Amy Clark Horsemanship

23/12/2023

A thoughtful thank you gift basket from some of my lovely Maryborough clients 🥰
Thank you to all for the wonderful year ✨

29/10/2023

A lesson in halter breaking for Rustic Retreats little filly

25/10/2023

12.2 hh welsh pony looking for new home. Perfect second horse for the child wanting a little more go.

(Video created by owner)

21/10/2023

Lovely to ride this lady again today. Only 4 months broke and quiet as ever!

16/10/2023

Raffy meeting his new neighbours for the next couple of weeks.
Owners goal is to get him quiet and reliable. Watch this space

02/10/2023

Sugar 🧁
Sugar completed 2 weeks training here with me and is developing into quite the childrens pony, her training involved all kinds of exposure, including the beach, before returning to her owners. Vanessa Johnstone

13/08/2023

Star ⭐️
About a month ago star completed 6 weeks of training to become a ridden horse.
She came to me as a pushy, resistant horse and has turned into the most quiet lovely trail riding mare, very proud of her.
Owner: Kellie Dakin

16/05/2023

How many of you can spot the signs of anxiety/distress in your horses?

During my lessons, few people can spot the signs of anxiety in their own horse, a basic and needed skill among any discipline.
Here is Gale, my young, lightly handled mare displaying quite a few:
Wide eyes with fast blinking
Tight lips and jaw
Ears flicking back and forth
Head raised and stiff neck
Nostrils flared and shallow breaths.
Gale will be spending 2 weeks in the paddock to adjust and decompress then I will start regular training with her and try to get videos of her progress for you all.

25/04/2023

Your Horse Won’t Do Anything Because He Loves You
These days, we live in a world of political correctness gone mad.
Many people say it’s wrong to use a bit or to tap a horse with a stick or touch him with a blunt spur.
“It’s cruel” they say.
This is complete nonsense.
When a young horse is confident and relaxed, introducing a bit, a stick or a pair of blunt spurs is a non-event.
The horse will take absolutely no notice.
Another myth is that our horses love us and want to please us.
This is also nonsense.
Horses won’t do anything because they ‘love’ us.
Horses only want to please themselves.
The truth is, if you’re going to sit on a horse’s back and ask him to carry you around, you’d better be prepared to make that horse do what you want.
Yes, you must make your horse do what you want.
He won’t do anything because he loves you and he couldn’t care less about being your partner.
Your horse cares about his food.
He cares about his friends.
And in every training situation, he cares about making life as easy as possible for himself.
Here are a couple of examples:
1. Some horses learn to ignore squeezes and kicks from a rider’s heels, and run along in the trot instead of cantering when they’re asked.
The only way to make a horse canter on the stride you ask, is to make things unpleasant for him if he runs along.
If your horse takes no notice of a squeeze or kick, you must up the ante and tap him with a stick or touch him with a blunt spur.
Immediately he canters, make things easy and pleasant for him by removing the stick and spur.
Every horse will soon learn that it’s unpleasant to run along, and that it’s easy and pleasant to canter when you ask.
2. Many horses don’t worry too much when the rider pulls softly against the bit or headstall.
They put up with this slight discomfort and soon learn to run home, run away or do as they please.
If your horse decides to run home, you must be prepared to take hold of the bit or headstall and pull him around in a tight circle.
This makes it unpleasant for him to try and run home or run away.
Immediately your horse does as you ask, you must give to make things easy and pleasant for him.
The human perception that bits and sticks and blunt spurs are cruel and frightening for horses is utter nonsense.
Horse aren’t intrinsically worried or frightened by these things.
The correct use of bits, sticks and blunt spurs is essential to reinforce your lessons when necessary.
Always remember, your horse can’t relax unless you’re positive and consistent at all times.

Learn more here:👇
www.fearfreehorsetraining.com/book/

20/04/2023

Hi all, school horse lessons on little kenny are now available. Tuesday, Wednesday afternoon and Saturday mornings.
Pm to secure positions.
- Amy ☀️

02/04/2023

Hey guys,
Will have very rare school horse stable skills lessons available this school holidays. Pls message any questions/ book, if you’d like your child or yourself to have a educational session on caring for a horse.
Prices are $40 for half hour ($10 for arena hire)
Wed 5th: 1-1.30
Wed 5th: 1.30-2
Friday 7th: 8-8.30
Friday 7th: 8.30-9
Sat 8th: 9:30-10
Sat 8th: 10-10.30
(Fully insured)
Thanks ✨

28/03/2023

The importance of regaining your horse mentally when out and about/on a trail.
Often this can be the reason horses spook so violently out on trails or are distracted and not with you when out at shows.

I have tried to slow the video down so you can really focus on Kenny’s ears. As we were trotting along quite quickly.

As he mentally gets distracted from me (ears pricking, pace increased also) I squeeze both my reins to gain his attention (not enough to slow him) and as you’ll see both of his ears flick back to me giving me that focus and he naturally slows down too. (Which you can’t see in the video)

This is something that needs to be practiced in the area they feel most comfortable before trying it out in new areas.
Horses that are present with you mentally are less likely to be startled and more likely to relax and become soft and responsive eliminating spookiness and distraction in new areas.

19/03/2023

Kenny in his new bridle, handmade by Kim Thake Saddles & Tack.
His pretty split reins are also handmade by Kaos Kords
Both are such lovely quality ✨

07/03/2023

I have been teaching Kenny to ride completely tackless lately, hopefully will get a video for you all soon, in the meantime have a video of Rani rolling after her workout today 🥰🤣

21/02/2023

Absolutely correct, when you greet your horse in the paddock, take a minute to simply stand with him and appreciate sharing the same space with them 💕

A friend said recently that horses really like a ’Long Hello’. That many horses feel immediately rushed by us, and this can really set us onto a path of misunderstandings and conflicts with the horse. 



Out on a trail ride the other day, my horse carrying me calmly, carefully, steadily, he waded into the river, and splashed his nose in the water, lifted into a Flehman’s Response, then pawed at the water. It made me laugh. The sun was shining. It was perfect weather, cool enough for a jacket, sunny enough to not get cold. I reached down and rubbed his shoulder. My body flooded with all the feel good things I almost always feel around horses.
"Thanks buddy”, I said.

Gratitude. 

I wake up. I go to my horses. I am grateful. Already won. Why?



There are plenty of voices out there telling us, and our horses, that they are not good enough. Not correct enough, fit enough, collected enough, shiny enough, natural enough, healthy enough, calm enough, cooperative enough.



It is enough.



I am grateful before the horse because that is my long goodbye to the horse. We never know when we will have our last moment with our horses. And under normal set of circumstances, we will all outlive our horses, and if we are REALLY lucky, we will be there with them, in gratitude and dignity, at the very end. 



So I stay grateful, so that I do not have to GET grateful. Because that is my long goodbye to my horses. No matter if it was to be today, or in 30 years from now.

There is a training principal that permeates equestrian culture at almost every level and wears many disguises. It is the principal of trying to win. It sets the human against the horse and see's the working relationship with them as something competitive. Who wins, who loses, who gets their way. Who gets what they want.

The reason why I try to steer away from that, and you should to, is that it sets you up on a pathway of diminishing gratitude. That diminishing gratitude will eventually leave you utterly burnt out with horses.

So what to do about it? How to express your gratitude to a horse in a way they understand?



1. When the horse doesn’t give you what you want, try smiling about it. Breathe-in. Wait. You can always repeat the question in a moment. And maybe they didn’t understand you, or can’t do that thing today. Or maybe their lesson for you today is not about you getting what you want, but something else



2. When the horse does give you what you want in two seconds or less, permit yourself to feel joy about that. Smile like a maniac. Don’t be entitled or demanding (Unless in an emergency of safety). Tell that horse, in your language, that it was wonderful what they did. And feel what you say, so that the horse feels you too. 



3. The 1-Minute Ride. Once in a blue moon (For established, hard working saddle horses). Catch, groom, tack, warm up, mount. Sit for one minute quietly. Get off. Finish. Say THANK YOU to the horse and give them some extra hay that day. 



4. When correcting a horse whom has problematic posture, movement issues, or behavioural issues. Remember that it is their body not yours. Maladaptive responses exist for a really good reason and taking those away from a horse too quickly and absolutely could deprive the horse from an important coping strategy that is holding them together. Go slower in your reformation of what you deem incorrect, so that the horse has a chance to contribute to it too. They may not adhere to the rules of the system you are using, so give them a chance to SHOW you, what they need. 



5. Give your horse the absolute best quality of life you can. Try to relocate if your barn doesn’t have good living conditions for your horse. Stop giving money to people who know better, but can’t/won’t do better. It doesn’t have to be perfect. But never give up trying to give your horse a life that they enjoy living, outside of their time with you. Even in the most compromised of conditions, you would be amazed what some creative thinking can do to totally change the environment, improving your horses life outside of training.

https://www.emotionalhorsemanship.com

21/02/2023

Don’t mind the dirt on my face, horses right 🤣
Working on connection exercises is hard when your horse follows you around already 🥰

17/02/2023

This is Rory, Rory is a grey Arab owned by Erin Parnell that I have been working with. Rory has a very unfortunate past that has lead to him being very untrusting, reactive and ‘spooky’.

Over the past couple of weeks we have been teaching Rory some skills on how to manage himself in stressful situations as well as showing him how to connect with his owner better. He has responded to it tremendously. Erin text me this video a couple days ago which shows him sleeping in the paddock. Something she’s never seen him do in the period she’s owned him…

While some might think this is not a big deal, it is.
Which brings me to this point; horses need minimum 30-40 mins of REM sleep in 24hrs but preferably 2-3 hrs. This is where the horse lays downs and is completely asleep.

Horses that do not feel safe or comfortable in their environment will not do so and can result in sleep deprivation. All the work myself and Erin have been putting into Rory has made him feel safe/ relaxed enough to be able to do so and that is the biggest sign moving forward. Very happy with him and excited to see where he goes, with Erin’s goal of taking him out endurance riding.

12/02/2023

Rani loving on her new best friend Kenny 🥰

11/02/2023

Layla working hard with her horse Luna in this afternoons lesson. Teaching her to slow down and think about where she’s putting her feet. Layla’s goal for the year is to head out for her first eventing competition on Luna ⭐️

10/02/2023

Welcome Rani, my newest addition with a bright future ✨💕

06/02/2023

Fully booked this week guys, taking bookings for next week,
Friday 17: 3.30-4.30
Sat 18th: 8-9, 10.30-11.30, 2.30-3.30, 4-5
Sat times are available to be locked in fortnightly. Reminder I am mobile or can meet you at one of the many arenas in the area available to book.
Happy riding ☀️

05/02/2023

Another successful float training session. This lovely mare, star ⭐️ was so unsure and frightened of the float it lead to her lashing out at her owner and myself. With some ground work and persistence she now walks on with her owner. While still hesitant it’s only up from here.

01/02/2023

Working on developing Kenny’s slower more balanced canter and his canter to halt transitions. He’s getting there, such a clever little horse. 💕

30/01/2023

Hi guys, for the week ahead I only have the following available for training or lessons.

Wed 1st: 7.30-8.30 3.30-4.30
Sat 4th: 1.30-2:30, 3.30-4.30
Pls Pm with preferred time to secure

20/01/2023

Kenny looking very relaxed in his new Bitless bridle for his workout today. Thanks to Charli for designing and creating it!

14/01/2023

** only have sat 2-3pm available now**

Hi everyone, coming into the new week this is the only availability I have! Book in quick ✨
Tuesday 17th: 4.30-5.30pm
Wednesday 18th: 9.30-10.30
Sat 21st: 10-11 am, 2-3pm

05/01/2023

Have you ever sent your horse to a trainer and once returned he/she was great for a few weeks then returned to previous habits? I have heard of this a lot lately. Unfortunately a lot of people don’t have the skills or knowledge to continue using the methods the trainer has put into the horse and the horse can fall back into the same patterns. I like to train the rider alongside the horse so both horse and rider leave with the same knowledge and the same skills, if this sounds like something you would be interested in please send the page a message and I’d be happy to answer any questions you have.
- Amy ✨

02/01/2023

Hi everyone, thought I would show you all my latest work with a young filly.
She came to us very unhandled, operating in fight or flight mode. In just 4 sessions with me she’s totally transformed from aggressive and scared to the most loving and affectionate little girl.