Having light hands is actually less about your hands than you think. The phrase ‘light hands’ is actually not accurate and can be confusing for those trying to learn it. Light hands is about timing. Timing the release of pressure. We actually need to be fairly firm with our hold when teaching a horse to lighten up. We need to hold, not pull and allow the horse to find the comfort in the release itself. If we have spaghetti hands - too light - the horse will just learn to take them from you. And equally, if we have pulling hands the horse will learn to brace. 6 things that will help: Practice the release more than anything else. Understand the difference between pull and hold Slow down in the pickup of the rein Have great mental preparation for each movement Breathe - the release should involve a breath out Pay the try - before it happens Join me in the light hands course this week! See the education tab

I am so happy to see so many awesome trainers available to horse lover these days. For so many years when I started my horsemanship journey it was really hard to find a trainer. Now we have so much access it’s almost hard to decide! That’s a great thing for the horse world. So with that in mind (pun intended) I’m moving more into the mindset space, as I see more than ever the lack of confidence in students at clinics and competitions. Helping you overcome fear and start to enjoy your horses again is my goal. There is nothing better for me than seeing girls smile and feel proud of achievements with their horse, so this new category is here to help with that. Welcome to Cowgirls Mindset. There is a full training course available if you want it - the most comprehensive mind shift you’ll ever experience, but this page is free and I’ll be sharing gold here for you. Let’s get this journey started !!

It is remarkable to observe that interacting with horses or instructing others on how to work with them has a profound impact on my emotional well-being. I consistently experience more relaxation and happiness. What is the underlying reason for this phenomenon? I firmly believe that the energy inherent in horses' tranquil nature, devoid of expectations, has a profound effect on those around them. The fact that horses have an inactive frontal cortex, which is responsible for self-reflection and mental chatter, contributes to their calm mental state. When we are open to absorbing the energy surrounding us, we naturally adopt the calmer energy emitted by horses, leading to a more peaceful state of being.

My video will help you with a horse that’s genuinely scared of floating. https://youtu.be/k13bvPWaELc?si=N9UYsfThYMkEjmCw

When rewarding your horse with a total release of pressure make sure it is just that - a total release. Reins at half mast isn’t a release and will often cause a horse to wave its head around or lean in order to try to lower it head. Some will even fidget and move around: Be aware of your body, making sure your relaxed and breathe. Horse will quickly learn what a release is and look for the relaxation - meaning they’ll learn that much faster #bettertogetherhorsemanship