Horse Sense with Janine Clarke

22/04/2025

Anyone can teach a horse to obey…
But can you inspire them to stay?

This is Liberty. This is Freestyle.
This is trust in its purest form.

If you’re ready to transform your horsemanship and create a bond that goes beyond the reins, now’s the time.

📅 Clinic: 3 & 4 May
📍 Limited spots still available!

DM me or check out the event here:
🔗 https://www.facebook.com/share/1BbnzMtzw8/ 💜

17/04/2025

Float Confidence & Training – It’s So Much More Than Just “Float Loading”

When you're preparing to transport a horse, there are so many factors to consider. Here are just a few key things to keep in mind:

1. Horses are flight animals – naturally claustrophobic and hyper-aware of their environment. Being asked to walk into a noisy, rattling cave on wheels is a big deal to them.

2. Every horse is an individual – their past experiences, temperament, and sensitivities all affect how they respond to the float. What seems irrational to you is very real to them—and deserves your understanding.

3. Confidence isn’t trained in—it’s developed. It takes time, patience, and the right approach for that horse. Different methods may work, but the core principles remain the same. Done well, confidence builds. Done poorly, it breaks down.

4. It takes two to tango – your horse can only be as calm and confident as you are.

5. There may be past trauma – you might not even know it happened, but the horse remembers.

6. Your driving matters – rough, rushed, or unbalanced driving can quickly turn floating into a terrifying experience. If your horse has become worse over time, this could be why.

7. They're not just "being difficult" – If you've approached it with trust, communication, rapport, and respect, and you're still having issues, there's something deeper going on. See points 1–5.

If you’re focused only on getting the horse loaded, you’re probably going backwards. Even if you get them in, they may only be there physically—not mentally or emotionally. That’s when bigger problems can occur: scrambling, rearing, jumping over the chest bar, or even trying to escape through the front.

This is a subject I’ve studied intensively for over 20 years, and I’ve helped hundreds of horses overcome float fear and trauma. I now consider this one of my specialties.

🐴 Struggling with float issues? I’m currently offering a free assessment and feedback session to help you and your horse work through it. Just send me a 5-minute video, and I’ll take a look at what’s really going on.

This is a great opportunity to support your horse’s emotional regulation and courage, deepen your understanding of their needs, and grow your horsemanship in a meaningful way.

Let’s help your horse feel calm, confident, and safe every step of the way.

💜 Janine

Send a message to learn more

09/04/2025

A beautiful gift from a beautiful girl 💜 Carla—my youngest student and possibly one of the most enthusiastic and committed! She made me this bracelet and gave it to me at her lesson yesterday. Such an adorable little soul, so eager to grow and always up for a challenge.

As she pleaded with me yesterday to make the jumps bigger and take on bolder tasks, I couldn’t help but remember how, not long ago, after her very first lesson, she told her mum she was a little scared. It’s so lovely to be appreciated, but truly, nothing is more rewarding than seeing a young horse lover grow in confidence and witnessing a beautiful partnership blossom.

08/04/2025

Trail Riding Transformation Clinic Review 💜

What an incredible weekend of growth, courage, and connection.

Every single participant showed up with an unwavering commitment to their learning. They stepped outside their comfort zones, leaned into the process, and discovered new levels of trust — not only in their horses, but in themselves.

It's such a privilege to witness fear melt into flow. To watch horses softening, tuning in, and responding in ways their riders hadn’t experienced before. Relationships deepened. Breakthroughs happened. And confidence bloomed.

This clinic wasn’t about quick fixes — it was about lasting change. The kind of transformation that comes when you embrace the hard moments, when you surrender to the process, and when you choose courage over comfort.

Thank you to everyone who trusted me to guide this part of your journey. The lessons you’ve learned will stay with you far beyond the arena and trails.

Here’s to freedom, fun, and forging stronger bonds with our horses 🐴💜

04/04/2025

Nev and I waiting excitedly for participants to arrive. He will be my right hand (hoof) man assisting me share the wisdom 💜🐴
It's going to be an incredible weekend with this amazing group 😍✨🐴💜
So grateful to Mt Evelyn Pony Club for hosting us, especially Rob Welch for his assistance 🙂

04/04/2025

All set up and ready for tomorrows big clinic 😁✨🐴💜

27/03/2025

How do you stop a horse from getting heavy on the reins and pushing into the bridle or halter?

Take away the reins!

Whaaaatt? Yes! This heaviness is often a defense mechanism horses develop from experiencing heavy hands—and many mature horses struggle with it. Instead of relying on the reins, we need to teach the horse to listen to our body. But first, we must teach the rider to use their body more and their reins less.

How do we do that? Easy—take away the reins! HAHA.

Hats off to Suzy Keitley for trusting me yet again with my ever-evolving exercises. This time, we didn’t just remove one rein—we took away both, leaving her with only a neck strap. This challenged her to rely entirely on her body and energy cues, helping her horse tune in more deeply.

At first, it felt like a mess (it always does when you're rewiring your brain and breaking long-standing habits), but she persisted—and soon, the magic started to happen. A huge accomplishment, especially considering how heavy and bracey this beautiful boy was not long ago!

A note for those reading: Don’t start here! Suzy has been training with me for years, laying solid foundations with both her horses before building up to this level.

17/03/2025

One Special Little Horse Looking for Her Perfect Home

Lexi – 11-year-old 14.3hh Chestnut Crabbet Arabian Mare

It is with great regret that I am offering Lexi for sale—this is purely due to personal circumstances, not through any fault of hers. No horse is perfect, but this little mare comes pretty close! She is exceptionally well-trained and versatile, making her suitable for a range of disciplines. This is a fantastic opportunity to own a truly stunning and special horse.

Lexi has a lovely, mild temperament with just the right balance of sensitivity and responsiveness. She has more "woah" than "go" but still forward and willing, making her a joy to work with. She’s incredibly trainable, intelligent, and has grown into a confident, capable horse.

✅ Fantastic to handle: Self-loads effortlessly onto the float, easy for feet trimming, worming, saddling, etc.
✅ Great groundwork: Responsive online and at liberty.
✅ Wonderful under saddle: Soft, willing, and confident in the arena and out on the trail.
✅ Versatile: Jumps, crosses bridges, has been to the beach, and has even started brideless riding and contact work.

Ideal rider: She would suit a confident rider who understands the importance of clear communication, as she is highly intelligent and learns quickly (both good and bad!). She has had over a year of extensive training and is an absolute delight to work with.

A loving, knowledgeable home is non-negotiable. To ensure a smooth transition, I am including a minimum of three handover lessons (with the option for up to five) so her new owner can fully capitalize on all her amazing training.

Lexi comes with registration papers.

Serious inquiries only—this is a very special horse looking for the right match. POA

10/03/2025

I am always amazed that more ppl and horses aren't injured or dead! But some of its hilarious 😂😂💜

02/03/2025

What an incredible day at Saturday’s Dream It, Do It clinic! I was absolutely inspired by the dedication and courage of each student—taking on my instruction and leadership, stepping way outside their comfort zones, and achieving massive breakthroughs with their horses.

Together, we uncovered patterns, pushed past limitations, and gained clarity on visions and goals. Your participation was boundless, from hands-on exercises to closed-eye visualizations that created powerful mental shifts. It was amazing to see you embrace the new concepts I introduced, and I couldn’t be happier with what you achieved! I’m beyond thrilled that the clinic exceeded your expectations—well done!

Here are some happy snaps from the day.

20/02/2025

From ponies to drafts, we’ve got the perfect fit for your horse! 🐴✨ Explore our range of sizes and stylish color combos to suit every equine. Quality, comfort, and durability—because you and your horse deserve the best! 💜

24/01/2025

Sharing the full video of Bo (AKA King Kong) showcasing some beautiful liberty work in the sunshine! 🌞 This horse is not only visually stunning but also incredibly interesting and challenging to work with. His intelligence, strong will, and definite “why should I?” attitude make him one of the most fascinating horses I’ve ever worked with. I’m convinced he must’ve been a physics professor in a past life! 🧠🐴