Matthew Doyle Horsemanship

08/26/2024

Why are we drawn to the horses we have?

This is a question I’ve spent countless hours pondering on and chatting about with folks.

I’ve come to two conclusions in my journey with horses so far…

1. We are drawn to the horse that fills a space for us. Horses that are placed in our life to help us grow, change, or support us during hard times.

2. We are drawn to the horse that pushes on our weakness. As we know, there are three types of horses we deal with: mind, space, and pressure horses. Often in my experience, people will be drawn to a horse that matches one of the pressures they need to work on.

My horse Felix is a perfect example of this. I have always struggled with boundaries and wanting everything to feel soft and slow. Felix pushes me to own my space and be more decisive and clear. To not be afraid of being messy sometimes. Because of these lessons, I’ve seen changes in my daily life that have helped bring me to where I am today.

So I encourage all of us to pause and ponder what our horse does for us. Is your horse a space holder, helping guide you in your journey? Or are they a pusher, helping drive you to your higher self?

08/10/2024

Bridle on or bridle off

Our goal is for our horses to feel the same regardless of the equipment we use. Whether working and riding with all our gear or none, achieving a consistent level of communication and understanding is something we should all strive for.

I remind myself of this whenever I’m working with horses. I ask myself, “Could I perform this groundwork if the halter disappeared?” or, “Could I maintain that trot if my bridle fell off?”.

Striving to create a seamless flow regardless of equipment is essential and should be a fun goal for all of us.

08/02/2024

It never ceases to amaze me the incredible diversity among horses. By adapting our horsemanship to support each horse individually, we foster deeper connections and achieve greater success. Embrace the learning opportunities each horse offers and enjoy the journey.

07/19/2024

Exciting news everyone!! The website is up and running. Super excited to have it going. https://www.matthewdoylehorsemanship.com

06/19/2024

So proud of mum and all she does. Best place for a kids camp!

Summer is heating up at DH!! New options for camps and new formats! More horse time, miniature horse fun, games crafts and shows!!

06/16/2024

Take the climax out. It is important that anything we do with horses is a flow. Try not to make anything “a big moment”. Even if it is a big moment we must try to move through it with flow and feel. This photo is after our first ride. He sat there afterwards as if nothing had changed. Simply thinking. That’s our goal with anything new or challenging. We do it with our horses and it ends as if nothing happened. They feel empowered, we feel empowered, the connection is then empowered. **tstarting

06/02/2024

Firsts are always exciting. It’s important to take them slow, listen to the horses and yourself. Trust your gut and get pumped when it goes well; and learn from it when it doesn’t. **t **tstarting

05/07/2024

CLINIC OPPORTUNITY COMING YOUR WAY!!

Join me for a horsemanship clinic series at Discovering the Horse (address will be provided). In this clinic we will explore new depths in your horsemanship knowledge and seek to grow your partnership with your horses.

No overnight stays.

DATES: June 29-30 and September 1-2

Priced at $400 + GST per person (2 sessions/day).

Text or call 403-827-8358 for more information or to book your spot.

09/24/2023

Grab ahold of the moments that light you up. The sounds, smells, feeling of how you and your horse felt. Grab hold of those moments and use them to help light that fire to keep moving forwards!

08/22/2023

Can’t wait for another great clinic with Come out for a weekend of great learning!

08/12/2023

08/10/2023

Been having lots of fun teaming up with Brooke for some amazing clinics. Mark you calendars for the end of the month. Please note the requirement for the host barn is 6-way and strangles. Can’t wait to see everyone!

07/12/2023

A great clinic opportunity coming up! I’m excited for another great weekend!

06/09/2023

Brooke Gamble and I are excited to announce our upcoming clinics. Find details below and email for any questions or to book. Look forward to some good learning!

05/07/2023

What goes up, must come down. Remember to ride the waves of your journey. Enjoy and embrace when things are going well. Take notes, learn, and embrace the awkwardness when things are not. If we focus on growing our ability to ride the waves without being overwhelmed by them, our growth with our horses never stops.

04/17/2023

Had some fun with a little filly I’m working with named Maven last week. Working on some bridal-less riding. I love playing with this as it is so good for so many reasons. Not only does it provide great insight for me on how I am doing not overusing my reins, but it also helps to show a horse that I am willing to give the trust back to them that I am always asking for. Being vulnerable with our horses is a powerful thing.

02/22/2023

The goal is to produce try. It doesn’t have to be what we want, or even close to the right thing; it just needs to feel like effort. When we feel effort there is conversation. Where there’s conversation there is growth.

02/14/2023

Spending quality time with your horse is crucial to the growth of your relationship. It’s easy to get into a working mind frame all the time. Constantly training or “fixing” things; but taking the time to simply be and go for a ride together is so valuable to the relationship. Always remember to stop and breathe in those moments. Enjoy being with them!