Foundation Equine Training

22/12/2025

23/11/2025

💙 DAY 1 - The Half-Halt Blueprint is officially LIVE! I can’t quite believe I’m typing this…

For years I’ve watched riders struggle with the half-halt ... nodding politely in lessons, trying their hardest, but never quite feeling confident that they truly understood it.

I’ve seen: the confusion, the vague explanations, the “just do a bloody half-halt” shouted across an arena, the guessing, the embarrassment, the horses who rush, lean, collapse, or fall onto the forehand.
..and the riders who quietly feel like they “should know this by now”...

But the truth is: most riders were never actually taught the half-halt clearly.
Not in a way that makes sense biomechanically.
Not in a way that matches how horses learn.
Not in a way you can teach your horse consistently.

So after decades of riding, training, travelling, and teaching thousands of horses and riders…and after months of filming, writing, refining, and wrestling with technology…

I’m incredibly proud to finally share:

💙🐴 THE HALF-HALT BLUEPRINT — my complete online course on teaching, understanding, and riding the half-halt.

This week is Launch Week, so you’ll see me sharing a little more than usual — each day I’ll drop a small insight, myth-bust, or lesson that will help you understand the half-halt in a whole new way.

If you’ve ever felt unsure, confused, or embarrassed about the half-halt…
If your horse is on the forehand or struggling with balance…
If you want riding to feel easier, lighter, safer, and more connected…

👉 You can explore the course here:
https://go.hartstoneequestrian.com/half-halt-blueprint

Thank you for being here.
I can’t wait to share everything I’ve been working on. 💙

11/11/2025

08/11/2025

07/11/2025

05/11/2025

31/10/2025

💫 From Science to Soul – Day 4: Rupture and Repair

One of the most powerful concepts from Warwick Schiller’s clinic was something he called rupture and repair — the same rhythm that exists in every healthy relationship.

Most of us, as children, saw rupture modelled … but rarely repair.
Our parents argued in front of us, but fixed it later in private — or never at all.
So as adults, we’re often uneasy with conflict or activation; we think safety means “never letting anything go wrong.”

But real safety isn’t the absence of rupture — it’s the ability to repair it.

In horse training, that means I’m not trying to keep my horse calm at all times.
I’m allowing small activations — little waves of energy through the nervous system — and showing the horse that it can return to baseline again.
It’s not about avoiding stress; it’s about learning to move through it together.

When a horse can get slightly activated, then come back to me and find regulation, something shifts.
From a scientific standpoint, we can’t measure “trust” precisely — but it looks like trust, and it feels like trust.

Over time, each gentle rupture and repair strengthens the connection. The horse learns that I’m a ventral tether — a consistent, grounded presence who can help it navigate the world’s unpredictability.

And just like in human relationships, when repair is available, bigger challenges stop feeling so frightening.

Tomorrow: Day 5 – Clinginess and Flight – Two Sides of the Same Coin.

30/10/2025