A little late, but a happy new year to everyone. For many, the holiday season is now over and we are embracing the start of another year.
What’s Been Going On Since my last blog we have stayed busy with horses and stock work and property improvements. Horses that came at the end of December are now almost ready to go back to their owners. I have courses coming up in Western Australia and locally in February. I will also be back in the U.K. later this year, a busy schedule depending on which hat I have on. My current 2025 course schedule and relevant educational buttons below.
Horsemanship: During December while sorting cows and calves, I used Rachael’s 17″ hand thoroughbred horse, Harvey. While he is not going to be a competitive cow horse, to be able to rope and sort cattle, adds a stronger Foundation and gets him more solid, making a better riding horse all round. Also with horses of this height you will not have to get off your horse to check the water level in the water tank.
The Walk is said to be the mother of all gaits and as mentioned above, in December I was riding a big thoroughbred horse to muster and gather cattle on. Most thoroughbreds have a wonderful ground covering stride and with an active walk, you can cover some country. Listening to a Carl Hester masterclass some years ago he spoke about how he liked a horse to over track by 3 hooves, ( I hope that I have not misquoted Carl here )
I would also mention that with horses that may have a nervous nature or their self preservation is close to the surface, walking is going to help them to relax and settle. There are lots of things that you can do at a walk even when you are out gathering cattle or on a trail ride. ( Being on your phone is not one of them.)
An active walk is going to help your transitions have more quality. It is also hard to lame a horse at a walk, although I have had a rider tell me they were successful. A good active walk is going to be engaged and balanced, with your horse not running off at the walk but in front of your leg and carrying you within gait.
It is going to be along day if you have to peddle him along all day. Enjoy your horses and stay safe and I look forward to catching up with you all in 2025.
Online Course – The Start
The online course – The Start; is exactly that, it is designed to get you started. There is 4 videos with 2 hours and 40 minutes of video content. The videos include ground and ridden work. In addition there is also a trailer loading, plus a saddling and bridling video. The lessons and notes associated with each of the videos I trust all will find useful.
While this course may not replace attending one with your horse. We sincerely hope that this online course provides information to all that are wishing to progress in the pursuit of developing a nice saddle horse.
While the information is applicable to young horse starting, this is not a young horse starting course.
You have unlimited access to this course for 12 months
