Just trust your horse - You'll be amazed what happens

Trust! Wow we focus so hard on getting our horses to trust us.

But it has to go both ways and they will only fully trust us, if they know that we trust them. 

When you're riding up to that big jump you need to have practiced feeling SURE deep in your gut that this is going to be fine, and feeling 100% that you trust your horse to fly up and over.

When you canter out on the beach in a neckrope you have to have confidence that your horse won't buck or bolt.

When you're loading your horse before a show you need to have full trust that they will walk calmly up that ramp and settle in.

If you trust your horse, you give them faith in you, and in themselves.

Sure, trust alone won't ensure that everything goes smoothly, but neither will simply being good at horse training methods. 

There needs to be calm, gradually building training that creates two way trust, so both you and your horse can relax and enjoy your partnership... and tick off some new achievements along the way, regardless if that means ribbons, games in the field, stress free farrier sessions, or sleeping in the grass together!

And in those times that you can't train for, when the unexpected happens, all that trust will be what sees you through, together.

You don't have to have it all figured out to move forward. 

Fluidity is a great life skill, but I think it only works if you blend it with motivation and intention!

Have a little faith in your horse

Do you ever find that "can't" is your biggest barrier?

I can't trust my horse...

I can't jump that high...

I can't ride through that...

I can't safely pick up her feet...

I can't catch him... 

We are so great at limiting our horses! If we can bring ourselves to Trust in them, and in ourselves, so much possibility opens up! 

A young horse out on an open beach miles from anywhere, with no bridle? Trinny says yes.

Jumping that cross country wall that's higher than we've jumped before? Juno says sure.

That's all that matters. The only moments I feel I have less than 100% communication with my horses is when I begin to doubt myself.

How many other places in life can we apply this same calm certainty and get wonderful "unrealistic/unexpected" results? ❤

NB - Safety first 👌🏼 Trust doesn't mean risking everything; but believing in what you have.

Go with the Flow

A flow state is when you are fully immersed in what you are doing at that moment - a feeling of 'energized focus, full involvement, and enjoyment in the process'.

Horses love when we are in a state of Flow.

Our distractions, worries, doubts and 'what ifs' wash away from us, leaving us fully present and in the moment - yes, mindful.

The connection we can share then is undiluted, like tuning an old radio dial through the fuzz until the channel is crystal clear. This is when you've ridden along a trail for half an hour and realise you haven't used a rein or a leg aid but the horse is in sync with your posture and following your intention. It's that mystical centaur feeling. Even better is when you feel your horse think 'hey, let's canter here' or 'ohhh lets go left here'.

In moments of flow, magic happens.

Letting go

Free Riding isn't just exciting - it's an affirmation of the connection you've braided between you and your horse. every thread of trust, comfort and playful fun adds another strand to the bond.

When we trail ride without a bridle I'm not "pulling a stunt" or "showing off", I'm delighting in the way we can play together, and how kind my horses are to me.

Horses are half a tonne of bone and muscle and even with all the tack in the world we cant ever have full control without them being complicit in the agreement.

Taking away the bridle just exposes that agreement more.

Often out on the trail we meet people who don't realise what is 'missing' - in fact hardly anyone notices that we don't have a bridle on - and that's just how it should be!

Such a sweet mare, riding bridleless on a windy 50km beach at sunset.. sometimes she throws in a frolic but she's never tried to unseat me.

I love that despite being born literally into my arms she was a wild foal and I had to work to gain her trust over months just as if she was born in the wild. It's a partnership where we both have a voice and both look out for each other.

From gawky yearling to power mare, Juno constantly reminds me to be open to possibility!

As a speedy forward mare she isn't the obvious choice to take bridleless - but she's also very loyal and steady despite her sensitive nature. When birds fly out from underfoot or we surprise wild deer she flinches but holds strong with me.

And jumping a few handy logs? That's a yes from Juno!

They've both taught me to trust my gut, and BREATHE. If it feels right, and you can be calm and centered, it's probably possible!