The best rope halters are a popular choice for groundwork, training and everyday handling, as they offer lightweight control and clear communication without the bulk of a traditional headcollar. They are favoured by many riders and trainers practising natural horsemanship methods.

In this guide we’ll break down the best rope halters for horses, explaining key features such as material, thickness and fit. Whether you’re working with a young horse, refining groundwork or looking for a durable rope halter for regular use we’ll help you choose a reliable option for your needs.

It’s important to know that rope halters are not recommended for tying your horse up as they don’t have break points – they should only be used while training, rather than as a replacement headcollar.

Best rope halters for horses: H&H’s quick guide

Best rope halter for size options: Hunters Natural Horsemanship

Best rope halter for colour options: Weaver Leather Diamond Braid

Best budget rope halter: Rhinegold Rope Halter

Best decorative rope halter: Majestic Ally Padded Beaded Nose Braided

Best rope halters for training and everyday use

Longer lead ropes for use with a rope halter

When selecting a rope halter for groundwork, consider purchasing a longer lead rope (10-22ft). This added length is beneficial for delivering aids to your horse whether he is close by or further away.

The ropes commonly used in natural horsemanship are often heavier than standard lunge lines, which contributes to more precise communication. Some rope halters are sold with a rope, too, so factor that in when you’re looking at the prices.

How to tie a rope halter

Tying a rope halter correctly ensures that it doesn’t loosen or come undone, but it also allows you to undo it easily if your horse has pulled and tightened the knot. The image below shows how to tie a halter correctly.

The rope should go through the loop towards you (blue arrow). It then follows behind the loop (pink arrow) and back through in front of the loop (yellow arrow) so that the tail points backward.

Rope halter vs traditional headcollar

Rope halters offer greater sensitivity, versatility, and effective pressure release. Traditional web/nylon or leather headcollars are known for comfort, durability, and style variety.

The final choice depends on your specific needs and the horse’s preferences. However, unlike traditional headcollars, rope halters lack break points, so they are not recommended for tying horses up. It is best to reserve them specifically for training and groundwork sessions.

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Equestrians gain certain insights about a horse’s body language almost by default. For example, it’s widely known that a horse with his ears flat back is unhappy even outside the horse-owning community. We also benefit from a body of research into how ridden horses’ facial expressions can be signs of pain. But what about the minutiae of an individual horse’s body language?

Liberty training expert Ben Atkinson’s work, and the core of his training programme the Ben Atkinson Method, is founded on observing and interpreting equine body language, and responding to those signals with his own.

“Working with horses without reading their body language is like attempting meaningful conversation while actively not listening,” says Ben. “Every time a horse offers us information with their body, and we miss or ignore it, we act like a dictator. We show them we are not a conversation partner, or someone they can trust.”

Additionally, Ben says that a horse’s body language is just one half of the puzzle.

“Understanding how your horse uses body language means you can adapt your own. How we hold ourselves, how we talk and stand, and even when and where we direct our eye tells horses a thousand things about our intentions.”

Body talk: what to look for in your horse

Reassuringly, Ben explains that learning to read body language is not as complex or intimidating as it might appear; you follow just two simple rules.

“Rule one is observation: if you’re not watching, you’ll miss things,” explains Ben. “Rule two: you’re not a politician who must deliver hasty sweeping statements. You are a detective.”

Ben adds that a handler’s observations should take in more than just the horse.

“You also consider the context,” he continues. “Work out what your horse is telling you by factoring in information about yourself and your surroundings to figure out the ‘why?’”

What subtle signs should you look for?

“Tension in the skin and muscles around the eyes and muzzle, the dilation of the nostrils, the rate of breathing, tail movement, ear position and even how high or low the horse holds its head can tell us dozens of things,” explains Ben.

Ben adds that there isn’t a general way to interpret these signals, and their meaning is influenced by the conditions you’re working in as well as your horse’s character.

“Observing your own horse helps you begin to recognise behavioural patterns and sequences. Bringing these findings into your work with him keeps you one step ahead of the game.”

Can horses read human body language?

In a word: yes! And you could be revealing things to your horse that you don’t intend.

“Becoming aware of the subtle ways horses affect our posture and movements means we can manipulate our body language to train better,” says Ben.

“Have you ever seen a toddler topple over and done your best to fake a laugh, clap and smile to convince them everything’s ok? Manually overriding our instincts like this is a tool for horse training, too. It lets us carry ourselves in a way that makes our intentions clearer to our horses, and helps them find the right answer.”

How do you put this into practice?

“If you need more space from a horse, stand up straight with your shoulders back, make direct eye contact and plant all ten toes in the ground,” says Ben. “Show him you are immovable.

“Or, if you’re trying to entice a skittish or nervous horse, look at the floor. Hunch your shoulders, keep your hands and arms tucked close to your body and shuffle away slowly as the horse approaches or looks at you. Be unthreatening and intriguing.”

When communicating with horses, says Ben, you are playing a part.

“You are an actor on a stage,” he continues, “your body the only tool you have to convey who you are and what your intentions will be.”

Want to see Ben in action? See him at BAM Live on Saturday 13 September, visit horsemanshiphub.com for more information

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout 2025, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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A pushy, bargy horse is not much fun to be around. It can literally feel like they’re walking all over you. We asked Jason Webb, founder of Your Horsemanship, for some simple groundwork exercises to improve bargy horse behaviour. Jason is a leading UK-based Australian horse trainer who works with international riders of all disciplines and has built an outstanding reputation for solving behavioural and ridden issues at his yard in south-east England.

Jason explains: “Horses learn to become pushy the first time they move into your space and you passively step out of it. This can quickly develop into a situation where they force you to move just because they feel worried, want to move somewhere different, or fancy eating some grass.”

“Any reaction they receive is a message, so each time you move out of their path, it is a green light for them to behave in this way,” he adds.

Your horse’s behaviour may also begin as curiosity; perhaps they gently nibble your sleeve, which might at first seem quite endearing. But, Jason warns, at some point, the horse will push the boundaries, testing you with a nudge or nip to gauge your response.

“Start by asking yourself whether you can stand still around your horse or whether they force you to keep moving,” says Jason. “If you can’t stand still without the risk of being trodden on, your horse is too pushy.”

Groundwork exercises to improve bargy horse behaviour

“Firstly, you need to become more self-aware,” advises Jason. “Some people worry that asserting themselves might offend or upset a horse, but your horse must respect your personal space.

“Don’t be afraid to be clear and firm. Watch how horses communicate with each other – they respect boundaries. If you think of them as humans, rather than horses, you risk becoming ineffective and being pushed around.”

Kit: a headcollar or rope halter and 12-foot rope (like this one).

Exercise 1 – projecting personal energy

Aim: to create a “safe space” by projecting enough energy to move your horse away from you.

Make sure you have a well-fenced area with someone competent nearby and wear a hard hat and suitable footwear. Begin by letting the horse loose into the corner where they feel most comfortable, which might be nearest the gate and then move them away from where they want to be.

Jason advises: “Begin by finding out how much energy it takes to move your horse when they are loose. Stand tall, lean forwards, project your body, be assertive and, if necessary, make a noise, raise your hands or slap your legs.”

He adds: “Some people, especially those with low self-esteem, really struggle to assert themselves enough to achieve this.

“If you can’t create enough energy with your body, use a lead rope, stones in a bottle, a flag or a bag on a stick.

“Once the horse has moved away, maintain your space, but don’t chase the horse. If your horse comes back to their preferred area, let them, then repeat the exercise until they are happy to settle in the area that you want them to be.”

Exercise 2 – moving the hindquarters away

Aim: to maintain your personal space while you’re standing still. The horse is wearing a halter in this exercise.

To achieve this, Jason explains, it’s essential you’re able to move your horse’s hindquarters away from you while using the headcollar to prevent them moving forwards.

But he warns: “If the horse has ever pulled away from you in the past, they may try this again at some point during this exercise, because it’s a learned behaviour, in which case you may require some professional help.”

Start small and build up, using the same amount of energy you created for the first exercise directed towards their hindquarters.

The horse should step their hindlegs away from you and, for a moment, you should be able to see both eyes. If the horse moves back into your space during this exercise, you need to use more energy to move the hindquarters away.

Once you’ve consistently succeeded with this exercise, move on to exercise 3.

Exercise 3 – maintaining personal space while you lead the horse

Aim: to maintain your personal space while leading the horse.

This exercise addresses the exact point where your horse’s behaviour has previously dictated your speed and direction.

Jason explains: “I begin by leading the horse and allowing them to ‘make a mistake’ when they don’t pay attention. When this happens, I will stop while the horse walks on. Then, as they walk past, I will turn their head towards me while moving the back end away.”

He warns: “If the horse is walking past you and you are forced to step backwards, then you aren’t doing it correctly.

“You will need to push the back end away, maybe even bump the headcollar with the rope, so they turn to look at you with both eyes. You’re saying, ‘Don’t walk past me, look at me, thank you, now we go again.’

“The horse will learn that if they’re not paying attention, they can’t travel forward. When you stop, they will take themselves back, moving the hindquarters away so they can see you.

“In this way, they will give you space. You should see results within a few days.”

• If you want to read more expert advice on subjects ranging from groundwork and relationship-building to training advice for specific horse sports, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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Groundwork for horses: what it is and why it’s useful

Groundwork exercises can help address anxious behaviour for spooky horses, whatever your horse’s age or stage of training.

We asked horse behaviour specialist Kelly Marks for some groundwork exercises that you can practise to build your horse’s confidence and trust. Kelly is the founder of Intelligent Horsemanship and has toured the world “helping horses and humans to have happier relationships”.

Some horses are born far spookier than others, as Kelly explains: “If you suddenly open an umbrella five yards away, you’d expect the average horse to spook about three strides, then come back and look at it, while a truly spooky horse will be gone in a second. But the most challenging horses to work with are those that ‘front up’ and look as if they’re on the attack.”

When it comes to groundwork exercises for spooky horses, Kelly practises “acceptance training” rather than “desensitisation”.

“You don’t want a horse to ignore its surroundings; they need to stay alert without feeling stressed,” she explains, adding, “The advantage of groundwork over ridden work is that you can watch and listen carefully to what’s going on with the horse.”

Begin by ruling out common causes of spooking, such as incorrect feeding, too little exercise, a lack of pasture time, or limited exposure to a “normal” environment.

Kelly advises, “You also need to check that the horse doesn’t have any health issues because pain can make a horse spookier.”

Above all, Kelly warns against punishing a spooky horse: “Imagine being scared of something and then someone inflicts pain on you. It just makes everything worse.”

What kit do I need?

Kelly uses a Dually halter, which has a sliding noseband that avoids damaging the horse’s mouth, sensitive areas of the face, or poll, and features in our guide to the best control headcollars. Alternatively, you could use a well-fitting head collar or rope halter.

Whatever your choice of halter, Kelly recommends attaching a 20-foot line or rope (like this one) to reduce the risk of injury if your horse spooks off.

Groundwork exercises for spooky horses

Exercise 1: backing up

Aim: Kelly explains that backing up enables the horse to concentrate, listen, and give you space, as well as calming them down before you begin work.

“This exercise is the foundation on which to build everything else,” she says. “It helps the horse physically, mentally and emotionally – and most horses will find it easy.”

However, she warns, “If the horse finds it difficult to step back, and you’re confident you’re doing the exercise correctly, get them checked by a vet.”

• In a stable or safe, enclosed area, stand facing your horse and slightly to one side.
• Then ask the horse to step back by applying light pressure on the line or by using your fingertips on their chest. You may like to add a verbal cue such as saying back or make a specific noise that you don’t use at any other time.
• Release the pressure as soon as the horse takes one step back, then give them a moment to process what they’ve learnt.
• Repeat the pressure and release, one step at a time, giving the horse plenty of time to process this during the early stages.
• Begin this exercise with just one step back on the first day, then build up gradually to 10 steps, with the horse’s head slightly lowered, over time.

Exercise 2: head lowering

Aim: lowering a horse’s head can reduce the heart rate, helping them to relax. Kelly advises practising this exercise regularly, beginning in the stable.

“It’s a bit like a human taking a deep breath,” she explains. “It calms them down before or during work.”

Put on the halter and lead rope, then apply gentle, steady, or slightly pulsing pressure on the rope, releasing immediately when the horse responds by lowering the head.

“This teaches the horse that if you put the slightest downward pressure on the line, you’re asking them to lower their head and relax,” says Kelly.

“Be calm and consistent. It might take a few minutes the first time, but most horses get it within three attempts.”

Once this technique has been established in the stable, you should practise the exercise in other familiar places for your horse such as your arena, before trying to use it in more challenging situations, such as out at shows.

Exercise 3: acceptance training

Aim: use this exercise to address issues with an all-round spooky horse or with an obstacle you’ve found particularly challenging, such as a tarpaulin or dustbin.

1. Find a safe, well-fenced area and wear a hard hat, gloves and suitable footwear. Never wrap the line around your hand.

“It’s important to find a time when you’re feeling calm and relaxed but alert – and remember to breathe!” advises Kelly.

2. “Lead the horse calmly, keeping yourself between the obstacle and the horse so that, if they shy away from the obstacle, you stay safe.

3. “Gradually let out the line and begin by circling the object rather than approaching it directly.”

It’s important to monitor the horse carefully for signs of stress or acceptance during this process to ensure positive associations are built.

4. Kelly adds: “Over a period of time, you can help your horse to ‘accidentally’ touch the spooky object.

5. “Build on this over several sessions until the horse can walk over or past the obstacle calmly. Sometimes, just allowing a horse to touch a ‘scary’ object with their nose can help them gain confidence, but don’t try to force this.”

Using another horse as support or food as a reward can also help.

Kelly suggests: “Just leaving hay or pony nuts on or around an obstacle can take away the pressure and will reward the horse for being brave.”

However, Kelly warns, “If a horse is frightened, never punish them or insist they approach it directly. And, above all, make sure you keep yourself safe.”

Contact Kelly Marks for more information or advice.

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Meet Jo and Jasper, who jump huge cross-country fences – and fire – with no bit, nor even a bridle.

Jo Gray, aka bridleless_jo_ on social media, shares pictures and videos of herself and her 14-year-old gelding Jasper, with whom she hunts and team-chases, but also gives displays of liberty work and bridleless jumping.

Jo’s cousin bred Jasper in Ireland and Jo bought him as a yearling; 13 years later, they demonstrate the bond that is possible between humans and horses.

“Whenever we go jumping, you can feel him beaming,” she told H&H. “His nickname is Mr Happy; every day is the best day of his life.”

A friend introduced Jo to natural horsemanship about 15 years ago, and she took Jasper to a clinic when he was an unbacked three-year-old.

“It was like flying a kite!” she said. “Everyone else just quietly moved their horses out of the way and I nearly cried. But there were three instructors there and they all said if they could pick a horse to play with it would be him because ‘he’s going to be mega’.

“There were times when I was backing him that he’d be on his back legs; he was everything I needed but gosh, he was a handful! He was so exuberant and into everything.”

Jo backed Jasper in a halter and he did not have a bit until he was seven; they completed a Cotswold Farm Park fun ride in just a halter.

“It was amazing, a real talking point,” she said, adding that she went the whole hog, without even the halter, about three years ago.

“The first time, I was petrified!” she said. “But I’d done lots of preparation and it was awesome. Now, I hack bridleless, and go galloping and cross-country schooling. You can put your hands up in the air and it’s pure freedom; it’s a great feeling.

“You feel like you’re going to die but afterwards, you survived it and you’re on cloud nine. You can’t bottle that feeling, I love it.”

Jo was not allowed to team-chase without a bridle for safety reasons but she is hopeful the hunt might allow it. But she can go cross-country schooling au naturel, and she also schools Jasper across country loose, with her on the ground.

The display work came about after she and trainer and trick rider Freddy Steele connected on social media, and Jo and Jasper have since featured on Freddy’s display team.

The theme of this year’s performances is Olympus, based on the Olympic torch, and tells the story of Zeus stealing fire and Athena, Greek goddess of war and wisdom, or Jo with Jasper, taking the fire back. This was seen at the Game Fair at Blenheim (26-28 July), but at the Kelmarsh Show this spring, they also jumped fire without a bridle.

“That was good fun,” Jo said. “Jasper had never seen fire so Freddy came to me; I said I wasn’t agreeing to it unless I knew Jasper was going to be ok. We used a metal pole with fabric round it, jumped that a few times, then set it on fire at one end, then the other. Freddy left the pole with me and I practised so much, I melted the pole and bent it!

“All the week of the Game Fair, I was feeling sick and so nervous, I thought I wasn’t going to do it. But by the third day, I was really enjoying it. I was so proud of Jasper.

“By the fourth day of jumping the fire, he was looking for it, and if I’d wanted to stop him before the jump, I wouldn’t have been able to; he made a bee-line for it. He’s such a happy boy, and always knows he’s done really well.”

Jo said Jasper still has his mischievous side, and “if he can get up to anything, he will”, such as chasing dogs and stealing things.

“But he’s a bit safer now!” she said. “He’s wonderful. The worst worry in liberty is that your horse will leave during a performance; three of his friends were in the corner but he was absolutely glued to me: ‘No Mum, I’m with you, you’ll look after me and you’ve got my back’ and that’s a great feeling.

“It’s taken years, a lot of tears wondering where I was going wrong, but it’s been a great journey and I’ve learned so much. He has a great life and he was definitely the horse for me. It’s wonderful.”

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news throughout the Paralympic Games, Burghley, Horse of the Year Show and more, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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Leading Irish showjumper Cian O’Connor is going back to basics by introducing some natural horsemanship techniques with his horses. He recently utilised some help from renowned horseman Tristan Tucker, who has developed the TRT Method to help teach people “not to control their horses, but to better understand them”.

“I came across Tristan on Instagram and I’m always open to new things and seeing if other people are doing things better than we are,” Cian told H&H. Tristan’s ultimate ambition is to “create a life for horses better than nature intended”.

“One of the biggest things facing the industry is finding good quality staff,” explains Cian. “As the sport has developed at a rate of knots, lots of people are saying the same thing, that they’re worried that good horsemanship will be forgotten about. With that in mind I felt that it would be good for my own staff and for my students to have Tristan come to [my base at] Karlswood and offer another perspective.

“When I started we had fantastic grooms that came through the BHS system and they knew everything about management of horses and feeding, legs and bandaging, colics, all this kind of stuff,” says Cian, who won individual bronze at the 2012 Olympics and at the 2017 European Championships, where he also claimed team gold.

“I just feel now it’s been a bit lost, it’s become a bit of a roadshow with grooms going to shows yet lacking a thorough education – instead they become a bit like celebrity grooms or Instagram grooms. It concerns me that even the perceived good ones lack experience.

“I don’t want my staff to fall into that trap and I must say they were fantastic, they embraced this opportunity to learn other ways. Even simple things like clipping horses, putting them on the cross-ties, out in the field – Tristan offered up new ways to help the horses to trust you, get them to settle; it was good to get us all thinking outside the box.”

Tristan, who was born in Australia and rode to grand prix level in dressage, worked with several of the horses at Cian’s Karlswood stables in Co. Meath, Ireland. Cian shared snippets of the experience on Instagram and says he is keen to continue learning more about this horse-first approach to horsemanship.

“We’ve been working with Tristan’s ideas since and we’re going to have a discussion with him about keeping the training up online,” says Cian. “But I think ultimately it’s like having a lesson with a top rider – it’s not going to make you win a competition one weekend. We need to continuously work with him so I’d be very keen to get Tristan over here and do some demonstrations perhaps, then we can open it up to the wider public as well.”

‘The horse just decided he was jumping it’

One of the horses Tristan worked with is Cian’s very exciting new 10-year-old stallion Checkter, who “was a little bit spooky sometimes” at water.

“I explained that to Tristan and you could see how he let him come to the water every time and just have a little sniff, then he walked away and never asked him to jump it, he just led him away and did that two or three times,” explains Cian. “Even the time the horse jumped it, Tristan never encouraged him to do it, the horse just decided he was jumping it and that’s Tristan’s way. His whole philosophy is having the horse working with you rather than asking the horse to do something.”

At one of his next competitive appearances, Checkter came out and won a 1.50m CSI3* class in Saint Tropez.

Tristan also worked with one of Tom Wachman’s horses who wouldn’t stand still while being mounted.

“The first thing Tristan does with the horses is work them in-hand, so not riding them, and it’s all about the horse understanding you as the handler – he’s got your space and you’ve got your space, without pressure, without force. You’re teaching the horse,” explains Cian.

‘This type of horsemanship isn’t new, but people are going to embrace it’

Cian continues: “It’s really interesting and Tristan has built it all up from his mentors and things he’s picked up — this type of horsemanship obviously isn’t something new, but it’s the way forward and something people are going to embrace in the next number of years.

“Social licence is really important — now more than ever there’s an onus on all of us to contribute and look at different ways for the sport not only to serve and provide, but to lead and educate.”

Tristan says of the experience: “It was perhaps the most amazing stable I’ve ever got to witness in my life and a true privilege to work with people who are 110% dedicated to bettering themselves to serve their horses better.”

Cian adds that the experience has really made him think: “Good horsemanship is something we all in the industry should strive to develop further and understand our horses better.

“It’s not something I learnt enough of in those few days so I’m really keen to work with Tristan more and investigate it further. Nowadays there’s a lot of modern techniques and the sport has moved on, but the horse is still the horse and some of these basic skills are being forgotten. Tristan has honed in on them and mastered them, I think we can all benefit from that way of thinking.”

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The originators of natural horsemanship are widely considered to be Tom and Bill Dorrance, raised in the early 1900s on an Oregon cattle ranch. They promoted a kinder, less violent form of horse training than was typical at the time, and influenced later trainers including Monty Roberts.

Many natural horsemanship trainers focus on groundwork to establish a connection with their horse and teaching them to respect space. They tend to challenge the “this is how we’ve always done it” way of thinking.

What is ‘natural horsemanship’?

Tricky to define and deemed a controversial subject by some – particularly when it comes to Parelli – we asked well-known names in the world of ‘natural horsemanship’, as well as riders competing in mainstream disciplines, what the term means to them.

Monty Roberts, an American whose methods were first put before a UK audience by The Queen more than 30 years ago, is perhaps the first name that springs to mind with natural horsemanship. Monty himself, however, dismisses the term.

“There is nothing on this earth that could be considered ‘natural horsemanship’. It’s fine that it becomes a brand name for an individual, however it’s impossible to consider anything that we do with horses as natural, when they are designed to be grazing large tracks of land, able to see for significant distances in all directions.

“I love the fact horses will allow us to be unnatural enough to become willing partners with us. We owe them good horsemanship; that has been my aim.”

Your Horsemanship’s Jason Webb agrees, saying he doesn’t describe himself as a ‘natural horseman’, as he feels the term has moved away from the common sense, practical-based training he uses and promotes.

“I grew up in Australia learning and developing methods handed down through generations that use the horse’s natural instincts to train the horse,” he says.

The idea that many aspects of natural horsemanship are integral to conventional training is something trainer and former eventer Kath Pinington and dressage rider Laura Milner agree on.

“To me, a lot of the techniques are just good, common sense horsemanship. What the most successful natural horsemanship trainers have done is to put those techniques into an orderly fashion so that people can learn them,” says Kath.

Laura Milner has used natural horsemanship trainer Guy Robertson for some of her more challenging youngsters, and says she is comfortable with using aspects of natural horsemanship within her own dressage work.

“Watching Guy work, it has been very much based on teaching the horse about respecting space, starting with groundwork and going from there,” says Laura.

Kelly Marks, founder of Intelligent Horsemanship, says for her it’s about thinking from the horses’ point of view and developing feel and timing, rather than relying on brute force and fear.

“We take the best non-violent aspects of traditional horsemanship and combine that with the latest science available. Our aim is always to do the very best for horses as well as helping the horse/human relationship, which is vital,” she says.

Gary Witheford, whose website describes his system as “sound horsemanship” agrees the people part of the relationship is fundamental.

“Getting people to change their ways, to stop saying ‘this is how we’ve always done it’ is key. Once they understand the use of pressure/release, for example, to reward horses for coming forward, everything becomes easier,” he says.

For former international eventer turned trainer Tracey Dillon, natural horsemanship is just the new name for aspects of basic good horsemanship.

“It brings together different aspects under one banner, but is limited by the concepts involved, as a specific type of natural horsemanship only includes what suits that person’s philosophies. If you only stick to [a certain type of] natural horsemanship the benefits of combining other systems to tailor interactions and therefore communication with each horse individually, are lost,” she warns.

While the term natural horsemanship might bring to mind connotations of horse whisperers in Stetson hats, there’s no doubt the non-violent training philosophy that sits at its heart should be considered a step forward.

“Remember, we broke horses using abject violence for almost 6,000 years. It’s time to take pride in the changes that are being made,” says Monty Roberts.

Natural horsemanship training for beginners

There are a lot of trainers who offer natural horsemanship clinics, but with it being such a wide-reaching term there will be a lot of variation. If you’re interested in natural horsemanship and would like to learn more, it would be worth researching a range of trainers and considering whose methods you find most suited to you. Many horse owners like to ‘pick and mix’ methods and techniques used by different trainers. Read about their courses, watch their videos and read the reviews.

As it’s not a sport, there is no overall regulatory body and so no way of choosing an approved trainer. You can, however, find trainers that are approved by a particular training group, such as Intelligent Horsemanship. These trainers will have completed a number of training courses.

Natural horsemanship equipment

Followers of the training method tend to use similar kit and training tools to communicate with their horse.

Rope halter

A rope halter is made to put pressure on a smaller area so that you can give subtle aids more directly and precisely than you could with a headcollar. Check out this selection of the best rope halters.

Communication rope

Long ropes (like this one) allow you to give aids to your horse when he’s close to you as well as further away. Ropes used in natural horsemanship tend to be a bit heavier than a normal lunge line, which allows you to give more precise aids.

Contact stick

A contact stick (like this one) is used as an extension of your arm to give aids further away from you. They’re not flexible – like a whip would be – which means you can apply pressure or stroke very precisely.

Bitless bridle

Some natural horsemanship trainers prefer to use bitless bridles – we’ve rounded up the best bitless bridles for beginners.

Bareback pad

Riding bareback isn’t always comfortable, but a bareback pad, which is a thick pad with a soft bottom and a stiffer top, can help with this. You can attach a normal short girth to it.

Additional reporting by Georgia Guerin

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Parelli Natural Horsemanship: what’s the verdict?

This month marks the 35th anniversary of Pat Parelli’s first seminar. H&H talks to the trainer himself and finds out

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8 rope halters that give more precise aids for training

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

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.

French showjumper Grégory Cottard, 44, has been enjoying a winning streak recently, most notably winning the five-star grand prix at Bordeaux, France, with the striking mare Cocaine Du Val (Mylord Carthago HN x Si Tu Viens). But what really caught the eye during their winning performance was the tack Grégory was using – or rather lack of it.

Cocaine jumps 1.60m tracks without a martingale, or even a noseband, something that stems from her rider’s natural approach to the sport. Grégory holds “balance and well-being” high on his list of priorities when it comes to riding and managing his string of sport horses.

“I ride all my horses with a simple bridle – it’s all about horsemanship,” says the Frenchman, who works a lot on his position in the saddle, also using dressage as a training tool with all his horses. “I do a lot of research to find the perfect bridle and bit for my horses and as long as you train to communicate well with your horse, you can keep it simple. It’s a matter of understanding each other in the most efficient way.”

Grégory goes to great lengths to understand his horses and he believes it works both ways.

“I know my horses understand me through my emotions and body language,” he explains. “I should be able to do the same.”

He says “it is important to be aware of the movements we make and the repercussions they can have on our animals” – it’s all about having “a good dialogue” with your horse, he stresses, which can only come from a well-behaved horse. He works with a sports coach, who uses balance exercises through biomechanics to help his riding, while Gregory uses sequences of cavalleti or small jumps to work on the balance of his horses.

Grégory has been riding since a young age and turned professional when he was 16, training with various yards in his native France. In his early 20s, he began to achieve notable success in national classes before stepping up to top international level a few years later.

As well as Cocaine Du Val, whom he’s been riding for just over two years, Grégory’s other top horse is the 12-year-old grey mare Bibici, a recent winner of the Longines rankings class at Zangersheide and his partner on French teams, including at last year’s World Showjumping Championships. Bibici has had her martingale and noseband dispensed with now, too. Their big aim for 2023 is the European Championships in Italy and the rider is also longlisted for the Paris Olympics next year.

His victory in Bordeaux with Cocaine was secured as the only double clear of the competition and marked his first grand prix success at the top level.

“I just recently decided to count on Cocaine for the bigger classes,” he explained, having previously used her for speed classes. “She has always been quick and easy to ride but today she was top, top, top.”

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Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

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

Use of a Dually pressure headcollar does not result in more compliant behaviour by horses that have not worn it before, recent research has found. But the headcollar’s designer and founder of Intelligent Horsemanship, Monty Roberts, has hit back saying the halter it has helped him to train some 4,000 horses “labeled impossible to load” to do so.

The study, Dually noted: the effects of a pressure headcollar on compliance, discomfort and stresses in horses during handling by Carrie Ijichi, Shelby Tunstall, Ella Putt and Keith Squibb, published in August 2018, was conducted on 20 privately-owned horses in the UK who had not previously worn a Dually headcollar. The study aimed to determine whether the use of the headcollar improves compliance during handling in horses that had not worn one before, and whether it increases stress or discomfort.

The Dually is a patented training halter, which is described as “effectively rewarding horses for acting in partnership with their handler”.

The study involved horses completing two three-minute handling sessions: one walking over a pole and obstacle and a second walking through hanging streamers. In both tests horses were recorded wearing the Dually with a line attached to the pressure mechanism and with the line attached to the standard ring of the Dually acting as a control test. All 20 horses undertook both tests.

In both handling tests the horse’s crossing time over the obstacle was recorded and the horse’s movement away from the obstacle were recorded as indicators of compliance. Based on this, the study showed that the Dually did not result in more compliant behaviour compared to the control group.

The study found use of the Dually did result in significantly higher horse grimace scale (HGS) scores (used to measure discomfort when pressure was applied), but did not result in a stressed response, measured by infrared thermograpy (a stress measurement indicator which records the core temperature and discrepancy in temperature between a horse’s eyes).

Study author Dr Ijichi, a senior lecturer in equine science at Nottingham Trent University, told H&H the results were surprising.

“I’ve used the headcollar myself for years, I think it’s a very interesting design and potentially a good product. My interest was to measure how effective it was in helping the horse understand what it is what we want them to do and looking at how it effects them emotionally,” said Dr Ijichi.

“We can say it didn’t improve their behaviour on their very first exposure to it, but it doesn’t mean it wouldn’t work in a horse who has previously been trained in how to respond to it.

“With the Dually the HGS scores didn’t indicate the horses were in pain, but it did indicate they were experiencing some discomfort compared to a normal headcollar. The interesting thing is increased discomfort didn’t appear to be enough to cause a stressed response in the horse, which is a good thing.”

Monty Roberts told H&H he would accept a chance to engage with the scientists in a “fair and just test” of the Dually halter.

“The fact is these people have done their best to cast my Dually halter in a negative fashion. However when one completes the findings, the only negative they attempt to justify comes down to subjective equine facial expressions,” said Monty.

“In 30 years I have done approximately 4000 horses which come to me labelled impossible to load. Many are ridden to my venues with stories that would chill one.

“Each owner is told that if I can’t load their horse I have to ride it home. I have not ridden one home and the Dually halter has been the centrepiece of the equipment I use to accomplish the task. Each horse has been worked with for less than 30 minutes and then, when asked, loads in less than five minutes.”

What is a Dually halter and how does it work?

The Dually training halter, designed by Monty Roberts can be used in a number of different situations from leading, loading

Monty Roberts’ Join Up put to the scientific test

British scientists are studying the Join Up training method devised by Monty Roberts

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Dr Ijichi said owners shouldn’t look for a “quick-fix” solution in training.

“There is a culture of spending money on a product or aid that will fix the problem we see. People think they can buy an item, put it on their horse and it will magically alter their behaviour,” she said.

“Ideally people will first ascertain whether there is a physical reason or source of pain for the horse acting in an unacceptable way and if that’s not the case look at our behaviour, how consistent we are with them, our timing and the appropriate use of pressure and release, but all of that takes a lot of work and commitment and some people think its easier to buy something that will solve the problem.

“Of course there are aids that can make training more effective, but it’s down to homework at the end of the day. Owners need to think carefully whether you need to purchase an additional device to improve your horse’s behaviour or would you be better to seek the advice of a qualified equine behaviourist.

“If you’re struggling with riding you call a coach and get a lesson, and we need to develop the same culture for problems that we’re having on the ground.”

For all the latest news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday.

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This month marks the 35th anniversary of Pat Parelli’s first seminar. H&H talks to the trainer himself and finds out what others make of his methods

A worldwide phenomenon, Parelli has become synonymous with the term ‘natural horsemanship’. American husband and wife Pat and Linda Parelli have developed their method over 35 years, with thousands in the UK using the programme to develop their horsemanship skills.

This month (March 2017), marks the 35th anniversary of Pat Parelli’s first seminar.

As with all training methods that differ from the traditional way most horse owners were taught as children, Parelli can divide opinion. H&H talks to Pat himself and finds out what other trainers make of his methods.

What is Parelli?

Parelli Natural Horsemanship’s goal is to help raise the level of horsemanship worldwide for the benefit of horses and the people who love them.

“My wife Linda and I have created a programme which has a central philosophy of communication, understanding and psychology, that can help everyone with their horses in a safe, ethical and effective way,” Pat tells H&H. “We do things with the horse and for the horse, whereas other people [often] end up doing things to the horse.”

The Parelli programme is a people-training program focused on the study of horse behaviour and horsemanship skills. The programme spans Four Savvys, or areas of development, through four distinct levels of skill improvement.

What does Pat think are the biggest misconceptions people have with Parelli? “I don’t think people [always] understand how horses feel, act and play,” he says.

“We’ve all been taught that the proper way to do things is the way that the military has taught us — which side to get on, how to adjust the bridle, how to use the reins and all that sort of thing.

“So what we now call the traditional thought of horse handling or riding is very far from how it would be done if the horse designed it. I guess the biggest thing is that people who think like people have a lot of trouble understanding real horsemen who think like horses,” he says. “In the future I think natural will become the new normal.”

Opinions on Parelli

On the plus side…

Intelligent Horsemanship’s Kelly Marks says many riders unhappy with the negative aspects of traditional horsemanship first find their way into natural horsemanship via Parelli.

“Parelli is a multi-million dollar business and has superlative marketing, so has raised the profile of natural horsemanship hugely. People trying their methods for the first time quickly discover the benefits of ensuring you can move your horse forwards, backwards and sideways from the ground in terms of its behaviour.”

Jason Webb, of Your Horsemanship, agrees Parelli is unrivalled for its ability to combine horsemanship and business acumen.

“I think [Pat] Parelli is a very good horseman who has been extremely successful in opening people’s minds to a different way of training their horses. He is an excellent businessman who understands his target audience and has built a brand that is recognised worldwide.”

International dressage rider Laura Milner says she had a go at Parelli when she was first starting to ride as a 12 year old.

“There were lots of aspects to it I enjoyed. It’s a fun way to start out building a relationship with your pony,” says Laura.

Gary Witheford, a natural horsemanship trainer who works predominantly within the racing industry, agrees the system works well for leisure horse owners looking to build a strong one-to-one relationship with their horse.

“While it doesn’t suit commercial operations looking to achieve results quickly, I’ve seen it work well for owners who buy a young horse and focus on developing a long-term partnership.”

Eventer-turned-trainer Tracey Dillon says there are many elements of Parelli which are useful.

“Like many natural horsemanship methods, it brings together aspects of basic good horsemanship.”

Kath Pinington, another eventer-turned-trainer, agrees that Parelli has been very successful in packaging together natural horsmenship into a step-by-step programme.

“While I’m happy to pick and choose the elements of natural horsemanship I use, other people prefer a formal program and this is where Parelli comes in,” says Kath.

On the negative side…

Kath’s concern, however, is that this approach can lead some people to become reluctant to crossover into other training methods.

“For me, one system can’t suit every animal; each horse has its own route. I think some people using Parelli are less adaptable or open to other ways of training,” says Kath.

Tracey Dillon also has concerns that Parelli, like any method when taken to extremes, means people become reliant on the system instead of using their own common sense.

“I believe it is never safe to have a horse behind you where you cannot see the minute nuances of emotion as they occur, for example,” says Tracey.

Expense, however, is the issue raised by most trainers. The Parelli Home Study Four Savvys Levels (packs 1-4) DVD box set course costs around £520 for non-members, for example, with the Parelli Horsemanship Essentials Western Riding Kit costing £404.53 for non-members.

“Ideally you would always want to see any system of training be readily accessible to owners and riders, without cost becoming an issue,” says Intelligent Horsemanship’s Kelly Marks.

Gary Witheford agrees, saying it is “a very expensive system if you progress through it as recommended”.

However Pat tells H&H: “Our corporate mantra is to provide this programme no matter where you live or what you can afford. Everything we do is money back guaranteed.

“And because of the digital age that we live in, everyone can have access [to the training methods] for a lot less [than if they were being trained directly by Pat].

“The alternatives are, number one: take your horse to a trainer and then add those bills up, or number two: live with your nightmare and do nothing about it,”he says.

“There’s a huge disparity between people being horse owners, good riders and horsemen. We save people decades because all of a sudden somebody says ‘Ah, why didn’t I learn that when I was a teenager or child.’”

Gary adds: “I also think many owners who have a specific problem — say loading — just want a quick, effective fix for the issue, rather than being told they need to work through all the modules.”

Laura Milner says this approach inevitably means Parelli is a time-consuming method. “Not everyone wants to train that way, particularly if you are more results focused.”

Like this? You may also enjoy reading these articles…

Natural horsemanship: ‘just good, common sense horsemanship’ or something else?

Monty Roberts: ‘There’s no such thing as natural horsemanship’

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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

The Spanish horseman Santi Serra, who will be performing at the Longines Masters in Hong Kong next month (10-12 February 2017), shares the secret to his work and his unique relationship with horses

“For me, the horse, the animal, is my life,” says the Spanish horseman Santi Serra, who will be performing at the Longines Masters in Hong Kong next month (10-12 February 2017).

“They say I have a gift but I’m not best placed to talk about it because I don’t feel it. I don’t know whether it’s true or not.

“All that I can say is that I work with my horses every day,” he adds.

Dogs riding horses, horses jumping other horses and lying down on request are all par for the course for Santi Serra’s shows, which aim to capture the movement of horses in the wild and demonstrate their obedience without using force.

“My parents bred Arabian horses. I don’t really know what my first memory involving horses is because I was born with them. I mean there have always been horses in my family. I have always been told that I could ride before I could walk!

“Horses are very big animals but they are also quite meek,” he says. “They need a leader because they are herd animals.

“When I’m working, I want them to understand that they are with me. I am their leader. When they are with me, they know that they’re in good hands, that they are safe and there is no reason to be afraid. What we try to emphasis in our shows is the welfare of the animal.

Like this? You might also enjoy reading these:

Monty Roberts: ‘There’s no such thing as natural horsemanship’

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“How do I feel when I’m performing in the arena? I feel free. For me this word is one of the most important words in the world. In truth I’m avoiding everything by staying in the company of my animal family.

“I want all of the people who have come to watch our show in the arena to sink into a dream where animals and humans share the same world.”

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

Ahead of his tour to the UK, 81-year-old Monty Roberts tells H&H why he owes everything to The Queen, why he doesn't like the term 'natural horsemanship' and why getting older is no bad thing

On natural horsemanship…

“There is no such thing as natural horsemanship — there’s nothing natural about wearing a halter, bridle or saddle, or someone sitting on their back. What we have to do is create a partnership where we do something together. My thing is non-violent horsemanship – I have not struck a horse since 1949.

“Early on in life I could see violence to horses all around me. And so I knew from the time I was five or six years of age that there must be a better way. I knew my life would be obsessed with letting the world know that violence wasn’t the answer.”

On The Queen…

“It wasn’t until 1989 that I had anybody in the position of a global leader to watch what I do and say that this has to become known by the people of the world. Her Majesty The Queen is 100% responsible for allowing me to go global.

“Without her I would still be in California dribbling along as a cowboy, telling people not to beat up horses. She is a fantastic human being – maybe the best that’s ever walked this earth.”

On being in his 80s…

“You set aside a lot of things in your later years, like greed and the desire to win championships. And if you love horses, you really become obsessed with leaving the world a better place for them.

“Not only that, but people are far more willing to accept the information from someone who is 81, because they know there is no other motivation. I’m not trying to take anybody’s job or trying to make money. I have no motivation except to improve the lives of these horses.”

On Horse & Hound…

“My time with H&H magazine goes way back to a time when you had Michael Clayton as your editor. He had a horse and he brought the horse to me and I started it for him. He was quite a challenging horse and he named him Monty.”

On mistakes…

“We’re still making a lot of mistakes. We have people who are considered to be high ranking clinicians in our industry who are on these social media sites advocating violence to horses, telling them where to hit horses and how to pull them down to the ground, and how to do terrible things to horses in the name of breaking them and causing them to stop fighting back.”

On social media…

“Nowadays it’s really easy to make better measurements about how a demo has gone because of social media. I will be intent upon studying how people took my demos so that I can bring them the information that they’re looking for.”

On tense moments…

“I did a demo one time in Sussex when we were absolutely sold out and they were bringing in extra chairs. It was about 10 minutes before the first horse was meant to come in and the lights went out – the whole building was absolutely black dark. So wow, there’s me, I have an enormous audience and I have a responsibility to the audience. What the heck do I do?

“So I remembered outside there was a man barbecuing a pig on a spit and that he had a little generator and light for his cooking. I asked the guy if we could borrow his generator and we shone the light down into the centre of the round pen. I did a join-up in the round pen with this glow of light and the people loved it. It was certainly a memorable evening.”

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What is a Dually halter and how does it work?

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8 rope halters that give more precise aids for training

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

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

We had a fantastic time in Dubai on our family getaway, but we still managed to go to some horse-related activities. We watched some matches at the British Polo Day before going to the Dubai World Cup race meeting the next day where we saw the mighty California Chrome destroy the opposition in the big race.

>>> Jason Webb’s blog: Boosting confidence

The evening ended with the raising of the world’s largest flag (the UAE one of course) to gain a world record, a stunning fireworks display and a performance by Janet Jackson… only in Dubai! I’m going back out in a few months to do some work, which I am hoping will lead to some regular breaks in the sun during the English winters!

Now I’m back home, the yard is in full swing and we have some fantastic horses in for training.

One, a four-year-old warmblood, has set my heart racing a little; his owner has told me that in all her years of breeding youngsters and breaking them in, she has never come across one like this before! Although he has been worked in hand for the past six months, he still displays a strong flight instinct, is very reactive and quick to become irrational; understandably, no one has wanted to get on him! Since his arrival, I have been getting to know him; lungeing, longlining and gaining his trust and respect and yesterday I gave him his first ride which went well (pictured top).

When I have dealt with horses like this before, the main problem has not necessarily been riding them and getting them going, but making them reliable enough to send them home with confidence. Although the vast majority of horses quickly accept a rider and make willing riding horses, there are some that will revert to their flight instinct for years after the starting process. Some horses are made this way by human error, whereas some are just born like it. Either way, after being started under saddle, their future depends on whether their rider can manage this instinct and give the horse confidence each time a reaction happens; not an easy skill. They are certainly not for the faint-hearted but it makes me very happy to see that how time, patience and consistency can lead to these horses and their riders forming successful partnerships.

>>> Jason Webb’s blog: All eyes on you?

I’m also having the pleasure of teaching the ropes to some young riders who are keen to make training horses their profession. I love teaching and I am always interested in finding different explanations and exercises to help gain improvements or overcome common problems. So I found it interesting reading the feedback on an article that I contributed to the H&H website about mounting, which ranged from “This is really interesting, can’t wait to try it” to “Is this a joke? This bloke doesn’t know what he’s talking about!” As I have always said, my methods aren’t going to suit everyone, but they are tried and tested by my clients and although they may be a bit “different”, if approached with an open mind they could really help!

The great thing about the internet and social media is that there is so much information, support and help available out there but the downside is that it is very easy to be an expert behind a computer screen and pass judgment with comments that would rarely be said to someone’s face. However, I realised a long time ago that anyone who is prepared to put themselves out there has to have a thick skin; I now need to persuade my wife to get one as she still gets very overprotective of me!

>>> Jason Webb’s blog: Serious prospects

I’m also getting around with a bit of a smile on my face as one of my young polocrosse horses is shaping up nicely. Sea Breeze is a five-year-old Thoroughbred by Osh Kosh, one of polo player Alan Kent’s stallions, and is an out and out athlete with power and speed to match her agility. Unfortunately she’s also mad as a box of frogs, but the old saying “horses for courses” could not be more true; she’d be hopeless for most other disciplines but she could well develop into the best polocrosse horse I have ridden — I love her!

Jason

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

In her book Breathe Life Into Your Riding, Jenny Rolfe explains her “breath energy” techniques and how they could help your riding.

Several years ago if someone had told me that they could gain response from a horse by becoming aware of breathing and levels of energy, I may have been extremely sceptical.

Without much thought, I was placing my human limitations on the mind and sensitivity of the horse. I have discovered that when the rider enhances a natural pattern of deeper core breathing together with more grounded energy, it will instigate an immediate and profound response from the horse. If the rider is disciplined and consistent with this practice, it will not only enhance general health and well being but open the doors for further exploration.

When you sit on the horse you connect through your seat, but have you ever thought of connecting with your horse through your breathing? When you sit on the back of a horse, you connect with his spine and his central nervous system. The wave of a breath creates a powerful connection with the highly sensitive nature of the horse.

We understand that herd language is an awareness of body language but it goes much deeper as horses initially respond to any subtle changes in energy and breathing.

The power of breathing has a direct affect on how the human and equine body can function.

Shallow, tense breathing results in tightness of muscles and limbs which restricts both mobility and co-ordination. The rider has so much to focus on, that if his body is restricted by shallow breathing, he cannot fulfil his aspirations of relaxed harmonious riding.

Once we begin to master our own state of mind, tension and balance, we will be in a place where we can more easily be taught, by both a trainer and the horse. We will be able to respond more effectively with fluidity within our body and greater focus of our mind.

If we inhale and exhale, using lateral breathing, thus using correct abdominal muscles, then a core of stability will be created. This will help us to locate our correct centre of balance and gravity.

Harmony for the rider

If riders want to ride in harmony in their horses what do they need to do?

Preparation is the key to build on self awareness. With this in mind I have developed a TOP TO TOE for the rider:

Begin with a basic position which will enhance stability, balance and poise. These techniques are similar to the ancient wisdoms of the east, such as Chi Gong and Tai Chi.

• Stand quietly and cultivate the feeling of breathing, into the space around you. Now take a slow deep outward sigh and begin your focus on steady breathing, beginning within your core.
• Expand your abdomen with your inhalation , breathe into your body — as if filling up a glass with water – from the core upwards.
• Exhale deeply down through your upper body and spine, releasing through your core.
• Your feet should be parallel, about shoulder width apart — have a feeling of connecting through your legs and feet, into the core of the earth — ‘feeling truly grounded’.
• Relax down through your legs, into released knees and ankles as if you are skiing down a bumpy slope .
• Grow taller and expand your posture allowing your head to come slightly forward and upwards. Do not tighten the back of the neck but allow it to lengthen, keep your jaw relaxed.
• Cultivate the feeling that your head is balanced in lightness, floating above the shoulders, as a balloon above your body. Lengthening of the neck helps to release the shoulders and arms.
• Soften the muscles around your eyes.
• Relax the facial muscles and release the jaw. Allow the back of your neck to lengthen gently. Relax your jaw and soften your lips.
• Keep a relaxed feel in your sternum whilst breathing. Expand the chest, not by tightening the sternum and hollowing your back, but widen through the shoulder blades and ribcage , breathing wide and full, into your spine.
• Take a deep outward sigh and allow the breath to ripple through your torso down into your core and through your legs and feet.

You should start to feel more relaxed and grounded. Focus on your body awareness from your head down through to your toes.

Work under saddle

Once in the saddle, it is worth taking a few moments to check our posture from ‘Top to toe’ then take a very deep outward sigh, rippling down your upper torso into your core to release any tension. This will just relax your body releasing tension through your muscles and joints. Allow the next inward breath, just to happen, in a natural way. Remember when you give a deep sigh it is just a gentle release of energy through your body. This is a different feel to the outward breath which directs the stronger energy, from the core towards the horse, which will instigate his movement.

Breathe into walk

When you feel calm and focused top to toe, take up an allowing contact with the reins, then inhale followed by a more vigorous outward breathe. The exhalation will ripple down your spine releasing your core which encourages the horse to move forwards. This movement for the rider is similar to sitting on a swing and pushing it forwards and upwards, but it is much more subtle. If your horse does not respond, use your legs once and if needed back up with a tap of the whip on your own leg. Very quickly the horse will tune into this sequence of aids and respond from your breath alone. When the horse is walking forwards, continue breathing naturally and rhythmically with every stride. Imagine you are jogging and supporting your running with steady inhalation and exhalation.

Breathe into the halt

When asking the horse to halt, your deeper inhalation will lengthen and strengthen your spine, creating stability and acting as a half halt. As the horse responds, increase the inward breath, close your fingers on the reins and ask him to halt. Once the horse is standing still, release the pressure of your fingers on the reins, so he can stand immobile in a good self-carriage. Gain his focus with your steady core-breathing. He should be calm and still, yet ready to move on your next deeper, energizing exhalation. If the horse is allowed to stand, with only a light contact with the reins, his forward movement will be in lightness and not bearing down.

Transitions — from walk to trot

Prepare by walking forwards with a good energetic rhythm. Before you trot forwards ensure the horse is relaxed into a steady contact created from the propulsion of the hind limbs, enhanced by his attentive calm mind.

Try to breathe steadily and naturally with awareness of expanding your core on the inward breath and releasing gently through your core, on exhalation. Take a deeper inward breath to prepare to trot. This will re-balance and further engage the movement and gain his attention for a change in gait. Allow a deeper breath outwards and feel the energy ripple down through your spine, this will release the core and mobilise the seat.

If the horse does not respond then use your legs, just once and re-enforce with a tap of the whip, if needed. Focus on regular natural breathing and use the deeper outward breath to instigate more energy.

Tap once with your legs if the horse is not attentive to your energising breath. The horse will soon tune into your breathing alone which will enable your legs just to hang in a relaxed way down either side of the horse’s rib cage. In this way your natural balance will not be continually disrupted.

If your horse tries to pull and get too strong in your hand, re-balance with a focus on a deep inhalation and if necessary close your fingers on the reins. Your more intense inward breath will expand and strengthen your seat and core.

This will give stability to the horse who will feel this momentary resistance to his forward movement. He will then re-balance and with a more allowing contact from your hand and fingers, you can encourage him to move forward with lightness. When you take the deeper inward breath, it not only lengthens and strengthens your spine but you will feel the tightness through your upper leg and thigh.

The horse is extremely sensitive to any change of balance or restriction from the rider. The feeling of restraint which is a momentary check from the rider, will probably be sufficient to steady the horse.

The horse will quickly listen to core breathing as the first aid when asking for any change, whether in pace or direction.

Techniques of breathing will energise a lazy horse or equally calm an anxious horse. Breathing awareness will enhance communication between horse and rider. This will open up a path towards harmony and lightness.

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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

I always know spring has arrived when a new bunch of young polo ponies arrive from the Tomlinson family at Beaufort Polo to be started!

They run one of the largest polo pony breeding operations in the UK with a number of stallions and a busy embryo transfer service.

The first “batch” is going really well. Their first few rides have progressed nicely and they have also been showing a great turn of foot cavorting round the fields together in their downtime!

I really enjoy doing these horses as they remind me of the homebred Australian Stock horses we had on the farm that I learnt my trade on.

The Tomlinson’s and their staff do a great job at getting the balance right between handling their foals and youngsters correctly, while allowing them to grow up in a herd environment without too much interference. I love the photo above of some of the group — you can tell they’re related!

Demo time

Just after my last blog I travelled to Bristol to do a demonstration for the BHS at the Avon Riding Centre.

I first worked with a little horse that was a bit bargy on the ground and was starting to cause his owner a bit of trouble. Most of the work I did with him was getting him to pay me attention as this is the first step to regaining a horse’s respect on the ground.

I usually always ride at demonstrations, but this time I gave a lesson to the owner of the second horse I worked with who had been getting a little lazy and unresponsive to her aids. This was definitely more empowering for the owner and I hope it was just as interesting for the audience to understand how these problems occur and see how she improved her horse’s way of going.

After the demonstration, I caught up with my friend and top performance psychologist, Charlie Unwin. Charlie works with a number of top riders alongside other sporting superstars such as Winter Olympics gold medallist Lizzie Yarnold. I have known Charlie for a number of years now and love our in-depth chats about human and horse psychology.

We have enjoyed doing some demonstrations together in the past and we’re planning to work together again at a new event at the end of April called Total Confidence Live before organising a series of demonstrations around the country towards the end of the year.

Behind the scenes

In this day and age, running a horse training business isn’t just about riding the horses — much as I wish it was! The team and I are just as busy behind the scenes. We are just about to launch our redesigned website and a new online education program called “Your Horsemanship” that has been a real labour of love for the past three years.

Back on the yard, we are in the next phase of developing our facilities. We have just put the foundations and concrete in for an education area, new office and shop and hopefully one day, some accommodation. The added benefit from all this activity is that the horses on training are getting very used to vehicles and strange noises coming from that part of the yard!

Finally, as anyone who runs a business knows, having a great team of staff is everything and it was with great sadness that I accepted my assistant trainer, Tom’s, resignation as he heads off to the world of polo where he will be managing a yard and horse hire service.

Tom has been with us for nearly four years and has become not only a very accomplished horse trainer, but a real favourite with clients with his brilliant teaching. As much as we will miss him, we wish him all the best in his new career when he leaves us at the end of April.

In the meantime, the search is on for his replacement; they are going to be hard boots to fill!

Jason

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I was saddened to read last week about the death of Mary Hancy, who tragically lost her life following a clipping accident. As the reporter stated, it reminds the equestrian community of the potential dangers of handling horses on the ground.

I then went on to read the feature on living with health and safety and how things are now so very different for our youngsters than when many of us (myself included!) were children.

Growing up in the snowy mountains in New South Wales where we used our horses to work cattle and sheep as well as for our recreation on the weekends. We regularly rode without hats, charged up and down hilly terrain and rode buckjumpers at rodeos.

My time in the Tumut Pony Club included campdrafting (steering cows through a course), tentpegging and bareback races! It was only when an off duty paramedic stopped me whilst hacking on the lanes on my arrival in the UK back in 1999 and told me all the horrific details of dealing with riders who had fallen off when not wearing a hat, that I woke up to the potential dangers.

Nowadays, I am lucky to be sponsored by Champion and I don’t even notice that I’m wearing a hat when I’m riding now.

I am also passionate that education plays a key role in this whole debate. I don’t mean learning to ride or stable management but learning how to ‘read’ your horse. Looking for and understanding what he is thinking (through looking at his ears for example) and then knowing how to act and react, both when on the ground and when mounted, is vital to creating a safe environment and something that I think is not taught enough in the UK.

An opinionated new customer

Back to the yard and we’ve been surviving the cold and have been fortunate in only getting a sprinkling of snow so far.

We have well and truly got over the Christmas period lull and the yard is full again with the usual variety of youngsters in for starting, including a lovely new project for eventer Emily Baldwin (pictured above), and horses with behavioural and ridden problems in for retraining.

These range from a stunning black PRE stallion who wants everything on his terms (pictured top and below) to a hyper-sensitive horse who bucks and has become hard to manage on the ground. The stallion showed a fair bit of attitude but I am happy to say he is now becoming a lot less challenging on the ground and under saddle.

Several people braved the cold on Tuesday morning to attend our monthly coffee morning where I was handling another rescue pony that came from the same herd as Claydon. She is actually a lot easier than Claydon who was quite confrontational at times and I am confident that she will become a lovely riding horse and be successfully rehomed.

I have also been teaching a lot of clinics and lessons, and have found that problems generally come back down to basics, and in some cases, to what I call “nagging”.

So often I see riders ask their horse for a movement, such as using their leg to ask for an upward transition, and the horse respond correctly only for the rider to continue kicking. Sometimes this is done because the rider feels that the horse isn’t showing enough impulsion but in a lot of cases, it has become a habit regardless of what the horse is doing underneath the rider. Either way nagging your horse like this when they are trying to do the right thing can lead to the horse becoming confused about your aids and over time can make them sour and unwilling to move off the leg.

So next time you ask your horse for a movement, take a moment to feel what the response is; do you really need to keep asking or can you leave him alone?

Jason

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Having a horse that’s difficult to load can scupper your plans for competing — and leave you feeling stressed and frustrated before you’ve even arrived at the event.

Horse & Hound visited natural horsemanship expert Gary Witheford at his Wiltshire base, to learn his techniques for loading a young or nervous horse.

Gary Witheford: teaching a horse to load

Tappers

Gary uses ‘tappers’ to help with loading. The light and narrow three-foot-long modified lunge whip is ued to ‘tap’ the horse on either side of the hindquarters, to encourage it forward into the horsebox. By standing either side, it can lessen the danger of being kicked, and help keep the hindquarters straight.

Loading the horse

Gary stands on the ramp so that the horse is a good distance away — 1.5m — and as he moves back the horse follows, responding to the pressure and release technique that Gary uses with his halter.

The ‘Double Diamond’ brand that Gary uses is a nylon rope halter with knotted pressure points on the top of the head, under the chin and under the throat: while you don’t pull at a horse, if it backs off and pulls at you, the knots tighten.

But as the knots are half-hitchers, if the horse stops pulling back, it eases off — providing pressure when needed and release when the horse comes forward.

Unloading the horse“Coming back down the ramp, the worst thing you can do is put a horse to the side of you,” says Gary. “Everyone’s taught to lead the horse down the ramp, but that’s giving them an opportunity to jump off. I always stand in front of the horse, and then I turn him and stand in the middle of the ramp and look straight at him. I don’t let him go by me — my body language and eye contact stops him.”

Gary Witheford: how to deal with a problem horse [VIDEO]

H&H visited Gary Witheford at his Wiltshire-base to find out what the first steps are that he takes when dealing

Keen to find out more about Gary’s work? If Horses Could Talk by Gary Witheford with Brough Scott is now available at Racing Post books, priced at £20. Visit shop1.racingpost.com

Horse & Hound advises you to wear appropriate safety wear when loading

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The Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) has been forced to cancel an act by Spanish natural horseman Antonio Fernandez after it became evident the “atmosphere in the arena was overwhelming for the horse.”

Antonio and his eight-year-old palomino Dorado were making their British debut at HOYS but have left after their first performance on Wednesday afternoon (7 October).

“He’s done displays all over Spain but a venue of this size with all the lights was obviously too much for him,” said a HOYS spokesman.

The HOYS organisers said it was not possible to find a replacement for the act at such short for the Thursday and Friday performances. The World Equestrian Games vaulting medallists Joanne and Hannah Eccles will be filling Fernandez’ slots on Saturday and Sunday.

The musical ride of the Household Cavalry presented by Home Farm Hothorpe and the Mulbrooke Stud remain as a feature display.

In the pre-publicity HOYS said: “The grace of Doma en Libertad with Antonio Fernandez ‘El Paqueto’ will be the perfect contrasting partner to the excitement and thrills of the musical ride of The Household Cavalry.”

Antonio Fernandez is a former national dressage champion and has taken Spanish showing championships with both Arab and Spanish-bred horses.

He became intrigued by natural horsemanship after meeting liberty work specialist Paco Bautista “El Zorro.”

“Dorado and I will communicate in exactly the same way in front of the audience as we do when we are training at home,” he said when first announcing he was coming to Britain.

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Brits have led the way in the first ever Horse Agility World Championships, winning both classes in the competition.

Horse agility – founded by Vanessa Bee in early 2010 – is based on dog agility with horses working loose over a fixed obstacle course.

Dawn Westcott with her Exmoor stallion Hawkwell Versuvius took the ‘Worldwide OLHA! League’ title, where competitors from thirteen different countries competed against each other through filmed entries.

And Susannah Muir won the ‘International Competitions League Championship’ – where competitors accumulated points through real time competitions – with her Exmoor mare Threeshires Zanatan.

Ms Muir only got involved in the sport at the beginning of 2011.

She said: “It has made [Threeshires Zanatan] very easy to handle [and] has taught me how to approach new things with a pony to ensure they are confident.”

Higher levels of horse agility are being introduced this year, where competitors will not only work their horses loose over obstacles in open countryside but also ride bareback and bridleless.

Ms Bee told H&H: “Horse agility has gone global this year. We now have between 500 and 600 people competing worldwide.”

The Horse Agility Handbook is due for release later this month.

For more information visit www.thehorseagilityclub.com

Watch Dawn Westcott and Hawkwell Versuvius in action

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