I had a slight dilemma, I wanted to provide a cost effective service but the more I paid for exams and training the more I was going to have to raise my prices to cover the costs.
I sat down and had a good read through the training program I needed for the UK to qualify for a BHS Trainer, and for Horse Whispering using Monty Roberts Trainer and many others. When the costs got to be in excess of £10,000 I thought there is no way I can offer cost effective prices to help people in needed assistance with their horses or offer low cost riding lessons so anyone can have the experience of a ride, even families on a low income, if I follow the route of having umpteen certificates. To own an eventual riding establishment the rules state you must have the BHS certificates OR "be experienced in horsemanship".
So I decided not to go for all the qualifications. If you look for it there is so much information online that you can get all the education in horsemanship with just the cost of your time and research. Free online information on YouTube and so many hundreds of websites and books offering advice and training can help anyone including you to become an expert in your field.
This is the learning journey started back in 2002 (although involved with horses since I was 16) and my knowledge base has increased even to barefoot trim my own horses feet. If you didn't need a licence to rasp teeth, I'd do that too!
One of the rewards for work I did with a horse it to gain a selfie without the use of a head collar or holding onto the horse, it says I trust you and and much more if you can read the expressions of the horses.
Since 2002 my riding knowledge of horses expanded from my own riding experiences and learning from instruction my daughter has had since then. In 2012 I started intensely studying everything about horses, from simple illnesses through to complicated problems that can occur in horses. Field management, horse behavior issues and much more to expand my knowledge of the horse.
I became a member of the Monty Roberts Equus Online University and studied over 450 lessons in Monty's coursework. If you really do want to learn how to help your horse, then this is a cost effective way of doing so.
I purchased BHS books and have followed through on these both in practice with our own ponies, plus other horses that have been in my care. Foal handling included with my education has allowed me to help new clients with young stock and the starting of them being ridden. I'll say 'starting a horse' as I hate the phrase 'breaking in', in the first days of breaking in a horse that was exactly what it was, breaking their spirit so they no longer have the will to fight, this still happens today which can create big issues for new owners. Starting a horse I use the horses language to establish communication then gentle them into accepting the things that will be needed for them to become a responsible riding horse/pony.
Horses that have behavior issues, including dangerous habits, have become part of my skills helping horses that for whatever reason have shown dangerous behavior, bringing them back to the gentle creatures they are through trust and the use of the Equus language.
I spent most of my time with the herds, our ponies plus other herds that I care for in the day. All are amazingly stunning whether little or large, but one thing that never ceases to amaze me is their gentleness, such powerful creatures with hearts of patients and love.
The way they communicate with each other can be the slightest move of the head to the blink of the eyes. Some people say their horse kicked them for no reason, but if the incident was caught on camera you'll see in slow motion that the horse would have been communicating long before it kicked, sometimes it is so small a communication that with our busy pace of life we don't see what the horse is telling us.
I'll be blogging about horses that I've helped if the owners allow it, I'll also add more information about the history of the horses we own.
To us a horse is for life so any we either rescue or purchase, they'll be with us till their last breath unless they find that one owner that they choose to bond with.
So I became an expert in my field of horses a 'skilled' horse whisperer. What I'll add though is that there is so much information out there on horses that my learning will never end, there are so many ways but most importantly it's learning the way of the horse. Speaking the horses way helps establish a relationship that can not be touched for the loyalty and trust they put in me.
Do you have an issue with your horse, has something changed that has produced a nervous or aggressive horse? Are you having problems with loading your horse? Is your horse spooky? There are so many issues that can be resolved. Most issues if not physical or illness is due to communication, establish that communication and the problems go away.
For University, my dissertation was focused on the communication system within horses, which I eventually put into a book The Equine Semaphore Code - the horse talks back. To get your copy and see how you can expand your connection with your horse pop onto the books page here
To your Success - It's all about the horse!
Mel
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