Job has settled into his new life in Spain with Torie and here is a picture taken in May 2008 of them enjoying the sunshine.

Choosing a horse is a tricky business.  Ensuring you bring the right one home requires an honest view of your own riding skills, expert knowledge of the type of horse you want and an ability to read a horses' personality in a short space of time.

I’m a novice rider and very green to the horse world in general.  I first starting looking at horses when my husband and I decided to move to Catalonia and I found a house with stables and land.

It was pure aesthetics which initially led me to the Friesians and their personality which convinced me this was the type of horse for me.  They have the most spiritual presence making you feel they have an innate knowledge of what us humans desire in our equine friends.  They want to please you and when you’re sat on one you do feel like they are tuned into your thoughts.  It is not just their beauty which makes them a top choice in movie making these days but their willingness to learn and thus the ease of training them.  I’ll stop there lest I get carried away.  If you’re already perusing a Friesian web page then you’ll already be convinced of the specialness of these horses. 

Once settled in our new home in Catalonia I started in earnest to look for my Friesian.  There are so many dealers to choose from in Holland but I sensed that was the place to go and look.  I did look at a few horses nearby just to get a feel for it.  I almost fell for a big black Spanish purebred but couldn’t bear the thin boned legs.  I saw also some Friesians but it soon became obvious to me that local dealers had brought these horses from the Nederlands to sell on here at a profit and they were not necessarily the best of bloodlines or examples of the breed.  Eventually I got in touch with a Friesland based agent.  We communicated over several weeks but I lost faith in her ability to find my horse when I realised she was more interested in making a sale than sending me home happy.

My big break came when a friend told me about Michele Richardson of Brambletye Friesians in East Sussex.  I contacted Michele by phone and after our first conversation I knew she was the right person to help me find my dream horse in Friesland.  Michele is an experienced horseperson; she is fully aware of the pitfalls of horse buying and the potential risks involved.  Her aim is to make a 100% successful partnership for horse and owner.  I looked at pictures of horses she knew to be for sale at that time but these beauties sell fast so I was aware that they may no longer be available a week later.

I met Michele in Amsterdam at the beginning of February and we commenced our mission.  Michele has professional relations with reputable suppliers in Holland who all have a wide range of well bred Friesians on offer.  Before our arrival Michele had already briefed her contacts on the type of horse we were looking for which saves a lot of time and confusion.  Michele can quickly assess a horse’s personality and, after watching me on a very safe mount she ascertained what kind of rider I am.

Firstly you can see the horse free moving.  A groom or Michele will then ride the horse for you so you can see it under the saddle.  This was a good system for me as Michele then advised me on how to work with each horse we tried.  At no point in our search did I feel that Michele was trying to push any particular horse into my favour.  She gives her ideas to you but not in a pragmatic way and constantly seeks out your feelings.

It was on the second day that I met Job V, a five year old Star Gelding.  I have always imagined I would buy a heavier baroque Friesian so when they brought out a much sportier, sleeker one I was totally disinterested.  Michele felt it was a good idea for me to try Job so I could feel the difference in the types.  Up I went and something clicked; he was the most beautiful ride.  I knew I could take this horse home and have the best time with him.  We had more horses to see but in my heart I knew he was the one.

We went back to see Job on the last morning.  I rode him outside this time and played with him from the ground in the school before finalising the sale.  Michele arranged the full vet check and transport.  I had a budget and yes I did go to the top of it.  I could have taken the first horse I saw for half the price of Job but he was just a too fresh for me.  With a Friesian you get what you pay for in terms of schooling.

I can say honestly that to have gone alone would have been a disaster for me. It is so overwhelming and the dealers don’t fully assess what you’re looking for nor can they read a horse and rider as well as Michele.  I want a buy a yearling colt in the summer and will definitely be enlisting Michele’s help again.  Job is a very special horse and perfect for me in every way.  Now I only have to be sure that I’m the perfect person for him.  Victoria Sorby-Pegge, Peratallada, Girona.

There were a lot of firsts for Onna, it was his first time at a show, the first time he has been ridden in a school with lots of other horses, the first time he has done a dressage test and the first time he has seen white boards.

Onna loved his pre show bath and tidy up; I have never known a horse to go to sleep whist being hosed off before even if it was with warm water. He was so laid back while we got him ready that I was not prepared for the Onna that turned up at the show. To say he was excited is an understatement, he was beside himself, I have never seen him so animated, for a moment I thought I had brought Annie by mistake.

It took us ages to get him tacked up because I insisted he had to calm a little before we put his tack on. As a consequence we only had a short warm up, although he didn't actually do anything wrong he was very tense and more interested in the other horses and the comings and goings of horse boxes and trailers than he was in me or any aid I was giving him. He was just beginning to settle and take some notice of me after 20 minutes when we were called to go and do our test.

This presented lots of other new experiences for him and would have preferred that he was completely calm before presented with new challenges. These things are sent to test us so we rose to the callenge, he was tense and had his head up, this is partly die to not being settled and more due to being Friesion and new to dressage, but he did not spook or get excited he just got on with it. Of course having his head up is not conducive to good marks but I was so happy with his performance because he was excepting the bit, most of the time, had good active rhythm and did not miss behave even though it was blowing a gale outside and making all the banners flap. I was pleasantly surprised when I looked at the video later he really looked good, although his head carriage made it look as if I was doing a prelim test on a Grand Prix horse.

His free walk was his worst thing today and as it carries double marks is rather important to do it well. Onna used to have a huge muscle on the underside of his nexk. He has a good crest too but this is mostly fat, he used to use this large muscle too much so shortening his neck and hollowing his back. The schooling he is now getting is encouraging him to stretch his neck forwards and use his trapezius muscle to lift his neck and should instead use the brachio sephalicus which hold the neck up but not in the same way. You often see this in show jumpers and carriage horses. It is taking time to change his physique and lengthen his top-line. I am confident the free walk will be good when he can really stretch down and lift his back, he has great activity and length of stride but the stretching is work in progress. This is typical in a lot of Friesian horses but not insurmountable it just needs repetition and working long and low over a period of time to improve this. When I look at his pictures from today I can already see a huge improvement from when I bought him, and considering we have only just started proper schooling I feel Onna is going to be a star.

Why Do Horses do the Opposite to What We Want?

Because we do the opposite to what they need.

How is this possible?

It is possible because horses learn by the release of pressure or discomfort not the application of pressure or discomfort itself.

Training the Young Horse to Come onto the Bit

For example when you are training your horse to come onto the bit you need to use the reins, he must already have learned to except the contact and still go forwards but now you need to be able to use the reins to shape his outline. How does he know what to do?

He will only learn where you mean him to carry his head if you reward him by stopping using the reins the instant he gives you the slightest try. I don’t mean you to throw away the contact just stop sponging the rein and allow the horse to go forward into a still rein contact. This is his reward for doing the right thing.

When he moves out of this outline you do the same thing again and again until he gets it, you may need to stop and stand still to give the horse time to think it through. Most horses learn after about 3 attempts. Don’t expect too much too soon. The length of time your horse can maintain this outline needs to be built up slowly.

The release of discomfort is what is training the horse not the sponging on the reins.

It really is that simple, but not necessarily easy as you need perfect timing, you must reward the horse instantly he does it right not 3 strides later. Knowing that it’s the release that trains the horse and applying this principle in your training will ensure your horse stays light and sensitive and goes on to develop self carriage.

What would happen if you do not release the pressure at the right time?

You will train your horse to go incorrectly.

If you keep fiddling with the reins and never release the pressure your horse will not learn when he has got it right, he will be likely to either hollow his back or over bend in an attempt to get away from the discomfort you are imposing on him. Sadly you will see there are many horses that have learnt to go in this way. It is often referred to as evading the rider’s aids. I challenge that view, I believe the riders have trained their horses to go in this manner by never clearly letting the horse know when he has done it right.

I have used training a young horse to come onto the bit as an example of how and why the release trains the horse because it is a topic most of us can relate to. How many times does an instructor tell us “that’s it, give the inside rein.” Well by the time that is said you have already missed the moment. We need to know why ‘that was the moment’ and why we are being told to give the rein so we can develop understanding and feel. Training by release applies to all aspects of horse training; thanks to Natural Horsemanship I have rediscovered this technique and will be covering some other examples in later articles.

About The Author:
   
Michele Richardson is the founder of Brambletye Friesians, Importer and trainer of quality FPS Registered Friesian Horses for riding and dressage. My agency can take you to Friesland to buy your perfect Friesian horse picked from hundreds to suit your specific requirements of ability, temperament and type. To find out more visit: www.horsesinmind.com

I’ve done it; I have attended a level 1 Parelli course with my Friesian mare Annie.  Annie is what the Parelli’s call a right brain extrovert, which means she is very forward going and a little hard to stop, of coarse being a Friesian means this is not as scary as it would be if she was a WB or TB.

On the 1st day she rebelled against the rope wiggling and being proded with the carrot stick, she ran me over (her favourite resistance) kicked me (all be it by mistake, she was aiming for the carrot stick) and got away from me several times. Annie was the widest, strongest and most rebellious horse that day.

On the 2^nd day the other students voiced their concern that Annie’s and my presence in the class was detrimental to their learning experience.  Alison, the trainer said this was the place for our horses to do their worst so we could learn to deal with it with her help (how true, I thought, oh wise and kind trainer) Small smile on face, but silently praying to the horse gods that Annie would see the light that day, its only the others who want her to be good.

I didn’t know if Annie would have spent the night thinking up new ways to thwart me or if she would see the light. I should have had faith in her, she had thought about it and just came out and did all 7 games (well maybe 6 ½, doesn’t like sideways game left). Clever horse she just got it and became easy.

On the 3^rd day I rode her in the school in a halter, and I could stop, well most of the time, I was truly amazed. We were told to practice walking and stopping, Annie and I were walking, trotting and stopping which made the other students think we were brave and clever, I didn’t let on the trotting was Annie’ not idea not mine.  I think Annie was a star she was the youngest horse on the course by nearly 10 years and certainly the greenest only having been broken in a few months ago, she learnt so much. I learnt that Natural Horsemanship has something that works and that Friesian horses are quick learners.

I am continuing to study natural horsemanship and I am going to buy more Friesian horses to sell to other people so they can have the positive experience that I am at last having with my horses.