Ibalansi Horse Center-pty ltd.

16/12/2024

A few days ago versus four years ago! Jewlray was gentle before her racing career and even more amazing after.

10/12/2024

Beautiful Jewlray 💕straight off the track thoroughbred and fully back in work after slowly rehabilitating her broken pelvis!
She is the kindest, calmest, easiest and most loving young mare (just turned 6).
Her owner is looking for a full lease/ home lease for her in the next month- WhatsApp me for more information on Jewlray and make an appointment to meet and greet.
A reasonably light lady, teenager or experienced child would be perfect!

05/12/2024

Ibalansi’s Lorelai- today and exactly four years ago 💕she is one special big mare that demands kindness, precision and dedication- then she gives you her heart and everything she can offer 😍 I am riding her once a week, short 15-20 minute rides in which we focus on a nice forward rhythm, balance throughout her body and understanding of the ridden aids. She is still bitless and soft, responsive to the forward leg and responsive to the lateral yielding leg pressure. While she is still growing (croup high again at the moment), we will keep it simple and rewarding

21/11/2024

The scale of dressage training does not only impact the physical body of the horse but its mind equally!

At the same time as rhythm starts, the horse relaxes mentally and focus begins.

Suppleness is to let loose physically and mentally. The horses give up vision and trust must be present for this step to happen.
Their backs are now soft and swinging and they are able to carry a rider in a healthy manner.

Contact and impulsion begin when the horses are not only relaxed and trusting, but also start to feel proud and get physically stronger.
The horse which is beginning to show impulsion needs to be emotionally stable, with no build up of stored up tension- otherwise you get explosions or collecting the horse from impulsion is impossible. They will also fall on their forehand and lean onto the bit.

Straightness training already starts much earlier down the scale to slowly combat the horses natural crookedness, and starts showing results later on. Through correct and slow lateral work we can straighten the body which is naturally bent towards one side due to how a foal was curled in its moms womb.
A lot of horses are also mentally one sided , and usually young horses prefer to have you on their left eye, so they can process with the cross wired right brain hemisphere, responsible for survival decisions. With more trust, the horses will allow and ask you to be on their right hand side more.

Collection does not only entail a strong, proud body, but also an emotional and mentally strong, proud and focused horse.

If you rush either the physical or the mental aspect of this scale of dressage training, the result will be tense horses which are held in place by force, with swishing tails and non rhythmic gaits.

13/11/2024

13/11/2024

What do we mean with 'our way of liberty lungeing'?
'Balance is not something you find. It is something you create'.
Look at all these photos of different breeds, ages, and characters in different gates. They all present their inner and outer beauty through self carriage and using their top line muscles either in an active stretch or collection. How do we achieve this?
Firstly we DO NOT do a 'Join up'. We do not chase the horses around until they have no other option than to follow us. This is unfair and can never result in a trustful connection. Besides- in nature, the only time a horse chases another horse for a long period of time without interruption is, when a stallion drives away another stallion. And in that case, this other stallion has the option to leave or fight. But in a round pen or with a long line attached, the horses cannot leave!!! So they either give up and become depressed (seemingly submissive and bombproof), or they fight (this is when people have horses coming into them, rearing, bucking or kicking). Either way, the horse will not be able to trust or respect you. He knows that you do not understand him and do not care for his safety and wellbeing. They will be tense and hollow their backs, running in flight mode.
We also do not 'clicker' train the horse to stay right around us by giving him a carrot every step they take. This way can also bring beautiful results, BUT is not the DANCE of COMMUNICATION we long for. The horses often end up being tense for another reason- even tho everything is 'positive reinforcement' based only, the horses end up stressed looking for the next possible way to get a treat. One can shape the horse through clicker training into stretching or self carriage, but it is not what we do.
So what do we do?
Every horse is a complete individual, so every time is very different. We have to feel into the horse, seeing what we need to do here in order to establish natural balance again. First I feel into mental balance- is the horse scared, frustrated, hyper, aggressive, in my pocket, or otherwise? Then I check for physical balance- which side is naturally crooked and which is hollow? Can the horse lower his head through a light massage on the poll? Is there huge tension in that muscle? Then I check if the horse is open to 'talk' to me. Does it slow down and ask questions as I breathe out and ground my energy right down to zero? Does the horse SEE ME? Does he see HIMSELF? There is so much communication happening on the inside, before we even move any physical side of the horse. Horses look for balance within a herd. When we are with the horse, we are his herd for that period of time. What does the horse need me to SHAPE SHIFT into in order to establish balance between us? The result is our dance. We support the horses in feeling grounded, proud and content. This allows them to immediately move that way too. THE WAY A HORSE MOVES ON THE OUTSIDE, IS A REFLECTION ON HOW IT FEELS ON THE INSIDE. Our trust is strengthening as the horse realizes we can help him feel great about himself. The journey starts. Balance is not something you find. It is something you CREATE.

07/11/2024

I posted this last year and it’s so sad to see that there’s even more war going on today 😞
Somehow governments have billions of euros /dollars to spend on weapons but at the world UNO meeting for the protection of biodiversity and habitats no country wants to commit to any funding or plans! Ridiculous and sad 😞

Why is there such barbaric wars going on in this day and time? Because we think of us as individuals belonging to a nation.
We forgot that I am you, and you are me; that each and every single creature is connected as we all come and return to the same source.
Language has devided us as we forgot our all in common natural energy language -
Horses can teach us nature speak again:
It’s instantaneous - no transmission time is needed.
It’s understandable - no translation is required .
It’s universal - humans, birds and butterflies all understand it.
It’s communal- all creatures in the area automatically participate.
And the best of it all: it’s innate , we can all speak it.

06/11/2024

Off track thoroughbred Jewlray had suffered a pelvic bone break during her racing training. She was box rested for 10 weeks with us and carefully rehabilitated. We started with in hand walking, straight lines, slow riding (vet ordered the riding so that her pelvic bone can get strong and remodel properly) and we are happy that she is finally in full working capacity again. 💕we ride her 3-4 times per week and of course we work on more difficult transitions in the Liberty work too 🥰 note the square halt ✋ which shows us that she’s nicely balanced and straight through all four legs.

05/11/2024

I might be a little biased but our Lori is the most beautiful young warmblood mare out there 😍
Her fourth birthday is only a few days away- how time flies! I only ride her once a week, super short sessions of 10-15 minutes but focused, motivated and refined 🥰

04/11/2024

Tough life being a clients horse at Ibalansi 😅🤣 we do have one spot opening at the end of the month! WhatsApp Lara on 0730700083 for our information sheet on the training package 🥰

04/11/2024

The importance of the invisible innocent attitude-
Look at those frozen water molecule crystals- the top one was told ‘let’s do this together ☺️’ and the bottom one was told ‘do that!’….

I love observing the horses during the Liberty sessions- if I or their human asks with an incorrect attitude, the horses leave/ kick out/ shake their head.
I ask Their human to just try again with gratitude and love in their heart- suddenly the horses carry themselves round and proud. They feel safe and stay empowered at the sides of their humans. It’s simply beautiful.