Improve your understanding of behaviour and communication with horses
Many of us lead very busy lives which lessens our consciousness around horses.
The aim of this course is to help all levels of riders/horse people; whatever your discipline to connect with your horse on a more profound level. Much focus is given today on specific training methods and techniques that can also blind riders/horse people to true balance, feel and awareness. This not only closes the person but, can also lead to detrimental outcomes in the horse usually described as “behaviour problems”.
Beleño in liberty
Course Introduction
On the first day, you will be introduced to our team of teachers. All our horses are of Iberian breeding (Purebred Spanish and Lusitano). Breeds of significant historical importance that over centuries have influenced the development of many Worldwide breeds with their impecable character and beauty.
Sarah-Jane will demonstrate how to work a horse in liberty, freely in harmony with the true nature of the horse. The student will then have the opportunity to work with the horses and experience the joy of connection that liberty work brings.
The importance of allowing the horse to warm up correctly and what to look for in the change in the horses movement as he warms up cannot be emphasised enough. To gain a lasting value from this work that can be practised at home after the course, it will cover; what is rhythm, position points of the human when working from the ground to influence and allow correct balance in the horse.
Main teaching points covered on the course:
- Getting to know your horse in the correct manner.
- Developing a connection before starting any training programme. This will include brushing and checking over the horse, musculature, ligament and lymphatic systems.
- Approaching the horse in the correct manner and calming the mind.
- Looking at each horse’s individual character and how to work best with that character.
- Training the eye to biomechanics of each individual horse.
- Rider body and energy awareness
- Learning how to become grounded and how to direct energy. Pointers that can be applied to all walks of life!
- Blocking out outside influences
- Feeling of connection.
- Being consistent with the horse.
- How chaos can affect our connection and the horses mental state.
- What sort of energy the horse shows in response to ours and learning to adapt ours.
- Helping the horse to feel safe and secure so that trust can follow.
With this course, the participant will learn the unlimited steps and time needed when working with horses, and the importance of ground work before progressing to In-hand and ridden work.
There are no quick fixes, tricks or fast lanes to correct schooling, just a heightened awareness of each horses needs, balance points and progression as an athlete. With higher recognition of true balance and rhythm there is better understanding of how it changes as the horse grows and become stronger over time. We are all different and work at different levels, nothing is black or white and we learn how to adapt ourselves to the horse’s changing needs.
Core messages of course
Connection becomes much stronger – Minimal is maximum!
Most important of all is to have fun with your horse.
Reading horse behaviour and responses can become second nature when you learn to direct your focus.
On finishing this course, a firm base of correct handling of any horse will have been established. The confusion of ‘balance’ will have been demystified and be simply achievable.
Biomechanics what to look for; e.g. Poll release, open back – how this helps the horse and rider.
How to apply common sense to ground and ridden work.
The many parallels that ground work and ridden work have, and how ground work helps us to direct and feel more precisely.
How ground work can be used as a first base of training for the youngers before ridden – establishing a base of trust and understanding.
Working with Stallions, mares, geldings and young horses.
The definition of humbleness.
Course Details
This is a non-riding two day morning course.
Classical dressage lessons are possible in the afternoon, or, a longer stay course with combined riding lessons following the course itself at extra cost.
This course is run all year round.
Course Prices €360.00
Extra day/s can be arranged
Accommodation can be arranged. We have fantastic local accommodation options ranging from basic Bed and Breakfast to Luxury Hotel.
Transfers possible.