Listening and learning

How do we listen to horses?

Paula Clements the ceo here at Lingfield has taught many people to ride and care for horses. Her aim is that everyone should learn that a gentle approach to riding and caring for horses is the right way.  Dominance is not the way.

Paula said, ‘Women especially should know about and be aware of this dominance issue.  Over the years women have often been dominated and many accepted it – but we are moving on now.  Why should we think we can and should dominate our horses.  We should be working with them not dominating them.  We should not be asking them to submit to our will but to work with us.  Submission is often seen in the horse world and horses learn that to submit means they have an easier life in some ways – but it is not the life of a horse nor one we would choose as women.’

Paula continued ‘We should all listen to our horses and that means to really listen – via our brain using awareness and mindfulness and when riding, with our hands and fingers and our whole body – we really must try to be more aware as riders and owners.  We can learn what they are telling us if we care to or take time to listen’.

The care of the horse is just as important – their body language and facial expressions are ways they will tell us.  We try to impart this awareness in the Equine Care & Management courses too.  These offer busy people a way to take a course yet still keep on top of their life commitments, horses, work, family etc.  They offer totally flexible completion dates and you can even take a break from the course if you wish.

Check the link out – you will see just how comprehensive and flexible our courses are.  We work with you to take our courses.  No time limits involved.

Recently Paula spoke with an old client who now has children of her own.  The client very obviously cares about her riding and is encouraging her daughter to ride her pony as sympathetically and empathetically as possible.  In a recent conversation she told Paula what it meant to her to have had that good grounding from Paula when she was a child. When someone says to you – what you taught me about soft hands as a child rider made a big impression and into the rider I am today . 😌

— Paula Clements /Lingfield Equine Distance Learning (@HorseStudy) April 29, 2021