Bits I liked:-
Seeing you working with pifado I would have liked a commentary, pointing out the finer points e.g. “afterwards you explained that when your working with him and asked him to do something he couldn’t so you did something else then went back to the original request which he did willingly “it wasn’t obvious to me what he wouldn’t do. I understand that when you’re riding you have total concentration on the horse and may not be able to talk so perhaps you need someone who knows what you’re doing to explain what you’re doing for you or maybe video and play tape to with commentary afterwards to explain what your doing?

I put our horses forward because I could trust Di having been to the other workshops she’d organised with Ben (Company of Horses). We’ve been to see Gary Witherford and weren’t impressed by the aggressive way he works also have heard criticism of Monty Roberts and Richard Maxwell as well.

I knew we needed help with Ash & I had liked what Di had said about your methods even though I couldn’t understand them.

I couldn’t quite understand exactly what you were doing with Ash & Man when you were loose schooling. I was worried they were going to mow you down or kick you!

Again I needed an explanation to what was happening, what the horses were trying to do and messages they were giving.

Suggestions for future?
Due to my hectic schedule I am conscious of time and maybe one of my faults but I do not like to waste time on small talk. I found the workshop slow to get started. I wanted to listen to adopt you methods and instead had people sharing their ideas/problems as people rarely get straight to the point they have to go through too much insignificant detail.

I think allow people 5 mins each maybe? for the person to say what they want to achieve from the workshop.

I‘d prefer not to have a lengthy lunch break to get more time to spend with the horses.

I feel your time could be managed by you having help whilst doing workshops to give you more time to work the horses so you could have someone to explain for you. It is going to be repetitive but people new to these ideas need time for it sink in and the more times they hear information they are more likely to absorb it. It is a slow building process particularly when you are my age when learning/am learning.

The most useful important thing is the trying to see things from the horse’s point of view especially when the majority of the horsey world has been taught in the past most of it being incorrect.

The most difficult thing is to relearn and let go of preconceived notions previously taught. Things such as mounting from the left, leading you horse by their shoulder, forcing it past something it is terrified of.
The importance of keeping quiet and my using your body language/energy. The often overlooked in my opinion now, important things like getting a genuine stand whilst grooming take Ash for example moving ½ an inch as his way of controlling the situation. Taking into account of the small details that make a big difference. Being patient and flexible and thinking on you feet to change the plans to suit the situation so ending positively.

The list goes on you have given me the confidence to do things by myself and so independence. In the past I’ve always relied on an instigator to tell me what to do so helpless by myself.

The bareback riding was most helpful way of getting balance with a better position. Now when in the school I can do what I want not set regimes and exercises, I feel both parties enjoy work a lot more.
I think you teach life skills not just horses it has helped me to question everything I n life and not to accept everything has to be done a certain way. It has made me realise others have manipulated me in the past. If having children again I would use them on them!

It has taken me a long time to fully understand your methods and why they work so effectively.

I still have a long way to go and feel that the process of learning will never stop.
It has also highlighted how wrong so many “experts” are. I feel that your methods are truly “harmonious Horsemanship” not just for the person but for the horse as well.

In my life I have always believed it is wrong to force others to believe what I believe. I can offer my reasons/opinions they can make up their own minds I feel you can only help people who want to be helped. I feel your methods are similar instead of forcing the horse to do something you show the horse you as a leader and give them the confidence to overcome it on their terms in a way that they can learn.

My personal achievement was to canter with a bareback pad and a head collar; it took a long time to pluck up the courage. I could manage a walk and a trot but worried about the transition. Now I have confidence to canter and change direction with a few trots in between without feeling unbalanced. Not quite a flying change yet!

I’m learning to say thank you to the horses as I’m riding especially when I’m not making my aids clear as I still bounce on occasion!
The loose schooling has helped me tremendously. I was worried about lunging in case I got it wrong and the horse did something I couldn’t cope with. Loose schooling feels much better as there are no lines to get tangled up. If I ride and feel isn’t listening I have the confidence to change the situation in my favour for example to do loose schooling.

Effect on the horses
Very profound effect, both much calmer in stable and the field.
Man being the boss always biting and kicking at Ash if he felt remotely stressed.
In winter when wet and windy and something spooked them he would round up Ash not let us catch him. He hasn’t done this in a while but if he does I just instigate a halt as if loose schooling he’d stop so can catch him and bring him in.
At the moment they are both changing tactics Man has learnt that these big shows of power and overreactions don’t wash. If he’s been push too far we go back to the beginning and deal with it slowly in his time so he learns to deal with it.

A big breakthrough was not going through water, after a great downpour the school had flooded in places, I was loose schooling I asked him to go through it he avoided the water. I stopped him in front of it and let him look, sniff, play with it we did this a couple of times then asked him to go though eventually he offered it – lots of praise followed. We have now walked, trotted through the water!.

Effect on family life I feel happier both daughter have improved their position and so much happier/confident and enjoying the horses.
It’s been a challenging but enjoyable journey of learning about ourselves as well as the horses. It has been hardest to look at the problems encountered with the horses then look closely at ourselves and often we’re the cause of it. I feel this is the first obstacle people have to get over when deciding to use your methods.
It is humbling to think what horses endure and still they want to please.