses (mine or yours).  I provide services year round and I will travel.

To discuss availability and pricing, please use the contact page and don't forget to look for available clinics.