Jo Watts Equestrian

17/08/2024

How do you go from this….👆to this👇…
By taking one step at time! …build trust and confidence and learn to listen when they falter
❤️🦄

24/05/2024

Team work is dream work!! 🦄🦄

Keeping your horse happy, fit and healthy takes a team!!
Here’s some of the key team players 🤩

Nutrition!
Having a healthy diet will give a healthy microbiome…
Healthy skin
Healthy coat
Healthy feet happy horse
Happy horse

Saddle fitter!
A good fitting saddle
Freer movement
Happy back
Happy horse

Farrier!
Comfort for the feet
Soundness
Happy horse

Dentist!
Helps chew better
Eliminates sharp edges
Balance the mouth
Happy horse

Bit /bridle fitter
Comfortable head
Happy tongue
Happy mouth
Happy horse

Rider!
suppleness
Balance
Posture
Happy horse

Vet!
Worming
Injections
Medical care
Happy horse

Trainer!
A good trainer can help spot any problems and recommend another team member ..
Helps guide through levels
Creates a partnership
Improves riders skills
Happy horse

Body workers!
Stretching
Massage
Remedies
Therapies
Happy horse

Every single one of these team members is key to a happy healthy horse..🦄🦄🦄
🤩

28/04/2024

Horses have the best ability to make sure we dont get too big for our boots!!
So…. Don’t be afraid to own your mistakes!
We don’t learn by trying to be perfect all the time ..
Repeat the basics!! Go back to the beginning if you have to..
build confidence in you and your horse.. 🦄🦄

22/04/2024

Want to jump big fences!?! 🦄
My horse has sooo much potential 🥰🤩………
BUT …..

11/04/2024

Relaxed or not relaxed!
Taking the time to observe the horse’s body language when I’m working with them can help me identify when they are relaxed and able to process.
Too much tension in the body may trigger a flight or fight response.
If I at this point ask for too much from the horse to process I potentially could increase the tension more and make the situation worse or even possibly dangerous.
Picking up on small changes I find is key to developing a trust and connection so the horse can willingly learn in a calm relaxed state of mind.
When they are in a calm relaxed state of mind I give them plenty of praise ❤️🦄

10/04/2024

Recognising tension!
The importance of translating what the horse is trying to say through their body language doesn’t just aid me in the way I might train, but can also help me understand if there is any underlying conditions.
A reluctant, shut down or aggressive horse isn’t a naughty or stubborn horse, it could be a horse telling me I’m asking for more than they can process or potentially be in discomfort..

09/04/2024

It’s important for a horse to in my opinion to be in a relaxed mindset before they can process anything new.

08/04/2024

When I’m working with horses from the ground I stay at a distance where I can see as much of the horse as possible and be safe
A good way to judge how close I want to be is being behind what I call the strike zone..
This is the distance a horse can strike out with his front foot..

06/04/2024

A snippet of what I do when working with a new horse

04/04/2024

Much like the saying “a picture is worth a thousand words”
So is a horse’s body language……
It’s amazing what horses can tell you with the subtle signs they give us.
This is why I love working with horses and their owners connecting the dots. 🦄

04/04/2024

Hi!

My name is Jo, I moved to NZ from the UK 12 months ago and have settled in Nelson, I want to take this opportunity to reach out to the equestrian community to tell you a bit about myself.

I have successfully completed in multiple disciplines including Dressage, Eventing, Show Jumping and Showing,
I was lucky enough to train & work at the Yorkshire Riding Centre which is home to Olympic riders & trainers Christopher Bartle & Jane Bartle Wilson.

I am passionate about all disciplines and no matter what the level you and/or your horse are at I have a vast knowledge and experience to help with any issues you may be experiencing or just want to further develop your level of riding.

Through my years of training, I am experienced with behavioral issues with horses – from my 30 plus years of dealing with horses I have discovered there is always a reason for “naughty/bad behavior” and horses just aren’t “naughty” because they want to be.

I am also available to start horses / break in horses – I am currently working with a couple of young horses, as well as people wanting to develop further in their dressage & jumping – I really enjoy seeing the progress my clients (both people and horses) this makes my job thoroughly enjoyable and rewarding.

My sessions are at least 1 hour long – they sometimes go over an hour if I feel the rider/horse requires more from that session to really cement my training, my view is that it’s all part of doing right by rider and horse not about “clock watching.”

My rates are $100 including travel and expenses for at least an hour – I currently cover from Riwaka to Nelson and the surrounding areas - I am open to traveling to Marlborough and further afield also so please message me directly to discuss.

Please reach out to me if you have any questions or want to have a chat about sessions 😊

04/04/2024

Patience.

18/03/2024

11/02/2024

A little insight to how my mind works when I’m approached with a question like…

“My horse is being naughty and has started stopping or running out at a fence, what can I do?”
“He’s had all the boxes ticked and gets his back checked, his saddle and his teeth are fine and I feed him well..

Before I answer and all the possibilities start jumping out of my mouth, I take a moment to start with the stop/runout at the jump

This gives me an image in my head so I can form questions to ask.

I ask simple questions like..

*Which way does he prefer run out? Right or left?
*Does he lean on one or both hands when you school or approach the fence
*Does he tend stand off or get in deep at the fence occasionally.
*how supple is he when schooling on the flat
*does he lose balance on the turn (either way or one way)
*is he forward off the leg or a bit sluggish
*does he ever buck or rear
*is he spooky
*does he put his ears back when tacking up.
The list goes on…

They might not seem relevant to the issue at the jump but they may lead me back to when the horse whispered “I have a small problem”
But it was so small no one noticed until it was a big problem and now they’re shouting!

It doesnt matter the question every horse and rider is unique with their own story to tell.
It’s not just a lesson it’s a journey 🤩

07/02/2024

Jo Watts Equestrian Instructor BHS AI, Stage IV riding, II Stable manager

I work on the mindset that no matter the discipline it is the horse that brings them all together.
And from this it is the horse that needs to be looked at as a whole for us to have a better understanding.
This involves every aspect inside and out, from nose to tail, from wither to feet and whatever sits upon it.

The communication between horse and human can be so connected it can be almost magic but there are times where it is so broken it can be dangerous.

Learning to recognise the signs of a happy or unhappy horse can be made easier through some simple yet overlooked steps.

Starting from the ground level can feel a bit long and to some boring yet the work from good groundwork makes the riding part full of rewards and in return developing an understanding between horse and human.

Here are a few pointers to get started.

*Time and space… be patient and keep a safe distance to observe the whole horse's actions and reactions.
*Praise the mind…. A horse will learn better when they are in a relaxed state of mind.
Give praise and or treats when the horse is in a calm relaxed state of mind and NOT when they are spooky, anxious or tense.
Praising a negative state of mind is reinforcing the negative.
*Repetition… Repeat simple actions until the horse finds it easy. Asking or expecting the horse for more will only lead to tension and anxiety.
*DIET….. We are what we eat and the same goes for the horse. An incorrect diet will not allow the horse to function mentally or physically to their best ability.
Anxiety, tension, spookiness, lower back pain, inability to canter on one rein, agitated, aggressive, bloated, metabolic disorders, lameness, faecal water, gassy and more.. Can all be related to the diet.
*Ask for help… don't be afraid to ask for advice or help.
The horse hasn’t read the book so you may have to think beyond the written pages to understand what they are trying to tell you..

23/11/2023

19/10/2023