Natural horsemanship training skills may not be so 'natural' to some and nor are they the 'traditional' ways of horse training. Learning and adopting these techniques and principles, is a journey for both you and your horse that helps develop a kinder method for encouraging cooperation and an overall better relationship with your horse. It is based on ideals derived from the study of the behaviours of free-roaming horses, in order to develop techniques that discourage the use of unnecessary or abusive force.
This approach appeals to many, but as it is a deviation from traditional, horse-training norms, the burning question in your mind may be, where do I start? There are now various methods for learning these new skills. One way is through co-located clinics and training sessions, but you also have the option of starting out with some excellent online courses. These five trainers offer some very enlightening courses and online coaching.
Guy Robertson Horsemanship:
Guy Robertson is an experienced horsemanship trainer that has trained horses and their riders all over the world, using his own, specialised training methods that offer a low-stress, patient approach that helps to build the horse/rider relationship from the ground up. His training experiences extend to countries including the UK, USA, Australia, Poland and New Zealand. The Guy Roberson Horsemanship yard is located in Goole, East Yorkshire, England, where they hold a monthly coffee morning (which now is accomplished online, due to COVID safety).
His online instruction includes 'Bitesise Training Videos' and Horsemanship Demonstrations. These foundational demonstrations, 1 hour and 55 minutes worth, can be purchased for just £17.50 for both, or £10 each, for you to be able to stream or download anytime. These demos cover areas such as focus, 'parking/driving', drifting, 1st saddle, head and neck yielding, leading from other horses, floating, 2m circles, body control, transitions and much more. If you are looking for some great foundational work, check out Guy Roberson's online demonstrations here:
www.guyrobertsonhorsemanship.co.uk
Ben Longwell- True Horsemanship
American born, now New Zealand resident, with a lifetime of equine experience, Ben Longwell is a proven equine clinician who offers a range of online clinics and instructional videos. He has many years of teaching riders how to improve their relationship with their horse and has quite the online Video Library. Subjects greatly vary from Colt Starting (breaking in, Foundational Groundwork, Problem Solving, Ridden Work, Foal Handling, Vaquero Traditions, Foundation Building and much more. What's more, is that you have two types of online membership options, monthly and yearly.
Monthly memberships start at $10.99 per month or Yearly memberships are $120 per year, with a 7-Day free trial. Both offer you full access to the video library and can be cancelled at any time.
These instructional videos are meant for any discipline and have a clear commentary with a focus on building a solid, healthy relationship between horse and rider. If you are looking for a guide that will help push your horsemanship skills to the next level, check out these online clinics from True Horsemanship:
Sadie Beech Horsemanship
This dedicated and passionate horsemanship trainer and clinician thrives on the essence of human/equine harmony. Sadie Beech teaches on the principles of psychology and learning theory, coupled with humane equipment, and welfare-centred management. She helps develop a healthy, communicative relationship, between horse and rider. Her lessons in horse behaviour, equine mindfulness and meditation, confidence building, foundation training, liberty, horse agility, bitless and tackles riding, encourages positive reinforcement with minimal aversion negative reinforcement.
She offers an online liberty workshop for only £14.99. This course gives you the steps to start from the very beginning of liberty principles and helps test the developing relationship and communication between horse and rider.
There are also two other lesson packages, one including 36 lessons on 'How Horses Learn' for €79, and the other has 34 lessons on 'Basically Bridleless', for €99 both with a 10% discount currently being offered for both. If any of these courses interest you, check them out at:
Bringing HH Together
Swiss trainer, Angelique, from Bringing Horse and Human Together, is a highly qualified Equine Facilitated Human Development (EFHD) facilitator who has spent her life in the equine world and started her natural horsemanship journey as a teenager. Since then, she has enhanced her skills to a professional level, beginning in the Parelli program. She also holds an HND in Equine Behaviour, Rehabilitation and Welfare. Angelique now operates s a freelance instructor and can conduct in-person sessions at stables of your choice. Travel is free in a radius of 10 miles from Chichester and any following miles are 30p per mile (round trip).
Her extensive qualifications and achievements in Psychology has helped her create an excellent online Human Coaching service. These coaching services will help increase your knowledge of horse behaviour, thinking and communication, partnership creation, relationship foundations, problem-solving, confidence and trust-building in each other and how to take your horsemanship to the next level. You are able to accomplish the online sessions, with or without your horse and can include theory, groundwork, goal progression or area focus and ridden sessions. If you are looking for steps to take for building a closer relationship with your horse/horses, then check out this online coaching service with Angelique:
Linda Parelli- Happy Horse, Happy Life
The inspirational, American equestrian trainer, Linda Parelli has developed an incredible online community and monthly training package that offers an extraordinary variety of horse training knowledge and relationship growth.
With a few topics such as How to Relax Your Horse When Riding, Speed Control, Truths & Myths about Rider Position, Training with Psychology, How to Talk Horse and much more.
With this course, you get more than just monthly lectures with a live Q&A Zoom follow-up but also Monthly life skills video course/lecture and live Q&A Zoom follow-up, along with weekly horse tips, training debriefs and comments on video (Barn Confidential) where Linda is working with her proteges. There are many other exciting additional features with this program and three plans to choose from.
The Insider Membership is just $19.99 per month which includes all the above, then there is the Achiever Membership which has limited availability for $99 per month and then the Mastermind Membership for Elite Training for $499 per month. All of the plans are absolutely ram-packed with a wealth of equine knowledge and training, but offers different levels of access and knowledge expansion to choose from. If you want to be a part of the Happy Horse, Happy Life experience just visit:
If you have been searching for a way to enrich your horsemanship knowledge and skill from the comfort of your own home, you should definitely check out some of the incredible clinicians, coaches and trainers above and what they have to offer. One of them is bound to offer something that resonates with your natural horsemanship journey and could help your and your horse's development and improvement in a healthier horse/rider relationship. Every human and equine has to start somewhere and these excellent online course options are a great place to begin!
