The Eight Responsibilities
June 9, 2021
There are eight responsibilities in a partnership: four for the human and four for the horse. So many people aren’t aware of these responsibilities and this is what gives rise to artificial aids such as harsher bits, martingales and tie downs, etc. because people are always having to hold horses back from going faster, or
Impulsion
June 8, 2021
What is it? What is it not? How do you get it? Ask 10 different people what impulsion is and you will probably get 10 different answers. Probably many of them will be very vague. In dressage terms, it often refers to the driving and unlimited power of the hindquarters. Many riders don’t seem to
But how does all this relate to…?
June 3, 2021
…dressage, cutting, jumping, reining, cow working, camp drafting, polo, gymkhana, roping, barrel racing, eventing, driving etc. This is one of the most common questions we get now that natural horsemanship is starting to attract people involved in competitive endeavours with horses. Natural horsemanship is not something you do instead of a horse sport, it’s just
Lateral thinking & Reverse psychology
April 13, 2021
Lateral thinking means thinking around the problem or situation and not directly about it. Horses (prey animals) are not direct line thinkers, they think laterally. That’s why they out fox people all the time. People (predators) are direct line thinkers, they go for what they want in a direct line. This is what makes them
The Eight Principles of Natural Horsemanship
March 23, 2021
Here they are again to help you get more and more in touch with what they really mean. I find they really help me to keep in touch with what Natural Horsemanship is all about. Get to know them in order and by number. Principle #1 Horsemanship is natural Man and horse were made to
The 6 Keys of Success
March 11, 2021
1. Attitude “you can buy Pat’s knowledge, tools, techniques and time… but you cannot buy his attitude or imagination”. Attitude is an indefinable thing, yet it’s the most obvious thing about a person. Positive, negative, respectful, disrespectful, aggressive, a push over, assertive, fair, unfair, caring, uncaring, fearful, brave, unconfident, confident… its all attitude. In becoming
Level 2: Twice the challenge, Four times the savvy
March 2, 2021
Now that you’ve passed Level 1, there’s no turning back… to normal that is! If you’ve tasted the sweet feeling of having a horse join with you and act more like a partner than a prey animal, it’s hard not to want to go on and see how much more you can do with him
Using this study Guide!
February 27, 2021
Level 2 is a huge subject. it raises the respect system, works on impulsion, develops mental, emotional and physical fitness to new levels in both you and the horse, increases the riding elements significantly and culminates with manoeuvres such as lead changes, the soft feel and turns on the haunches. In addition you learn to
Welcome to the Harmony Program!
February 26, 2021
Level 2/3 on the ladder to becoming a Horseman! Once you have over come Opposition Reflex (in Level 1) its important to progress to a point where your horse not only has no opposition reflex, but has positive reflexes. In simple terms this means the horse will respond to whatever you ask “without hesitation” A
