TradiE-Questrian

09/09/2025

Have you heard a trainer say 'there's nothing wrong with the horse, its the rider' or 'they're incapable'? Well, they're not wrong, but they're also letting you know that they don't have the skills to teach people. This course gives you a wealth of knowledge 💪 I have watched every day horse people go from novice to experience in such a short time through Calm, Willing, confident horses 🐎

HORSES ARE EASY – PEOPLE ARE… 🤯

When you work with people and horses long enough, two things hit you in the face like a wet saddle blanket:
Horses are, in fact, ridiculously gentle creatures. Even the “crazy” ones are usually holding back, politely not killing us despite ample reason.

People… well, they can - let me demonstrate with emojis - 🤯😱🫣🤬🫠

Let me tell you a story....

A woman brought me her horse, swearing it was dangerous. It charged people, wouldn’t lead, hated saddling, planted under saddle, threatened to buck.

Another trainer had already branded it “crazy” after strapping it in leg restraints, watching it panic, flip, and nearly spear itself on a fence.

I took it to the round yard. It didn’t charge. It didn’t buck. It relaxed, it learned, it was delightful...

The real “dangerous” bit showed up when I handed the woman the rope. She had about as much body awareness as a wind sock in a gale. Fifteen minutes to teach the horse. Ninety to teach her to stop spraying random pressure like a busted garden hose. 😫

This horse wasn’t dangerous. It was confused. Just trying to survive the chaos raining down from the end of the rope. 😞

We made a plan: groundwork, foundation, building skills, moving into under-saddle work. She nodded, it made sense, she was in. She came back for a few weeks, improvement was happening, horse was going well. All smiles. 😀

Then months of silence… until the phone call.

She’d been bucked off and broken her leg. A friend had been bucked off too, and hurt her back. She wanted to put the horse down, unless I’d take it.

Turns out, the “friend” had told her what I was teaching was "that slow rubbishy stuff" and offered to get on and “get the horse going” for her. And because learning new skills felt slow and uncomfortable, she chose the shortcut. Humans always do.

Did I feel sorry for the horse? Absolutely.
Did I want to scream at the woman? Hell, yes.
Did I? No. Because she wasn’t evil. She was just being human. And humans are wired to dodge discomfort like it’s lava.

Here’s the kicker: learning is hard. Self-awareness is hard. Most people will grab the first “easier” option waved under their nose. That’s why working with horses is often the easy part. The real puzzle, the proper Rubik’s Cube of chaos, is people. ☢️

Bottom line: when you work with humans and horses, you’re always up against beliefs, fears, shortcuts, and the eternal human allergy to effort and a heap of other fascinating stuff. The magic is in inspiring them to take the harder, slower path — because that’s the one that actually works. And that is an art and a science! And I’m pretty good at it - because I am so interested in how humans get good at things that I went and did a whole PhD on it.

THIS is why I created my Teaching People How to Work with Horses course (1 Nov to 13 Dec, 2025). It’s for anyone fascinated by the real game: us. The gloriously messy, frustrating, fascinating human side of horsemanship.

My life’s quest is to spark a movement in this industry - one where we stop blaming horses for everything and start having the guts to look in the mirror. That’s how we make horses safer, welfare stronger, and the whole bloody thing a hell of a lot more enjoyable.

More info in the comments.

Because horses are easy. People? They’re the real project.😎

And this is totally notebook challenge worthy, this is entry 17/365. Collect them all by saving and sharing ❤

02/09/2025

Picking Up a Feel: The First Step to Connection with Your Horse

One of the simplest yet most powerful skills you can develop with your horse is learning how to pick up a feel through the halter. Before you ask your horse to walk on, step sideways, or back up, the very first step is getting their attention and preparing them.

When your horse’s mind is somewhere else looking at the paddock, thinking about other horses, or distracted by the environment, any cue you give will be muffled. But when you gently connect through the halter, you bring their focus back to you, setting up clear communication.

So what does “Picking Up a Feel” mean?

It isn’t about pulling or dragging. It’s about creating a soft connection through the lead rope and halter that the horse can notice and respond to. Think of it as saying, “Hey, I’m talking to you now.”

The feel should be soft, steady, and consistent, not sharp or jerky. You’re not telling the horse to move, you’re inviting them to bring their attention back to you.

Why Attention Comes Before Movement

A horse is doing their best to action their thoughts. We need their mind and body together before we influence their thought for quality movement. By taking the time to gain your horse’s attention first, you:

Set them up to understand the next request

Prevent confusion or resistance

Keep communication clear and fair

Build trust, because you’re not surprising them with sudden pressure

How to Pick Up a Feel

1. Start Neutral- Stand quietly with your horse, smile of the lead rope on the ground.

2. Pick Up the Rope- Slowly lift the lead rope until you feel a light connection with the halter.

3. Wait for Awareness- Pause. Don’t rush. The goal isn’t movement yet. it’s your horse flicking an ear, turning an eye, or shifting their focus towards you. Make a noise or shake a flag if the horse is fixated on something.

4. Release- The moment your horse acknowledges you, soften and return the rope to neutral. That release tells them they got it right.

5. Start adding movement- Now that you have their attention, you can clearly ask for the movement you want like step forward, back, or sideways.

Common Mistakes

Pulling too hard- If you drag your horse’s head, you lose the softness and create resistance.

Skipping the pause- If you ask for movement immediately, the horse may not be mentally ready.

Not releasing- Holding constant pressure even when the horse gives you their attention teaches them to ignore it.

The Payoff

When you make picking up a feel your starting point, you’ll notice your horse becomes more responsive and calmer. Instead of just reacting to pressure, they’ll start checking in with you, waiting for guidance. Over time, this small step transforms your partnership into one based on clarity and connection.

29/08/2025

Stays consistent across all settings.

Integrity seeps into how one treats clients and horses.

24/08/2025

Getting them on the float is the easy part and for the most, the horse will stay on and travel well. Others need more time, groundwork and support.

Showing the horse the physical boundaries encourages them to think and process. When you put that feel in the halter to bring them forward, you release the pressure, then you put backwards pressure through the halter, let them hit the bum bar and release pressure.
Just like the float is an obstacle and not the goal, yielding in the obstacle is just another obstacle.

13/08/2025

The helmet and vest is for my not so flexible body, the safety is for my and the horses confidence. Safety is my utmost priority and that is understood by reading the horse to avoid the explosion

🚨 🆓LIVE WEBINAR – Risky Business: The Real Safety Conversation Every Horse Person Needs 🚨
"If your entire safety plan is ‘I’ve got my helmet on,’ you don’t have a safety plan. You have headgear."😬

Helmets are great… but they’re not a forcefield. Protective equipment can actually be one of the least effective things you do for your safety if you don’t understand the risks in the first place.

That’s why I’m teaming up with Kas Kensho — Civil Engineer, Project Manager, Certified Independent Auditor and horsewoman — for an eye-opening, entertaining and illuminating free live webinar.

Kas has spent her career managing risk in high-stakes industries like transport infrastructure and mining. She knows how to take evidence-based safety thinking and apply it to the world of horse handling and riding.

📌 This webinar is for:
✅ Horse owners
✅ Horse property and equestrian business owners
✅ Trainers, riders, competitors
✅ Equine professionals
✅ Club executives and volunteers

I know from my own insurance renewals how confusing risk management and safety documentation can be. When Kas suggested we run this session together, I jumped faster at the chance because horse owners need to understand this stuff.

💡 You’ll walk away with:

- A clear understanding of how safety laws apply to you
- Practical, real-world strategies for managing risk
- Insights that go way beyond “just wear a helmet” and why people that don't wear helmets might be doing something technically more effective than a helmet!!😱

📅 Date & Time: 19 August 2025 at 7pm (AEST) Sydney, Australia time.
🎟 Register FREE in the link in the comments.

Because the safest way forward is informed, proactive and prepared… not just padded.

04/08/2025

03/08/2025

31/07/2025

I've seen this shared and everyone agreed, but I dont, to a degree. How long you stay at a bar depends on the quality of the bar and what they're serving. If you have a bar tender who isn't good with communication and articulating the recipies, of course you're going to move on. If you're new to bars, you won't know any better and if you've been drinking at home or friends houses, then that's what you know. I'm 8 years into steady yet intensive learning and have trainer hopped. I've solved issues other trainers couldn't. I've fixed issue from others and I've been the last resort. I do have a number of trainers I refer people to for more personable ongoing support, but trainer hopping is what you make it. You stay in a sh*tty bar, you get sh*tty drinks

“Trainer-Hopping” -> The Bar-Hopping of the Horse World

Ever notice how some horse people treat trainers the way others treat bars?

A quick sip of knowledge here, a shot of advice there…Hoping the next place will have the magic formula to fix their horse effortlessly, without them ever putting in the real work.

They attended a clinic or two, jump to the next trending method, switch between approaches and methodologies within the matter of days the same way they change their underwear,..throw it in the laundry basket, next.

And when things don’t work instantly?
The finger pointing starts.
“It’s because my last trainer didn’t do XYZ.”
“He didn’t teach this right.”
“It ruined my horse.”

It’s not the trainer.
It’s not the method.
It’s YOU.

If you’re constantly hopping from one trainer and one training approach to the next, you’re never giving yourself, nor your horse the chance to actually learn, study and understand the approach, nor does it allow for enough time to grow and evolve through it.

While it’s crucial to understand different teachings and methodologies in order to become a well rounded horseman, jumping allover the place while trying to train your horse, won’t give you the results you’re looking for.

Being able to properly apply any approach takes time and commitment. Each comes with their own required skills that none can properly execute nor learn through a single try or a one time rep.

The best trainers in the world can’t fix what you refuse to commit to. Your horse doesn’t need a russian roulette of trainers.

What he needs more than anything:
A steady, reliable partner who shows up, even when it’s hard. He needs routines, structures, predictability and clarity.

Let me ask you this:

Are you building something real, reciprocal and sustainable with your horse, or are you just trainer-hopping, looking for the magic potion of quick fixes?

28/07/2025

Teaching a horse to hard tie is teaching a horse to think through pressure. This is how horses have been killed during training

26/07/2025

•Confidence grows with clarity- A horse that’s allowed to try, fail, and try again becomes more confident and thoughtful.
•Learning happens through contrast- Mistakes help horses feel the difference between what works and what doesn’t.
•Mistakes aren’t failures- They’re part of the process, not something to punish or prevent.