Natural horsemanship for beginners: what it is and where to start
What is natural horsemanship?
Natural horsemanship is a broad name, not a single registered method and not a sport with one governing body. In practice it usually means working with horses in a way that starts from how horses communicate: body language, pressure and release, trust and clear boundaries. Most of that work begins on the ground, not in the saddle.
My self-study course Basics in Natural Horsemanship is about the natural way of working with the horse and about working on yourself.
Listening, not “whispering”
On the home page I wrote that I have learnt a great deal from horses, the masters of non-verbal communication. The useful skill is to listen with your body and your timing, not to perform a mysterious whisper. The horse answers what you actually do.
The horse's basic needs come first
The first of the six modules in the course covers the horse's basic needs. Before exercises come food, water, space, the company of other horses, and a chance to move. Training that ignores those needs is starting in the wrong place.
Trust, boundaries and safety on the ground
The course then works with trust, boundaries and safety, still on the ground. A clear boundary is part of safety for you and for the horse. It is not a licence to push harder. Stop before the horse or you get frustrated.
Three first exercises: attention, pace, distance
The course includes exercises on attention, pace and distance. I am not setting out a step-by-step drill here, because timing and feel are easy to get wrong from a page, and poor timing can put horse and human under stress. The order of ideas is: can the horse give you its attention, can you both change pace without a fight, and can you keep a safe distance. Practise in a safe place, in short sessions, and look for a trainer on the ground if you can.
Is natural horsemanship always kind?
The name does not guarantee the method. In forums, people report pressure, poor timing and work that leaves a horse more stressed than before. That criticism is worth taking seriously. Look at how a trainer actually works, not at the label. If what you see relies on fear, walk away and find someone else. I do not name individual trainers here.
What horses teach us about ourselves
The course subtitle is Personality Training with Horses. Horses respond to what you bring: haste, mixed signals, a boundary you do not keep. The work on the ground becomes work on your own attention and your own line. That is personality training in a practical sense, not a promise of healing.
The self-study course
“Basics in Natural Horsemanship: Personality Training with Horses” is a self-study course of six modules. It is neither riding instruction nor therapy. You get one PDF of 31 pages, in English, including 10 original posters in English, for €35. Digital download through Digistore24 immediately after payment, available for 90 days, with a limit of 5 downloads. There is no physical delivery. There is a 60-day money-back guarantee: if it isn't right for you, you can ask for a full refund within 60 days of payment.
A course can teach the basics and the thinking behind them. Timing and feel are easier to learn with a good trainer watching you.
Until the end of 2021 I ran a practice for animals as a veterinary thermographer and animal naturopath. I no longer work in this field; the animals section is for information only. My training includes the qualification Equestrian Sports Manager (IPM), listed under education and training.
The course Basics in Natural Horsemanship → · Coaching → · Animals →
FAQ
What is natural horsemanship?
Natural horsemanship is a broad name for working with horses based on how horses communicate: body language, pressure and release, trust and clear boundaries. Most of it starts on the ground, not in the saddle. There is no single official body behind the name.
Where should a beginner start?
Start by watching how horses interact, then practise simple groundwork: attention, pace and keeping a safe distance. Stop before the horse or you get frustrated. A trainer on the ground is a help.
Is it only for horses with problems?
No. The course is about the horse's needs, trust, boundaries and safety, and about working on yourself. It is not written as a clinic for a specific problem.
Do I need my own horse?
The course is a self-study PDF. You can read it without a horse. To practise the groundwork you need access to a horse and a safe place, and preferably a trainer with you.
Is it riding instruction?
No. "Basics in Natural Horsemanship" is a self-study course on the horse's needs, trust, boundaries and safety, and on working on yourself. It is neither riding instruction nor therapy.
What is join-up?
Join-up is a term used in some natural horsemanship schools for a groundwork exercise, often in a round pen, in which a person asks a horse to pay attention and then to come in. It is not listed among the six modules of this course, which name the horse's basic needs, trust, boundaries and safety, and exercises on attention, pace and distance.
Can I learn natural horsemanship from a course?
A self-study course can teach the basics and the thinking behind them. Timing and feel are easier to learn with a good trainer watching you.
Is it always kind to the horse?
The label does not guarantee that. Some methods sold under this name use a lot of pressure. Watch how a trainer actually works, stop if the horse is frightened, and choose someone whose work stays with trust, clear boundaries and safety.