With just two cues, you can create a framework for learning liberty work that your horse will understand and enjoy. With more and more riders making an introduction to liberty training alongside their work in the saddle, you might be curious about adding liberty exercises to your horse’s day-to-day routine.

Liberty training means different things to different trainers, but broadly speaking it encompasses anything a trainer does with their horse free from restraint, with no ropes, tack or training aids beyond cues or a long whip as a guide.

For expert free rider and liberty trainer Emma Massingale, liberty training’s scope is far-reaching.

“Most people do forms of liberty with their horse every day without realising,” she explains. “If they can pick out their feet, squash bothersome flies or brush them without tying them up, that’s the evidence their horse is on board and with them.”

If you’ve started making progress with beginner liberty work or feel that your horse would benefit from working in this way, read on for Emma’s simple groundwork exercises that will start you on your journey.

Introduction to liberty training

Teaching beginner cues

Emma is adept at cultivating a partnership with her horses in a state of freedom. However, handlers can only achieve this by first understanding how to get a horse to listen, which involves harnessing their horse’s ability to learn patterns.

“Many horses only have their headcollar and leadrope taken off when their owners let them go in the field, and they learn through repetition that this is when they’re free to run away and graze,” says Emma.

“This system absolutely sets a horse up to learn that running away from you equals fun, which makes liberty training exercises really hard to work on!”

She adds: “What we can do is use that same repetitive learning to teach them cues that make working at liberty, and a broader experience of life off the headcollar and leadrope, possible.”

Emma explains that you don’t necessarily need to be sure of your horse’s undivided attention before you start beginner liberty work. In fact, teaching two foundational cues is a great way to begin cultivating the togetherness required for successful liberty work.

“It’s comparable with training dogs, and even clicker training,” explains Emma. “It’s about marking a precise moment of desirable behaviour with a suitable reward.”

Teaching the horse to find the right answer

Emma explains that horses who understand when they’ve answered a question correctly become more engaged with their training.

“When you show them how to understand, ‘yes, that’s right’, you’re also teaching them to look for the right answer,” explains Emma. “To mark this moment, I say ‘good’ or ‘yes’.”

But in the search for the right answer, the horse might find the wrong one.

“So, I use sound, which means whatever you’re doing is incorrect,” she continues. “It’s never ‘no’, because we’re not telling the horse off for trying. That’ll just kill his desire to try.

“Instead, I use a quick ‘shh’ noise to say, ‘almost’. I recognise that he tried. Now, I want him to try something else.”

When horses are learning a new skill, it’s important to be picky about when you mark the right answer with “yes” so that they learn the right pattern.

“Alongside the vocal cue of ‘good’ or ‘yes’, I also use a high-value reward, such as a carrot, when they get it right for the first time,” Emma adds. “It’s about paying them fairly for the effort. Down the line, a scratch on the wither might be enough, but when they are first learning, they need something more.”

Put it into practice

The principles of “yes” and “almost” can be taught alongside any new skill, be it teaching your horse to halt at your shoulder every time you stop, back up or move quarters away.

Important takeaways are only to reward when the behaviour offered is spot-on, and to reward well with a high-value treat the first time your horse gets it right.

If your horse loses interest in the session when the reward becomes a scratch on the wither, you can try lower-value treats such as fibre nuts.

Hotter and colder

By using “yes” and “almost”, you can create a cue-learning structure that resembles a game your horse will understand and enjoy. Plus, once “yes” and “almost” are learned cues, it will make teaching him new things much easier.

“It’s like the ‘hotter, hotter, colder, colder’ seeking game that kids play,” says Emma. “You’re teaching the horse to search out the right answer. Once they know this, teaching them something else becomes 10 times easier because they have a structure for the learning process.”

“Once they know how to learn, you can then teach them many, many different things.”

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The biggest secret of beginner liberty training according to Emma Massingale? You’re probably already doing it.

“A lot of people have got into the mindset that you’re not doing liberty unless you’re in an arena,” she tells H&H. “But really, you’re doing it every time you touch your horse, every time you go near him.

If you’re reading this, you might not need an introduction to liberty training. Briefly, though, liberty work can be defined as ground or ridden activity performed without restraint, tack, or with the horse on any kind of lead or lunge rope.

According to Emma, anything that demonstrates togetherness and a relationship with your horse – be it picking out his feet or grooming – is in essence liberty, especially if you can do these things without restraint.

“When people have a great relationship with their horses, it’s really easy to teach those horses liberty,” she adds.

Beginner liberty training: asking the key question

Working with horses requires mutual cooperation and enthusiasm – especially at liberty.

“Another way to look at it is like dog training,” says Emma. “You don’t let your dog off the lead in an uncontrolled environment unless you know you have his attention. It’s the same with liberty.”

How do you know you have your horse’s attention?

“My favorite question that I always ask my team is: ‘are you with me?’ If they answer ‘yes’, your work completely transcends equipment.”

How do you ask?

According to Emma, there is no one way to ask your horse if he’s “with you”.

“For someone doing beginner liberty training, you might start by tucking the leadrope into your beltloop so there’s no pressure on it and seeing if he’ll follow you as usual, or knot your reins while riding and see if he’ll keep to a circle.”

A horse that stays with you without “hand holding” from a leadrope or rein aid is one who is tuned in to his handler or rider.

What if the answer is no?

If your horse wanders off, Emma suggests trying again in a more controlled space, such as the arena, lunge pen or yard.

Emma adds that to help cultivate your togetherness, these everyday examples of your horse’s attention need to be rewarded.

“Maybe you never need any pressure on the rope when you handle your horse on the yard – this in itself shows that your body language alone is enough to draw your horse to you,” explains Emma.

“While it seems par for the course, we need to be recognising these things, marking it with a cue like ‘yes’ and a reward. It’s all about praising behaviour you like in a way your horse understands.”

Breaks, scratches or pony nuts are all suitable rewards for desired behaviour, even if it doesn’t feel like an especially teachable moment. But what about if you are ready to teach something new?

A question of motivation

“It took me four days to teach my stallion to lie down,” explains Emma. “He’d been playing with my donkey, who’d actually taught him to lie down himself by grabbing his fetlock. So I thought, I’ll put a cue on it.

“The first three days, he offered the head posture and lowered a bit, but didn’t lie down,” she continues.

“On day four, he was starting to get it and finally did it, so I marked the behaviour with a carrot and a ‘yes’. He was like, ‘why didn’t you say so?’ And the behaviour became repeatable.”

Emma cites this story as an example of turning extrinsic motivation into intrinsic motivation.

“Initially, the motivation to perform the behaviour is the promise of external reward,” she says. “Over time, a scratch on the wither and my positive body language is enough to motivate him – the satisfaction comes from within.

“Learning something new is hard work, and I think we can all agree hard work should be fairly paid,” she continues.

“While the cue is new, we tap into extrinsic rewards that compensate effort. In time, acting on the cue becomes easy; that extrinsic motivation transforms into intrinsic.”

Too treat focused?

If your horse is especially food-oriented, you could ditch the apple or carrot for a treat with less power, such fibre cube or a handful of chaff.

“You could also place the treats close by, but out of reach of wherever you’re practising the behaviour such as over the gate, fence or stable door,” says Emma. “Use the ‘yes’ to mark desired behaviour and follow up with the treat.”

Deepening the relationship

As you reflect on your day-to-day life with your horse, you can probably identify a few areas where you’ve been doing basic liberty all along. Marking that automatic, everyday behaviour with rewards and a “yes” will not only tell your horse he’s doing something brilliant, but mean that when you ask “are you with me?”, the answer will increasingly be yes.

For Emma, your horse’s enthusiasm is your foundational ingredient.

“If they say ‘yes’, it transforms the relationship and you can shape it into anything you can dream up. That’s why there’s such a variety in liberty and horsemanship with what trainers do.”

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It’s something we’re sure every horse owner wants — a true bond with your horse. Nothing is more rewarding than hearing a whinnied greeting from your four-legged favourite, or have him approach you in the field eager for a scratch.

For horse trainer and equine adventurer Emma Massingale, building a bond with your horse is linked not just to the hours you spend in the saddle, it’s also everything in between.

“We’re all looking for those special moments with our horses,” Emma says. “You can tell your horse is comfortable with you if he’s consistently relaxed, with a soft eye and low head. When a horse really likes you, he loves to interact.”

Take a beat

A horse owner’s schedule rarely has wiggle-room, but Emma says making time to break the monotony of your horse’s day goes a long way.

“A lot of us fall into the mindset that most worthwhile time we can spend with them is in the school or out on a hack. So, we get to the yard and we get busy to squeeze everything in. And, while we want our horses to respect and listen to us, leaders in natural herds aren’t the best liked – it’s the horses who are catalysts for fun who have the most friends!”

Making time to interact with your horse without asking anything of him is a great place to start.

“Allow your horse to see you in a non-demanding scenario,” continues Emma. “If you don’t have time to ride, but do have a few minutes to scroll or have a cup of tea, spend that time in his stable with him. If you’re grooming, don’t just groom to get him clean. Notice how he reacts to certain brushes, keep your eyes peeled for any favourite scratching spots and spend a few extra minutes on them.

According to Emma, you can bond with your horse in your ridden work, too.

“If your schooling session goes well, wrap up early and spend that extra few minutes hand grazing,” advises Emma. “Similarly, if you’ve had a really good hack where he’s been braver than usual, jump off and walk the last few minutes as a reward. There are so many day-to-day things you can do to show your horse you’re more than just the person who comes with the tack and asks him to work.”

Look at lifestyle

Emma approaches bonding with horses holistically, taking routine and management into account.

“I always ask: is the horse happy in his whole life, and what can I control?” she says. “For example, look at his stable- and field-mates. In the past, I’ve used a screen between a stable partition when a neighbour became anxious around food. Similarly, consider your horse’s field companions. Horses like to feel safe, so ensuring he’s with the right kind of playmates will help shape the behaviour you’d like to see.”

Addressing your horse’s happiness and comfort more generally works because horses, says Emma, are like elephants.

“They don’t forget anything. Just as they know we give them food, they know if we’re leading them into a situation they don’t like. So, if they’re not keen on their neighbour or field-mates, they won’t thank us for placing them in those environments. However, if you’re leading them to a happy place – just as if you end your ride positively or scratch their itchy spot for a few moments – they’ll associate that good feeling with you.”

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Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Father Christmas has called upon two Shetland ponies and their merry gang of friends to help make his deliveries this year.

The tale unfolds in Devon-based trainer and film-maker Emma Massingale’s latest video, in partnership with NAF, starring everyone’s favourite actors, Albert and Ernie. When Dalmatian Nancy takes an important call from Father Christmas, she rounds up Albert and Ernie, and the group can be seen boarding a double-decker bus as they head off on their latest mission. The film also features Comet the Connemara, donkey Charlie, Douglas the Hungarian vizsla, Siamese cat Louis, part-bred percheron Max, and puppies Pippin and Luna, a miniature dachshund and a labrador.

Emma Massingale, who is known for her heart-warming Christmas films, said coming up with this year’s idea was a bit harder than in some years.

“There’s been a lot of doom and gloom on the news and a lot of the Christmas adverts on the television have gone down the more political route. I thought, ‘What are we going to do to make something a bit different when it’s not feeling very Christmassy yet?’” Emma told H&H.

“I decided just to tell a story and when you come up with a story you can put the different components in. I started with a skeleton idea, and then I started thinking about the different tricks I might like to do. You’re trying to include as many tricks as you can, but at the same time make it look natural and there has to be a bit of humour too.”

And it is not just the actors Emma has to think about, it is props too. While trying to stay warm one of the ponies turns on the outdoor heater, causing a Christmas tree to dry up and lose its pine needles. Meanwhile the other pony goes off to seek out their best Christmas jumpers. The gang help gather the presents for Father Christmas and he can be seen heading off to start his deliveries.

“I spent about four hours plucking a Christmas tree, and then I had the needles in my oven for six hours trying to get them the right colour. Everything we ate for days afterwards tasted of pine needles!,” said Emma.

“We also have to consider the locations, for example doors need to be right for the ponies opening them. We don’t get to practise at the location before filming so I do all the training at home, and then we go and film. But we always joke that Albert and Ernie are the masters of one-take wonders, they know their job so well. The dogs are definitely a newer thing for me, but it’s great – they can do different things from the horses, so it ties in really well when telling a story.”

The video was filmed at Powderham Castle, a remote cottage on Bodmin Moor, and South Devon railway station.

“It’s really nice to be at Powderham Castle, I used to event there when it held horse trials and it’s a great location,” said Emma.

“It was quite funny getting to the cottage on the moor; it has no drive and you could only get to it by an off-road Land Rover. My fiancé Jeremy took the Land Rover with the filming equipment, and I had to tread across the moor with two ponies and four dogs.

“A man checking his cows spotted me and rode across on horseback to check I wasn’t dumping the ponies there, but he took one look at them in their lycra suits to keep them clean and said ‘Perhaps not!’”.

Emma, who has a busy 2023 planned including filming a TV advert, said she enjoys making people smile with her films.

“I just love it when you see something and it makes you smile, or inspires you in some way. I think that’s the joy of Christmas.”

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Accomplished equine actors Albert and Ernie have once again captured the spirit of Christmas, this time with a little help from their friends.

Devon-based trainer and film-maker Emma Massingale’s latest video, in partnership with NAF, stars Shetland ponies Albert and Ernie, Connemara pony Evenos, Irish sport horse Custard, Charlie the donkey, and Hungarian vizsla Douglas, as the gang get ready for Christmas. Everyone can be seen lending a helping hoof or paw as they put up a Christmas tree and put presents around it, and one half of Emma’s acting “A team”, Ernie gets creative with a snow machine.

The festive fun was captured at Powderham Castle, a former British Eventing venue, in Devon.

“I used to event there many years ago. I thought it would be amazing to use their courtyard because they have red doors and lovely stainwork and I love that vintage feel,” said Emma, who had to film “one handed” owing to a shoulder injury she sustained in a carriage-driving accident three months ago.

“Doing the NAF Christmas video is a big thing in my diary and something I love doing. Christmas is all about making people smile, getting into the spirit, and embracing the magic and I definitely did not want to miss that!”

Emma said the video captured everyone’s characters.

“Ernie is very cheeky and Albert is very well behaved. If you had two children Ernie would be the naughty second child! He is so funny, he loves it and does things in his own way. I barely have to tell him to do anything,” she said.

“It was great to include Custard, who I bred from my event stallion Marcus. The Shetlands are always popular on videos but it’s nice to add some other elements too. This was Charlie’s first appearance on screen and to me donkeys are the epitome of Christmas. Douglas’s trick was the hardest – anyone who knows anything about vizslas knows getting them to sit still is a challenge. He’s definitely embracing life at full throttle. In the video you can see his tail and nose twitching, he’s like ‘every bit of me that’s allowed to twitch is twitching!’. He’s a very intelligent dog and good fun.”

Emma hopes to be off “box rest” soon and has a UK-wide tour lined up for 2022 – as well as more videos in the pipeline.

“It’s been three years since I’ve been on tour with the horses. We’re taking the whole team of 17 horses from April until the end of June. The horses are going, my Connemara liberty team, the mules, the ponies, and some the public haven’t met yet – it’s going to be great,” she said.

“I’ve been choreographing and doing lots behind the scenes and I’m very excited about it.”

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Two Shetland ponies have enjoyed a fun-filled day out in the great Devon countryside in their latest adventure.

In trainer Emma Massingale’s latest film All Aboard The Pony Express Train, Shetlands Albert and Ernie can be seen buying tickets and boarding a 1930s steam train at Staverton station. Having disembarked at Buckfastleigh, the pair make friends with some otters at the Dartmoor Otter Sanctuary and go on to Totnes Rare Breeds Farm. They finish their day taking in the scenic Devon views, then board the train for home.

Emma told H&H the film was “really good fun” to make and she chose her “A team” to star in her latest production.

“The lockdown gave us a perfect opportunity and because it was Devon companies, it was nice to feel like us small businesses helping each other. They’ve been shut for a long time and kindly said we could do a collaboration,” she said.

“The staff at South Devon Railway were doing training that day and when the train stopped it was only for 15 minutes so we had to be in position. Albert and Ernie have done so many different things now; they’ve been on boats and all sorts so I knew they’d be like ‘of course we’ll get on the train no problem!’.”

Nine-year-old Albert and eight-year-old Ernie have starred in many of Emma’s productions including festive films and The Cutest Little Lifesavers.

“They just have this great attitude. It’s like working with actors – but probably less diva-ish! You show them what you want to do once and they crack on. It’s nice because I can really rely on them to be ok with it all,” she said.

“The otters were very interested in the ponies, which was hilarious so that worked really well. I just love telling stories with my ponies. I write a rough storyline but you never quite know what will happen because the ponies don’t get any practice. We go there and film on the day. The first time the ponies jumped on the train was when we filmed it.”

The film has been viewed more than 2.1 million times since its release on 7 May.

“What’s lovely is so many people comment that they enjoy seeing the films. It goes beyond ‘it’s a cute fluffy Shetland’ and people seem to really enjoy the editing. My fiance Jeremy did a fantastic job of filming it all. It’s not easy, we’ve become masters of the one-take wonder!” said Emma.

“It’s nice to be able to offer people that escapism and a happy story. I try to make the storylines appealing to adults and children. The bit I enjoy is the fact I don’t use words so people can interpret the story in their own way, which also means internationally people can enjoy the story too. Everyone has their own variations of what the ponies are thinking; rather than me saying ‘Albert thinks this’ people look at their expressions and natural characters and interpret that themselves, which for me gives a greater viewing pleasure.”

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Emma, who has 11 miniature Shetlands and eight Connemara ponies among her herd, is looking forward to more filming this year with Appaloosa Percy potentially on the cards for a future starring role.

“Percy matches my Dalmatian dog so the plan is to do something with them soon. Percy has had a few cameo roles and he’s starting to show his potential. Training takes a long time, most of them are still babies apart from Albert and Ernie so I like to wait until they’re ready,” she said. “Albert and Ernie look like they’re doing everything on their own; I like to get them to that point so they’re really owning it. If i ask them to get on the train, I want them to do it their own way. That’s the bit that takes longer.

“I’ve got some more NAF videos coming out soon, and I should hopefully be heading off to do some adventures again in September.”

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A warming festive film starring a little girl and a Shetland pony has captured the magical feeling of Christmas.

The video, created by trainer Emma Massingale in partnership with NAF Natural Vetcare, stars Emma’s four-year-old niece Lexi and Shetland ponies Albert and Ernie, along with Siamese cat Louis, dalmatian Nancy, miniature daschund Inca and Hungarian vizsla Douglas.

Lexi can be seen from the window inviting Albert for Christmas, and telling him to “bring friends”. The gang open gifts, get dressed up in Christmas jumpers and enjoy crackers and games.

Emma told H&H the brief for the film was “togetherness”, in keeping with how this year has been.

“I was thinking of Covid with the window scene, and then equally having that ‘fun and games’ feel that we all have, pulling crackers, putting on jumpers and silly hat antlers,” she said.

“It was about trying to make it relatable to bring that feeling of being together and that even if we can’t have people together this year, we can still have an amazing Christmas with our animals.”

Emma said it is very special watching her stories come to life.

“I love being creative and it was really nice to include all the other animals, you get to see their individual characters in the video,” she said.

“It’s so much fun working with horses and dogs, you see the similarities in training and once they get good at tricks they just want to show you all the time!”

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Emma has enjoyed a successful year; she won a YouTube Silver Creator Award for reaching 100,000 subscribers and for being one of the fastest-growing channels in her field. She also won the international short documentary category at the Equus Film Festival for The Highlands – Wilderness | Adventure | Unbroken Horses and best international equestrian commercial – mini category for her 2019 film Stand and Deliver Santa.

Emma, who has plans to create more videos on her Adventure series next year, said while she loves creating videos, receiving people’s reactions is the “best bit”.

“When people say it’s made them emotional and that they can really ‘feel it’ when watching the video that’s what it’s all about.”

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade to access our H&H Plus online service which brings you breaking news as it happens as well as other benefits.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

A Shetland “stud” has found his soulmate just in time for Valentine’s Day.

In trainer Emma Massingale’s latest fun film, 10-year-old Shetland gelding Albert can be seen searching for a mate on the aptly-named equine dating site Plenty of Nags. When Pricilla, played by three-year-old miniature gelding Percy (don’t tell Albert), catches his fancy, he can be seen wooing his new friend with roses and a picnic.

In part two, 12 months fast-forwarded after a scene in which hoof boots are shown strewn across the hallway, Albert and Pricilla are shown getting to grips with their new arrival; a “foal” played by miniature horse Stuart.

Devon-based Emma, whose fiancé Jeremy Colwill helps with the filming, told H&H the point of the films is to make people smile, adding the ponies were “hysterical” to film despite testing weather conditions.

“It has been so hard getting the videos filmed with the weather – the number of times the picnic blanket blew away, I had to have them lie down and wedge it under them. But we’ve had so much fun making them,” she said. “The ponies are all so clever and they tell a story so well.”

Albert is no stranger to the camera, having starred in Emma’s earlier films including The Cutest Little Lifesavers, where he learned life-saving CPR skills with fellow Shetland Ernie. Pricilla, aka Percy, was part of Emma’s 2019 adventure across Europe in a specially adapted tricycle with miniature Shetland Stanley.

“I try to keep things quite simple for them,” said Emma. “Albert and Ernie are quite experienced now and can do a lot of the tricks but this was Percy’s first time filming. When I asked him to lie down on the bed it was like he said ‘ok I’ve got this’ and he was loving it – we had some hilarious out-takes of him snoozing away on the bed while Jeremy and I discussed filming.

“Over time they pick up more and more, but it’s about building up their confidence and them enjoying it so their personalities shine through. Stuart is eight months old and just starting out in his acting career; I prefer to get them from babies because it’s nice to help bring out their cheeky playful characters and teach them the tricks.”

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Fans can look forward to more videos throughout the year from Emma, who has lots of ideas planned.

“It’s all about making people laugh,” said Emma. “I get loads of pleasure reading peoples’ comments about them enjoying the films and it’s a fun way of showing horses off.

“I’ve been teaching the ponies to come hiking with me so we’ve been hiking across Dartmoor and they’ve been carrying the equipment in their own little rucksacks. I’m hoping to share that with people this year and invite people to come along with me on some adventures. The plan is to carry on with my liberty work and hopefully I’ll keep coming up with ideas people enjoy watching.”

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Equine adventurer Emma Massingale has been selected as one of three finalists from 50,000 entries to be named “creative fundraiser of the year”.

Emma’s unusual European tricycle tour — on which she did the pedalling while her two miniature ponies enjoyed the ride — was nominated for the award, presented by donations site JustGiving.

The 1,034km trip on a tricycle adapted into a mini-horsebox took in Switzerland, France, Germany and the Netherlands and has so far raised more than £2,000 for working equine charity Brooke.

“The news came out of the blue — some kind person must have nominated me,” Emma told H&H. “It’s a national award, not an equestrian one, so it’s nice for something involving horses to be selected.

“It’s great promotion for the charity and I hope it’s a bit of inspiration for other people as well. Not everything with horses needs to be looking at four sides of an arena.”

Emma has put together a compilation of clips from her six-week trip in March, which started in Switzerland and followed the Rhine across Europe.

Her companions included two-year old miniature Shetland Stanley and two-year-old miniature appaloosa horse Percy, both of which were untrained, as well as her dachshund Inca.

“I plan to make it into a proper documentary later in the year but I’ve picked out a few funny highlights to let people know what the trip entailed,” she said.

While the popular horse trainer and film-maker is known for her wild equine-themed antics — including horse-boarding on the Outer Hebrides and backing unhandled Connemaras on a remote island — this is one of the first adventures she has undertaken for charity.

“I am taking this as a green light to see how wacky I can go next,” she joked.

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“Lots of things in the horse world don’t make people smile and this did, and helping working horses seemed the right thing to do.

“If only I had a pound for everyone who came past me and said ‘haven’t you got that the wrong way round?’”

Emma will find out if she has won the award on 22 October. The winner will be selected by public vote, which is open on the JustGiving website until 15 September.

Donations to Brooke can be made on the JustGiving page.

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What better way to celebrate summer than with a ride along the beach, but you can always rely on this liberty horse trainer to change it up a bit...

Horse-trainer Emma Massingale has embraced the summer and dramatic coastline of her home county by taking six horses for a loose adventure on the beach.

The award-winning film-maker created her latest video The Mini Tribe Go Wild At The Seaside with familiar Youtube stars Albert and Ernie, who were joined by young miniatures Stan, Percy and new recruit Peggy for a gallop along the sands.

The minis were accompanied on the North Cornwall beach by Connemara Comet, who Emma was free riding.

“I’ve done a lot of videos with Albert and Ernie but not so many with the miniatures, so I thought it was time we had an adventure,” said Emma.

“Comet came back with me from Connemara and he’s been allocated in charge of the mini team, his job is to baby sit them as he has a fantastic temperament,” she explained. “He’s also not as tall as my other Connemaras, so he’s easier to get on and off all the time!”

Emma, who has eight Connemaras she uses for demos, revealed she is currently expanding her miniature line-up.

“I recently added Peggy who is six and hasn’t done anything — it’s just about early relationship building with her, so this was a bit of an eye-opener,” she said.

“When I am working with new ones like that, I outnumber them with trained ponies and as long as there are more trained than untrained ones, it’s a good way of getting everyone to have a good time! They tend to copy Albert and Ernie.

“The Connemara team usually work at liberty in formation, whereas I am currently playing around with the mini guys as I want them to be a free herd,” she added. “It’s interesting as that way you can see their personalities a bit more.”

She said that the ponies were “really good” on their 5.30am beach trip, although they were “kind of keen”.

“They went a lot faster than I thought,” she said. “I expected a sedate canter, but the minis were off like rockets!”

Two-year-olds Stan and Percy were also experiencing their first visit to the beach, although the youngsters recently took part in a tour of Europe, while still untrained, in the back of a specially-adapted tricycle pedalled by Emma.

“It was an amazing trip,” she said. “The cities were certainly urban adventures and not quite what I expected — there would be people in a tram videoing you one side and the bus driver videoing you on the other!

“Usually I like being on my own in the wild with my animals, but I thought I would throw myself into an urban environment and almost everyone we met on the whole trip was smiling and laughing.

“There aren’t many things you can do with horses that have that sort of impact, so that was really cool.”

Continued below…

Trainer gets a helping hoof as she tries zorbing for the first time

‘It can take the pressure off always being too serious – have fun, you’re allowed to enjoy your horses’

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The ponies can be seen coming to the rescue, complete with blue-flashing lights and full first aid kits, ready to perform their

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As well as demos and a Connemara island adventure holiday with her ponies in September, Emma is currently experimenting with some new liberty line-ups.

“I’m looking at doing a mixed tribe with the Connies, donkeys and other random pets including the sheep and pig — and the cat,” she revealed. “It’s really interesting to do liberty work with different animals as they go at different paces and have different needs — so it’s fascinating to be able to keep the whole horde happy at the same time.”

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A trainer has swapped rolling eggs down a hill for zorbing this Easter with the help of her playful ponies.

Devon-based Emma Massingale’s latest film stars eight-year-old Connemara Atlantis, who has recently returned to film-making duties following a three-year break after he sustained a collateral ligament injury in the field.

NB: Please wait while the video loads below… if the video does not appear, click here to watch

Emma told H&H Atlantis was a “natural choice” for helping with zorbing, the sport of rolling downhill inside a plastic orb, and he can be seen giving her a push down a slope.

“He is really playful – he was the worst pony to get injured and not be able to do stuff because he just looks at you continuously to say me, me, me!” she said.

“Some of the others were quite keen to be involved, but whenever they went near the ball he would say ‘it’s mine, go away’ – he definitely took ownership of this one. We started off by letting the ponies have a look at it, but he was naturally on it so quickly and wanted to do it. Now I can roll it in the field, jump in it and he’ll come cantering over and want to push it round.”

Emma had never been zorbing before the film.

“My fiancé Jeremy and I were chatting over making more videos – I love making people smile and I thought this will be fun,” said Emma.

“I’d never been in a zorb ball in my life – it’s really quick. It’s funny when you watch the video, it feels much faster when you’re in it. When you get going quite quick and Atlantis is cantering along next to you and gives you a shove, he sends you flying.”

Emma hopes her videos will encourage owners to have fun and said owning horses doesn’t need to be serious “the whole time”.

“The ponies are enjoying themselves, it’s easy, it’s good exercise – it’s a bit of harmless de-sensitising fun,” she said.

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“That’s the idea with all the videos – if we can make someone smile, and if someone then goes out with their horse and gets them pushing a ball or just having a bit of fun, it can take the pressure off always being too serious – have fun, you’re allowed to enjoy your horses.”

Emma has a busy year ahead with more films in the pipeline.

“Jeremy and I are working together now so I have a full-time camera man. We’re already working on another video, we’ve been branching out and got some multi-animal ones coming. We’ve got a really busy year ahead which is how we like it.”

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For centuries, horses have transported humans across continents but this spring, horse trainer Emma Massingale will turn the tables when she cycles across Europe carrying two miniature equines in a specially-adapted tricycle.

The free rider and film-maker will start her journey in Switzerland, following the Rhine across Europe until she returns to the UK around six weeks later.

The trip is the latest in a line of dramatic horse-themed adventures Emma has undertaken. Last year, she horse-boarded across the 10 islands of the Outer Hebrides with two young Eriskay ponies, while in 2015 she spent a month on a remote Irish island backing six unhandled Connemaras.

This time her partners will be two-year olds Stanley, a miniature Shetland Stanley and miniature appaloosa horse Percy, both of whom are untrained.

“I am always looking for different equine adventures and I quite liked the irony as horses always used to pull us,” Emma said.

“Whatever I choose has to be ethical and long-distance trips do make me question how much the horse enjoys it. I want to enhance my relationship with them without having to physically exhaust them or ask anything of them — this way it means that I get fit and they don’t have to worry about it!”

Emma has already started practising with short trips out in the custom-built cargo bike and horse compartment, which was co-designed by her father who is an architect.

“It includes a shelf for my dachshund and a space for my bivvy bag — I’ll be taking minimal equipment for me and camping as we go, although people have offered to host us for the night,” Emma explained.

“I picked the two young miniatures to take as they weigh less — it’s about 200kg — and it is pretty hard work on the legs.”

She anticipates that she will only be travelling for an hour or so at a time with the ponies in between stops.

Continues below…

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“I’m cycling every day with the ponies in the back to get them and myself used to it — I muck out 16 horses a day anyway, so I’m fairly strong,” she said. “I’m trying not to over-prepare though so I don’t scare myself and put myself off!”

Unlike Emma’s other trips, where she has often been alone in the wilderness with the horses, this is a trek which she hopes will involve more people.

“My miniatures make me laugh every day and when I have made videos with them, they’ve had 10million views,” she added, “I know they make people smile.

“We’ll be stopping in at a few places, including a school and some tack shops where I hope we can inspire some people. They are untrained ponies, so I will be sharing my techniques and training style as we go.

“The plan is to set lots of nice little goals and have some people join us along the way.”

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A determined Shetland pony has saved his feathered friends from a festive fate in a cute new video.

The film, created by Devon-based trainer Emma Massingale in partnership with Mole Valley Farmers, stars six-year-old Ernie along with 20 turkeys.

Ernie can be seen gently rolling eggs and helping his friends-to-be hatch before taking them “under his hoof” as they share a stable.

NB: Please wait while the video loads below… if the video does not appear, click here to watch

As the countdown to Christmas approaches, Ernie is alarmed to spot the farmer crossing the days off his calendar, and hatches a masterplan to save his little friends from the Christmas table. Armed with a whiteboard, Ernie briefs the turkeys and starts his mission.

Ernie can be seen mischievously tucking turkeys in to hay stacks, helping them climb trees and hiding them in baskets covered with blankets and teddy bears. When the farmer, armed with an axe, comes to round up the turkeys they are nowhere to be seen as Ernie looks on in innocence.

Having succeeded in their mission, the farmer admitting defeat, the family see in the new year together as Auld Lang Syne plays in the background.

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Ernie is no stranger to the screen having starred in ‘The Cutest Little Lifesavers’ video this year, with fellow Shetland Albert and other films made by Emma.

Emma told H&H: “The videos are a lot of fun to make. Ernie is really clever and very good at picking things up. Having 20 turkeys around is great for densensitising horses – turkeys are quite brave and will do crazy things and run around fluffing their wings. They’re super friendly, I had my farrier here and he couldn’t move for turkeys running around. We’re going to keep them and let them live wild on the farm.

Fans can look forward to two further videos from Emma before Christmas.

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Anyone struggling with clipping this autumn may — or may not — want to watch a video of trainer Emma Massingale standing on her head to clip her ponies.

The film, created by Devon-based Emma, shows her clipping six-year olds Evenos, Barney and Comet in a somewhat unusual manner.

This is the second similar video Emma has posted after her film A Close Shave, in which she hung upside-down to wield her clippers, went viral last year.

Emma told H&H: “Last year I threw the kitchen sink at it with hanging upside down and I thought, how can I better it? I hadn’t used battery clippers before and Mole Valley Farmers let me try them so we could have free rein out of the stable and I thought we’d head out into the field and try it.”

Viewers will see Evenos being clipped at the beginning while lying down, Comet losing his hair while Emma sits on top and finally Barney lying down while Emma stands on her head to do the job.

“They were only clipped for the first time last year. It’s having that great relationships with them – when you bring out something scary or a bit new, they’re my friends and they know when I pull out something weird they’re not frightened by anything I suggest. They just think it’s a new game,” Emma said.

“I’m always suggesting different things to them all year round and we do so many different things with them. It was very easy – Connemaras are great.”

Emma owns eight Connemaras who star in her various videos and she teaches them using voice cues.

“I literally just picked the cleanest horses for this one – they’re all really good. It’s a lifestyle thing, it’s not about what you train them to do, it’s about what they are used to you doing with them,” she said.

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“Hopefully people will enjoy the video, think of it as a bit of fun and realise they don’t have to dread clipping.”

Emma is launching a Christmas video campaign with the next video due out in November.

“I’ve got loads of ideas. It’s lots of fun, we’re currently making Christmas videos which is hilarious. We’ve got some great ones in the pipeline,” she said.

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A fun video titled “the cutest little lifesavers” has amassed more than 76,000 views online.

The film, created by Devon-based trainer Emma Massingale, shows Shetland ponies Albert and Ernie showing off their first aid skills.

Albert and Ernie can be seen coming to the rescue of Emma’s “collapsed” fiancé Jeremy, complete with blue-flashing lights and full first aid kits, ready to perform their lifesaving duties.

Emma told H&H: “I’ve done quite a few videos now with Albert and Ernie. They’re funny little ponies to work with. They are really clever but can be quite cheeky as well. Jeremy used to be a professional event rider and trainer, he now is in charge of the camera work… except when I need a body!”

NB: Please wait while the video loads below… if the video does not appear, click here to watch

“The videos are a really fun way of inspiring people with ponies and showing how clever and intelligent they can be but also with a nice little message. The message for this video is first aid and safety and the importance of welfare for horse and rider but shown in a fun way.”

Ernie undertakes CPR on Jeremy, while Albert can be seen helping bandage Connemara Echo.

“I love training horses, that’s my thing,” said Emma “You teach them how to do something and they make it into their own and take hold of what you taught them and do it really well, it’s really cool.”

Emma says training is a “lifestyle” for the ponies.

“Once horses are able to learn things, it’s easier to teach them something else. Because Albert and Ernie have learnt lots of different skills they are able to interpret things really quickly and know how to learn,” she said.

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“They’re taught with my voice so Ernie is doing the CPR from my voice cues — I’m telling him ‘hop-hop’ for getting on and off Jeremy’s chest and ‘kiss’ to perform the lifesaving kiss.”

Jeremy told H&H: “Ernie is a very clever little pony. They have done different videos now from sailing in boats to sitting in a hot tub and now CPR. I just hope Emma thinks of some more ideas where I can stay in charge of the camera.”

Albert and Ernie will be starring in future videos between now and Christmas.

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It’s not just children who have been busy writing their Christmas lists this year.

Trainer Emma Massingale’s Shetland pony Albert was taught to “write” for a special festive video.

In the short film, Albert pens his list to Father Christmas before tucking himself up in bed.

He asks for a brother and a new pair of boots.

The next morning he discovers his wish has come true and Emma’s other Shetland, Ernie, is standing under the tree wrapped as a Christmas gift.

Ernie presents Alfie with a present, which turns out to be a pair of boots.

“It was a spur of the moment thing,” Devon-based Emma told H&H.

“One of my sponsors, Cavallo, brought out boots for miniatures and we created the film as a thank you.

“I thought it up the night before and filmed it on my iPhone the following day.”

The film was recorded in Emma’s house and she admits the biggest task was smartening up the Shetlands for the camera.

“The toughest thing was getting them dry,” said Emma. “I had to bring them in for a hair-dry.”

Emma said it was “really exciting” to see the results of her training with five-year-old Albert and four-year-old Ernie.

“I’ve been building up their skills,” she said. “Now they have lots of tricks and know how to learn.

“They really enjoy it. Horses have a great sense of fun. In winter they’re quite bored and can’t get up to too much so it’s a fantastic time for teaching them things.”

The Shetlands have gained quite a following from this latest film and their previous adventure in Scotland with Emma, which was documented by The One Show.

In 2018 the pair have further adventures on the horizon, including starring in an advert for Sky.

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“It’s nice as it means people can enjoy them as much as I do,” Emma added.

“Shetlands can be tricky to work with, it’s like training a Jack Russell. It’s hard not to treat them like dogs and laugh when they’re naughty.

“They’re great fun. Everyone should have Shetland in their life.”

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What more could you want than a team of Connemaras to get you into the festive spirit? Well the latest advert from Horseware and Emma Massingale has enough horsey Christmas cheer to warm the heart of even the most ardent Grinch.

A host of “A list” stars from the equestrian world — both two- and four-legged — join the Connemaras as they help to make a little boy’s Christmas wishes come true in the video created by Equine Productions.

The clip starts with ponies Barney, Nahla, Evenos and Echo surrounded by gifts and watching a video message from Horseware chief executive Tom McGuiness.

The film then cuts to a guest appearance by Carl Hester and Valegro, channelling his inner-Rudolf with a red nose, before moving to shots from the yards of Ingrid Klimke and Cian O’Connor.

From here, the viewer is taken inside a snow globe to where four-year-old Blue Dietrich is enlisting the help of Comet and Narla’s help to decorate a Christmas tree.

Emma told H&H this was filmed inside a huge 8x8m snow globe at her yard.

“They say never work with children or animals and I was doing both,” laughed Emma.

She added finding a snow globe large enough for everyone to fit inside was quite a challenge.

This was then followed by the logistical challenge of getting the ponies inside the air-filled dome as quickly as possible before the air escaped out of the door.

The team also had to source suitable artificial snow to make it look as though the ponies and Blue were inside a hand-held snow shaker.

Emma said the ponies “loved” playing in the snow.

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“They have never seen snow and the fans inside made it fly everywhere,” she said. “It was a lot to ask, I’m very lucky the ponies have done so many unusual things [and were not phased].”

Blue, who is the son of Emma’s friend Kis Angel, practiced climbing up the ladder to collect dangling Christmas tree chocolates from around the yard.

Emma said she did not want him to have too much practice with the pony and the star as she wanted to keep that moment as real as possible.

“He was really good,” said Emma.

“He is only just turned four and we only had one day to film, so he was there from 9am to 4.30pm — even at the end of the day he was asking if he could go for a hack!

“Everyone seems to have really enjoyed it — I think it captures everyone’s imagination, and has such iconic Christmas things that it just gets people into the Christmas spirit.”

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British equestrian filmmakers have scooped two awards at a prestigious festival in New York.

Equine Productions, based in Chepstow, won prizes for a moving tribute to Grand National hero Many Clouds and a fun commercial featuring Emma Massingale at the Equus Film Festival (17-19 November).

Nathan Horrocks (pictured, top), the 2015 Grand National winner’s former work rider, was awarded the best international director accolade for Many Clouds, The People’s Horse.

“I entered the film into the festival to share the Many Clouds story with an American audience, to show how much he was loved, but I never expected to win,” said Nathan.

“This is my tribute to him, to say thank you for what he has done for me, both personally and professionally; he literally changed my life.”

The film follows the gelding’s career on the National Hunt circuit, from his first bumper in 2012 to winning the 2015 Crabbie’s Grand National and his tragic death after beating Thistlecrack at Cheltenham in January.

“Thank you to the Equine Productions team who put up with my tears and emotion whilst piecing together the Many Clouds footage,” added Nathan.

“A special thank you to trainer of Many Clouds, Oliver Sherwood, and owner Trevor Hemmings, for bringing him into my life.

“The investment and hard work that goes into these top horses allows us to appreciate and love these incredible animals.”

The best international commercial award went to Mole Valley Farmers, Not Your Average Store.

Inspired by Night At The Museum, Emma Massingale trained a horse, several ponies, a Dalmatian, chicken and a duck to star in the advert.

The film imagines what the animals would get up to if they could visit a Mole Valley branch and the camera follows them as they take on tasks including moving sacks of feed, posing as mannequins and pushing trollies.

“I love thinking of crazy ideas and then seeing the horses’ amazing ability to bring them to life,” said Emma.

“You can teach horses and other animals pretty much anything but only when they make it their own does it look truly magical on screen.”

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Dave James, creative director at Equine Productions, said the film would have been “unachievable” without Emma’s “dedication and talent”.

“The reaction at Equus Film Festival was unbelievable and the commercial was incredibly well received,” he added.

“The team at Mole Valley Farmers were brilliant at taking on such a brave creative and allowing us free rein – especially in their brand new store.”

Equine Productions’ managing director Sam Fleet added the awards are “great recognition” for the team’s talent and dedication.

“We’re proud of every film we produce and to have these accolades is really special for everybody,” he said.

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A fun equestrian store advert which was inspired by A Night At The Museum has been nominated for an international award.

Emma Massingale worked with Mole Valley Farmers to create the video, in which animals bring the store to life.

The film has been nominated for the equestrian commercial (international) category of the EQUUS Film Festival Awards. A documentary of 2015 Grand National winner Many Clouds’ career, produced by Equine Productions, is also in the running for two awards at the same festival.

Featuring Shetlands Albert and Ernie, an 18hh sports horse called Custard, Connemara Barney, Highland Hewie and Fell pony Darcy, the film imagines what animals might get up to if they were let loose in the store.

A chicken, named Chick Chick, Dalmatian Ettie and a duck also star in the short film

“It’s like a jigsaw — you find the corners and it starts to take shape. You work out one little bit and build the picture from there — it was great fun,” Emma told H&H earlier this year.

“I had a trolley at home to practise with, but you know what it’s like to try and push a shopping trolley, they have a mind of their own,” she said, adding that the filming went “really well”.

“One slight issue was the chicken got stage fright — she went all shy!”

Emma added one of the trickiest parts to film was the scene where Custard can be found pulling feed bags stuffed with foam from a shelf.

“It was like taking a kid to the candy store and asking them to eat Brussels sprouts,” she said, adding she really enjoyed how he “made the trick his own” by stepping forward to reach more bags.

“That is really owning the task — I’m not telling him to do that. Those for me are the special moments.”

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Andy Skarzynski, Mole Valley Farmers’ head of marketing, said the advert has had more than a million views.

“We are delighted to hear that Emma’s film has been shortlisted for this award,” he said.

“It was lots of fun to make and a light-hearted introduction to the Mole business for many.”

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Love Shetland ponies? Then you won’t want to miss footage of Emma Massingale’s recent adventure on the BBC’s the One Show.

The Devon-based trainer’s latest equestrian challenge involved taking her two ponies Albert and Ernie back to their native Shetland Islands in Scotland.

During the month-long adventure the ponies travelled around the rugged islands with Emma, running free with local herds, sampling local knitwear and even taking a trip on a boat.

Ernie, who Emma has owned for four years and rescued from Bodmin Moor, is

related to one of the first Shetland ponies on the islands.

During the trip, Emma met the Shetland Pony Society and traced the ancestry of her diminutive companions.

In the past, working Shetlands on the islands were used to carry peat and seaweed.

Albert tried out traditional baskets, which ponies wore to transport goods.

“They’re the strongest of all our native breeds and are incredibly tough,” said Emma.

Historically, Shetlands would be moved from one island to another by boat, so Albert and Ernie had a go at that too.

“We had practised on a local lake beforehand to see what they made of it,” Emma told

H&H.

“The first time we tried, Albert got his front feet on the boat but left his back feet off, but they were really good by the end — Ernie had a little look but then hopped straight on.

“It’s a wildlife haven out there with dolphins and orcas, quite weird alongside the ponies.”

During the adventure Emma camped on the islands and between liberty work, Albert and Ernie were able to mix with the local herd.

They also wore their very own knitted Fair Isle jumpers.

Related articles:

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“An amazing lady, Dorrine Brown, knitted them,” said Emma.

“It took her six weeks and they were made to measure.”

Emma’s Shetland adventure will be showing on the One Show on 22 February.

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If your horse could go to the tack shop, what do you think he would buy?

Mole Valley Farmers, trainer Emma Massingale and Equine Productions have teamed up for a fun take on what could happen if your pets were in charge.

As staff at the Holsworthy branch, in Devon, go about their daily duties, viewers may notice some of the shoppers, “helpers” and even some of the mannequins are remarkably lifelike.

The stars of the short film are Shetlands Albert and Ernie, sport horse Custard, Connemara Atlantis, Dalmatian Ettie, chicken Chick Chick and a duck.

“Being creative with animals is something I love,” Emma told H&H.

“The chicken was already trained, but the rest has to be trained specifically for it.

“It is like a jigsaw — you find the corners and it starts to take shape. You work out one little bit and build the picture from there — it was great fun.”

She added there was no chance of a dress rehearsal as the shop is open seven days a week, so filming had to take place over two evenings.

“I had a trolley at home to practise with, but you know what it’s like to try and push a shopping trolley, they have a mind of their own,” said Emma, adding that the filming went “really well”.

“One slight issue was the chicken got stage fright — she went all shy!”

Foam-filled sacks were used in the feed-store scene, where Custard can be found pulling bags of feed from a shelf.

Emma said this was one of the hardest parts to film due to the amount of temptation surrounding him, but that she really enjoyed how he “made the trick his own” by stepping forward to reach more bags.

“It was like taking a kid to the candy store and asking them to eat Brussels sprouts,” she said.

“That is really owning the task — I’m not telling him to do that. Those for me are the special moments.”

Related articles:

• Watch trainer cross Scotland with unbroken Highland ponies
• Double victory for British trainer at international film festival
• Emma Massingale survives island challenge with just ponies for company

This is not the first time Emma’s horses have popped in to “help out” at an equestrian retailer.

A short film of her Connemaras at Horseware’s Rambo factory went viral in 2015.

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Footage from a daring equine adventure will be shown on BBC’s The One Show tomorrow evening (Wednesday, 11 January).

Trainer Emma Massingale travelled across the Scottish Highlands last September with two three-year-old Highland ponies, Hector and Hewie, who she purchased just before the trip.

Emma planned to develop a bond with Hector and Hewie across the 61-mile route from Alness to Ullapool with the ultimate goal of backing them for the first time.

The “Highland Adventure” followed Emma’s “Island Challenge” which involved her backing previously unhandled Connemaras on a remote island in 2015.

“I wanted to work with another native breed in their native area and it seemed only fitting to take Highland ponies to the Scottish Highlands,” Emma told H&H.

Planning the route

Prior to the trip, Emma monitored the behaviour of her Connemara herd at home using a electronic trackers.

She discovered the times when the ponies were more active and with this data she planned her route across the Highlands.

“It gave me an insight into what ponies naturally do so I could plan a route based on that,” Emma said.

“We would set off at about 3-4am each day to mimic what the Connemaras did.”

Emma covered six miles a day and slept in a bivvy bag at night, a small, lightweight and waterproof shelter, with the ponies by her side.

“The environment was really hard and the midges were horrendous — my face looked like I had measles within a day,” Emma said.

“Ticks were really bad too.”

For the first three nights the ponies wore head collars and were tied up.

“I was amazed how stubborn they were,” Emma said.

“I was also quite surprised how nervous they were, much more frightened than the Connemaras who have that instant love for humans.

“At first every time I put my rucksack down they would run off and when a logging lorry came I had to disappear off the track as they were frightened — that was quite tricky.

“It was a bit like being a taxi driver and having two best mates in the back completely doing their own thing.”

Pairing up

Emma realised she needed to change the ponies behaviour to progress with their training.

“I decided I would pick one and pair up with them. I would do things like stopping and offering him water first to try to split them up a bit,” she said.

“I chose Hector and after about one day he realised I was on his side. By the fifth day I was able to ride him.

“He went from feeling frightened to feeling like a horse that had been ridden all his life — on the first ride we were able to go through a big river.

“They were just fantastic. You can see exactly why they’re made for their area with their broad chests designed for getting them out of bogs and across the terrain.”

In time, both ponies could be left loose overnight and kept close to Emma’s side.

“They were in tens of thousands of acres and could have gone anywhere,” she said.

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“One night I couldn’t see them and went to try to find them only to find them back where I had left waiting for me.

“Another night I lit a fire and the ponies lay the other side opposite me.”

The Highland Challenge will be shown on The One Show from 7pm.

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A trainer who spent a month alone on an inhabited island backing two Connemaras with no equipment has won an award for her work at an equestrian film festival.

Emma Massingale and Equine Productions won the international documentary category at the Equus Film Festival in New York (21 November) for The Island Project, as well as taking the best mini equestrian commercial title for The Midnight Race.

Devon-based Emma filmed almost all The Island Project documentary herself.

The Midnight Race, which beat more than 150 other entries to the commercial prize, features former racehorses from the British Throughbred Training Centre being trained by Emma.

The horses are taught to let themselves out of their stables, walk up to the gallops and race by themselves.

“You don’t normally win prizes for working with horses in this way, so to win two awards for ideas I dreamed up is just awesome,” said Emma.

“The Island Project was a way of challenging myself without challenging my horses and I loved every second of living, filming and surviving whilst being completely alone.

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“The Midnight Race was equally challenging as we had to turn it around in six weeks. I was absolutely thrilled with how well they did in such a short space of time, and with the final film.”

Sam Fleet, managing director of Equine Productions added: “We’re made up to win these awards.

“Every film we produce we’re proud of and to get recognition like this is so special.”

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Equine trainer Emma Massingale has returned from a challenge of a lifetime on a remote Irish island, accompanied only by six Connemara ponies.

The Devon-based horsewoman put her skills to the test by backing two of the ponies, who were previously unhandled, without the use of tack or enclosures.

Emma purchased the untrained ponies, three-year-old Evenos and four-year-old Echo, from Clifden in Connemara National Park. They accompanied her four own Connemaras — Atlantis, Nahla, Comet and Calypso — onto the island.

She camped out for the duration of the four-week challenge (8 June – 8 July) and fished for food with just her ponies for company.

Both Evenos and Echo made far better progress than Emma expected and within a week she had sat on them both.

“It was the perfect challenge apart from the weather — I only had four dry days, but it was the most amazing experience,” Emma told H&H.

She explained that she used her older horses to help train the new pair.

“When I was riding Evenos, I used my four horses to translate my commands,” she said.

“I taught Evenos to lie down pretty much straight away by showing him the others doing it. From there I taught him to stop, turn and go while riding another horse at liberty (without the use of tack) so he got used to seeing me up above.

“I started to ride him with one of my trained horses walking alongside him so he had back up from my cues.”

Emma has returned from the trip with renewed enthusiasm for her work.

“Even though I’ve started hundreds of horses, this was completely different from anything I’ve done before as they had to totally accept the concept,” she added.

“For me it was the first time it felt completely pure.”

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Stormy weather, sleeping in a cave and fishing for dinner have become part of daily life for natural horsewoman Emma Massingale.

The Devon-based equine trainer took on a unique challenge three weeks ago with six Connemara ponies.

Emma set off to an uninhabited Irish island earlier this month (8 June) with just her ponies for company. The trip was delayed by a week due to bad weather making a sea crossing dangerous.

Two of the six ponies were unhandled and unbacked. Emma set herself the challenge of backing these youngsters without tack or enclosures during her time on the island.

Emma purchased the untrained ponies, three-year-old Evenos and four-year-old Echo, from Clifden in Connemara National Park. They accompanied her four own Connemaras — Atlantis, Nahla, Comet and Calypso — onto the island.

Emma has kept supporters updated with her progress through her Facebook page.

Progress with the ponies

Within a week Emma had already managed to sit on both Evenos and Echo.

“All aboard. This is probably the best feeling I have ever had,” she said on 13 June, the day she first rode Evenos. “We have a long way to go, but this boy tries so hard.”

The following day she was able to ride Echo for the first time.

“Echo made a huge change today, maybe he didn’t want to be left out of the club, but quite astonishingly I was just playing with him when I knew the time was right for me to hop aboard.

“He didn’t mind at all I did it several times from both sides, he just nodded off.”

Since then Emma has made further progression with the ponies, and has taught both Evenos and Echo to lie down.

“Echo is coming along now,” she said on 18 June. “I asked him to lay down on command which he did really well.

“I felt so proud of him as things don’t come as easy to him, but I knew the moment was there so I was happy to ask.”

Emma has been training Evenos and Echowith the same liberty techniques she uses with her other ponies.

“I keep them in even numbers [when training] and match them up in pairs according to their age and height. This is something they do naturally,” Emma told H&H last month (30 May).

“Liberty training is all about understanding what horses need — they know when you do something for them and in return they do what you want.”

Island life

As well as training the horses, Emma has been busy fishing for food, as she only took basic supplies to the island.

“Had an awesome time spear fishing this morning,” Emma said on Saturday (27 June). “I then made a fire from mostly peat that I had dug up and dried and a few bits of drift wood I collected from the shore line.”

The weather has not been forgiving for Emma, who has been sleeping in a cave since her tent was left vulnerable to the strong winds and rain.

“I woke up with the wind howling around the tent and decided that I needed to make island life more exciting,” she said. “I now officially live in a cave.”

Keep an eye out for a further article on Emma’s return from the island on horseandhound.co.uk

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

A natural horsewoman will be taking on a unique and testing challenge with six Connemara ponies next month.

Devon-based equine trainer Emma Massingale will be living on an uninhabited Irish island for four weeks from 1 June with just her ponies for company.

Two of the six ponies are unhandled and unbacked and Emma aims to back these youngsters without the use of tack or enclosures during her time on the island.

“My challenge is to be able to work with and ultimately start two unhandled Connemaras completely at liberty,” she said.

“This will be a huge undertaking to understand how horses feel and think and in turn create a relationship in just four weeks.”

Emma purchased the untrained ponies, three-year-old Evenos and four-year-old Echo (pictured below), from Clifden in Connemara National Park last week (23-24 May).

These ponies will accompany her four own Connemaras, Atlantis, Nahla, Comet and Calypso, who she has trained using the same liberty techniques she will be putting into practice with the youngsters.

“I keep them in even numbers [when training] and match them up in pairs according to their age and height. This is something they do naturally,” added Emma.

“Liberty training is all about understanding what horses need — they know when you do something for them and in return they do what you want.”

Emma will camp for the duration of her time on the 70-acre island, which is situated off the coast of Connemara National Park.

She will take just basic food supplies and plans to fish using a stand up paddle board.

“It will be lonely and it will be tough,” she added.

The project will be documented by Emma using a video diary, aerial drone, island cameras and GoPro footage.

Emma, who has trained horses for 17 years, set up her own yard in 2001 where she backs horses and helps with difficult equines.

Keep an eye out for updates on Emma’s progress on horseandhound.co.uk

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now