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I am grateful for the expertise given to me by the following people that was invaluable when training coachng and awswers  to my many questions enabling me to develop/further my training skills/methodology:

 

• My Grand Father - John Doiron “Blacksmith Draft horse trainer” and my uncle Tony LeBlanc, Blacksmith Head Standardbred trainer for the Kennedy family also several race tracks in Nova Scotia.

• The Dorrance Brothers - Tom and Bill considered the founders of the modern natural horsemanship movement. Born and raised on an Oregon cattle ranch with a background in the They promoted natural, gentle methods of horse training, emphasizing "feel" of the horse and observation of its responses to the handler.

• Ray Hunt is said to be Tom Dorrance's best-known student.  Ray Hunt is famous for starting each clinic with the statement "I'm here for the horse, to help him get a better deal." He also liked to say "make the wrong thing difficult and the right thing easy.  His philosophy has been interpreted as "If you get bucked off or kicked or bitten, you obviously did something wrong.  The horse, on the other hand, is never wrong".  The idea that "the horse is never wrong" is often misunderstood by people who think Ray was talking about the horse's behaviour, he was rather meaning the horse's reaction to human behaviour. The horse always interprets human actions in the moment, they don't think about the past or future in the way that people do. So, their reactions to what is happening in the moment is always pure, they reflect what the human did with the utmost integrity. If we want to change the horse, we should first change ourselves. As Ray said "it's easy to change the horse, but it's hard to change the human".

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Are you ready to improve your; Relationship, Handling, Training & Riding?  

 

I have put together a complete "beginning to end" training program including tips. The lesson objectives are clear and the steps easy to follow. I look to eliminate the guesswork from training a horse. In my Manual I discuss and describe the steps it takes to "educate” a horse.  I use the term "educated" to mean one that has perfect respect, perfect trust, and an endless skill set; a lofty goal that you should always work toward. This is a true foundation program; it is ideal for any horse. In a natural sequence you can take; a range horse, backyard pet or performance prospect through these steps and give him the start that he deserves. This program isn't about being fast or slow, hard or soft, it's about the horse and what's best for him. Each lesson presented explains what the goal is, why it is important and how to teach it. I hear the case that "every horse is different" and that no one plan can suit all of them. This idea is only half accurate. It is true that your pressure levels may have to vary from horse to horse and that each one will test you in ways you never imagined, but your objectives remain exactly the same: gain respect, build trust and develop a skill set.

 

 This is not a "cookie cutter" program by any means—in fact, by understanding the objectives and steps, you will be able to complete each one in a variety of ways. I will give you clear instruction in order for you to concentrate on your horse and his progress. This horsemanship user guide is a result of lessons learned throughout history, with the distinct advantage of information sharing. I have had the benefit of personal instruction, books, articles, videos, Internet communication, clinics, formal schooling and hands on proven experience. I am also able to draw from various fields of study ranging from agricultural sciences to equine psychology. Horsemanship still requires large amounts of time on the horse, but you no longer have to limit your learning to the saddle.

Through a deeper understanding of how horses learn, what their natural instincts are and how to keep them healthier, the more effective this modern training will be.  I cannot over emphasize the fair application of pressure and small progressive learning steps. As you find success through these lessons, you will learn how to gauge pressure and pace yourself while teaching. 

Best regards,

 John Forgeron