Compassionate Horsemanship Articles
by Karen Nelson
Compassionate Horsemanship is something Hillside Stable believes in and is the foundation of what we do. So what is Compassionate Horsemanship? It is about understanding limitations of horses and of riders and trying to train, teach and ride in a way that makes sense to the individual and is enjoyable for for both the rider and the horse.
For riders, this means learning how to think from the horse's perspective; how tack affects them, what influences changes in behaviour, and keeping realistic expectations. This also means understanding our own limitations such as physical limitations, limits in our knowledge, and knowing when we just aren't in the right frame of mind to work with our horse successfully.
These Compassionate Horsemanship Articles are dedicated to my best friend Ziggy, who sadly had to be put down in March of 2007. Ziggy's personality and issues made me rethink traditional horsemanship ideas of submission and mastery and I hope that I can pass on to you, some of the things this wonderful mare tried to teach me.
