Bitless & Natural Equestrian Centre

31/10/2025

Stop the FEI from unethical rule change allowing injured horses to compete

26/10/2025

Please sign& share - this is not acceptable!
Thank you

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1CQnJ9vVqF/

19/10/2025

04/10/2025

Looking for a versatile knotless large bale hay feeder to keep your forage tidy and reduce wastage / which has a safe, patented fastener instead of a length of string? Look no further - the Slow Bale Buddy fits both round and square bales - can be suspended / used under a haybell / over a Big Bale Buddy - and customer service from the manufacturer is excellent!

Slow Bale Buddy is very versatile – it can be used for both round and square bales Can be used indoors or outside; on its own / over a BBB / under a Haybell Made from nylon (not polypropylen…

23/09/2025

“Trust me, this horse is pampered.”

🫧🧽What People Often Think Pampering Means:

• A spotless horse with not a speck of dirt or sand on them

• Braided and kept in permanent “show-ready” condition

• Living in an isolated stall inside a spotless, polished barn

• Bathed daily, sometimes multiple times a day

• Tack gleaming, polished until it shines

• Constantly clipped whiskers, ears, and muzzle for a “clean” look

• Limited turnout so they stay “safe” and don’t get a scratch

• Ridden or exercised on strict schedules so they stay trim and polished, even if it doesn’t match their natural rhythms (“he only has to work for one hour a day”)

All of these things make HUMANS feel good. They fit OUR picture of luxury. But horses don’t define pampering the same way we do.

🐴 What Pampering Looks Like to Horses:

• A full hay net or grass buffet so their stomachs are never empty

• Rolling in dirt or sand to scratch, shed hair, and coat themselves naturally (like in this photo 🤣)

• Mutual grooming with friends, scratching each other’s withers in exactly the right spot

• Safe Turnout with space to move freely, stretch their legs, or gallop when they feel like it

• Shelter they can choose to step into or out of depending on weather

• Comfortable footing that keeps hooves strong and joints supported

• Play and exploration, whether it’s a new log to chew, a ball to nudge, or just time to be curious

• Positive interactions with humans, where training is cooperative instead of coercive

✨ A horse isn’t pampered because they look like a showpiece. They’re pampered when their needs are met in the way horses understand.

21/09/2025

Why Watching Herds Matters for Training

One of the best things you can do for your horsemanship has nothing to do with riding or training sessions at all.
It is simply watching horses interact with each other.

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🌱 What a healthy herd looks like:

In a balanced herd, communication is subtle and layered. You will see ear flicks, weight shifts, and breath releases. These signals often go unnoticed unless we take the time to watch. Horses also model how to set boundaries without escalation. They negotiate space respectfully, and when communication does rise, it usually happens gradually with many small cues first. Even then, the escalation tends to stay mild.

Horses also co-regulate with one another. Watching them manage tension and return to calm offers lessons we can carry into training, especially when pressure or excitement builds. And perhaps most importantly, a horse whose social needs are met within the herd carries that sense of security into human interactions. Meeting those needs first makes everything we do in training easier.

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What we learn from watching
By observing these interactions, we sharpen our ability to notice the smallest shifts in communication. We learn to see how horses set boundaries without force, how they give each other time to respond, and how they return to calm after tension. These lessons carry directly into training: noticing the try before the resistance, giving space for processing, and creating an environment where the horse feels safe to engage.

When we watch herds, we also see that the majority of interactions are quiet and cooperative. Corrections, when they do occur, are rare and short-lived. For us, the lesson is clear: harmony comes from subtle communication and trust, not from repetition of correction.

Sitting and watching our horses on a continuous basis also allows us to notice changes in behaviour that may not be obvious in day-to-day handling. A horse that withdraws, becomes more reactive, or alters their role in the herd may be showing us early signs of pain, stress, or discomfort. These are things we often miss when our only interactions are during training or care routines.

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⚠️ What an unhealthy herd looks like:

Not all herds provide the above model. When resources or social groupings are out of balance, we may see repeated chasing, frequent biting or kicking, or guarding of hay, water, or shelter. These are signs of conflict, not of health.

The mistake comes when people view this kind of conflict as normal horse behaviour and then use it to justify harsh or forceful training methods. In reality, conflict is usually a symptom of poor management, not a standard we should strive toward.

Research supports this. Long-term observations in equine social behaviour (McDonnell, 2003; Waring, 2003) indicate that stable herds rely heavily on subtle communication and rarely escalate to chronic aggression when resources are adequate. Studies have shown that frequent aggression more often reflects competition over limited resources than daily herd life (Boyd et al., 2016; Christensen et al., 2011). Observations of feral and semi-feral horses further suggest that true stability is marked by calm coexistence, not constant chasing or biting (van Dierendonck & Spruijt, 2012; Feh, 2005).

A horse or herd living in survival mode, constantly guarding resources or fighting for space, should never be the baseline for our training decisions.

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The takeaway:

By taking time to watch rather than do, we learn what relaxation, communication, and consent look like in horse language. Bringing those lessons into training means working with the horse, not against their nature.

Sometimes, the best classroom is the pasture.

13/09/2025

Brown medium (cob, horse) synthetic beta Dr Cook bitless bridle in excellent used condition

A used beta bridle in almost new condition – a real bargain!

22/07/2025

A rare occurrence - genuine English leather, padded Dr Cook bitless bridle - havana - used but in excellent condition; XF Warmblood size

A used English padded leather genuine Dr Cook crossover Bitless Bridle – XF (warmblood) havana

13/06/2025

Woohoo! We've managed to secure a few pairs of Flex-Ride stirrups!

We have managed to secure a few pairs of these amazing stirrups, but the future of the manufacturer is still in doubt, so get some while they’re available…

09/06/2025

Interesting word "relationship," often thought of as only applicable to pony patters and those who allow their horses to do whatever they want. Yet the truth is, everyone has a relationship with their equine; there are as many types of relationships as there are people and horses they share a space with. Yet often we forget to deliberately set out to create the relationship we want with our horses, donkeys and hybrids. Establishing the relationship you want is the key to achieving the enjoyment, safety, and connection you both deserve. Relationship is the foundation of everything else. If you have lost the relationship you had, or it feels like something is missing, or you just want to do the work to make sure you can build a strong, safe relations, then come and join me in this event, Building better equine relationships, on the ground and in the saddle
https://www.hartshorsemanship.com/event-details/building-better-equine-relationships-on-the-ground-and-in-the-saddle

08/06/2025

Understand Horses presents a webinar with equine trainer and behaviour consultant Trudi Dempsey on riding and training using bitless bridles.