Connecting with the horse

Jenny is known as a ‘Natural Classicist’ using unique techniques of breathing and body language to connect with the horse:

‘ less becomes more’

Learn how to connect with your horse - from the ground

During Jenny’s clinic’s her stallions become your teachers, as they connect with you by listening to your breathing and body language – their language of the herd.

Learn how to become the respected herd leader and how this relationship can be enhanced through work on the ground. These techniques of training can be used in loose work, lungeing and working in hand.

In this way we can teach the horse to become a confident athlete and the importance of gaining his friendship, trust and respect on the journey.

The horse should learn to move forward with energy and joy. When he can accept our leadership he will demonstrate a willing submission – from his MIND. He will look energetic, swinging through his back with a relaxed and lowered head and neck carriage. In this way we can prepare a horse more naturally, for further ridden work. This way of working will also enhance our relationship - this is our journey to learn

the 'ART OF COMMUNICATION’

It is fundamental to become self aware with focused energy to communicate with the horse. We need to feel CALM yet ASSERTIVE and direct this feeling towards the horse. He will become our mirror – the MIRROR OF OUR MIND

Loose Schooling - an extract from Jenny’s book, Ride From the Heart’

‘In allowing a horse to be a horse we can become more effective as trainers’

Loose schooling can give a trainer an opportunity to observe and listen to horses; the gifted horseman will understand that he should regard each horse as an individual and assess the path of training accordingly, building a relationship of trust and love. The time spent training from the ground helps to forge a partnership between horse and trainer, which will be invaluable when ridden work is commenced.

Our goal is to promote confidence between horse and handler in order to establish more harmony within the work. The horse will learn to relax and be more capable of working with loose and rhythmic gaits. We can either help him to grow in confidence or, through a lack of understanding, allow the horse to become a fearful and anxious pupil. It is therefore our responsibility to learn to communicate in a language the horse understands

We can help the horse, through the work from the ground to develop confidence and gain assurance and trust in their teacher. Our aim is not only to improve a gait or way of going but also to improve a relationship. Great athletes have to be on top form physically and their mental attitude has to be positive and confident. No athlete, whether human or equine, can give of their best if they are without self-confidence and are not correctly mentally prepared.

Loose work is a good foundation on which to construct the equine athlete’s training. It enables us to communicate using body language, voice tone and breathing. Young horses can demonstrate their natural gaits at liberty but loose work will continue to be of value throughout a horse’s training.

Loose work is a good foundation on which to construct the equine athlete’s training. It enables us to communicate using body language, voice tone and breathing. Young horses can demonstrate their natural gaits at liberty but loose work will continue to be of value throughout a horse’s training.

My Spanish Pure-bred stallion, Delfin, has been my greatest teacher. He thoroughly enjoys working loose, maybe as a result of past trauma endured as a bullfighting horse. Some horses appear to cope with this pressure but when I first saw Delfin he was highly anxious in body and mind. I had never ridden a horse with so much nervous, quivering energy and apprehension. Now, several years on, during our loose work in the school, he will watch me from maybe 20 m (66 ft) away. If I begin to walk laterally, he will follow my body language and perform a half-pass across the school. Delfin constantly observes my movements and will turn left or right and change from one gait to another mirroring my body language. He will follow me everywhere, as if on a lead, but the only contact is mind with mind. Delfin has sought this relationship and his supremely sensitive and intelligent mind enjoys this empathy in our communication. We have over the years worked together to change his traumatized personality into a more confident, rather extrovert stallion who loves people and himself!

Goals and Objectives

  • This initial education with a young horse can help to establish a relationship of trust where the horse will begin to look to his handler as the herd leader. This is an introduction for the horse to learn to work/play and interact with his handler.
  • Loose work provides an opportunity to listen to and learn the language of the horse, using the power of breathing, body language and tone of voice.
  • It is a time to observe the mood of the horse and develop further understanding of his personality.
  • It is a time to observe the movement of the horse and detect any problems of stiffness or tension.
  • It gives an opportunity to the horse, without pressure, to develop a natural rhythm in his gaits without his balance being disturbed by the weight of a rider.
  • The natural head carriage can be observed to see if the horse can stretch forward and lower his neck carriage naturally, or whether this might be difficult for him.
  • The gaits can be assessed as can the natural balance within each gait.
  • Trotting poles and jumping may be introduced. How the horse responds to new work, whether he is bold in nature or a little nervous, whether or not he will enjoy jumping and either his pleasure or lack of enthusiasm can all be noted.
  • Signs of tension or relaxation can be observed, by looking at the movement of the ears and tightness of the mouth and jaw and if the neck is tight and stiff or if the horse naturally moves with fluidity through his whole spine. A clamped, tight tail is a sign of tension; it should be slightly elevated and flowing.

This is a short extract from Jenny’s book 'RIDE FROM THE HEART'
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