The Happy Horse Training Blog
The Happy Horse Training Blog is our news update on both the HHT site, and on other information we have to share. It...
- lets you know whenever any new when pages appear on Happy Horse Training, giving you more information to help you with horse care and riding.
- keeps you up to date with other postings, such as interesting ideas which come up in our work with horses, or commentary on topical issues.
- lets you know when new products, such as eBooks, become available on HHT.
Mar 13, 2019
Authentic shoulder-in: no cheating!
Authentic shoulder in is defined as the rider's abiity to release the outside rein without loss of balance, bend, yielding or direction. It is an immensly valuable gymnastic tool in training horses.
Jan 28, 2019
A hammer and a bag of nails in Bulgaria
Two years after moving to Bulgaria from England, my dream to move a horse into our yard became a reality. We had fixed up the house, cleared the jungle
Dec 23, 2017
Resolving Tension in Horses
When tension arises in a horse we're working with, the way we react is pivotal to whether it is resolved and training can progress in relaxation and trust
Sep 11, 2017
How To Load A Horse Using Relaxation Not Intimidation
This account of an experience with a very reluctant young horse explains how to load a horse using relaxation-generating contact yielding instead of tension-generating intimidation.
Continue reading "How To Load A Horse Using Relaxation Not Intimidation "
May 24, 2016
The Texture of Energy Connection
It is a challenge to describe subtle energetic interactions like the energy connection we make with a horse.
May 19, 2016
HHT Dressage Diagrams
HHT's dressage diagrams give unique visual clarity to many important aspects of riding and training horses.
May 19, 2016
Postural Alignment: Are You Sitting Evenly?
Postural alignment is essential to balanced, effective riding. The foundation of this alignment is making sure that our body is positioned evenly in relation to the horse's spine.
Continue reading "Postural Alignment: Are You Sitting Evenly?"
Nov 28, 2015
my best friend lucky.
Hi I'm writing this in memory of a horse named Lucky. See I live in a adult foster care home, we have horses for riding and therapy. I have been here
Jul 22, 2015
Happy Horse Training Clinics Worldwide
HHT's Holistic Horse Training clinics are an opportunity for us to share our understanding of holistic equitation and gymnastic riding directly with riders and their own horses.
May 17, 2015
Sound Equine Biomechanics
Correct equine biomechanics for balanced movement are based on the longitudinal stretch - the flexion of the horse's spine that allows it to transmit power and carry the rider with strength.
May 03, 2015
Forget Bitless, What About Saddleless?
If you are going to argue for bitless then you have to argue for saddleless too. The argument being that if any equipment we use can cause harm to the horse then it must be rejected.
Mar 22, 2015
Gymnastic Riding: A True Connection with the Horse
Gymnastic riding is the art of bringing the horse's movement into balance by the rider's postural influence. It is a way of connecting to the horse on a whole new level.
Continue reading "Gymnastic Riding: A True Connection with the Horse"
Feb 23, 2015
HHT Articles Featured In Baroque Horse Magazine
HHT's third article to be featured in the international publication is 'Horse Behavior: What It Means to be a Prey Animal'.
Baroque Horse is a beautifully produced, high quality magazine, which combines stunning photography with a diverse range of interesting articles on all aspects of horse-keeping and training.
We are grateful that the magazine's editor, Danielle Skerman, has seen the value in our work, and is helping us to bring it to a wider audience.
You can also read the article here on the HHT site.
Continue reading "HHT Articles Featured In Baroque Horse Magazine"
Jan 27, 2015
Help Support HHT... Join The Holistic Revolution!
If you would like to support HHT's vocational work towards the well-being of horses and the understanding of riding and training them in a harmonious and meaningful way, you can make a donation here.
Continue reading "Help Support HHT... Join The Holistic Revolution!"
The pages on HHT are so wide-ranging and interrelated that we strongly recommend you look at the site plan to find other subjects that may interest you.
New from HHT!
AudioRide is a series of exercises designed to listen to while you ride.
Audio descriptions guide you through each step of developing a balanced, dynamic connection with the horse through your position.
This truly innovative learning tool gives you a whole new way of being guided in your riding, in a calm, clear, step-by-step way.
Free Download! Introductory Exercise: Riding in the Now
The Gymnastic Rider eBook
Now available exclusively from HHT!
A unique, comprehensive guide to practical rider biomechanics. This professionally produced eBook takes the rider through the process of developing their body in the specific way that brings the horse's movement into harmony and balance, without force and constraint. Click here for full details, and to download the 15-page introduction to the book for free.
Join the Happy Horse Training group on Facebook!
See and share topical info, news and photo's, and take part in lively discussions.
Click here to go to the HHT group (make sure you log into fb first) and then click on the 'join' button at the top of the page.
Join the Whole Horse Newsletter!
HHT's free monthly newsletter giving you wide-ranging and intelligent insights into holistic horsemanship.
Just enter your details below to join.
Free bonus on the riding position with all new subscriptions: Ten Top Tips To Instantly Improve Your Connection With Your Horse.
Click here to see back issues of The Whole Horse newsletter
Train Your Horse
The Holistic Way
How To Train A Horse Without Force
is a unique guide to training horses through energetic connection and
gymnastic training. Part 1 covers everything on the ground, from
handling to the lungeing technique that develops strength, straightness
and engagement. Comes with a free eBook supplement on Horse Trauma.
Click here for more details.
"As a student of Zen Buddhism for nearly three decades, I've often wondered when someone was going to write the book on Zen and the art of horsemanship, and I think that your emphasis on mindfulness and energy connection gets right at the heart of the matter."
- Prof. Teresa Lloyd, U.S.
Do You Have
A Horse Story
To Share On HHT?
So many people have been through
wonderful experiences with horses, whether in training or otherwise. If
you've made a change in a horse's life - or one has made a change in
yours - tell us about it here.
Learn The Natural Barefoot Trim - The Simple Way
The Simple Seven-Step Natural Trim is a comprehensive step-by-step guide to a cutting-edge barefoot trim. Click here to find out more.
What people say about HHT:
"The riding instruction is outstanding, if instructors in the UK taught this way there would be a lot of happy riders and horses."
"The riding tuition exceeded my hopes and expectations by a long way; giving me an exciting new facet to horsemanship which is lighter. more subtle, more elegant and more meaningful. It is as if a new door has opened bringing more sunlight and air."
"My goodness - what a change has taken place in my riding. I think that I'm starting to sit 'into' the horse rather than on top of him. I felt my horse's movements in a way that has almost never happened before"
Click on Testimonials for more
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