d n O a w e s n r e o r H YANG Hot
BLUE
RED GREEN
Pe r rso e d o nality Dec PURPLE
YELLOW
YIN Cold
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HORSE AND OWNER PERSONALITY DECODER Understanding more about yourself and your horse’s personality, empowers you and strengthens the relationships you create around you. By Jo McInnes, Holistic Equitation Personality is made up from the characteristic patterns of thoughts, feelings and behaviors that make a person unique. Personality arises from within the individual and can remain fairly consistent throughout one’s life. We can determine a beings personality by the display of their collective combination of traits that are then grouped together to form a “Personality Type”. Personality profiling is not a new thing. Swiss psychiatrist, influential thinker, and the founder of analytical psychology, Carl Jung was regarded as the first modern psychologist and established the foundation thinking for The Myer Briggs personality profiling system. “Personality is the supreme realization of the innate idiosyncrasy of a living being. It is an act of high courage flung in the face of life, the absolute affirmation of all that constitutes the individual, the most successful adaptation to the
universal condition of existence or vice versa you are more coupled with the greatest possible empowered to make changes in freedom for self-determination”. - the right direction. Carl Gustav Jung, 1934 It is of no co-incidence that the It was through Carl Jung’s issues people are having with philosophy that we were able to their horse will always be showing create the “Horse and Owner up in other areas of their life. As Personality Decoder”. Years of energy beings with strong belief working with people and horses systems, we attract and create gave us a great deal of insight into repetitive situations in our life with particular horse owners and their the people and animals that we horses. We also observed strong come into contact with. We then mirroring dynamics taking place in say “Why does this always these relationships. happen to me?” The Mirroring can be displayed as a projection of one’s self or the projection of those feelings and emotions not owned or recognized in one’s self. The being with the strongest focus or problems will become the one to dominate the relationship – good or bad! Understanding your own personality and how that is projected or transcended onto the horse opens up a whole new level of understanding for the person. When you know how your personality is affecting your horse
When we become consciously aware of ourselves and our interactions with the world we can start to see the patterns that we create and we will then realize that the outcomes we have in our life directly mirror our belief system. Unfortunately, less than 10% of people in the world live in conscious awareness. The rest are being controlled by the Ego or basic self. Interestingly enough the 90% of people who are not conscious also listen to the voice in their head believing that it is
If you put Jesus Christ, Buddha, Shakespeare, Socrates, Arjuna, Krihsan at a dinner table, I can’t see them having an argument. ~ Hugh Jackman
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theirs. The Conscious 10% have come to the realization that the voice in their head is separate to them and they become aware of the conversations and choose what is hurting them and others or what is serving them and others and respond accordingly. Getting to know yourself and your horse empowers the relationship that you have and flows onto the relationships you have with the people in your life. Horses will forever try to raise the consciousness of people as they are pure energy beings that live in the moment with no judgment. When we realize that putting our relationship first with our horse instead of the “ribbon, prize or ego” our achievements will be more than we could possibly
hope for. What appears to be the long way has been proven time and time again to be the short way. Cutting corners and resorting to forceful aids only damages the trust, relationship and outcomes of your training.
we start putting the relationship first and taking the time it takes. Identifying your horse’s personality will give you a language, understanding and training principles that will start to make life easier and more enjoyable for you both.
The use of forceful aids don’t teach your horse to yield to There are 4 basic personality pressure, they teach your horse to types that will be covered for both evade out of fear. horses and owners, Blue, Red, Most people just can’t tell the Yellow and Purple. difference as the problem There is another Colour that we “appears to be fixed”. Wouldn’t it have identified which is Green, be great to know yourself and this relates to the ability of you your horse on such a level, that and your horse. you never had to use this type of equipment ever again? Next issue we will look at the Personalities of Horse Owners. So getting to know yourself and your horse is not that hard, the journey can start right here where
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TRUE BLUE The Blue horse is a horse that loves to express its nature mentally, physically and emotionally. They are extremely quick learners and need creative leadership as anything repetitive will drive them mad. They are very confident and love to show off, they love attention, people and playing. In the wrong hands their play can become dangerous and intimidating as they are very good at inventing games and taking over. They love to rule the roost and be the centre of attention, playing with everything and anything in their paddock. They are often the ones that undo the gates, through the buckets around and stomp on anything they share their paddock with. Key Personality Indicators: Desirable Traits: Forward, Thinking, Inquisitive, Clever, Playful, Quick Learner, Confident, Creative, Honest, Likes to Move, Sociable, Smart, Athletic Undesirable Traits: Challenging, Takes Over, Intimidating, Invents Games, Pushy, Dominant, Defiant, Bad Mannered, Excitable, Mischievous Training Strategies: Variety is the key to training this horse, flat work in an arena will drive them mad and before long they will be inventing games, shying and spooking. Try to be creative in how you train this horse, use multiple strategies, such as applied dressage rather than teaching the end goal. The Blue Horse needs to be entertained and will detest a monotonous approach such as mindless circles and lunging, they will start to look like yo yo’s on the end of your lunge. It’s essential that you do regular, creative ground work with this horse. They need exceptionally strong leadership, time and feel. Trying to keep this personality under control through dominance rather than leadership will shut the horse down making him insecure, dangerous and grumpy. In the wrong hands these horses can be very intimidating and have been known to become dangerous to handle. Their playful, inquisitive nature can also make them chase other animals such as dogs and sheep around the paddock, stomping on them. If you can capture their natural flamboyancy, they make excellent mounts at dressage, games, hunting, cutting cows and activities that are energetic and interesting. Perfect Owner: A creative, energetic person, who is willing to make this horse’s life interesting, be competent with handling and training and provide strong leadership.
Dakota
True Blue ~ Dakota is owned by experienced horse owner, Bri, he became a little unmanageable being so young and playful and started to show silly, dominating behaviours. Bri had never owned this type of personality before and with the help of Jason they are now speaking the same language and Dakota is now a wonderful “Desireable True Blue”.
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Red Hot The Red horse is a highly sensitive, instinctive, intuitive, emotional horse. They are very quick learners and extremely willing as they will do almost anything to avoid pressure. They need to move and love a job. Their sensitive nature requires super consistency as they are born worry warts and can easily become fearful and panic. They tend to react first and think later, shying and spooking easily, leaving you fearful. They are the most likely to be herd bound and notice the smallest changes in their environment. They wear their hearts on their sleeve therefore you always know where you stand. Key Personality Indicators Desirable Traits: Energetic, Motivated, Eager, Forward, Likes to Move, Perceptive, Soft, Willing, Honest, Action Rich, Expressive, Vocal, lateral thinkers, Intuitive. Undesirable Traits: Reactive, Bolts, Emotional, Panics, Crowds You, Shy/Spook, Accident Prone, Herd Bound, Distracted, Restless, Hyper Active, Lose the Plot, Dominate out of Fear. Training Strategies: The Red Horse needs to be kept busy and tuned in to the rider at all times. They like to move so you need to be able to go with the horse and not hold them back. They are easily distracted so you need to keep them focused. They are ultra sensitive so you only need to think what you want with a horse like this and they’ll know. When the Red horse “Loses the plot” they will often need a pattern interrupt. Do something that takes their mind off their problem. Exceptionally skilled riders can apply more pressure to exhaust their attitude and to build their confidence. A good way to get a Red under control is to do small circles. They need consistency as change really bothers them, so don’t keep changing the rules on them, congruency is paramount. Don’t try and work with this horse if you’ve had a bad day and then try and put on a brave face. They just won’t cope as they will see that the outside and the inside are not a match and will become rattled. Forceful aids, punishment and bad timing will send this horse completely over the edge. They make great horses for Eventing, Show Jumping, Dressage, Barrel Racing, anything that is forward moving with a strong focus attached. Perfect Owner: The perfect owner for this horse is someone who can control their energy and emotions, confident, super consistent, congruent, sensitive, loves a forward horse, is sensitive to the horses emotions, supportive, caring and can stay focused when they can’t.
Max Red Hot ~ Max , now I know he doesn’t look it. In fact butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth!! These shots were taken after one of the Holistic Equitation Clinics. Amber was in tears the first day and refused to ride him. He was dangerous, angry and very unsettled. Amber continued lessons with Jason and they are both very happy and content.
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Purple Pain The Purple horse is very independently minded and often known as the “bombproof” horse. They’re unflappable, reliable and a loyal friend. However, these horses can also be one of the most frustrating horses to own, bruising ones ego as they are not easily motivated, giving them the name of “Royal pain in the butt”. We also call them the “Boggwart” as they can seem like they are bogged in mud! They are often not worried about what the herd is doing and are happy doing their own thing, which normally involves eating or standing. To train a horse like this you need to offer many rewards and think laterally, as they can be very contrary. Key Personality Indicators Desirable Traits: Reliable, Calm, Accommodating, Consistent, Tenacious, Congruent, Confident, Loyal, Bomb Proof, Unflappable, Non-reactive, Thinking, Strategic, Relaxed. Undesirable Traits: Defiant, Doesn’t Like To Move, Contrary, Buck/Rear, Sucks Back, Over Powers, Bores Quickly, Rebellious, Tunes Out, Calculating, Rigid, Lazy, Tough Minded. Training Strategies: The Purple Horse requires a very clever, patient owner. This horse is naturally oppositional, and will nearly always be inclined to do the opposite of what you ask. You will need to be equipped, with exceptional lateral thinking skills and not be someone who gets hot under the collar quickly or you’ll go mad. They didn’t get the name “Purple Pain” for nothing. Because these horses love standing around and eating you can use this to your advantage, using food and lots of stops as a way of getting the horse to work with you, soon they will be willing to go where ever you want. The Purple Horse is not that sensitive and not that motivated so kicking and whipping and applying more force will just cause them to tune out and ignore you completely. You can never get the trust or respect of this horse with that style of training. Once you have your Purple Horse understanding their job they are exceptionally reliable, unflappable mounts. They make great kids ponies, nervous rider mounts, mounted police horses, carriage horses, hunting horses and activities that could put them under a lot of pressure. They are great for jobs that could be normally quite stressful for other horses as they are very level headed and don’t get bothered easily Perfect Owner: To own this type of horse, you will need to be patient and be able to apply lateral thinking strategies. Once trained this horse is ideal for the beginner or nervous Nellies, and make excellent mounts for kids. They are often good horses for those who lack sensitivity, time or feel or are green riders. If you have a hot seat and like action this is not the horse for you.
Dante
Purple Pain ~ Dante - and boy was he a pain. Dante had been to several different trainers before he arrived at Holistic Equitation (HE) . He reared, was unable to be led and had trashed his last paddock and left the trainer in tears. Julie-anne was desperate to find answers and with the guidance of Jason and a HE Clinic learnt the art of reverse psychology and a communication strategy that worked, making life easy for all concerned.
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Yellow Belly The Yellow horse is one of the most challenging horses to own, train and read. They internalize their feelings and emotions until they all boil over and then everyone knows about it. They care a great deal about their relationship with you, even if they don’t show it. Trust, comfort and safety are what motivate this horse. They are very sensitive but can also be bossy and aloof. If your timing is out then they can go from being super quiet to explosive in milliseconds, causing you to feel very insecure. Once you have the trust and a solid relationship with this horse they are truly amazing, very reliable, calm and super responsive. Key Personality Indicators Desirable Traits: Agreeable, Soft, Easy, Disciplined, Submissive, Bonding, Quiet, Responsive, Reliable, Kind, Tries Hard, Solid, Gentle. Undesirable Traits: Insecure, Fearful, Unstable, Hard to Catch, Disconnected, Aloof, Evasive, Shutdown, Doesn’t like to Move, Reserved, Defensive, Explosive, Robotic, Solitary, Unreliable, Hide at the back of the Herd. Training Strategies: The Yellow Horse can be difficult to read as they don’t externalize their emotions. They need someone who is ultra patient, puts the relationship first and understands that this horse needs time to make decisions and should not be forced into things. Ask and wait. The Yellow Horse is very sensitive and cares a great deal about how much you care. They are driven by comfort and security and need to trust their riders and handlers. To train these horses you reward them with comfort. Eg. Get the change and let them stand around, they need time to process and reflect on information. They can become very evasive, aloof and bossy with the underlying manipulation of an explosion if you push too hard. So take your time, be patient, but be firm and have a strong image of the outcome you want to achieve. They make excellent horses for Western Pleasure, Camp Drafting, Cattle Mustering and Trail Riding. Perfect Owner: This horse requires someone who always puts the relationship first and takes their time, is very patient and is not in a hurry to achieve outcomes. Once you have the relationship established with this horse they will be very reliable. Because these horses don’t share their feelings and are not that people oriented they require an understanding person that appreciates how they operate as it can feel like there is not a lot of love coming back at you.
Denver
Yellow Belly ~ Denver was given to Jason after putting his 4th generation horse owner in hospital one to many times. Traditional approaches with a Yellow tend to result in such outcomes. Denver spent several years with Jason being retrained. Jason worked on developing the relationship through trust and leadership and as you can see building a strong rapport. Although very sensitive he never threatened or became dangerous with Jason.
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Green and Ever Green The Green and Ever Green Horse are horses that may appear to be red as they are anxious and flighty or Purple, nonresponsive. They may definitely have the character traits of a particular personality but it is important to be able to decipher the difference between character traits and an untrained horse. We don’t analyze the Green horse in the same way we would their personality. Instead we look at how well they are able to do things we ask of them. To assess the “Greeness” of your horse we ask how well do they do the following: Catching/Haltering, Leading, Saddling, Bridling, Grooming, Girthing, Clipping, Worming, Needles, Rugging, Trimming/Shoes, Tying Up, Float Loading, Water Crossing, Bridge Crossing, Traffic, Strange Animals, Strange Objects, Plastic Bags, Jumping, Trot Polls, Jig Jogs, Head Tossing, Snatches Reins, Head Shy, Herd Bound, Anticipates, Dominating, Stays in Gait, Holt/ Stopping, Back-up, Transitions, Leg Yielding, Yields to Pressure. Once you know where your gaps are and the personality of your horse you can then start using the appropriate training strategies to start developing your horse’s education and confidence. Some horses could be 15 or 20 years old and still have Green tendencies. We call them “Ever Greens”. Unfortunately, these horses have never been given the opportunity to really learn our language as it has not been consistent, so they are confused and often very frustrated. It would be like going to high school and having each teacher educate you in a different language in each subject before you’ve actually learnt the language. We expect a lot from our equine friends! Green horses are young uneducated horses that have yet to experience the world of humans and riding and are generally willing participants. Sometimes the new things are scary so we need to be consistent when building their confidence.
Lily Ever Green - Lily - this is a story that has a very happy ending. Lily was purchased at the market by “dad” for his teenage daughter, Hariette (also green) and then sat in the paddock for a few years as she was unridable. Lily ended up with Jason for retraining and I was sure she had gone to the dark side never to return. Having started her life out as a race horse and being ultra sensitive, Lily struggled to make sense of our world and was frightened and defensive. Lily is a red but she was also unbelievably Green and did not know what was expected of her. Jason spent 10 weeks working with Lily, establishing communication and not putting time frames on her, she evolved into a beautiful, responsive, loving mare that was able to be ridden on trails and at our clinics and was perfect which pleased everyone concerned! Harriet also had lessons with jason.
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Yields to Pressure
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD YOUR PERSONALITY DECODERS Horse and Owner Personality Decoder© Expressive - Action Orientated
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Holistic Equitation Australia 9
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Side Pass Scary Objects Jumping Equine Psychology
Horseman, Jason McInnes, Classical Dressage Instructor, Kailie Nott and Communications Professional, Jo McInnes
“Bridge the Gap” Teaching you a holistic approach to training and riding from the ground up. The HE Team have combined their years of experience to present, Holistic Equitation. Holistic (Holism) is a Greek word meaning all, entire, total. It’s the idea that all the properties of a given system (biological, chemical, social, economic, mental, linguistic, etc.) can’t be explained by its component parts alone. Instead, the system as a whole determines in an important way how the parts behave. The art of horsemanship develops the emotional and physical control of the horse and finds a functional aspect to our use of them. The classical aspect to Holistic Equitation is primarily restorative. It brings the horse to straightness. The training helps the horse to develop the muscles needed to carry out a job without injuring themselves. Ultimately, the horse should then be athletic enough to perform with beauty at their given discipline. Holistic Equitation is a matter of mind, body and spirit. The greatest gift the horse will teach you in your journey with them is to internalise what you learn. They will help you find courage, empathy, patience and humility. Holistic Equitation presents the total knowledge of the horse’s physique and psychology – and beyond that the total knowledge of the training possibilities. Each rider has to be the coach of his own horse and has to learn what it means to train gradually, naturally, systematically and with love. No matter how great the teacher or system, nothing happens quickly. We don’t become equestrians in a month; it is a lifetime process. The 2 main attributes you can teach your horse is compliance and trust. Holistic Equitation is knowing what to do when and why.
a Organise r clinic nea you
So, come and join us, our horses and the valued instructors who are all dedicated to learning and teaching. For more info call: 03 5773 4236 or email on info@holisticequitation.com.au
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ABOUT KAILIE NOTT Classical Dressage Instructor and Trainer I have always worked to improve my horse’s way of going and in my youth I had some very influential instructors – particularly, Virginia Creed (now international dressage judge); Paul Johnson and Charlie Moffat, who created a small furore among the pony club parents for their contrasting approaches to show jumping, but which helped open my eyes to the realization that there is more than one way to be effective and so created an interest in looking for a common theme that made all the different approaches work; miss Kay Irving, and Brian Schrappel and Art Utendaal also left some lasting impressions. At 19, my limited capacity to stay quiet while I watched someone attempt to do things the hard way got me my first regular riding students. At this time I was studying to be a primary school teacher. After graduating I decided I couldn’t dedicate myself fully to school teaching as well as horse riding and so I stayed with my primary passion – horses. Since that time I spent 10 years studying classical dressage with Olympic level coach, Freddy Mercay, and was also introduced to the thinking behind natural horsemanship. This led me to investigate the western approach to horse training. Because I am always searching for what the best horsemen in any discipline have in common, I found the western and european systems compatible and
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complimentary, and each has something to offer the other. Although I had been a successful competitor in dressage, jumping and eventing, I had lost interest in competition as I had become more interested in my horse’s performance compared to his daily performance than how any judge might rank me. One aspect of competition I did appreciate was to be challenged on a new jumping course that someone else had erected. I found I was competing against my own training rather than against others and that I didn’t need to go to an organized event to do this. Training people to get more our of themselves and their horses, with an attitude of rapport, has been my primary focus since the age of 19. Most of my time is spent giving private lessons, but I have also held clinics, taught at Pony Clubs and Adult Riding Clubs, judged dressage, jumping and at shows and gymkahnas. I am always looking to improve my communication with my own horses, as well as with my students and their horses. I see understanding horses as a life long mission. Stay Connected! Kailie Nott Holistic Equitation
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The Complete Horse Riders, Best Selling eBook Collection If you love horses then this is going to be the most exciting message you ever read. Here's why:
This unique set of amazing equestrian e-books, cover nearly everything you need to know about horses including, confidence issues, being nervous, physical benefits of riding, the almighty dollar, finding an instructor, choosing a riding style, buying horses, find a job in the equestrian industry plus loads more. Imagine being able to ride comfortably, safely and with confidence on your perfect horse!. Make this year the year you achieve your goals with your horse and be safely and confidently riding your ultimate horse. NOW WOULDN’T THAT BE GREAT? Or what about if you could be living your dream being safe, confident and capable? . How would that feel if you could do all of this? Imagine being able to finally be putting your foot into that stirrup, rising up over the back of your favourite horse and riding off into the sunset, confidence in hand, emotions under control. All our books are professionally written, beautifully formatted with loads of information to help you make the right decision and guide you through the steps of making your dream a reality.. It truly is possible, but you need to know how. Are you addicted to horses? We all know that horses are like having some type of disease, you just have to have more of them! Well if you love to learn then this collection will help you be safe, in control and having fun with your four legged best friend, guaranteed!
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E L A S N O lly rma
No
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So why is this set of books so popular?
for 15 ebooks
I am the publisher and owner of these books and no one else has anything like them Chances are if you are looking for a job in the equestrian industry, then you're probably pretty keen on horses too. So we've included our entire range of books for you to read as well. Simply, every book is here because "you asked for it." Well, not "you" really. But from real live questions. We are a professional equestrian training centre dealing with horsey people day in and day out, nervous people. nervous horses, people overcoming their fears and wanting to take up riding after time out of the saddle or taking it up for the first time, we deal with starting horses, selling horses, breeding, imprinting, competition riders and educating people and horses so we know the questions people ask so we know what answers you are looking for, we love horses and we love helping people. So we know you will absolutely love this collection of books. Which means no fluff. Just the real answers you want to know.
“Finding Your Place In The Herd” Working in the equestrian industry. Over 25 Jobs listed, maybe you can have your cake and eat it to. Imagine finding your dream job working with horses? Included in this jam packed book is: • How to find at job • What skills will you require • How to pick a job that suits you. • Lists jobs you probably never thought of. Holistic Equitation Australia 14
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To have someone do all this research for you would normally cost you $1000's of dollars in time and knowledge that you just can't put a price on - it's a life time of experience being around horses (I should know, that's what it cost me - a life time and the resources of a very amazing team of equestrian professionals, pictured left). The books have laser-guided accurate information - SPECIFICALLY for people looking at getting back into the saddle, building confidence and buying the right horse. Everything is explained in PLAIN English. Which means it's dead-easy to read and understand. And it's logically laid out. Which is why this ENTIRE COLLECTION is such a bargain at just
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I normally sell this collection for $69.95 and I sell each of these books for a minimum $15.95 each! So be Quick whilst the sale is on! That's right, a fraction of what it's really worth or what it cost me to research. Why would I make it so affordable? Simply because my costs to deliver it to you are so low. These are electronic books (e-books) that can be downloaded to your computer in a flash. Which means you can be reading it and discovering all these amazing secrets in as little as 5 minutes from now.
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Holistic Equitation Training Philosophy There are as many opinions about horse training as there are horse trainers. Any body and every body who comes in contact with a horse is a horse trainer, whether you think you are or not. The reason for this is we are influencing horses every minute of every day that we are around them. This comes in the form of our body language and physical contact. Believe it or not, all training methods work! The catch is - on some horses. The good news is, contrary to common belief, there are some methods that will work on ALL horses. Fortunately, horses and humans are never too old to learn new ways or change bad habits. My concern isn't about what the horse has done before or what possible negative experiences the horse may have had in the past. The horse's past is helpful in developing a lesson plan but from the day we meet, I deal with today only. We can't change the fact that someone has mistreated the horse or that someone has trained it badly, so it's pointless spending time dwelling on it. The problem is NOW. Sometimes we get so caught up in the cause of the problem that we lose focus on what we can do to change the horse for the better, TODAY. "Keep a molehill, a molehill. This too shall pass, look for a solution." The horse is a very adaptable animal, more so than a human, and quite capable of
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changing its behavioral patterns once given the opportunity to make it's own decisions. Horses by nature will always look for the easy way out of an uncom-fortable situation. So by releasing the pressure when the horse offers the desired response and allowing the horse to relax and think about what has just taken place, this is how we are able to educate and establish desirable behavioral patters with the horse. The great trainers from all disciplines believe that no horse is either vicious or beyond being educated. Educating horses is a cumulative journey, each step will build on the information presented in previous lessons. I believe patience, knowledge and forgiveness are the only traights we need to educate a horse. Patience that our horses give us in all the mistakes we make and most of the time we don't even know we are making one. Normally, when we run out of Knowledge we generally run out of patience and Forgiveness in the horse is the very quality that allows us to ride them, change their past, or even shape a bright future. Horsemanship to me is about keeping an open mind to the information presented, the situations we're placed in, the teaching styles available and the different types of horses I come across every day. I would like to acknowledge the great horseman and horsewomen who have influenced me over the years from all around the world. Remember: "I know no more than you do about horses and horse training, I just know different things." J. Lyons
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About Holistic Equitation. We have a system of horse training that works, for both you and your horse, you see, we have developed a style of equine training and education which takes a natural approach to instilling a solid foundation that delivers strong communication between you and your horse. Ethical horse training builds, trust, rapport and compliance with horses, the horses we train are soft, supple and super responsive, which means you can be sure that your horse will respect your aids and yield to pressure with a forward willing attitude. Riding and training horses is a full time job for the HE team who have trained and ridden horses of all shapes, sizes, colours, temperaments and troubles, in fact there is nothing much we have not seen when it comes to horses and horse owners. We have solved many horse problems such as rearing, bucking, float loading, anxious and flighty horses to name a few. We also start and train beautifully bred competition horses that are now competing and winning at high level dressage. Our dedicated team run Clinics from beginner to advanced where we teach you the essential connections between ground work and ridden, bridging the gap that escapes most people's experience when it comes to owning and riding horses. In our experience, working with some of the best trainers, these principles are paramount if you wish to have real success, safety and confidence. We also offer you something else very special, once you have been to a Holistic Equitation Clinic or have had your horse trained with us, you have life time access to our newsletters and updates and of course our team is here to assist you should you feel you need further advice or problem solving strategies. We believe so strongly in our training and education that we guarantee that you and your horse will be emotionally, mentally and physically fitter or your money back. What that means to you is that you can feel rest assured that you are not only in good hands, but expert hands. Our horse training facility is located in North East Victoria, Australia, just 1.5 hours from Melbourne, we invite you to contact us if you would like to discuss your individual needs further. Email: admin@holisticequitation.com.au Tel: (03) 5773 4205
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Starting Your Horse “I don't break your horse's spirit, I develop a two way relationship" No stone is left unturned when your horse comes to Jason. Jason personally takes your horse through all stages of the starting process over a 6 week period. Jason will cover: • • • • • • • •
• • • • • • • • • •
•
•
Balance before movement Hindquarter control Round yard skills In hand bridle skills First saddling Tying up Bit and bridling Feet preparation for shoeing or trimming Preparation for rugging Washing & hosing Spooky objects Trail rides Lateral flexion Rhythm Straightness Forwardness into the contact Responsiveness from the legs One on one lessons with the owner Advice and support once your horse goes home Regular Clinics that you are able to attend
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Your Horse’s Journey Week 1 - 2 "Trust Me - Trust my Equipment" Desensitize and build trust with your horse. Week 2 - 3 Round Penning to develop the forward attitude and join up. Week 3 - 4 First Ride in the arena and round yard. Getting the horse relaxed and moving out. Week 4 - 5 Developing, stops, turns, forward into the contact. Working on transitions and Getting balanced. Week 5 - 6 Your horse is relaxed out on trail rides and we now go out together and have one on one lessons. Happy Ever After Our ongoing support ensures your success. Clinics & Education The Holistic Equitation Team run clinics regularly to find out dates please visit our clinics page Ongoing Lessons You can also book in for future one on one lessons to progress the training and relationship with your horse. 100% Satisfaction Guarantee I am so confident of my training. I work to establish a solid foundation with your horse. That's why I will give you a 100% money back guarantee.
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Put your relationship with your horse first
We all ultimately want our horse's to perform to their highest level for their ability at the stage of their training and development. Most of us are focused on the end goal of performing an exercise, race or test that's going to help us achieve our goals, such as a dressage test. Training Horses Ethically, works with the laws of nature rather than old school techniques that work with the rules of man, in my experience mans rules are the major factor in horses becoming hard to handle, difficult, bored and dangerous. Man's rules do not apply to the natural instincts and psychology of the horse. I have always found it strange that people will say "that won't work with my horse" as if training a horse in it's own language is used for specific breeds. Developing a harmonious approach to your training and riding needn't be one or the other. In fact those who really understand dressage at an elite level, do not practice or train their horses like 99% of people - they put the relationship first, not their egos, deadline, price tag or ribbon. True horsemanship applies to all disciplines and is about taking the time it takes and not forcing or pushing the horse past it's mental, emotional and physical capabilities. The best example that I can share with you is the training philosophy of the "Spanish School of Riding".
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The trainers and riders that are a part of this school spend years and years preparing themselves and their riders, never exhausting the horse's mental, emotional and physical fitness. The most important thing that you have with your horse is the relationship and it needs to be nurtured and your number one priority. For example, I first like to think of encouraging the horse to "perform" in incremental steps, such as moving off to the right of the round yard. Getting the horse to move off is the performance part of the exercise. When the horse is capable of doing this in a calm and relaxed manner I will ask the horse to "perform" the next step. When the horse can combine a series of steps in a logical sequence you can then say their performance is being trained. What I see happen in too many cases is the direct line thinking people take with their horses. They put the end goal first and miss the imporant steps, increments and rewards that are required to develop a solid foundation and a horse that is soft, subtle and willing. If you want to learn more about training horses ethically and naturally or you are thinking about starting a career as a trainer, contact Jason McInnes at Holistic Equitation. admin@holisticequitation.co m.au for more information. HAPPY TRAILS, Jason McInnes Holistic Equitation
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