Giddyup Horse & Rider Training

09/08/2025

07/08/2025

"A horse can only trust you as much as you trust him."

Not my words, but definitely my iron clad rule.

That belief has shaped my professional training career.

So when I ask my horses to stand on, or cross an obstacle, I don't usually run into much trouble because I never let doubt in. I wouldn't ask them to do it if I didn't know they were capable of it. If I didn't know we were both safe.

I don't take no for an answer either. If I don't doubt them, they have to learn not to doubt me. I do not beat them into the correct response, or bully and spur, but I do insist that they do as I tell them and every step forward is praised, even if the step is just a small softening forward between the reins, a fleeting thought of try.

Horsemanship is easy really; it's all about being someone you wouldn't mind working for. After all, a good boss always makes their employees feel like they are part of a 'we' not just grinding away for an 'I'. It's all about getting in sync with one another; working the kinks out of what will hopefully become a 51 to 49% partnership one day.

I love that concept. The key is, as a rider, always be sure you are in the position where you hold the 51%. Sometimes that is the part that people struggle with.

Have a good day folks. 😊

Re posted from pushin 40 horse training
As always a great read from this fella
Common sense and food for thought

03/08/2025

"If you aren't going to teach 'em, don't touch 'em."

That was my motto back when I started lots of colts for the public; I'd rather have someone run a wild brumby off their trailer, than be led off by a spoiled, no-mannered barnyard pet. Yes, you read that correctly. I always found that it was easier to tame one who had never been handled, than to train one who had been handled wrong.

Both scenarios take effort, but the first takes less than the second.

You are absolutely doing your horse a disservice by allowing them to be pushy and rude on the ground; by accepting them as hard to catch, when not addressing their nervousness leaving their herd mates or by making excuses for them clearing a hitching rail when they're tied. Every time you say, "Oh she is just mare'ish," or, "He gets herd bound away from his buddies," so you haul a companion every place you go.

You know what I say when I have horses come in like that?

"Suck it up buttercup, life is tough and you have to be tougher."

I don't chase horses to catch them. I hobble train AND tie train everything. I ride alone...A LOT. Mares get treated like geldings...no excuses for squealing and making flirty-time at the hitching rail. I will nip that behavior in the bud. 🤷

I don't believe in going around problems. If I do, you can bet it's a timing thing and I'm eventually going to circle back to it when I feel they can take in the correction.

I don't let horses lay the ground rules. They lead at my shoulder, they send onto the trailer with the shank over their neck, they ground tie where I drop their rein, they don't rub their heads on me, they pick up their feet and stand to be saddled...and all these good habits take time to teach. But so do the bad habits I have seen developed in horses coming in for training.

So, once again, don't touch them if you aren't going to teach them...keeping in mind of course, that every interaction with a horse, you are training them. You can either build the one you want, or build the one absolutely nobody wants, either way it is going to take some effort.

Have a good day folks. 😊

Re posted from
Pushin 40 horse training

16/07/2025

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I can’t help but wonder where we are headed. As Facebook continues to replace what is good for what sounds good, horsemanship tends to get worse. Every time I scroll Facebook I see absolute garbage horse training advice. The passive, stress free way of training a horse is being championed while it continues to lack effectiveness and results. Trainers getting results and helping horses are being cancelled one secret video at a time. We can turn fluffy out in the pasture and his horse buddy is allowed to kick the hair off of him but heaven forbid a human hit him with a whip. 😱

I keep waiting for a course correction. I keep waiting for people to realize what it actually takes to have a confident and willing horse who is also reliable in a difficult situation. Those ideas you learn from Disney movies don’t actually work. It’s just a 6 year path to average results. Yay for you! But people making a living training a horse aren’t privileged enough to have 6 years to build an average horse for a client.

My faith in people is often restored in face-to-face interactions. People are accepting of what actually works. People understand that an obedient horse is safer, happier, and gets a better home in the long run. They also realize that it’s not a stress-free life so stress-free training doesn’t really make sense. A trainers job is to prepare a horse for real life, and real life throws curveballs.

You don’t learn to handle difficulty by never doing anything difficult. You learn to handle difficulty through successfully navigating difficult situations.

Had this stored in my phone
Don't know who wrote it but it's good
Pic of a St James gelding here in training that has had some problems

24/05/2025

Interesting

24/05/2025

My beautiful mare that I bred
Rock n Roll
Sire jokers fire n ice
Dam decks fantasy
Still the only appaloosa to have won the nzwrf si western pleasure futurity
Winner of novice reining buckle nzrha
A great mare

08/05/2025

Have some space available to take a horse or 2 for training
Anyone needs refinement training?? or better basics?? or just starting out ??
Get in touch with me to secure your spot
Training spots are limited
0274 653 499

04/05/2025

🤣🤣

28/04/2025

Horses will teach you this
Too much pressure can cause issues
Simple is good
Less is more
Happy riding everyone