When you have less time than horses 🤣
Those of you who have met my youngster Orion might like to see how he’s growing and getting on.
Hard to believe but this is only his third time being at liberty and he’s just 2 years old.
Just adore him 😍😍😍
You might have heard us quote the wise old horsemen (and women!) who say “If you look after your Horsemanship, your Horsemanship will look after YOU”.
Often that refers to the relationship of trust and mutual respect and responsibility that you spend years nurturing with your equines. Sometimes it refers to strategies and techniques. This is a good example of the latter as this student practices using a bend to bring her horse to a full stop. Practicing when the sun is (kinda) shining means that when you’re up the creek you are not in fact without a paddle 👍
A lovely first for baby Orion today out being ponied at the EBA sponsored ride at Writtle Park. Lots to contend with including horses cantering away, lots of unfamiliar sights and sounds, plus his very first roadwork & traffic. This boy is so awesome I’m so excited to get to be his human!
Lovely 2nd day in the New Forest with this awesome group. Lots of fun with water crossings, bridges and spectacular views. Rewarded with loads of newborn foals and ice cream!
Dawn Marshall
#horseholidays
#equinesavvy
This is my new youngster, Orion, who has just turned 2 years old. One of the things he loves to do is to hang out with me holding the space so he can let down and doze. Although this isn’t an activity I’ve honestly done much of in the last few years, you can see how much older horse likes to join in and takes the opportunity to also rest. He’s also started doing this in the field sometimes - I was quite staggered that he left the grass to do this since usually eating takes priority 🤣
It’s such a privilege and an honour to be able to do this for our horses - they are often so strong and confident - we forget they can feel vulnerable, especially when tired or resting.
I think about ‘holding’ the space for them, taking all the awareness on, so that they can zone out and know I’ve got their back. I ask quite a lot of my older horse, as he’s always been my main vehicle for learning, experimenting, getting things wrong etc. I’ve asked him out of his comfort zone more times than I can remember. So it’s especially nice for me to be able to do things like this for him.
#equinesavvy
#horsetime
Thank you to the lovely Hayley Elliot for this video testimony. Hayley was one of a group of students who joined us for a trip to the Kings Forest in Suffolk this Summer for a few days of fun, adventure and supported hacking with her horse.
Over Winter and Spring next year we will be repeating the specific hacking training that enabled so many people to take part this year in group hacks, solo hacks AND even riding holidays who could not do so before.
So if you’ve missed out this year, or want to build your skills in the saddle for hacking out, get in touch!
Hayley Elliott
#equinesavvy
#review
Lovely first day with students at the New Forest. Horses all being absolutely awesome partners enabling the ride to be very relaxed and fun. Walk trot and cantering through the gorgeous countryside here amidst the new forest ponies! 😍
A little compilation video of our first trip for this year to the forest.
A lot of hard work went into preparing some of these horses and riders to be safe and confident in a new environment. Hats off to every one of them for putting in the necessary work 👍
Several of these horses had never hacked before doing our Hacking Prep clinics this Winter.
We will be running another couple of hacking prep clinics this summer, plus private lessons are also available to improve and test your skills whether you are just starting out or an experienced hacker.
We hope to run another holiday in this forest later in the year so get in touch if you are interested.
One of our wonderful students put this together from their time with us this weekend on our first horsey holiday for 2024
Thank you so much Cheryl xx
One of our wonderful students put this together for us of this weekend's holiday. Thank you Cheryl
What a fun horsey holiday we all had ###
These video clips were taken under an hour apart and show an enormous change. The wonderful thing about youngsters is that they’re like sponges - so make sure you’re teaching them what you want them to learn! With youngsters getting the basics not just good, but great, will serve them for life. And by basics I mean:
Leading, Loading, Foot care, Dental and vets visits, standing quietly whilst tied up, feeling comfortable in a stable or a new place, how to behave around humans and other horses.
