Horses are amazing creatures that have walked alongside us as domesticated beings for thousands of years. Nonetheless, horses have instincts that no amount of domestication can filter out. Instead of fighting these instincts, we can work with them and open up communication with our horses by speaking their language. Instead of the horse reacting and fleeing, or even shutting down and tuning out the human, the horse can connect freely and happily.  When we do this, it makes our interactions safer, boosts our confidence in everyday handling and riding, our horses are happy to oblige, and our bond with them is far more enjoyable. We form a true partnership where the horse does not see us as doormat or a dictator, but as a herd leader they know is worthy to follow.

This class will teach you the key elements to achieving this. 
Weeks #1 and #2 will cover the basics of what, why, and how we'll achieve effective horsemanship.
Weeks #3 and #4 will cover Horse-Human Communication and Connection.
Weeks #5 and #6 will cover some actual training technique examples. 

Class will meet weekly for a slide presentation and discussion of each topics. As we learn each aspect, scenarios will be presented to the class to resolve. I will also share my personal experiences and experiences of other trainers as reference. Students are highly encouraged to interact, ask questions, and think critically through these meetings. Q&As will be a component at the end of class. Students will have unlimited access to messaging the teacher with questions and more discussion. 

Concepts included: pressure and release, active and passive body language, pressure levels, developing feel and time, emphasis on rider safety, horse personality types, and much more. 

I keep a "relaxed" policy on all my classes, I find that some people in the overall horse community can take things too seriously and it destroys all the fun and puts unnecessary pressure on students. I want students to enjoy learning about topics they are passionate about.

This class covers basics principals every person that interacts with horses on a regular basis should know. This doesn't focus on any particular equine discipline, but this is foundational work that can be the first step in a horse's education, whether the horse will only be used for trail rides or be competing on an Olympic level. No matter how old and/or seasoned a horse is, this knowledge still applies. Horsemanship should be fun, productive, but also safe. And it is possible to have all the above!

I encourage students to continue their education on the subject to further grow and develop their skills. Because of the nature of this class being a "crash course" of sorts, actually training techniques are abbreviated as they require more time dedicated to the full explanation. Also, each horse is an individual and must be treated as such. This class will help discover what those nuances are. Regardless if a student has goals as a trainer, we all are technically trainers to a degree when we interact with horses.