Wanneroo Therapeutic Riding & Horsemanship

10/09/2025

Wellness Wednesday

Soe
Times its our expectation that Rob is of the joy in life.

Change you expectations and start to live life and enjoy it

09/09/2025

Tell tell Tuesday

We often see this, riders quick to blame the horse for the problem they are having during a lesson. Yet the horse was perfect for another student.

Horses don’t care about our ego. If we are not giving clear instructions they get confused and can’t oblige. Horses want an easy life so don’t try to be difficult. We need to ensure we are being clear and fair

ARE WE BLAMING HORSES FOR BEING HORSES?

If a horse is difficult to lead, bites someone, stops at a fence, bucks under saddle or refuses to load, the explanation you’ll hear most often is that they’re being naughty, stubborn or difficult. This culture of blame runs deep in the equestrian world. But why do riders and handlers so often blame the horse. Why is it the horse’s fault?

Human psychology gives us some clues. Humans are prone to the fundamental attribution error. That means we’re quick to assume a behaviour is caused by what the horse is like (‘he’s lazy,’ ‘she’s always moody’) instead of looking at what’s happening to the horse.

In practice, that means we often jump to the idea that a horse is being awkward on purpose, rather than considering external factors like pain, inappropriate management, unclear training, or fear. We assume intention when, in reality, the horse is usually just responding to their circumstances. We don’t consider what’s really driving the behaviour and motivating the horse to behave that way.

Add to this the traditions of equestrian culture, where riders are often told from an early age that horses ‘test you’ or ‘take advantage if you let them.’ This narrative becomes normalised — and so blaming the horse feels natural, even when the science tells us otherwise.

Research shows a very different story:

• Studies by Dyson and colleagues (2018–2020) demonstrate that many so-called 'naughty' behaviours are actually signs of pain under saddle

• Hausberger et al. (2008, 2020) found that poor housing and pain are strongly linked to so-called ’problem behaviours.'

• Cheung, Mills & Ventura (2025) show how riders often rationalise practices that compromise welfare in order to reduce their own cognitive dissonance.

Blaming the horse is easier than admitting our tack doesn’t fit, our training wasn’t clear, our horse may be in pain or that we did the wrong thing. It protects us from uncomfortable truths. But it also prevents us from seeing behaviour for what it really is: communication.

Horses don’t plan or plot to punish us. They respond. And they can suffer.

So next time something goes wrong, rather than asking ‘Why is he being naughty?’ consider asking “what is my horse trying to tell me?’ instead.

26/08/2025

Tell tell Tuesday

What people perceive as problem horses are often just horses that are feeling confused and overwhelmed

❌ 🐎The Problem Horse 🐎 ❌

What’s a problem horse ⁉️

Basically everyone who’s dealing with horses has heard of ‘problem horses’. 🐎 💥

Going by the generalized narrative, ‘Problem horses’ are for example the type of horses that buck, rear or jigg. 🐎 💥

But ‘problem horses’ are also the kind of horses that kick and bite. Or the ones tha won’t load into the trailer. Or the horses that are ‘lazy’ and don’t want to go forward 🐌

Hold on. But they’re also the ones that ignore your aids and don’t do what you ask them to do. And the ones that don’t want to cross the jump or the water or the ones that don’t pick up a canter when you ask them to or constantly cross fire. 🐎 💥

Long story short, a horse is a ‘problem horse’ when the human can’t access the desired skills/ behaviors of the horse, hence use him the way he/she would like to, or in other words :

The horse is causing the human problems which makes him turn into THE problem

Let’s try and switch perspectives:

What if in reality it’s exactly the opposite ⁉️ Maybe the ‘problem horse’ is a horse that has a problem with us humans 👀😳

If you treat your horse with respect, give him time and space to learn and understand and if you explain the asked tasks in a horse-friendly and pleasant way, he is going to be able to master what you are asking him. ✨

On top of that he is going to be able to develop a happy mindset when working with you. ☝🏻

Unfortunately in most cases the human doesn’t have enough knowledge about the horses nature, his psychology and about training a horse in general (how do they learn, why do they learn the way they do, how can we teach them anything ?! What are horse friendly and ethical ways to train the horse etc…)

And last but not least there’s often a lack of empathy, compassion and patience involved
A dangerous mix! 💣 💥

What often happens is ..the horse doesn’t respond to the asked things right away.. “Oh he’s not listening to me ?!..nor is he even trying, well then I have to enforce what I was asking for on my terms, to make him do what I was asking for !” 💥 🥊

Where knowledge ends.. brute force tactics and strategies start.

The aftermath of ‘enforcing’ what you were asking for is often an overwhelmed, anxious, fearful or even frustrated and dull horse who is not able to learn, who is not active at all, never taking the initiative to offer a behavior, and who doesn’t show any kind of pleasure while working with you.

It creates a horse who only wants to avoid punishment in any way possible which leads him to engage with the human like a ‘horse-bot’ 🤖 …piles up frustration and explosive behaviors.. or stops seeking out our near all together.

To wrap it up
Horses turn into ‘problem-horses’ if :

🌿 the horse doesn’t understand what you are asking.

🌿 the horse is overwhelmed by all those tasks you are asking at the same time

🌿 the horse is anxious / in a state of fear - doesn’t trust you

🌿 the horse understands the humans behavior as disrespectful and as a result of that is tries to defend himself/ self preserve

🌿 the horse can’t execute a task due to metal (stress, overwhelm, past reinforcement history…) or physical (pain..discomfort or doesn’t have the strength yet, doesn’t have the endurance yet, doesn’t have the flexibility yet etc) road blocks

🌿 the horse is ‘shut down’ and dull because engaging with his human and trying to communicate, has only fallen on deaf ears before

-Julia Williamson, The Horse Center | 2025

22/07/2025

Technical Tuesday

Getting a great horse takes hours of work and years of training for both horse and rider. If you learn to enjoy the journey and take on board the feedback your horse give you, it can be a magical journey

Everybody wants a good horse.
But not everybody wants to become the kind of person that makes a horse good.

In today’s world, people expect fast results.

Instant gratification.
Swipe, click, scroll, done.

People expect success to be delivered like an Amazon Prime Order:
fast, easy, and with a smile.

They want to turn their feral horse into a “finished horse” without ever putting in the hours it takes to truly understand one in the first place.

Here’s the thing…
Mastery isn’t downloadable.
A reciprocal relationship can’t be rushed. It is build over time and it comes with highs and lows.

What took others years of learning, failing, watching, refining, people now want handed to them in a weekend clinic, a 10-minute video, a one time exercise, a one-sentence answer or because they bought a course.

The shortcuts people chase are often detours that lead them right back to where they started, just more frustrated this time.

They want the feel, but not the feedback.
They want the bond, but not the humility.
They want the horse to change, but they don’t want to change themselves.

No one can hand you the timing, the feel, the quiet, calm and consistent leadership it takes.

It can’t be downloaded or bought.

You earn that, you develop it, with every consistent rep and step. With patience. With clarity. Through being a lifetime student of the horse.

By showing up on the days it’s hard, boring, frustrating or humbling.

Put in the work.
Put in the hours.
Because Your horse
deserves that version of You.

04/07/2025

Being well balanced in the saddle is so important. But it takes time and practice

If you're not riding centered and balanced, your horse knows it—and pays the price for it.

When you lean, drop a shoulder, or collapse a hip, you're not just shifting your weight—you’re shifting your horse’s entire understanding of what you're asking. A horse trying to stay balanced under an unbalanced rider is like trying to dance with someone constantly stepping off beat. They can compensate for a while, but eventually it leads to resistance, crookedness, sore muscles, and mental frustration.

Riding centered isn’t just about looking pretty—it’s about being fair, clear, and effective. Your balance affects their balance, your straightness affects their straightness, and your softness allows their softness.

This video on my Patreon Page is one in a collection of videos showing you how to develop and improve yourself and your riding. https://www.patreon.com/posts/getting-centered-133210619?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link

25/06/2025

Wellness Wednesday

With these colder days and nights we all want to ensure that our horses are warm and healthy.

This is an interesting read about how fiber can support your horse over the cooler months.

18/06/2025

Theory Thursday

I love this concept. When riding our aim is to minimise our impact on the horses movement and use the smallest cues possible to get them to follow us where we want to go.

This takes a lot of practice and making sure we are fully aware of our bodies and every movement we make to ensure we don’t confuse the horse.

Your Body Has to Ride First—Before the Horse Moves

Not long ago in one of my videos, I made a passing comment:
“Too many riders don’t start riding until after the horse is already moving.”

The comment was in passing, and I didn't elaborate at that time, but a longtime follower reached out and said that simple idea completely changed the way she rides. She started focusing on initiating movement with her body—before any cue—and her horse started responding better, softer, and more willingly.

So let me explain what I meant—and why this is such an important piece of horsemanship.

Too often, riders rely on external cues—clucks, kicks, reins—to signal movement. But a connected ride doesn’t start with a signal. It starts with a shift. A shift in your seat, your energy, your core. The way you carry your body should tell the horse what’s coming before you ever give a cue.

When you move with intention, the horse picks up on that. You stop pushing or pulling them into a transition, and they start flowing into it with you. You’re no longer just a passenger—you're now a partner in motion.

And here’s where it gets even better:
When you ride transitions with your whole body—especially your seat—you naturally encourage your horse to engage their own.

That’s the doorway to better self-carriage, balance, and collection. When you prepare your body for a transition—whether it’s a walk, a stop, or a rollback—your horse learns to prepare theirs. They start stepping up from behind, rounding their back, lifting their shoulder, and carrying themselves with better form. That’s not something you can force with reins and legs. That has to come from a horse that’s tuned into you and trusting your feel.

Now, I’ve talked before about the three phases of rider development.

In the first phase, everything feels mechanical. You’re learning where your hands and legs go, like driving a truck with no power steering.

In the second phase, you start to develop feel. You begin noticing how your horse reacts, and your timing starts to improve.

**But in the third phase—**and this is what we all strive for—riding becomes instinctual. You’re no longer thinking about the steps. You’re feeling your way through them. Your body and your horse are speaking the same language.

And this concept—initiating movement with your seat—is a huge piece of getting to that third phase.

Because the third phase doesn’t come from practicing cues—it comes from practicing connection. When you ride with your whole body and start feeling those moments before they happen, your horse starts feeling them too. That’s when transitions become seamless. That’s when your horse is right there with you, waiting for the next breath, the next shift, the next subtle change in rhythm.

So next time you go to ask for movement, take a breath and ask yourself:
Am I riding yet? Or am I just sitting still, waiting for the horse to start the ride?

Let the movement start in you.

Let the seat, the core, the posture, the energy—lead the way.

Ride first. Cue second.
That’s how you build softness, balance, engagement—and eventually, instinctual horsemanship.

16/06/2025

Technical Tuesday

So much more goes into riding well than meets the eye.

I love it when we welcome. People for their first ever ride. They get off and are amazed how much their body aches. Good riders make riding look easy and effortless, yet they are making ongoing alterations to the horse with subtle body movements.

Riding is a great way for us to become more aware of our body and how we can die it to subtly I fluence things.

I recently read this article and loved the concept so thought I would share it with you

Your Body Has to Ride First—Before the Horse Moves

Not long ago in one of my videos, I made a passing comment:
“Too many riders don’t start riding until after the horse is already moving.”

The comment was in passing, and I didn't elaborate at that time, but a longtime follower reached out and said that simple idea completely changed the way she rides. She started focusing on initiating movement with her body—before any cue—and her horse started responding better, softer, and more willingly.

So let me explain what I meant—and why this is such an important piece of horsemanship.

Too often, riders rely on external cues—clucks, kicks, reins—to signal movement. But a connected ride doesn’t start with a signal. It starts with a shift. A shift in your seat, your energy, your core. The way you carry your body should tell the horse what’s coming before you ever give a cue.

When you move with intention, the horse picks up on that. You stop pushing or pulling them into a transition, and they start flowing into it with you. You’re no longer just a passenger—you're now a partner in motion.

And here’s where it gets even better:
When you ride transitions with your whole body—especially your seat—you naturally encourage your horse to engage their own.

That’s the doorway to better self-carriage, balance, and collection. When you prepare your body for a transition—whether it’s a walk, a stop, or a rollback—your horse learns to prepare theirs. They start stepping up from behind, rounding their back, lifting their shoulder, and carrying themselves with better form. That’s not something you can force with reins and legs. That has to come from a horse that’s tuned into you and trusting your feel.

Now, I’ve talked before about the three phases of rider development.

In the first phase, everything feels mechanical. You’re learning where your hands and legs go, like driving a truck with no power steering.

In the second phase, you start to develop feel. You begin noticing how your horse reacts, and your timing starts to improve.

**But in the third phase—**and this is what we all strive for—riding becomes instinctual. You’re no longer thinking about the steps. You’re feeling your way through them. Your body and your horse are speaking the same language.

And this concept—initiating movement with your seat—is a huge piece of getting to that third phase.

Because the third phase doesn’t come from practicing cues—it comes from practicing connection. When you ride with your whole body and start feeling those moments before they happen, your horse starts feeling them too. That’s when transitions become seamless. That’s when your horse is right there with you, waiting for the next breath, the next shift, the next subtle change in rhythm.

So next time you go to ask for movement, take a breath and ask yourself:
Am I riding yet? Or am I just sitting still, waiting for the horse to start the ride?

Let the movement start in you.

Let the seat, the core, the posture, the energy—lead the way.

Ride first. Cue second.
That’s how you build softness, balance, engagement—and eventually, instinctual horsemanship.

05/06/2025

There is a tendency for people to over rug their horses as they feel cold so assume their horses do.

This is a great guide

29/05/2025

We all want love from our horse as we love them. So how do you know that they like having you around

🐴💞 8 Signs Your Horse Truly Loves You 💞🐴

A horse’s love is quiet, but deep. It doesn’t need words — it’s shown through every movement, every glance.
If you’ve ever wondered whether your horse truly feels something for you, here are 8 signs that reveal their affection:

1️⃣ They come to you in the pasture
When a horse chooses you over the herd — that says everything.

2️⃣ They trust you enough to turn their back
A horse never turns its back on someone it fears. If they do — it's a sign of comfort and trust.

3️⃣ They rest their head on your shoulder
One of the warmest moments — your horse seeks your closeness and calm like a true friend.

4️⃣ They lick or yawn around you
That means they’re relaxed. You are their “safe place.”

5️⃣ They pay close attention to you
With their eyes, ears, and body. They feel you.

6️⃣ They let you groom and hug them
Not all horses accept this. If yours does — it’s trust and love.

7️⃣ They gently nudge or touch you with their nose
This is how they play and show affection.

8️⃣ They calm down when you’re near
Your presence brings them peace — and that’s the highest form of connection.

❤️ A horse may not say “I love you” out loud — but they show it every day, in their eyes, their touch, their quiet.
Pay attention — a horse’s love is a priceless gift.

19/05/2025

An interesting read and worth considering when working with your horse.

Interestingly this process works the same for people.

Ending on a "good" note 🐴

I used to think that I couldn’t end a training session unless the horse had achieved whatever task I’d started, especially if they’d done it well already then couldn’t seem to replicate it again. I used to drill horses because I was told that if I didn’t I’d be ending the session on a “bad” note and I’d be ruining the horse’s training, teaching them they could “get away” with it. 🙄

Let me give an example. You’re working on your canter transitions, your horse does a couple of good ones, then a couple of not so good ones, you feel like you have to keep trying again and again because you can’t finish unless they do a good one again, right?

What is actually happening here? Your horse is probably fatigued, whether that be muscle soreness, general fitness or maybe they’re just feeling tired today, so they are struggling to produce the transition that you want. The more you try the more fatigued they become and the less likely it is to happen. All we are doing is making horses sore and also developing really negative associations with training. 😕

I have found training horses to be so much easier and more rewarding now I can recognise both physical and mental fatigue and I’m not afraid to just stop. The less I ask the more they seem willing to give as their associations with work become more positive and I’m not asking them to do things they aren’t physically capable of.

Its completely okay for things not to be perfect, learning is messy. Its okay if your last attempt at something is not the best one of the session, in fact that may be a sign to stop. Giving your horse a day off and coming back to it again in a few days will do much more for your progress than drilling them.

It always used to surprise me when horses would come out better the next session even when I’d felt the end of the last session had been rubbish. The amount of times I’d be teaching something new and it seemed the horse didn’t quite get it but then they’d get it immediately in the next session had me off doing some research. Now I understand that horses need REM sleep to process learning and appreciate that they feel muscle fatigue just like us so I can see why this happens.

Their brains can fatigue just as their bodies can and its important to take this into account even more if you’ve travelled them to a strange environment or you’re teaching them something new. If you are in a lesson situation and you feel your horse has done enough, tell the instructor, you are the most important advocate for your horse, don’t leave it up to other people. You can always ask to a do an easier exercise if you still have time to fill in your session.

Ending on a good note can actually look like “okay I can feel you’re starting to struggle now, lets just stop, go for a walk and finish for today,” it might just be the best thing you do for your training and, more importantly, your relationship with your horse. 🐴

www.lshorsemanship.co.uk

www.patreon.com/lshorsemanship

22/03/2025

Makes you think