Into the realm of Natural Horsemanship

To start with, I'll say that as a horse person i was "brought up" with the conventional horse techniques. I was tought about force, power and control. In the last five years, a subject of a different way of interacting with horses began poping up in my life. It started with a clip on youtube (added in earlier post "Adventures with Takoda and Majura"), an impressive 'no bridle, no saddle' show from a trainer using the Parrelli technique. For me at the time, this was like a sweet and exiting taste of a very new world I knew I was about to encounter.

Not long after I moved to Auroville, India (I was living in Sweden before this) and I was given full responsibility for a horse in the Auroville Riding Center (or ARC). There I was fully introduced to the concept of Natural Horsmanship, and in more detail, the principles of Klaus Ferdinand Hemplfling and also Pat Parelli. After three years I decided to give my horse away. Owning him had been a tedious experience for I lacked the knowledge needed to take care of him properly, but I am forever greatful for the experiences with him.

Since then and up to now, I have been researching as much as I can about the ideal relationship between human and horse, and I have especially been learning about the many flaws in the conventional system of horse and rider.

Now, for me, if I had been introduced to any of the things I know now, five years ago, I probably wouldn't be able to understand any of it. But after my experience of the horse in the ARC, I realized that what I was conventionally taught, wasn't helping me build any relationship with my horse. And so I needed to open my mind to something new and different.

In my next article I will write about my understanding of the aspects of the conventional horsemanship that bring up problems for a trusting and loving bond between horse and human.

To read this article click on the link "Research on the Natural Horse" to the left in the TABS section.

May we have open minds, and a curious hearts. All the best, Isa.

Denmark Trip

I got an offer from a friend of dad's to work in denmark over the summer. This opportunity has slowly been unfolding for the last 3 months and now seems like a very exiting chance to do and learn about the things that I'm exited about.

In more detail, there is a family of three, Karsten, his daughter Jasmine and her 3 year old Daughter Julianne. The idea is that I live with them, at first for just I trial period, a month or so, and help Jasmine and Karsten out with the Julianna, the property and anything else they need help with.

The especially exiting part about it is that Jasmine is a so called Natural Horsemanship Trainer. She knows a lot about horses in other words, and is willing to share her knowledge with me while I am there! Which is exactly what i've wanted for the last 5 years, since I first saw a movie on youtube with a man riding a horse withouth saddle or briddle (which back then was extremely new to me).

So at this point the only thing left to do is buy the tickets!

We'll see where the road takes me.

Love, Isa

P.S. Here's the movie which was my first encounter with Natural Horsemanship:

Adventures with Takoda and Majura

Beau received a miracle job at the end of 2008 to organize a situation for a 7 year old boy who was moving to Tiruvannamalai to have horse riding lessons. She explained to his family that there was no horse riding school, or horses at all, in Tiru. But she had another idea.

I decided to become part of her plan, and help her find chose and buy two very nice horses for this boy and his family. She also had to design a whole stable for them and is now fully responsible for the care tacking of Takoda and Majura.

Beau and I live in Tiru, and day in and out spend our hours with the horses.

We go on bareback rides, spend hours designing our own tack (there are no horse shops in India!) and we also had the idea of a huge trekking Journey, to ride to Auroville from Tiruvannamalai, and back.

This was a big dream that we both have had for a long time; have two nice horses and go ion a big trek. We were fully intent on this journey, and almost fully ready. We did test rides, rode on random roads for hours into the sunset with all the equipment we needed to spend a night away from home, and had amazing journeys and learned a lot.

Just recently we decided it best that we save this big adventure for another time, we realized it would be to stressful for us, and also the horses, seeing as we would be leaving to Europe soon. There just wasn't enough time to do it right.

But all the adventures and things we experienced in preparation for the journey where not in vain, I have learned so much about horses in the last 2 months, I am very amazed with myself!

I am very grateful for this opportunity to be spending some much time with these great teachers, Majura and Takoda And especially for all the fun and learning, laughing and snoring (going to late to bed before a 4 a clock wake up in the hour morning before a long morning ride), and all in all, great times, with a wonderful friend! (That's you Beau!! ) :D

Kisses to the Universe, Isa

My First Entry!

Exited about this new alternative to spreading my news... we'll see how it works!
Here's a test Photo:This is me on Koda. Me and Beau only recently learned how exited he is about jumping, which is very exiting for us as well! All for know, Isa