Horsemanship Macedon Ranges, Woodend (2025)

To educate, challenge & inspire are what I offer as a Horsemanship Instructor. 27 years Coaching people to better understand & interact with their horses to create a more meaningful & dependable partnership in pursuit of their goals and horse life dreams.

13/02/2025

Build that special bond with your horse as your happy willing partner.
Ways a horse may express their unhappiness include
• Hard to catch
• Difficult to halter or bridle
• Unable to stand still for saddling or mounting or the farrier
• Pushy
• Difficult to load in a trailer
• Turn to bite
• Kick out
• Buck
• Rear
• Bolt
• Lazy or dull to the aides
• Tense or resistant
These behaviours aren’t just problems to solve, they are messages. The horse is telling us something important to them, and it’s up to us to listen.
Horses communicate via their bodies and actions.
As examples of what they might be trying to tell us include
• A horse that resists being haltered isn’t just “difficult” they are telling us they don’t want to come with us. That could mean they don’t find our time together enjoyable, they’re feeling discomfort, or they don’t trust what’s coming next.
• A horse that won’t hold their feet quietly for the farrier isn’t just being naughty. They might feel trapped, unbalanced, or uneasy with the person handling them.
• A horse that fidgets during saddling or mounting isn’t just impatient. They might be uncomfortable, anxious, or resistant to the experience.
• A horse that won’t accept the bridle willingly isn’t just uncooperative. They might be telling us that they don’t trust the bridle, or they have discomfort we haven’t yet addressed.
None of these behaviours are acts of defiance, they are opportunities for us to refine our conversation and deepen our understanding.
Do you want your horse to see you as a positive influence in their life?
Learn the universal language all horses share to communicate with and better understand your horse and their needs so that you may experience
• a horse that enthusiastically participates in haltering
• a horse that relaxes when their feet are handled
• a horse that stands quietly for saddling and mounting, without being tied
• a horse that lowers their head and opens their mouth willingly for the bridle
• a horse that can be ridden on a loose rein at all gaits with understanding and confidence
These are not optional extras, they are the foundation of a safe and enjoyable partnership no matter what goals you have for yourself with your horse.
Developing a shared language with a horse takes time. It requires patience, consistency, and a willingness to hear what the horse is saying with their bodies and behaviour, even when the message is inconvenient in place or time.
By listening, adjusting, and respecting our horse’s perspective, we create a partnership where the horse is not just obedient but willing, confident, engaged and happy.
That is what the magic of horsemanship truly is.
Studying horsemanship with Fiona will give you the ultimate combination of education and support.
If you are seeking that special partnership with your horse, one that your horse chooses to be an active participant in, check out the events offered by Fiona Darling of Seven Keys Horsemanship empowering you with the knowledge and skills to create a happy horse and happy horse life together. https://www.sevenkeyshorsemanship.com.au/events-2025
Exerts included from a beautiful, thought provoking post by Kristi Smith.

06/02/2025

How to Support Your Horse as a Learner in Your Training Program
*Have a plan for each session as part of a sequential training program with foundation before specialisation.
*Break things down to teach, keep it simple by dividing your goals into small attainable tasks with the partnership you are seeking to share with your horse as primary.
Ensure that each step involves just one new variable at a time to prevent your horse from becoming overloaded or confused.
Making each step simple, small and attainable will lead to progress with a relaxed, engaged and happy horse that enjoys doing things with you.
*Work on the ingredients. Isolate, separate and then when ready recombine.
When what you are working on is not going as well as you would hope keep the theme of “making things simple” in the forefront of your mind. Instead of wrestling with your horse or trying to make “it” happen, stop and identify the part or parts that are not working. By identifying what needs to be fixed this enables you to break it down and focus on getting each individual ingredient right. Your horse will be happier and less stressed. You will be able to problem solve quicker to gain faster results.
Your basics or ingredients are the foundation of everything you do with your horse.
*Have the big picture in mind. Rather than getting caught up in the little details in each session think of 1% better towards your goals, have the mantra visit it, play with it, get off it, don’t drill for perfection.
*Train for tomorrow. Don't fall into the trap of feeling like you are not doing enough so, you do more, which ends up being too much. The real trouble here is that it is impossible to then end on a positive note with the next day possibly being worse yet.
Tomorrow you will know how well you did today.
With training for tomorrow in the forefront of your mind looking for just 1% better each session and the mantra visit it, play with it, get off it your horse will be more willing, more relaxed and more responsive.
If it is the opposite think about what you did yesterday that might have influenced this, regroup and work on the ingredients.
*Seek help. Getting stuck is the number one road block for progress. Don’t stay stuck for too long.
Fiona is available to support you in your training program.
Studying horsemanship with Fiona Darling of Seven Keys Horsemanship will give you the ultimate combination of education and support.
Details of upcoming horsemanship events can be found here
https://www.sevenkeyshorsemanship.com.au/events-2025

08/10/2024

The Blueprint for a Healthy, Happy, Willing Horse clinic.
Carlsruhe Macedon Ranges 9th to 11th November 2024
Join Fiona Darling with 27 years experience as a Horsemanship Instructor and Damien Munro a fully qualified natural Equine Health Practioner for 3 days of learning and fun.

This clinic is to support horse lovers interested in gaining a stronger connection and open to new perspectives on how to develop a healthier, happier equine partner.
What You will Learn:
- How to create a mentally stimulating and emotionally supportive environment for your horse.
- How to advance the communication you share with your horse as the foundation from which to specialise.
- The links between ground and ridden skills and the sequence of patterns in developing each.
- How to simplify your feeding choices with clear guidance on herbs and natural remedies.
- The best herbal remedies and supplements to enhance equine health and address specific health issues.
- Holistic practices that provide long-term health benefits and address root causes of problems.
- Cost-effective, natural solutions to manage your horse’s health.

Are you ready to attend this special event with other likeminded horse lovers for fun and learning?

Contact Fiona with your expression of interest and to receive the flyer and Booking From for this clinic.
Email: [email protected] or Text Mobile: 0429031395 Website: sevenkeyshorsemanship.com.au

26/03/2024

Seven Keys March Personal Progression firsts for participants Damien for Freestyle riding canter and carrot stick riding with his horse Peggy and Wendy 2 stick riding as preparation for bridleless riding with her horse Buddy. Terrific to have you both here for my coaching support in developing the communication you share with your horses. A great 3 days of horsemanship.

01/03/2024

DATE CHANGE. Its a Leap year! Come along to my 2 day Leap Year clinic with on line jumping challenges and ridden gaits to canter now 4th & 5th May. I have fun on line jumping challenges to expand "Calmer, Smarter, Braver and more Athletic" and patterns to build canter on line and when ready ridden. Leap into the fun by attending this autumn clinic, the last one planned before winter in the Macedon Ranges. Email Fiona for a Booking form [email protected]

Address

Woodend, VIC
3442

Website

http://sevenkeyshorsemanship.com.au/

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