horsemanship za

Robyn with Tamasine

HORSEMANSHIP SOUTH AFRICA started out as what many people know as a Natural Horsemanship training centre teaching Silversand Horsemanship. This term has been misused and misunderstood over the years and so a decision was made to drop the word "natural" from the title. This also coincided with the decision to introduce more good horsemanship techniques that would fit with Silversand and thus take horse training and the understanding about how horses and people learn, into a whole new era. These training methods basically use equine learning theory and help us understand how to use a horse's "natural behaviour" in order to train it.

The main philosophy behind Horsemanship ZA is that of Silversand Horsemanship (www.silversand.com.au).  This is that horsemanship training is far more about "who we need to become as people than a method of training". Those who undertake to train with us learn a lot about themselves and find that it is the leadership, consistency and effectiveness required from them, the human joined with balance, timing and feel which brings the horse to confidence, yielding and accurate patterns. Most importantly, students learn that whether they are on the ground in the saddle, the trainer must be able to time all cues to the horse's feet as this is a very powerful tool in helping the horse recognise the human as a leader in which they can trust.  They also learn that regardless of whether they are a student at the beginning of their journey or they are much more advanced in their studies, that whenever they handle a horse or influence it in some way - they are training the horse and therefore they are themselves, a trainer and as such must take responsibility for all their actions.

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

More recently HZA has been working alongside one of Philippe Karl's trainee teachers to bring his principals of Classical training to RSA. This, once the horse and human have a good understanding and know how to work together, is the icing on the cake. For me Silversand and Monsieur Karl's methods are two parts of the same puzzle and belong together. One naturally leads to the other and they compliment each other. As soon as they are ready, the student and the horse should be focusing on this classical work as it is also another method of training and one that takes all breeds of horses into consideration. It allows the horse to be the best he or she can possibly be regardless of breed, shape, size or conformation. The idea is to help the horse be the best, most supple and athletic he can be in order to carry a human in a sustainable way that does no harm to his health and in a way that does not inflict pain upon him.

HZA is not just about swinging ropes, although as part of building confidence in a horse and to help the human improve their timing and co-ordination, this is helpful.  HZA is also about helping both students and horses being the best that they can be and reaching levels of horsemanship that maybe they previously thought were impossible. Although students will ride on one rein and in a natural hackamore at first, this is mostly about helping them to understand the horse and to retrain them to a different way of working.  It helps them retrain and redevelop (or develop) neural pathways that will enable them to be clearer thinking, more effective and quicker acting around horses.  There is more on this under our self-development section.

By using the horsemanship rope and riding skills, students also learn to develop a more independent seat and reduce the possibility that they will pull on the horse. This is one of the main problems in all types of horsemanship - that humans pull on horses - something horses never do to each other. Pulling not only inflicts pain but it takes away the forwards - and this forwards is the horse's flight mechanism.  If we are clever about how we train the horse, we can use this flight mechanism to our advantage but if we interfere with it in the wrong way, we actually create horses that run off, buck, rear, won't go forward or shut down. As soon as possible, riders are encouraged to ride with a bit and bridle and to attend the Classical lessons and clinics that we are setting up around the country.

HORSEMANSHIP AND THE BIT

For many students of horsemanship, they see the bit as something terrible. However, if we understand that we want the horse to lick and chew, to mobilise his jaw in order to help him to think and free his feet (all of which are linked and one can not work with a horse without addressing the physical, mental and emotional all at the same time)... then the best way to do this and to be able to continually help the horse relax, think and learn - is via the bit. By asking students to study the work of Monsieur Karl, the bit can be introduced and used in a way that is pain free and helpful to the suppleness of the horse - a suppleness that is physical, mental and emotional. The bit work is taught so that it influences the corners of the horse's lips and the hands are used in an upward and not pulling back action.  For more on this, see our article on Horsemanship and the bit under Training.

TEACHING AND SUPPORT

By following the training from start to finish, students and horses can go to the highest levels and many can do things that they may have been told were impossible for them. Students learn to be independent and gain confidence and dedicated students are encouraged to join the Comfort Zone, a support group that I run from HZA which allows unlimited e-mail support direct from me. It also includes putting out regular newsletters both by e-mail and post, the latter of which usually includes inspirational and/or educational DVD's.  We also proactively bring overseas trainers to RSA and organise their teaching tours and clinics for them.  We are actively working on trying to create a teacher's course for the study of Philippe Karl's work.  For more about all clinics, training, what we offer and the Comfort Zone, see our sections on the Comfort Zone, Training and Teaching.

HORSES AT HORSEMANSHIP ZA

Eri, our Warlander filly

The horses here live without rugs or shoes in a stimulating environment and on a diet that seeks to work nutritionally in harmony with their digestive systems keeping them functioning as they would in their natural environment.  More can be read about this in our section on management. HZA horses live in herds that are a mixture which includes American QH's, American paints that I have bred, SA Boerperd, Mini and student/guest horses. I have recently bought a Warlander - a new breed to RSA and I believe she is the second filly to be born in the country. The Warlander is an Andalusian x Friesian, my girl being out of Carl Bronner's Friesian mare Tyla who is at Kilgobbin Stud Natal - This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and using Kathy Herrington's Andalusian stallion Exclusivo (Ivo) from Espaquest Iberian Stud also in Natal: www.espaqueststud.co.za.  For more about studs and foal work, see our training section and also our links page.

I am happy to work with all breeds of horses - some of these so far have included Arabs, TB's, Friesians and Saddlers. Many come to HZA because of a bad start in their past and who are worried/scared horses with owners struggling to understand them. However, increasingly people are looking to use the kinds of horsemanship that we teach and encourage to build a better relationship with their horses because they see that it works, not just because they have a problem that needs fixing.