Learn how to overcome separation anxiety, create connection and communication. Discover essential groundwork patterns to stay safe with an extremely anxious yet pushy horse

Discover the essential groundwork exercises I teach too Tsukyo, so he knows everything he needs to know to be confident and relaxed during the first rides. This includes introducing the cinch, coming to the mounting block and yields to rein and leg aids.

Discover how horses can be started without stress and drama during first rides - even when the horse is very anxious and insecure by nature. Watch how I take Tsukyo “be the hoof” and teach him a relaxed mounting routine, walk and trot and essential safety patterns.

Relaxation was THE topic with Tsukyo throughout his stay with me. Watch how I use several relaxation patterns on the ground for emotional fitness and resilience in higher gaits or when he gets spooked. You will be able to apply this with your horse to release tension both on the ground and riding.

Because Tsukyo was so tense emotionally, he held a lot of physical tension. Watch how he transforms from moving with a high head, crooked and tense to working with a lovely relaxed forward down stretch in all gaits - no artificial training aids used.

Tsukyo was very sensitive to distractions and, for this reason, scared to work along the open side of the arena. Learn different strategies to overcome spooky corners and to build trust in the riders' guidance.

Working a young horse at the shoulder to simulate the riders' aids is highly beneficial. Watch how I use this technique to teach Tsukyo how to soften in his body so that he can let go of tension while riding.

The first few rides are crucial. This is where the young horse learns those so important basics for life. Learn how to structure them, how to progress step by step and how to help the young horse understand every step along the way. 

Learn how to get that first canter relaxed and easy without having to push hard on the horse. This is my tried and proven method that worked for me every single time without bucks.

Mindset and Leadership around starting horses. It all starts with the right mindset in place.

14 Exercises step by step explained to prepare your horse perfectly on the ground for an easy start. Comes with a 56 page ebook to download and print!

Learn about the stages when starting a horse. This will give you the exact steps to take and makes sure you don’t skip an important detail. So that your horse can be confident through the whole process and you stay safe.

Every horse is different and you have to know how to adapt training to your particular horse. In this section I will explain to you how to recognize different personalities, what their core motivation is and how to bring out the best in all of them. 

Learn to read your horse’s very subtle body language signs. Only if you can read your horse, you can have good communication. This will enable you to have true dialogue, good timing of reward and release and stay safe.

A clear step by step instruction of how to do the first ride in a safe way AND that the horse has a good experience. With all the little details you should pay attention to and look out for.

You will get plenty of checklists so that you can make sure not to miss an important detail and to set yourself and your horse up for success: The Preparations on the Ground, The first 15 rides, Is your horse ready to be started, Necessary resources, Recommended Tack