A reflection on mindfulness, subtlety, and the quiet responsibility we carry in training. Horses are masters of reading what we actually  do — not what we think we’re doing. They notice the quiet shifts we aren’t even aware of: a slight forward lean, a breath held a moment too long, a shoulder that collapses, a hand that shapes without releasing, a whip that drifts into the horse’s field without intention. And in the beginning, every single one of those little changes has mea

There is a moment in training where everything aligns for a heartbeat.The horse becomes light, clear, balanced, and powerful.The movement feels connected, the rhythm flows,and for a second — it feels perfect . And exactly here, many of us fall into the same very human reflex: we want to feel it again. But horses don’t learn in the repetition of that perfect moment.They learn in the space after it  —in the pause, the breath, the release,in the quiet affirmation that they found

There is a moment in training when something subtle but profound becomes clear: More shaping, more bending, more helping  does not necessarily create more harmony.Sometimes the opposite is true. The less we shape the front end, the more the horse can shape its whole body. This realization transforms how we guide, how we support, and how we allow the horse to organize itself. It is a shift from doing to accompanying. And it changes everything. 1. When “helping” becomes “over-h

How Pauses — Large and Small — Shape Balance, Clarity, and Beautiful Movement When we think of beautiful work — expressive lateral movements, soft transitions, elastic shaping, or early collection — we tend to imagine the movement itself . But beauty in training does not come from doing more steps. It comes from what happens between  the steps. ✨ the small releases ✨ the soft breaths ✨ the pauses that allow body and mind to reorganise ✨ the micro-softenings that build respons

In a world full of training methods, opinions, traditions, and trends, it has never been more important to stay grounded in one core skill: critical thinking .Not the cold, analytical kind — but the thoughtful, sensitive, horse-centered kind that helps us decide what truly serves the horse in front of us. Good horse training isn’t built on following a method.It ’s built on seeing, feeling, understanding, and adapting. And at the heart of that lies the courage to ask questions

There is a moment in training when the horse begins to feel taller from the inside , not because you asked for lift, but because the body finds throughness and connection .The back starts to breathe.The ribcage organizes.The movement flows more freely through the whole body. This is not yet elevation.It is the first sign that the body is capable of offering more lift and carrying power  later — a quiet readiness that precedes true upward balance. In our October PIB Theory Sn

There’s a special kind of magic in liberty — that quiet hum of connection when two beings move together without needing anything between them. It’s a moment where communication flows through energy, breath, and shared focus. It feels effortless, alive, and deeply mutual. But this feeling can fade the moment we lose the openness that created it — long before we even pick up a rope. When Tools Speak Louder Than Feel Our tools are never the problem. A whip, a rein, a rope, a cav

There’s a quiet kind of power that often gets overlooked in horse training — the moment of stillness. A real halt. Not a mechanical stop of the legs, but a moment where both horse and human exhale, let go of tension, and mentally return to zero. We often think of progress as movement — forward, sideways, upward. But sometimes, the most meaningful step is the one we don’t  take. Because when something keeps going in the wrong direction — when a horse pushes forward with their

When we first teach a horse new things — a transition, a lateral step, a new exercise — it’s enough that the horse simply tries . If the...

When we speak about developing the horse, we often use three words that sound simple — suppleness, surefootedness, and strength.  Yet...

Many riders know the feeling: we collect more and more exercises, hoping they will improve suppleness, balance, or strength. But...

Thoughts from my Work in Progress with Ola When we talk about posture in training, the distinction between forward–forward , forward–down...

In my work with Ola, I was reminded once again of the importance of a confirmed, effortless forward . Before we add complexity, the horse...

Most riders have heard that lateral movements are beneficial. And they are. They belong to the cornerstones of gymnastic training. Yet in...

“True shaping begins not in the hands, but in the quiet rhythm between two moving hearts—where energy flows, balance grows, and softness...

Training a horse is never about rigid commands — it is about dialogue. A dialogue built on feel, timing, and a willingness to listen. One...

In horse training, it’s often the smallest moments that carry the biggest weight. A gentle pause. A deep breath. A softening before the...

In every good horse-human relationship, there comes a moment where we pause and ask ourselves: Am I doing too much? Or not enough? There...

(Warning: long post alert – but written with all my heart!) My way of working with horses is sometimes misunderstood. People may see...

In today’s world of perfectly framed videos and breathtaking highlight reels, it’s easy to forget: most of what we see online is just...