First Do No Harm

Ever wondered how the magic between horses and humans in therapeutic settings unfolds? How can our emotional states impact a horse's movement and, in turn, influence the well-being of both? Often, we overlook the profound connection between our emotional states and the movements of horses, especially in therapeutic settings. Horses are intuitive beings, but our lack of awareness or misinterpre...

You likely hear a lot about how personal development is part of being an equestrian and how amazing equine therapy is. If you've listened to a lot of our catalogue of podcasts you will hear how we inevitably end up on a personal development topic. In this episode I will share how I see it relates to being an equestrian. If this brings anything up for you, please make sure to reach out to a pro...

Sensitising your horse to your aids is foundational to an easy ride that flows. Check out this episode for some tips and tricks on how to improve your horses responsitivity to aids. Ready to become a holistic horse trainer and rider? Check out our online program: Holistic horse handling Want to learn more about attention? Check out this book peak mind

Acceptance of contact and submission to the bit are not the same thing. Check out this episode where we tease apart the differences that allow the horse to move more functionally to build long term soundness. Ready to become a holistic horse trainer and rider? Check out our online program: Holistic horse trainer Check out Mills Consilient on facebook Check out Dr Aline LaPierre's work neuroaff...

How can we improve our communication with horses and develop a deeper understanding of their movement and behavior? Many riders overlook the importance of mastering the walk and fail to recognize their own imbalances and limitations, which can significantly impact their horse's performance and well-being. By focusing on mastering the walk, understanding the horse's body language, and ackno...

Have you ever wondered if the traditional training methods we use with horses are really as effective as they seem, or are we missing something crucial? Many horse owners and riders often resort to forceful training techniques and equipment, believing they are helping their horses improve. However, these methods might be causing more harm than good, leading to behavioral issues, injuries, and long...

Have you ever wondered why your horse exhibits certain behaviors, even after addressing their physical issues? Many horse owners struggle with understanding their horse's behavior beyond physical symptoms. Ignoring these signs can lead to persistent problems and a lack of progress in their training and overall well-being. It can be frustrating when you've tried various treatments and thera...

Our biggest take-home lesson for 2023. We are getting to that time of the year when schooling is about to wrap up, and the ponies at the Equestrian Spirit School of Holistic Riding are about to go on a well deserved vacation. Which of course has me mulling, “where did the year go, what did we do well, and what can we do better next year”. And not just for my horses, but for you as well! So in this...

It can't be denied dominance theory is still going strong in the wider population of horse trainers and coaches under the guise of creating safe horses. It also can't be denied that approach lacks the development of a felt sense of safety for horses and doesn't incorporate the beauty that we see when trust and confidence in relationship is cultivated. Join us on this episode as we cove...

Join us on this episode as I unpack how learning some lessons can simultaneously improve your skills for working with horses and make horses more antagonised and less cooperative. In this episode I will share a couple of big mistakes I have made in training which you might also be making. Ready to join the movement? Jump on the link for our masterclass as we dig in to the elements of working with...

Join us on this episode as I discuss how to work with our horses to make dressage easier. Ready to join the movement? Jump on the link for our free masterclass as we dig in to the elements of working with our horses for emotional resilience. www.equestrianmovement.com/sayyes Ready to be a holistic horse rider? Check it out here. https://www.equestrianmovement.com/holistichorsehandling Or reach out...

Have you ever struggled with understanding and adapting to the unique rhythm of each horse you ride? Many riders, both beginners and experienced, often overlook the importance of recognizing and working with their horse's individual rhythm. In this episode, we'll delve into the critical role rhythm plays in your horse's soundness and your riding success. Discover how failing to underst...

How can we truly understand and address the root causes of horse behavior issues? Many horse owners struggle with behavior problems in their horses, often overlooking the physical aspects that contribute to these issues. In this episode, we dive deep into the physical and behavioral aspects of horse training with Amy Skinner, an expert in postural and behavioral rehabilitation for horses. Discover...

Are submission and willingness the same?  No! But in the long-standing horse industry we all try to work in, there is a lot of confusion as people use the words interchangeably. We first need to ask ourselves, if the horse was given the option without pressure, would they still participate? In the latest episode of the First Do No Harm Podcast, we talk about submission, willingness, and a new phra...

We are in relationship to everything. Whether you believe in it or not doesnt matter. In this episode we discuss training our horses as a holistic approach incorporating their emotional and intellectual response to us and not just their behaviours or did they do the thing we asked or not.  Our holistic horse handling program is open to enrollments. Jump over and have a look around. We look fo...

It's not so important what you can make a horse do as it is how you converse with your horse and how they feel about the conversation. Join us in this episode where I share how I see a lot of horse riders go wrong in communication with their horse. Join us in our stronger bond workshop to see how we put this in to practice. https://www.equestrianmovement.com/strongerbond

Join us in this episode where I share some key tells on whether the school horses are engaged in training or starting to lose interest and potentially rupturing the quality of relationship with the asks. Join us for our stronger bond workshop to learn more. https://www.equestrianmovement.com/strongerbond

Does your horse seek you for direction?  If you are a leader worth following, your horse will seek your direction and ask “what's next”? But in a world of submission and dominance training, our horses can’t see us as a leader worth following, but a bully and someone who disregards their need - even if that isn’t our intention. In the latest episode of the First Do No Harm Podcast,  “Connected...

Nag, nag, nag! Transitioning from giving our green horse lots of direction to allowing them perform independently of our consistent instruction is challenging as a rider and often we get caught micromanaging and nagging our horses. Check out the latest First Do No Harm Podcast, which focuses on learning how to "sensitise" or "tune your horse in" by getting quiet and doing less,...

Clear is kind and clear is communication. Do you have a clear, intentional and strategic way of not only communicating with your horse but also your horse communicating its needs with you? This is the challenge of training. Intentional shaping plans that create vocabulary with our horses that layer into the complex skills. When you keep changing how you are going to teach that language you will ne...

Is your horse being naughty, pushing you around and being disrespectful? Even though I grew up in a world of power battles and being taught to be scarier than the thing your horse is scared of, it is a conversation most people won't win, especially beginner to intermediate riders AND its not a very pleasant conversation to have to be continuously engaging in with your horse. We prefer to consi...

"Why does my horse headbutt me?" This was a question from one of our students. Sometimes I forget that we do things a little differently. Quite often people are told that their horse is being naughty when they head butt and to punish the horse before it gets dangerous. Check out this training theory about why horses head butt and how we deal with it. Grab our free connection training: ht...

Respect in regards to working with horses is a loaded topic. Join us in this episode as we unpack how we discuss respect in terms of horse behaviour in our school of holistic horse handling.   Grab our free connection training to learn more https://www.equestrianmovement.com/connection

Join us in this podcast as we dig in to willingness and submission and how we implement our holistic horse handling skills in training Want access to our holistic horse handling program? Doors are open for only a couple of days. Check it out at https://www.equestrianmovement.com/holistichorsehandling

Have you lost your nerve or feel scared around your horse? You're not alone. I've been there many times before and I have no doubt I will go there again. In this episode I will share with you multiple times I've lost my nerve with my horse and how I've over come it. Are you wanting to work on your connection and relationship with your horse? Make sure you've signed up to our stronger bond workshop...