Sound Horsemanship

Sound Horsemanship Showing the stuff other equestrians won’t. Rough rugged and raw, you’ll see it all ☝🏾

1 horse & 1 pony looking for new post codes 15.1hh chestnut 8yo xbred gelding14.3hh bay 6yo xbred ponyThe hack would sui...
31/08/2023

1 horse & 1 pony looking for new post codes
15.1hh chestnut 8yo xbred gelding
14.3hh bay 6yo xbred pony

The hack would suit someone wanting to hunt, showjump or ideally a shepherds hack treking horse. He’s been my main for the last few years and recently returned a couple months back from one of the lower NI huntsman.

The pony would suit someone wanting a bombproof hack, non complicated ride however does have some vices around feed, can be quite dominant of his feed bin but no worries for a competent individual.

22/08/2023

13 years ago I lay in a hospital bed after a serious motorbike accident not knowing how things would pan out. I remember so vividly the feeling as the doctor told me my life would change drastically, that there was a high possibility I would never take part in contact sports, compete in rodeo or train horses ever again …

The next 12 weeks were a blur as I spiralled into a dark depression relying on prescription drugs to numb my mental and physical pain

Then I remembered who the hell I was!

05/08/2023

Never forget that most things in life are only
temporary. As a horse trainer it's my job to have a
switch. A switch that im able to operate manually. I
switch it on and the love pours out into my training/
retraining, and then I switch it off before they go home so that it's easier for us both to transition back to normality.

NGL. It's harder than it looks as these
horses stare straight into my soul at times when they test me to see wether I am worthy. And that's where I become the mirror of what they need. I'm a lover and a fighter and I guess you could say, at the end of the day, I fight the problems away so your horse can learn to love, brave it and trust again.

Late night thoughts looking back on some of the
horses over the last couple years

Hope you enjoyed this little read and look back down memory lane ☝🏾

29/07/2023

The hardest part about hellos are often the goodbyes. It’s been an honour and a privilege my boy, let’s enjoy the time we have left before you embark on what I’m certain will be a very promising racing career. Look out NZ. Another US navy flag is about to set sail ☝🏾

23/07/2023

Many people have asked me over the years where the name ”Sound Horsemanship” came from and I thought it was worth explaining.

Growing up we didint have a saddle that fit every horse, farriers we’re very hard to get in the Kaitieke valley, we didint purpose breed and often would discover new additions out in the paddock months after a c**t had gotten in with the herd.

These were just some of the reality’s of my upbringing.

Your probably sitting there wondering… “why on earth did you not take better care of your horses etc” well I wouldn’t be here creating “sound” horses for you all if I hadn’t experienced the raw upbringing I had.

I’m thankful for everything I experienced as a kid and I don’t say these words often but I’m proud of my dad as he was doing the best he could under the circumstances given to take on “wild and dangerous horses” and give them purpose.

Their purpose serves as a humble reminder of how far I have come to make sure all horses coming to and leaving from me are Sound. Everything I do is individually catered to each horse to set them up the very best I can to succeed.

The other reason behind the name which has been a huge reason for my growth is being able to incorporate music into my videos. I started filming my journey with horses to promote my horsemanship and when I first started, I wanted to stand out from the rest.

I didint have a flash truck with all the sponsors on the side, the matching tack nor the quarter of a million dollar horse.

I had what was given to me to fix, my craft and my cell phone with Spotify premium. And there you have it. Sound horsemanship was created.

If you’ve made it to the end of this post then please drop a comment and tell me what it is that makes us stand out to you.

Thanks for watching, listening and reading
Jake

19/07/2023

The big boys having a splash around today. Have to pinch myself sometimes to remind me I’m not dreaming.

This is the reality of my life. I get to do amazing stuff like this everyday with horses ranging from $1000 to 1 million dollars 😳

My own family and friends told me that I wouldn’t be able to make a living doing this. That i was destined for far less and I would only ever get the ones no one else wanted or people had written off as being too dangerous for professionals so they’d pay us “a box of beers” to sort it out.

This is a reminder to anyone who is about to give up their dreams because of what someone else has told you.

If I can stick it out, so can you.

Thank you to every one of my clients pass present in future. It’s because of you, I get to do what I love every single day ❤️

“BIG is good” 😂😅
19/07/2023

“BIG is good” 😂😅

Shoutout to my main man Tate who’s been giving dad a hand on the farm over the holidays. Blessed to have such a helpful ...
13/07/2023

Shoutout to my main man Tate who’s been giving dad a hand on the farm over the holidays. Blessed to have such a helpful and entuiastic little workhorse to aid in getting me through the day.

Everything I do, I do for my family. I pray through my sacrifice of fun and youthful years that they will never have to worry where the next meal is coming from, why the power is turned off or where their favourite horse disappeared to. These were just some of the reality’s of my childhood.

RISE, EAT, MAHI, REPEAT
breaking generational cycles is hard. But we were bred harder.

Hope everyone is enjoying the quality time, not the quantity of it. Kia pai to ra (have a great day)

Jake

08/07/2023

Exposure is the key to broadening a young horses horizons. How can we expect them to perform faultlessly when they havnt been given a chance to take in their surroundings and learn what is expected of them.

27/06/2023

Just a few of the steeds I’m working with atm. Diversity is key to producing a sound horse.

Hello everyoneI’m writing this post to let you all know that I’m doing my very best to reply to you all, I have a good 3...
14/06/2023

Hello everyone

I’m writing this post to let you all know that I’m doing my very best to reply to you all, I have a good 30 odd people to get back to regarding a quote, enquiry etc. This will be my first weekend semi quiet in well over a couple of months so I’m hoping to get through a brunt of them then. Your patience is appreciated and I look forward to speaking with you all soon.

(I also have this wonderful station hack looking for a new post code. He is currently owned and in work with the Weir family in King Country Taumarunui. Pm if genuinely interested and then I can put you in contact)

Nga mihi
Jake

11/06/2023

It’s time for the next chapter. Phase 2 is underway

01/06/2023

The lovely Lucy left us yesterday and we are definitley feeling her absence. Thank you so much to Somerton Park - Clydesdale Stud for trusting us with yet another one of your stunning Clydesdales.

They seriously have to be up their with some of the quietest horses I’ve ever worked with and it’s a real credit to you as breeders having an exceptional team setting the foundations early.

Special mention to Grant Paterson, I’ve been informed about all the early handling and it’s certainly paid off so thanks heaps from one trainer to another. You really have set these horses up for success.

21 days from the day she was dropped off. I guess it’s true, Clydesdales are born broken in 😁

This brings me to my next point, we reserve a spot year round for one heavy so if your wanting to get yours in now, book in quick before it’s to late. Spots don’t last long

Kind regards and hope you enjoy this small clip from such a big horse ❤️

Sound Horsemanship

I have a pony available for lease, this option might be appealing to someone who isint in a position to but just yet. No...
28/05/2023

I have a pony available for lease, this option might be appealing to someone who isint in a position to but just yet. Not ideal for children or novices, would suit a station/shepherding lifestyle, possibly even a pig hunting hack etc. Very stoic little gelding. Built like a welsh cob.

Pm for more details

15/05/2023

Often I think back to when I was a kid and everyone could handle a rasp, wasn’t always the tidiest job but it sure as hell prevented the hoof from deteriorating and also gave the horse another desensitising session in preparation for the farrier.

Boy oh boy do we need to wind back the clock!!

This mare is a lovely example of a young horse who has had prior prep. She’s twice the size of most horses and could crush me if she coughed let alone deliberately tried to hurt me.

So kudos to Somerton Park - Clydesdale Stud
on providing me with yet another great young horse for training. I appreciate you 🙌🏾

The reason I’m writing this is because the quality of training in horses that are coming in to be started is simply not up to standard.

REMEMBER. It is YOU who pays in the long run. The more you are able to teach them on the ground prior to sending them means the less time I have to spend down there allowing me to focus on other aspects of your horses training when they are with me.

If a horse can’t tie, lead, be groomed, covered or stand for the farrier. Don’t expect them to of had more than a handful of rides in a 6 week prep.

I mean when we really break things down. On average a horse trainer is given 6 weeks to take a horse from whatever state you drop it off in. To under your bottom.

6weeks is roughly 42 days
- weekends = 30days
Hours per day (1-2hours)

30 HOURS 😳😳😳

Food for thought

02/05/2023

Try this one out for size 😳 just shy of 18hh

21/03/2023

Howdy everyone.

I have a full size pony looking for a new postcode. Yoda would make the perfect little shepherds hack/all purpose stock horse, or treking mount for a smaller rider. Has no desire to do anything too sporty and has abit to much heart/attitude to be suitable for a child. I have used him as a lead horse for a variety of breakers these last couple of months to which he has been the perfect candidate to assist me in their training

Yoda is roughly 14hh certainly no bigger than full sized pony, xbred 6-7 yo gelding.

Really his only fault is that he can be a bossy little s**t about food hense why not suitable for children or softer typed horse people who let this get in the way as he will walk all over you otherwise. Other than that he is really one of my favourite horses in training at current.

Please no time wasters
7k

Most people dream of success, many ride the success of those around them, but do not think for a second that you can’t w...
02/03/2023

Most people dream of success, many ride the success of those around them, but do not think for a second that you can’t wake up, work extra fu***ng hard and get that for yourself too.

Hey Team It’s so hard to write anything weather related right now knowing the impact Gabrielle has had across the countr...
16/02/2023

Hey Team

It’s so hard to write anything weather related right now knowing the impact Gabrielle has had across the country, our thoughts are with those effected and I hope everything subsidises soon and life as we know it can return back to some form of normality. No words can describe the sheer heart ache many have experienced this last week so I won’t attempt to orate anything other than this.

You are strong, you’ve made it this far, and you’ll make it through this s**t storm ❤️

Here’s a little pic of two of our resident retirees (roughly 29 & 21) I was worried about these two as the eldest and youngest generally get hit the worst. Pleased to have pulled them through yet another natural disaster 🙏🏾

Here’s a little snippet from yesterday. We decided to do a little outbound training and after finishing off our work bac...
20/01/2023

Here’s a little snippet from yesterday. We decided to do a little outbound training and after finishing off our work back at base, we hit the road venturing out to Paeroa, Huntly then Ngaruawahia.

I got to catch up with me good mate Sharon who upon arriving at her property, met us at her front gate ba****ck and escorted us in (how cool) she had asked me a while back if I could assist her with teaching her horse to bow or lay down making it easier to mount when out on the trail.

Althoe I would never normally say yes to this request (SO PLEASE DONT ASK), I know Sharon is someone I can trust with this tool…after all, we are going on 18 years of friendship to honour that.

It was such a pleasure to catch up and work with her lovely boy. He really made the process so simple and it’s a real credit to all her foundation training. I look forward to getting back out to follow up and continue the process.

OUTBOUND training. Is there a need for this in the Waikato region. Much like a farrier or dentist. We would come to you ...
16/01/2023

OUTBOUND training. Is there a need for this in the Waikato region. Much like a farrier or dentist. We would come to you and assist with general handling, desensitising, float loading issues, confidence building, farrier prep, and much much more. Just gauging interest at this point, if there is enough we may dedicate a month this year to serving the wider public 👍🏾

I still have this rising 8yo Roc de Cambes gelding looking for his forever home. Rocky is a stocky type evenly marked an...
11/01/2023

I still have this rising 8yo Roc de Cambes gelding looking for his forever home. Rocky is a stocky type evenly marked and looks quite smart when scrubbed up. He is by far one of the coolest thoroughbreds I’ve ever ridden and very versatile. No vices other than not for the beginner types. He can really boogie and I’m a big fan of his composed athleticism. Point and click and he’s gone. pickup the reins and sit in the saddle and he’s right back in yah fingertips. Would make a fabulous games or polo horse. Shoot me a message if genuinely interested. Will be listing on trademe over the weekend otherwise 👌🏾

06/01/2023

Proisir filly stretching her legs on the uphill plough. One of two very exciting young thoroughbreds we have been working throughout Xmas New Years. She will be heading to Matamata for a training prep soon.

03/01/2023

“Nothing like cutting through the wind on the back of a horse”

I’d like to give back and offer the oppurtunity for one of you to come and spend the day with us here at Sound Horsemanship. This is completely exclusive as we don’t run clinics or teach lessons etc. We can train, ride or just share knowledge. To be eligible you must, like this post, follow the Sound horsemanship account on both Facebook and Instagram. Tag 2 friends. I’ll draw on Sunday the 8th via live.

Look forward to meeting one of you 👌🏾

21/12/2022

Well the big boy departed today, he’s one of 5 to head home before Christmas, whilst we were waiting for the transporter we thought we ought to check he’d be okay as a school bus for the tamariki (children) in Taranaki. Safe to say Ragnar never disappoints. Thank you Penlowvy Shires & Sport Horse Stud for allowing us to be apart of this magnificent boys journey. Go and follow her page to keep up with the World of Ragnar.

14/12/2022

Meet Jakama Ruby everyone 😍

Balou du Rouet X Grovenor

Smile 🦷 Your horse’s teeth are vital for their survival. Their health can quickly go downhill when complications arise i...
05/12/2022

Smile 🦷

Your horse’s teeth are vital for their survival. Their health can quickly go downhill when complications arise in the mouth. That’s why it’s essential you know a few basic facts about them. Here’s 10 facts I found on the web to stimulate your minds on this sunny monday ☀️

1. Geldings and stallions have between 36 and 44 permanent teeth. Adult mares have between 36 and 40.

2. In the front of the mouth, each horse has six upper and six lower teeth that are known as incisors. These handy teeth grab grass and other foliage.

3. The back of the mouth is home to 12 upper and lower molars. These bad boys help your horse grind their food for digestion.

4. Young horses have 24 milk teeth, also known as caps.

5. Teeth begin to surface within a week of birth. At six months, a mouth of caps should be present. By age five, the milk teeth should be replaced with permanent adult teeth.

6. Wolf teeth can be found in some horses. This vestigial tooth is usually removed when the horse is still young in order to prevent problems in the future. They’re similar to a person’s wisdom teeth.

7. They’re continuously surfacing and erupting from the gum. Nearly 1/8 inch per year of tooth eruption should be expected. Luckily, as your horse grinds their food they wear their teeth down.

8. Once a year, an equine dentist can come to your farm to ‘float’ your horse’s teeth. This process removes sharp edges.

9. Your horse may have a dental problem if they begin to lose weight, have cheek sensitivity, and excess salivation.

10. Lastly, horse teeth take up more space in their heads than their brains!

Here’s a photo of Malbec after having a top incisor cap removed that couldn’t be done when he was last seen.

Special mention to Mark Old for his expertise an swift, professional service.

Kind regards
Soundhorsemanship

This horse has been a bloody tough one I tell yah, im never an advocate for gelding c**ts because there too tough but th...
24/11/2022

This horse has been a bloody tough one I tell yah, im never an advocate for gelding c**ts because there too tough but this m**o was almost the death of me and a real danger to himself. We had our first official ride under saddle this week 😌. From not being able to bridle, aggressive with feed and other horses, one of the most explosive bucks I’ve ever seen, turning himself inside out with the gear on. I’d like to make a special mention to Harvest Grains for aiding in specialised feed plans for many of our team. Matamata Veterinary Services - Equine for their wealth of knowledge also making it easier to understand the bigger picture about some of the reasons our equine companions are acting out or oddly. Lastly, to my team here at base that have all played a big part in this horses journey, Rachel vic, Rachael fin. Con, Jayney. HOW BLOODY GOOD 🤩 This moment is thanks to the community of people behind EACH individual horse but today …

We celebrate Burg ⭐️

24/11/2022

Here’s a little snippet of Malbecs progress over 3 days. He’s been spending time in our boxes and outside yards as althoe he’s inquisitive, he’s still quite tricky to catch. It usually takes a few days but food is key. Once we get a few walls down, the willing side of the brain starts to show itself and the reactive fades. We have had some great milestones met by a lot of our horses this week so I look forward to posting a few of those up over the next few days.

Kia pai to ra
Sound Horsemanship

19/11/2022

I was always the guy that could ride anything. I travelled across the land near and far, ventured overseas in search of the knowledge and diverse skills I possess today.

My why has never been for fame or wealth! It is and always has been to understand these noble creatures, to push pass dangerous, aggressive and not worth it labels that WE give them.

For years I was told by many close to me that social media was dangerous! That it was risky to share to much about our line of work & I remember thinking

“How will anyone ever know the day to day struggles we face as horse trainers if we are only aloud to share the wins“

I’m not gonna lie, it took me some time to process…

Finally I grew some balls & cut people off who dampened my light and started writing my own future

I started posting the content I thought I would like to see, thinking of times I was stuck in my earlier years creating videos that would have helped younger me in those moments.

1 year on and I have just under 125,000 followers across social media platforms. Thank you to each and every single one of you for your time and engagement.

This is just the beginning

Phase 1 ✅

18/11/2022

Smiles and greetings near and far, you can have the big house and the shiny car.

My riches are life forever, long after I’m gone, my memory will live on

15/11/2022

Waka arrived on Monday from Northland and this was a snippet from his first session with me yesterday. His owner booked him in a year in advance 😳. Special mention to NZEA Community - Aria Ross for the referral. We like these ones 🙌🏾

Over the last 2 months we have had the lovely Isis from France helping us on the farm. Reality has sunken in and we have...
14/11/2022

Over the last 2 months we have had the lovely Isis from France helping us on the farm. Reality has sunken in and we have felt her absence today. May the horse be with you in your travels and know that you will ALWAYS have family here in Aotearoa ❤️ it’s not goodbye, just see you later 👋🏾

We held our promise by getting her on the big boy Ragnar before she left, credit to Penlowvy Shires & Sport Horse Stud for producing such an awesome stallion 🙌🏾

Just a little trip down memory lane..I use to travel the country building my name, adding to my skills and testing my ho...
12/11/2022

Just a little trip down memory lane..

I use to travel the country building my name, adding to my skills and testing my horsemanship through real life experiences. All of which helped mould the Kaupoi (cowboy) that stands before you today.

The road has not been easy and I have given up numerous times, heck the last time I did, I almost didint come back. I’m a big believer in fate and that everything happens for a reason. Trust the process.

I’m back and better than ever 👌🏾

30/07/2020

So y’all already know we keep it real 💯 so here’s some raw footage for your viewing pleasure, no cuts or edits.

This is the second time going through a flowing stream, we had a 5 minute (chit chat) about going through prior but safe to say, once we got our feet wet, we were pretty much saturated from the waist down upon finishing our ride.

Horses love water and it amazes me that yet so many are so unsure and lack experience/exposure to being in and around it.

As a kid I remember being as young as 6 years old crossing the mighty Whakapapa river in the middle of winter on a horse no bigger than your standard Kaimanawa pony, water up to the neck, saddle bags floating. & that was THE NORM

What’s clear to me about the modernised horse becoming more domesticated and bridle trails dramatically decreaseing is the lack of diversity they are offered from trainers offering very little exposure to ensure overall soundness across multiple environments & types of terrain!

I like to “put myself in the owners shoes” so to speak and always ask myself.. What will they be doing? What sort of riding will they be focussing on! How do I incorporate that into my teachings to better partner both horse and rider!

Here at Sound Horsemanship we are constantly changing up our routines and day to day activity’s to cover a wider variety of interactions in the real world pushing the boundary’s and testing the limits to produce an over all quality horse.

Thanks for watching another segment of our journey

📷 Snapchat📸SoundHorseman

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