My Philosophy
empathetic to the needs of the horse
Why Relationship Based Equitation?
Relationship – because firstly we need to earn our horses trust, develop understanding and communication with each other in order to create a healthy, happy and long lasting partnership. Its not just about functioning. It’s about prioritizing our horses feelings and perception rather than our need to feel liked or earn external validation.
Equitation – because horsemanship is more an art, than sport. Good horsemanship, aims to use no force during training, but rather provides an opportunity for horse to use their brain and find answers. Horsemanship explains the aids to the horse “Letter by letter”, creating understanding that allows horses to espond in lightness. It demands that human takes the role of a leader to create this learning space, be self-aware, creative and flexible, see how they can become a better horseman, see clearly what they want to accomplish but also prioritize the process rather than the end product. In fact, in some areas there may be no end product at all – its only a lifelong exploration of feel, timing and fun.
Why take a Leadership role?
In nature this animal would have nothing to do with you. “Natural horsemanship” is just words. It’s not natural at all. There’s an abundance of trust that must be developed for you.
Buck Brannaman
We must become the leader in our relationship – we know the direction we´re headed, we can analyze situations, think logically, plan ahead and draw conclusions. Horses have no capability to do that, they also have no performance goals or built in “How to live in human world ” manual, therefore we need to take responsibility in this part.
But how to teach our horses in a way that may feel beneficial,rewarding and fun for them as well? What differentiates great leader from a poor leader? Great leaders prioritise well being of the members, because they know that at the end of the day, it is the motivation of the team member, that will determine productivity and quality. Through recognision of what the well-being means for horses, we can provide those needs and create positive and calm training atmosphere.
By creating positive learning environment, horse is willing, confident and trusting. Not only training is easier, more enjoyable and fun for both, but also the horse is biomechanically developed correctly, as the possible arising of resistances and braces in body and mind are addressed along the way. Secondly, no gadgets or tools are used to manipulate or force the horse into a frame. Instead, the horse is educated to respond to aids with softness and relaxation, that will lead the horse to finding its own balance in its body, which is significant when we wish to educate our horse to be ridden.
My approach
In my approach, I merge the principles of Equine Science, good Horsemanship and Classical Dressage to develop a deeper understanding between horses and humans. My philosophy revolves around nurturing the horse-human relationship, prioritising connection over performance. Rather than focusing solely on outcomes, I acknowledge the way the horse feels during training – ensuring they are mentally and physically relaxed yet engaged. It is only so, that the mind and body can stay soft and open to change.
I seek moments of genuine connection and dialogue throughout our interactions with horses. It’s not just about correct responses; it’s about cultivating positive states of mind such as curiosity, interest, and engagement. By acknowledging and reinforcing these emotional states, we build a foundation of trust and communication. When horses feel seen and understood, they become more receptive to learning and collaboration.
In this way, the training process becomes a mutually enjoyable experience for both horse and human.
To every person that comes in my training, I want to give you knowledge and tools to be a better teacher, partner and leader to your horse. To every horse I meet I want to give a voice and acknowledgement of their tries, a feeling of being heard and seen and maybe even empowered.
Horsemanship is for everyone. It does not matter what discipline you do – the knowledge of equine psychology and body language, training approach and techniques are relevant for anyone who is passionate to understand horses and wants to develop a better feel.
Values of Relationship Based Equitation
Mind and Body Connection
Understanding the interconnectedness of a horse’s mind and body is crucial. This involves recognizing how a horse’s mental state influences its physical responses and vice versa.
Prioritizing relaxation is essential for fostering a calm and focused state of mind in horses. A relaxed horse is more receptive to learning, experiences less stress, and performs tasks with greater ease and willingness.
By addressing both aspects, we can optimize learning and performance while promoting overall well-being.
Empathy and Perspective
Empathy involves putting oneself in the horse’s shoes. It means seeing the world from their perspective as a prey animal and understanding their emotions. Understanding that horses can’t make rational decisions, pretend or plan ahead. And that horses live and respond to present moment according to experiences, that had kept them safe before.
Responsibility, Mutual Respect, and Boundaries
Upholding a sense of responsibility involves acknowledging our duty of care towards the horse’s welfare and teaching them good habits, that help them in their life. Establishing clear boundaries based on mutual respect ensures safety and reinforces trust in the horse-human relationship. It also means that we approach our horses with awareness aand that we are respectful of horses body.
Time and Thresholds, emotional and physical
Giving horse time to understand cognitively and develop physically.
Recognizing a horse’s thresholds—both physical and emotional—helps prevent overwhelm and build confidence gradually.
“Everything comes and returns to relaxation”
Recognising and managing emotions, in our horses, but also within ourselves (such as fear or frustration) is key to maintaining a positive learning environment and facilitating emotional resilience.
Make horse feel Successful and Motivated
Developing a learning mindset – is to develop a horse who will be confident, that he can figure it out! Rewarding the slightest try and never punishing for failure.
Only ask questions that the horse can find answer for and gradually incresing difficulity, so that horse can feel really good about what’s being asked of him.
By providing positive reinforcement, recognising the little tries we can enhance motivation and reinforce desired behaviors.
Respect for Individuality.
No two horses can be the same. Human must do the adapting. Use different strategies, speed of training, and type of training that benefit to each horse the best.
Clear Goals, plans,communication
Establishing clear goals and a structured plan provides direction and purpose in training. Breaking down desired behaviors into manageable steps and shaping them gradually through reinforcement helps horses understand expectations and achieve success.Often it means prioritising the step in front of you over the end result.
Creating a language of communication that makes sense to the horse from ground up.
Awareness, energy, and Body Language
Being attuned to the horse’s signals and body language during training is vital. Learning to see the little details how horses communicate to us.
For ourselves, maintaining calm, assertive energy and using clear body language at all times.
!Do not push and do not pull.
“You need to learn to go with the horse so you can get the horse to come with you.”
Tom Dorrance, True Unity
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