Equine Behaviour and Communication Clinics

1. Equine Behaviour and Communication 1:
   • Horse’s Mind and Ground Skills
2. Equine Behaviour and Communication 2:
   • From the Ground to the saddle
3. Equine Behaviour and Communication 3:
   • Building a Solid Foundation
4. Equine Behaviour and Communication 4:
   • Communication Advancing Groundwork at Liberty
5. Equine Behaviour and Communication 5:
   • Connection, Collection, Softness and Cadence
6. Cow Working & Ranch Roping
7. Young Horse Handling & Starting
   • Working towards the finish from the start

If you are interested in participating in any of these Horsemanship Courses, please contact me for details of the next available dates and locations, in either Canada or Australia.

Equine Behaviour and Communication 1:

Horse's Mind and Ground Skills

This course introduces a new way of thinking about horses and gets the student seeing it from the horse’s point of view. The students will get an overview of how this way of handling horses has emerged, the characteristics of the horse and how they affect us as well as discovering some horsemanship concepts and philosophies. The course starts with beginning to understand horse behaviour while developing fundamental ground skills and communication skills that can apply to all horse breeds, ages and disciplines. The course is not only about groundwork but the importance of how groundwork leads to riding and focuses on earning a horse’s confidence, gaining respect and developing feel to better prepare the student and the horse for success when riding. The skills and knowledge gained will increase the student’s ability to read the horse’s body language giving them a greater awareness of how to deal with common problems and increasing overall safety but more importantly, how to get more enjoyment and satisfaction out of horses.

Equipment: 12’ or longer lead rope, Horseman's Flag, Rope halter
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Equine Behaviour and Communication 2:

From the Ground to the Saddle

In this course the student will advance on ground skills in preparation to learn safe and efficient saddling techniques and an awareness of how and when to safely mount a horse. Once in the saddle the student will transfer the horsemanship skills previously learned on the ground to riding learning how to communicate through fundamental rein positions, yielding to pressure with positive reflexes and control in all 3 gaits (walk, trot and canter) while gaining respect, control and confidence. This course will help the student understand the importance of developing feel and timing and the correlation of how groundwork leads to riding.

Equipment: Rope Halter, 12’ or longer lead rope, Horseman's Flag, Saddle, Saddle Pad, Bridle with snaffle bit, Approved safety helmet compulsory for participants under 18 years.
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Equine Behaviour and Communication 3:

Building a Solid Foundation

This course will focus on the students feel, timing and balance building a better communication between the horse and rider and allowing the horse to understand therefore gaining the horses confidence and trust in its rider. Throughout this course the student will learn to develop a communication down to the horse’s feet, feeling where the feet are and how to direct them. The student and horse will then progress into body control and gaining positive responses, lightness building a relationship so that you and your horse can be just like dance partners. These fundamental skills are important in establishing a solid foundation for all equine disciplines. By this stage the student should start to understand how to work with the horse and not train the horse.

Equipment: Rope Halter, 12’ or longer lead rope, Horseman's Flag, Saddle, Saddle Pad, Bridle with snaffle bit, Approved safety helmet compulsory for participants under 18 years.
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Equine Behaviour and Communication 4:

Communication Advancing Groundwork at Liberty

This course will see the student reaching a new level of horsemanship building the communication, trust and respect to gain the ultimate on the ground with the horse at absolute liberty. The student will first learn how to gain a better connection using the halter and lead and then progress through to greater challenges using longer ropes giving the horse more responsibility to eventually progress to liberty. The student will be put to the test with their level of understanding and communication skills in the round pen using better feel, timing and balance and learning how to gain a horse’s confidence, respect and connection at liberty.

Equipment: Rope Halter, 12’ or longer lead rope, Horseman's Flag, Saddle, Saddle Pad, Bridle with snaffle bit, Approved safety helmet compulsory for participants under 18 years.
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Equine Behaviour and Communication 5:

Connection, Collection, Softness and Cadence

In this course the student can take the all the dedication put into developing themselves and their horses and take it to a new level of refinement. This course progresses from the foundation stages to an advanced level to where the horse starts to become a part of you. Focusing on keeping softness both in the horses mind and body, the horse and rider will build on engagement, collection and responsiveness while riding with lightness in your hands. This course is not about using mechanical devices to achieve these results but an understanding of the horse and the importance of developing a solid foundation and taking the time to take less time. From here we can start to see horsemanship as an art form.

Equipment: Rope Halter, 12’ or longer lead rope, Horseman's Flag, Saddle, Saddle Pad, Bridle with snaffle bit, Approved safety helmet compulsory for participants under 18 years.
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Cow Working/Ranch Roping

This is where we put some purpose to all the foundation that we have learnt and put it into practice. If you would like to improve your cow working in preparation for competition or if you would like to give your horse a job outside the arena, working with cattle can help horses of all disciples. Working with cattle will challenge you and bring enjoyment to both you and your horse!
The draw of a cow can bring out the desire in your horse that you might be looking for!

Note: The revolution of the Horsemanship wave that has spread throughout the world recently started from this purpose as an everyday way of life!

Equipment: Rope Halter, 12’ or longer lead rope, Horseman's Flag, Saddle, Saddle Pad, Bridle with snaffle bit, Approved safety helmet compulsory for participants under 18 years.
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9 Day Young Horse Handling and Starting

This is where it all starts! The start is everything! This course is for those who want to put all the skills that they have learned in the previous courses to the ultimate test. First we must learn from the horse then we can then teach the horse.
Throughout the course you will discover the importance of taking the time to take less time. You will learn skills about how to prepare a horse to accept the human, the saddle then the rider. The aim of this course is to give you a better understanding of the young untouched horse, the importance of understanding the horse’s innate characteristics and how to use them to make your idea become the horses.
No matter how good one believes they may be, starting young horses has inherent risks. Through this course you will be in a positive environment and be taught skills that will get the horse prepared mentally and emotionally for understanding and learning the rest of its life.
This course is where you will now have the responsibility of affecting a young horse for the rest of its life!

Equipment: Rope Halter, 12’ or longer lead rope, Horseman's Flag, Saddle, Saddle Pad, Bridle with snaffle bit, Approved safety helmet compulsory for participants under 18 years.
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