My Philosophy

I believe the horse is never wrong. It is up to us to present our message more clearly to the horse. After all, they already know how to do most of the things we want to ask of them. They were born knowing how to walk, trot, canter, change leads, stop, turn, spin, jump, go sideways, piaffe, etc. So why is it that so many of us face challenges when we want them to do some of these things? The answers lie in trust, communication, and leadership.

We have the responsibility as horse owners to learn all we can about what makes them tick. If something isn't going your way, don't blame the horse. They are usually only doing what they have been taught to do -- right or wrong! Instead, learn more about what you can do to be a better leader for your horse. I look at it this way; do horses ever refuse to do what their natural mothers tell them to do? Of course not! If the mare says, "follow me into this river," that foal is not going to argue. If she says, "climb into this trailer with me," baby says, "no problem." So, it's not really about what we are asking our horses to do—it's more about who's doing the asking. Get your relationship sorted out and the rest will come.

My approach to teaching horsemanship is based on three main strategies. The first is trust. And this goes both ways. Would you take suggestions from someone you feared or didn't trust? Trust is a very important part of any relationship and forms its foundation.

I then move on to establishing a clear basis of communication. Imagine trying to get directions from someone in a foreign country. Neither one or you knows what the other is saying. You may trust that the person is trying to help you but you can't understand them. It can be just like this with horses—very frustrating! Let's speak the same language with our horses so we can all go somewhere together!

Finally, I help my students establish a position of leadership. What do you do when the horse doesn't fear you, and understands what you are asking, but makes the choice not to do it? That's where leadership comes in. It's very important to maintain a position of being the decision maker. You want your horse to look to you for the answers. Not unlike how they once looked to their mother.

Once this foundation is laid, there is no boundary to what you can do with your horse. Go down any trail or into any discipline. And you'll both have fun along the way because of your solid relationship!



Home Testimonials Photo Album Clinic Slideshow Contact Links	My Philosophy I believe the horse is never wrong. It is up to us to present our message more clearly to the horse. After all, they already know how to do most of the things we want to ask of them. They were born knowing how to walk, trot, canter, change leads, stop, turn, spin, jump, go sideways, piaffe, etc. So why is it that so many of us face challenges when we want them to do some of these things? The answers lie in trust, communication, and leadership. We have the responsibility as horse owners to learn all we can about what makes them tick. If something isn't going your way, don't blame the horse. They are usually only doing what they have been taught to do -- right or wrong! Instead, learn more about what you can do to be a better leader for your horse. I look at it this way; do horses ever refuse to do what their natural mothers tell them to do? Of course not! If the mare says, "follow me into this river," that foal is not going to argue. If she says, "climb into this trailer with me," baby says, "no problem." So, it's not really about what we are asking our horses to do—it's more about who's doing the asking. Get your relationship sorted out and the rest will come. My approach to teaching horsemanship is based on three main strategies. The first is trust. And this goes both ways. Would you take suggestions from someone you feared or didn't trust? Trust is a very important part of any relationship and forms its foundation. I then move on to establishing a clear basis of communication. Imagine trying to get directions from someone in a foreign country. Neither one or you knows what the other is saying. You may trust that the person is trying to help you but you can't understand them. It can be just like this with horses—very frustrating! Let's speak the same language with our horses so we can all go somewhere together! Finally, I help my students establish a position of leadership. What do you do when the horse doesn't fear you, and understands what you are asking, but makes the choice not to do it? That's where leadership comes in. It's very important to maintain a position of being the decision maker. You want your horse to look to you for the answers. Not unlike how they once looked to their mother. Once this foundation is laid, there is no boundary to what you can do with your horse. Go down any trail or into any discipline. And you'll both have fun along the way because of your solid relationship!
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