Sam Williamson Horsemanship

09/10/2025

04/10/2025

And that’s a wrap for my first clinic back in 2025 ✅

We had a fantastic day, squeezing a massive amount of learning into a short amount of time! Fantastic horses (and their humans mostly behaved themselves too 😉), everyone did a really amazing job of taking everything on board, absorbing all the information and my many ramblings, and working to bring out the best in their horses.

I am so glad to be back in my happy place, helping humans and horses find that special connection and then watching it grow into the art that is liberty 🥰

Thanks everyone for a great day! More days like this to come!

03/10/2025

When you get Chat GPT to help make your resources fancy by adding diagrams and this is what you get… 🙈
I guess I’ve been teaching the default neutral position wrong, apparently my horse is supposed to look like some form of happy llama hiding beneath a hoodie or something? 😅

24/09/2025

Do you allow enough down time in your training?
It can be tricky when life is a constant rush, and these days I often find myself ticking off things I need to work on with my horses in the short 20mins I get with them before I have to get back to Bub and everything else!
I am trying to be strict with myself and remember that anything trained without relaxation and acceptance is not actually trained.
Especially for liberty horses, if we want them to want to be with us then we have to be a nice place to be.
Try and alternate difficult task/something that takes some thinking power with relaxation/down time. Be present in this time and utilise it for yourself as well. Pay attention to your breath, feel how your body relaxes. Look to your horse and see how it effects them too.
We can all benefit from slowing down and allowing ourselves the time to process each thing, one thing at a time.

Picture of my pretty ponies having a few minutes to chill and process after working on changes of direction in their team 😍

13/09/2025

Being consistent doesn’t mean that you have to work with your horses 5 days a week. It means that each time you work with them, you keep the same boundaries, communication, energy, way of working. If that is one day a week, or even one day a month, as long as you make the most of each session you will find your horse progressing quicker than you’d imagine!

Cute vid of snowflake’s first time with a saddle, he is a nervy boy with very little handling before I got him from the fabulous Sophies Horse Services. I only get to work with this little dude probably once a month, but because we have put the time into our foundations and each session I do work with him, I prioritise relaxation, trust, engagement and communication, he trusted me to look after him and handled it like a pro. Look at his cute little face asking me questions the whole way through! So good - means he hasn’t checked out and is doing okay!

Shout out to all the others out there who feel constant guilt like I do that they should be working with their horses more!

10/09/2025

There’s an old saying, often attributed to Zen philosophy, that goes:
”Before enlightenment, chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood, carry water.”
At its core, this phrase reminds us that growth doesn’t come from grand, dramatic moments but through the quiet repetition of simple tasks. In horse training, this wisdom applies more than ever.

It’s easy to focus on the end goal—the polished movements, the seamless transitions, or the picture-perfect ride. But the path to that goal isn’t paved with sudden leaps forward. Instead, it’s built one small step at a time—teaching a nose target, refining a halt, or practicing a soft yield of the shoulders.

The Power of Small Tasks
When we work with horses, each moment spent practicing the basics—standing quietly at the mounting block, pausing to check balance, or resetting posture—lays another brick in the foundation. It may not feel like progress in the moment, but these actions accumulate into habits, trust, and skill.
Chopping wood and carrying water aren’t glamorous tasks, yet they sustain life. In the same way, walking your horse over poles, repeating a yield, or revisiting a simple flexion sustains the learning process. It creates rhythm and reliability, grounding both you and your horse.

No Magic, Just Practice
Training isn’t magic; it’s the art of showing up and doing the work consistently. It’s not about sudden transformations but about small, steady adjustments that eventually lead to something remarkable. Horses thrive on this kind of consistency, where each day builds upon the last.
So the next time progress feels slow, remember the saying. Chop wood, carry water. Keep showing up.
Do the small things well.

07/09/2025

Not sure who’s rustier - them, or me 🤣
Beautiful weather for a little play though! 😍

20/08/2025

A bond like no other ❤️🐴🐴❤️
My very special heart horses 🥰

16/06/2025

11 months old and already learning that ponies don’t do as they’re told 😂

15/06/2025

Hanging out with the little Snowflake and the little princess 🥰

29/05/2025

My little snowflakey ❄️ 😍
Back when he was clean 😂

14/05/2025

Mr Poncho got some much needed pampering today from the amazing Theresa Rickuss "Equine Therapist". Theresa is by far the best bodyworker I’ve come across, all my horses absolutely love her and I always see a significant improvement afterwards. Highly recommend for anyone needing some body work for their ponies!