Feature: The Power of Partnership

FEATURE

The Power of Partnership

Accomplished dressage rider Amalia Dempsey’s perspective underwent a profound change when two young horses came into her life. She spoke with ENYA CROCKFORD about her journey.

Most of us start our riding journey because of our love of horses. But sometimes the drive to win that next competition, or overcome a roadblock in our training unintentionally takes precedence over the partnership with our horse. And when we don’t have our horse on side, ultimately nobody wins.

Six years ago, Amalia Dempsey was succeeding as an accomplished dressage rider before two yearlings took her down a new path that focused on the relationship with the horse. “I was very experienced technically as a rider, but I discovered there was a huge gap in what I did with my horses. The seemingly small things like bridling and

loading onto the float turned out to be the foundation of my partnership with them,” she explains.

When Amalia purchased her two youngsters she had never previously started a horse from scratch, and initially researched groundwork and horsemanship in search of the best way to start them. Discovering what felt like an entirely new world, she participated in clinics, studied, and researched the methods of everyone from Andrew McLean to Pat Parelli.

Out of years of training and study, Amalia eventually refined her own horsemanship method from what she had learned, which had a huge impact on her partnership with her horses and their training under saddle. When other riders noticed the light way in which her horses responded and their relaxed demeanour, they began seeking her guidance. Such was the demand for learning her way of training that she created an online program to teach people both around Australia and internationally.

Sitting down with Amalia to discuss her method, it’s clear that the underlying approach is a mindset in which we should first see things through the eyes of the horse, rather than prioritising what we want and putting the horse’s wants second. Coupled with compassion, patience, and a willingness to learn, it’s obvious that her style of training has yielded extraordinary results in both her own horses and those of her students.

Here are Amalia’s main horsemanship philosophies, which anyone can bring to day-to-day work with their horse in order to strengthen their partnership and create a successful outcome in whatever they want to achieve.

Amalia believes in bringing a fun, playful energy to her training. (All images by Roger Foster Photography)

Keeping training positive

Keeping a positive approach and outlook on your horse’s training can do wonders for their long-term motivation. It starts with your own attitude, which horses detect when you first approach them in the paddock or stable. But if you’ve had a bad day, how do you turn your negative thoughts around? Amalia

See things through the eyes of your horse first, rather than prioritising what you want.

Horses like predictability, so if we are consistent in our body language, cues and pressure – both under saddle and on the ground – we will become a source of safety for them.

says, “I always remind myself that I’m doing this because I enjoy it. That way I can make a conscious choice to leave my bad day behind and make the most of my time with my horses.”

She also ensures that any would-be negative experiences such as loading onto the float or being wormed are turned into positive ones. How might you do this? Worming is a good example. Amalia syringes her horses with molasses water for several days before and after their wormer, so that they only have one not so great day out of many positive ones.

Above all, bringing a fun, playful energy to your training makes the experience much more positive for both you and your horse, and you may be surprised by how much it can affect the outcome of your ride.

Thinking from your horse’s perspective

Seeing things through the lens of your horse is very important for getting them onside. At a fundamental level, this means putting the time into understanding them as a species: what motivates them, and how they learn.

Firstly, it’s important to remember that horses communicate with each other through body language. We humans tend to be less reliant on body language, and so we often hold stress or tension that we’re accidentally communicating to our horse. By putting some effort into being aware of our body language and paying closer attention to that of our horse, we can open up a whole new channel of communication with them.

Secondly, Amalia recommends that we shouldn’t proceed in our training without first encouraging our horse to relax. If you have ever tried to learn something new when you’re anxious or tense, you will understand why it’s almost impossible for a horse to do the same. If we ignore this step and try to get on with whatever we had planned to teach them, chances are it won’t be a very productive session. Which is why, with the help of your coach, it’s important to build strategies that encourage your horse to relax in situations where they are likely to get anxious.

Finally, Amalia teaches that consistency is the cornerstone of trust. Horses like predictability, so if we are consistent in our body language, cues and pressure – both under saddle and on the ground – we will become a source of safety for them. If we’re inconsistent, our horse will become anxious about what’s going to happen next. This consistency can be a source of comfort in itself. If we take our

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Refining her horsemanship had a huge impact on Amalia’s partnership with her horses.

horse to a new environment, such as a competition, and start to do tasks that they’re accustomed to, this small bit of familiarity will help give them confidence.

Developing the right relationship

Just like human relationships, building a relationship with our horse takes focus and dedication. To keep our horses onside, it’s important to understand what they actually value so we can build a mutually beneficial relationship. While we might want to compete, win blue ribbons and train advanced movements, our horse’s main priority is safety, so we need to show them they are safe with us.

Clear communication is also essential. “Horses aren’t born with buttons – they don’t know where to lead, or to stay out of your space, just as much as they don’t know a canter aid.” Amalia says, “And while we’re prepared to spend hours perfecting a walk/trot transition or a

There is no such thing as naughty horses, only horses who are fearful, confused, frustrated, or in pain.

flying change, we often expect a horse to load onto a dark and scary trailer for the first time after 15 minutes." If we

bring just as much dedication to building clear communication on the ground as we do to riding, our horses are going to find it much easier to work with us.

Also essential to your partnership with your horse is becoming a good leader. While we need to be clear on what we

expect and set boundaries, it’s important to do this in a way that’s encouraging rather than domineering. Amalia uses the analogy of a parent and child: “While a parent loves their child, they set healthy boundaries so that they stay safe and grow up to be a good person.” And if you are having trouble with a horse that’s ‘misbehaving’, Amalia’s approach turns ‘naughtiness’ on its head: “There is no such thing as naughty horses, only horses who are fearful, confused, frustrated, or in pain.” And that means it’s up to us to figure out which it is and to work through it.

Amalia’s final reminder is that you are always training and always learning. It’s a well-known adage that you never stop learning with horses, so don’t be afraid to bring this focus to the fore every time you ride, handle, or just spend time with your horse. The difference can be refreshing.

You can learn more about Amalia’s insights and training methods on her podcast Horsemanship Breakthroughs.