Updated 6 April 2010

New for 2010: Due to demand I will be restricting acceptance of horses to those belonging to existing clients, who are committed to the way that I work. If you are not an existing client but want me to start or work with your horse, I will ask that you attend a one day Introduction to Connected Riding clinic; that when you deliver your horse you factor in enough time to show me how he works for you and where you are at; and that you commit to attending some of his training sessions so that you can understand what I am doing and why. Thank you!

I use a combination of Tteam and Connected Groundwork to start young horses. I believe in starting youngsters slowly, so that they have time to fully understand and process the new information they are being presented with. The length of time that ‘starting’ will take depends on the individual horse, and the requirements of the owner. A horse that has had no, or limited, prior handling will be with me longer than one that is already used to groundwork and / or saddling. It will also depend how confident the rider is to take the horse further once backed.

My goal is not so much to turn out a ‘finished’ horse, but rather to lay a solid foundation from which you can progress in whichever direction you wish, in particular focusing on the ability and freedom of the horse to balance and carry itself softly. As a guideline, the starting process takes 4-8 weeks; however if you are doing much of the groundwork yourself and just want to send it away for the actual backing, that time can be reduced.

My preference is for horses to be at least 3 years old before they are backed and ridden (I don't back my own horses until they are at least 4.) I will take younger horses, but for preparatory work only.

I start horses quietly, simplifying each stage so that they understand and accept every step. I work hard never to over face or make your horse do something; instead, I will find another way to help him understand what I am asking. I don’t take shortcuts and aim never to stress or distress your horse. I am looking for acceptance and understanding rather than submission, using positive rather than negative reinforcement. My goals are mutual trust, understanding and softness, helping your horse learn, and to prepare him for his future life.

The process I go through is usually as follows:

groundwork, leading, boundariesliberty work to establish attention Tteam groundwork exercisesConnected Groundwork to teach balance and release tensiongetting used to ropes, saddle pads, saddles, bridlesestablishing voice cues ground driving, to teach start, stop, left, right, backunderstanding rein cuessaddling and mounting (from the ground or any object)walk, halt, back, left and right under saddleturns on forehand and haunches, trot, transitionsriding out of the round pen / arena

I also take horses for rehabilitation, e.g. if you are having problems with your horse (behaviour, posture, balance, co-ordination) or are unhappy with the way it was started elsewhere. With these horses, as well as addressing the issues presented, I introduce a higher level of Connected Groundwork, to help them relax, pay attention, and be more mentally and physically balanced.

If you want to send your youngster to me purely for backing and initial riding, make sure he can:

pick up his feet nicely

tie up without pulling back

wear a cover / surcingle / saddle / bridle

be ok with ropes around his body, legs, head

walk, trot, and whoa on voice cues

Please email me to discuss your requirements.