Anna Bonnage Horsemanship

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Anna Bonnage Horsemanship Anna travels out to client's facilities training horses and people in a variety of disciplines.

Anna’s training approach applies to all riding disciplines, starting young horses and working with horses that have developed troubled behaviours. Anna has a practical, common sense approach which focuses on working with the horse’s point of view and seeing things from their perspective, helping the horse to have a relaxed state of mind. If we help a horse to change the way that they feel then the

y will naturally change the way they behave. Although Anna has worked with horses for all of her life, her approach towards helping horses and people, in her opinion, is greatly down to the knowledge which she has gained from spending time with one of the most talented horseman in the world, Harry Whitney.

18/07/2025

There are a few things that I really like about this video of 11 year old Sage on her 10th ride in the saddle with her newly backed little horse. Let’s remember this is only the horse’s 2nd ride with the bit in.

I’ve taught Sage since she was 4 years old, we know each other well, she knows how seriously I take considering a young horse’s thoughts and feelings.

What I really like in this video is firstly how she uses her legs. There is no tension in her legs when asking her horse to go. Her whole leg from her hip creates a gentle bumping feeling which creates life rather than tension in a young horse.

Secondly when he goes, she does not touch the rein, he has complete freedom to go and we see her ready to go with him, her body is in time with him, she wants to go as much as he wants to go and when they go she stays out of his way, she does her best to blend in with his movement and not inhibit him.

Then she picks up the rein to direct him. Oh let’s remember she has 2 sets of reins, 1 is attached to the halter incase she needs to interupt his thoughts suddenly and 1 is the rein on his bit which is the rein she uses only to ask gently, the rein she is using here in the vid. She does her best to gently ask even though she’s being bounced around at a trot, she doesn’t grab his mouth. Then when he doesn’t respond she waits, maybe changes the angle of the rein upwards ever so slightly so as not to create a brace. Then he thinks in her direction and she releases the rein fully. Full slack comes into the rein, she trusts her horse and trusts her skills so does not need to hold onto his head. Notice she only uses 1 rein at a time to direct him because it’s his 2nd ride in it, so if he can’t follow 1 rein there’s no way the poor chap could understand 2 reins at the same time. Then I confuse Sage, she picks up the rein to turn as I say “it doesn’t matter where he goes”. She releases her ask and they trot off together with freedom in both of their bodies. She then spirals him down to stop. She’s not using 2 reins because he doesn’t understand 2 reins yet to stop. She uses the inside rein only and he finds a stop in balance, square. She didn’t over bend him in the one rein stop, she didn’t make him crooked by asking for too much bend through his neck and once again she releases the rein fully as he started to turn. Then she strokes her horse gently, I can feel a calm quietness between them.

18/07/2025

This was Sage’s pony’s 2nd ever ride in a bit. Here Sage was learning to ask softly with the rein and then release the rein fully as he started to change his balance, started to mentally follow the rein. Yes she released the rein before, yes before, he’d physically finished the movement. This is how a young horse remains in their natural basic balance with a rider on during the first few weeks of riding.

Sage was accidentally leaning in the wrong direction, but that’s ok because learning is hard!

My 11 year old friend/ student and I have just spent 3 weeks backing her young horse together. We had so much fun and lo...
18/07/2025

My 11 year old friend/ student and I have just spent 3 weeks backing her young horse together. We had so much fun and look how square he’s naturally standing! He’s square because his balance has not been disturbed in the process of backing him. He has been given the freedom to balance himself while carrying a rider. Videos and explanation to follow 🤩

A big thankyou to my clients who are so thoughtful to my dog Pan when he travels in my van while I’m on the road helping...
13/07/2025

A big thankyou to my clients who are so thoughtful to my dog Pan when he travels in my van while I’m on the road helping people with their horses. Obviously he spends the entire lesson in the van sleeping so it would be easy to not notice him while he waits so quietly but once the lessons are over people are extremely thoughtful towards him.

As seen here one very kind lady gave him a teddy to play with after her training session!! She hid it in her yard for him to find once her lesson was over. He felt this to be above and beyond generous! Extreme excitement ensued!

Everyone allows me to cool Pan off under their hose pipe or in their water tubs and during this heat he much appriciates this.

We love our animals so much, so it means a lot to me, hence I wanted to say thankyou for being kind to Pan when I visit your yard to help you with your horse. You see for me a life without animals would be almost unbearable, just so sad. Of course if I could fit a horse in my van then I’d travel around with a horse too but that wouldn’t be fair on a horse. Pan doesn’t seem to mind the deal of being with me on the road though, I’d go as far as to say I think he quite enjoys it.

29/06/2025

A fun sneak preview from our filming this weekend! ⭐️ Filming my online young horse training course which we are creating: AB APPROACH TO YOUNG HORSES

Part 1 of the 3 part course is likely to be available for sale in March 2026 🥳 Part 1 looks to have about 25 hours of video footage to learn from, yes 25 hours!!

For all of you who own young horses and want to understand more about creating a trusted relationship in preparation for ridden life, this course will soon be available to you.

This is a video of a young mare whom I have backed and taught to load. We wanted to show what is possible with your young horse. You’ll notice I don’t have pockets or a bum bag full of treats, the language here is ‘feel’ and ‘understanding’. This mare has a bright, happy and relaxed look on her face and no treats were used to create that bond. I want to show you how you too can create a stronger relationship with your young horse so self loading at liberty is possible for you too 😃

Please private message me with your email address if you wish to be added to the list of people to be notified when AB APPROACH TO YOUNG HORSES is released in 2026 🥳

26/06/2025

At what point can we say we have had our first ride on our youngster?

I’m use to getting phone calls asking if I would be happy to give a first canter to a young horse now that the horse has had say 20 rides. On inquiring I find out that the horse has been lead around with a human on their back 20 times but in my eyes they haven’t yet had their first ride let alone ready for a first canter.

Today was this mare’s 3rd ride, as seen here trotting with me past her field companion. There’s a freedom in her moment. She moved soon when I asked her to. Not fast, you don’t want fast in your first week of riding you want soon. Her ability to search to go asap without becoming tense is the goal. Rather like when you leave your drive and go into 3rd gear downhill, it’s a floating feeling, a flat floating feeling when you accelerate. That’s the feeling you want in transitions during your first week of riding together.

This mare’s 1st ride was 2 days ago when she learnt to go forwards off my ask. In the 5 sessions before that I simply sat on her, let her plod around the arena, jumped on and off her repetitively and lazed around on her giving her scratches. They weren’t rides they were just sessions to help her get use to the feeling of me being up in her.

The sooner you have your first ride the better. What I mean is the sooner your young horse learns they can move forward with freedom with saddle and rider the happier they will be in their life as a riding horse. It’s the slow plodding young horses that make me feel uneasy because they are either tense or they will become tense and explode a little when they do find that feeling of freedom in their movement. Let’s help our young horses find that floating soon feeling 😊

22/06/2025

When it comes to fly masks. Back strap too loose and flies get in or masks fall off. Bottom strap too tight causes pressure and swelling around your horse’s muzzle.

This beautiful mare has arrived with me to be backed. It really is my happy place backing the young horses. It’s a real ...
21/06/2025

This beautiful mare has arrived with me to be backed. It really is my happy place backing the young horses. It’s a real joy for me the day they arrive.

Here she is with her babysitter! All of the young horses arriving for me to back are given a retired friend who they live with for the duration of their stay. I don’t know of any other trainers who do this. When I’m not with the mare she’ll have her new friend with her at all times. Every young horse settles in so quickly. It’s really crucial to me that these young horses first experience of leaving the safety of their friends at home is a good and relaxed experience. An electric fence between the young horse and the baby sitting horse is sometimes needed but often the division of a fence is too frightening for a young one who ‘needs’ the closeness of the experienced horse right there next to them. In time they learn to cope on their own during their stay but initially they have a friend to guide them, either me or their new horse friend are with them at all times. I’m setting them up for live not just for the 4-6 weeks which they’re with me being backed.

Early morning trip to the beach with a client/ friend of mine and her young mare who I backed.Most young horses feel a l...
21/06/2025

Early morning trip to the beach with a client/ friend of mine and her young mare who I backed.

Most young horses feel a little overwhelmed by the vast expanse. For miles off into the distance they can see moving figures, be it dogs, walkers or other horses. The goal was a combo of leading and riding, keeping the mare’s mind ‘with’ her owner. Drawing the mare’s attention to give her things to think about right here by her feet. Directing her attention when overwhelm kicked in and she needed to move her feet and the occasional interrupting her attention with the windmill rope action if the mare was unable to hear her owner, because her brain was miles up the beach.

A great first exposure for both mare and owner at the beach. Pan my dog and I went along and got wet feet and both owner and mare relaxed and enjoyed their outing, as you can see by the stress free photos 🥳

A lovely client of mine is looking for a new four legged friend. Do share the post if you know of a suitable riding hors...
04/06/2025

A lovely client of mine is looking for a new four legged friend. Do share the post if you know of a suitable riding horse to join her at their lovely facility.

WANTED a horse that loves to hack…… anywhere - busy roads, open spaces, fields with livestock, beach etc. Happy riding out on their own or in company first or last, forward going and level headed ernough to nanny youngsters - not spooky.
Must load and travel without any issues and be content to stay away on horsey holidays.
14.2 - 15.2hh nothing heavy or wide, as I find wide horses uncomfortable. Aged 7 - 15 yrs old with experience in the world and past history known. Must be fit/sound and pass vetting. Preferably a gelding.
Good realistic budget to buy the right horse or would loan with BHS agreement in place (would consider 15yrs + if loaning)
Older experienced owner offering a private family home with 24 hr turn out, field shelters, stables and other ponies/horses for company - versatile set up to suit the needs of the horse.
North Devon tel 07909964737

A trusted friend Alison, has a horse whom I haven’t met, who she is looking to find a new home for, so I said I’d post a...
27/05/2025

A trusted friend Alison, has a horse whom I haven’t met, who she is looking to find a new home for, so I said I’d post about Charlie on here to help her and Charlie.

Charlie is a 12 year old 15.3 Warmblood x Arab. Has hunted, arena hire, show jumped, and been on the gallops, all before I owned him. He is an intelligent, sensitive horse who will take time to adjust to a new environment. Charlie needs a compassionate, experienced owner who will put in the necessary time to bond with him and condition him to riding again or one who is happy having a nice looking horse for non ridden stuff. Lunges beautifully. He is not for a novice as he can be tense under saddle. He can become stressed if left on his own or his routine is changed.
He has travelled in a trailer and lorry, but he's not keen on being in the trailer on his own. No vices and not malicious in any way. He would be suited to a livery yard situation where he always has company or small herd environment.
🏡 more important than 🥕🥕. My main concern is seeing him settled with someone who will enjoy him.
PM for more details. Alison - 07974 567749

Today was the start of filming part 2 of my 1-3 part young horse online course. The editing has been far more time consu...
08/05/2025

Today was the start of filming part 2 of my 1-3 part young horse online course. The editing has been far more time consuming than I or the videographer anticipated. It’s an epic job creating a 3 part course that takes you from first haltering of your young horse through to part 3 hacking around the country lanes.

It’ll be worth it but it’s taking longer than I hoped as I’m working full time with young horses so only evenings and weekends are free for editing. Looking forward to showing you all some clips from 2024 filming ie once part 1 is ready to go on the market 🥳

Today we filmed concepts for leading your young horse around the village, over obstacles and trailer loading, your horse’s first time approaching the ramp.

Thankyou Sarah and Emma for letting your fabulous young horses participate in the footage today.

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