One of my mates lives in a semi-rural area on the outskirts of Sydney. On a recent visit, my wife and I took a walk around the block from where he lives. The land is split into hobby farms between two and five acres in size. During our two kilometre (1.2 mile) walk, I counted … Read more
If you want to handle horses, you must have good facilities. Horses can always find 100 different ways to injure themselves. If your fences and yards aren’t up to scratch, you can bet your horse will find a way to cut himself or become tangled in something. I’ve seen horse studs spend millions of dollars … Read more
Nothing irks me more than when people call me a Horse Whisperer. Let me say once and for all – I’m not a Horse Whisperer. There are no special gifts or secret magic powers when it comes to training horses. No-one can teach a horse by ‘whispering’ or looking into his eyes. No-one can apply … Read more
Horsemanship is a word that’s heard a lot these days. It conjures images of immaculate horses competing at the highest level and of ‘important’ horse trainers with cowboy boots, lassoes, chaps and spurs. Sorry to disillusion everyone but horsemanship isn’t reserved for a chosen few. Horsemanship is a word that relates to every man, woman … Read more
Horse-back riding conjures up images of a loving relationship between you and a horse, with the two of you cantering off into the sunset in harmonious rapture. People often have visions of horse-back riding where their horse loves to carry them around and obeys every command smoothly and gracefully. Unfortunately, the reality is often very … Read more
Many people tell me about the problems they have with their horses. I hear of rearing horses, shying horses, horses that kick up, buck, pull the reins, run home and any number of other issues. People often say, ‘There’s something wrong with my horse. I need someone to fix him.’ Many trainers will tell you … Read more
Catching horses has absolutely nothing to do with horse herds, pecking orders, respect or domination. Everyone must remember that it’s not a competition when you go to the paddock to catch your horse. Horses know nothing about winning or losing. Some horses learn to run away when they see someone coming to catch them. This … Read more
Lots of trainers use a forty foot round yard for all their horse training. The main idea seems to be for the trainer to chase the horse around the fence until the horse is tired (and sometimes exhausted). In a round yard, every horse’s natural reaction is to run around the fence when he’s chased. … Read more
When someone has problems with an older horse, they often ask me if they can ‘re-start’ him. I’ve had lots of people say, ‘Can’t I just go back to the beginning and start him all over again?’ Sadly, the answer is no. Unfortunately, no-one can erase a horse’s memory. You can’t tell any horse to … Read more
When you buy a horse, the first and foremost consideration must be your safety. Forget about the breeding, the colour, the amount of ribbons and trophies that the horse has won – all these things are pointless if the horse isn’t safe for you to ride. Many people own horses that are dangerous and unsuitable … Read more