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Gallery
Paisan. What he is doing is "laterals" without rope and halter. We should not do that because the horse should feel the rope. But he somehow is easier to work this way. Again, a superb example how every horse is different when it comes to training.
My 8-year old asil Arabian gelding, Nebras. He is a beautiful, temperamental, sometimes fiery horse, yet he has learned to control himself! Give the horse the choice of finding their own limits and brakes! Never spoon-feed it!
Walking in the forest builds relationship and trust and also helps developing our leading skills. A forest environment is a very challenging one. So many happening, so many insecurities. When we can lead a horse through this, we can pretty well lead him through anything. This is the first step to trail riding!
Trust between friends, Sophie and her beloved Paisan. They have developed a special relationship and Paisan is so comfortable even in his most vulnerable position that this speaks for itself. Sophie should pet him down and sit on him like this one day...
True love - Sophie is allowed to do anything with Paisan. Horse gives us feedback every day. look how comfortable Paisan is when Sophie is "invading" his private zone and bubble. Horses also have a bubble we should always ask permission to enter!
First seconds with an explosive, attacking stallion...He had some issues most of which had to do with disrespect for humans. He made it clear!
...12 minutes later. Now he has accepted me as his leader, a rank above him and behaved accordingly.
First moments with half-wild Nebras (totally dirty having been just brought in from the range)...Nebras is a honey. But he has been out there in the range for the first 7 years of his life without actual training at all. At this point he is rebelling and not very happy. It is a good start! Notice that he works with me out of his own will. This is what I call "looking for leadership"!
...less than 10 minutes later...Now he is happy. He found his place in "my" herd. He is joining me for an easier life and being led by a leader.
...Next day...He is working with me only because he has decided to follow me. Now his life is easier and mine is harder. Congrats Nebras! You found your place in this world that had been so frightening until yesterday!
...2 days later out in the range. Nebras is a clear horse with clear body language. He demonstrates how he wishes to be my subordinate, affording him with all benefits he clearly understands!
Paisan is the clown of the bunch...bringing my lasso rope to me. Paisan is a standup comedian. He is so funny, he makes me laugh every day. He is a honey but with severe issues that took three years of hard work for me to address!
Paisan, Mareq and I spending quality time. We have to watch them to learn about them! Mareq is the undisputed leader of our herd. He has the leader quality. He is always on the lookout! Nobody will ever get hurt under his watch!
Paisan undergoing specific training in order to address his specific issues. Akhals...The greyhound of horses...Paisan needed to grow inside and develop. Now he is one of our best horses. First we met, he bucked me of so many times, I lost count! Now he is a gorgeous saddle horse with Sophie as his rider. And God, is he fast?!
Everything Paisan enjoys, oats for dinner and Sophie near by. Sophie spends lots of time with him. He is her horse and she is his human and now that is official. He accepted her with joy and approved from the first moment. Imagine a 16-year old with limited riding experience on a hot blooded Akhal! But Paisan takes care of her.
The saying goes "green on green makes blue and black". Paisan made it clear that he is ready to take care of Sophie and would never hurt her. He is helping her with issues rooted in lack of experience to handle an Akhal. In fact he helps her a lot and very patient to give her the opportunity to learn together.
Akhal horses! Temperamental, playful ... fly with the wind. I have never seen faster horses or more gracious ...They have the character and a very challenging personality. No other breed comes closer to be the perfect saddle horse ... if handled properly. They are not an easy bunch but gorgeous inside and out! They taught me so much about horse training! They are demanding and will only work with the best of trainers! Like I said...not an easy bunch! Their character is what I look for in a horse. They are one of the oldest breed in the world other than asil Arabian. They are an endangered breed now and one of the reason for it is that they need a special approach and training most people do not want to take on or have no feeling or basic perception for. These were the horses of the Hun hordes and when I started working with them they made it so clear what their special needs are. So few rider will take on this challenge. They are the perfect horses to train if you know how to find a path to their soul!
The very first time Paisan met my daughter Sophie in the "Puszta", a range in Hungary where close to one hundred Akhals run free. It was obvious from the beginning that they had fall in love. In spite of the fact that I was perfectly aware what issues Paisan had at the time, I decided to buy him for Sophie.
It took me three years to decode him and reprogram him. But is is worth it! I trust him with the life of my daughter now!
Paisan and Sophie cooling themselves in a brutally hot summer day. Having fun all the time!
Building up Paisan from ground zero. Given that they are the most intelligent horses in the world it is always easy to work with him. He is willing and loves working...also very stubborn. It was the old triggers time in his mind I needed to delete.
Under a western rig ever. Mareq is probably one of the best working horse I have ever had the pleasure to meet.
Even when your horses run free on the range for a week or two, without "bells and hubbles", they should remember who your are and you should be able to handle them, halter them, lead them off.
When your horse sees you on the range he should always come to you. It is a good practice. Daniela and her beloved Mareq!
When horse and rider work together they develop a very special relationship. Our Mareq and Daniela.
As we use to say in the military: "We do not salute the man, we salute the rank"! Mareq is a born leader, a very strong character, very stable and balanced. Yet he knows perfectly well how to bow in front of her queen! Even when we are not working, only having some leisure and pleasure together horses should always remember their position and pay respect to us.
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Videos
These videos are teasers of what a horse and I do. They are amateur videos that we made for ourselves. They do, however show what horse and man are capable of doing. So I thought that in spite of their quality they might demonstrate of my work in a real sense.
I also offer what I call "Morning Talks" when I talk about a variety of aspects of horse training and common mistakes people make or misunderstandings, misconceptions. Hope it helps.
Nebras had contact with people before he met me but had to that point lived his life in the open range for 7 years. When we first met he had the spirit and independence, he seemed very stable and balanced. He quickly gave up his free but "all alone in this world" attitude and joined me as his leader for a much easier and much more comfortable life. he is a beauty inside and out.
The following two videos are a taste of how he progressed and how ever so rapidly.
"He who moves the feet of the other is the leader and boss"
Normally one should never push a stallion to the point where he feels challenged. When I entered the round pen I had to decide very quickly what I will do, given this stallions's reputation. I decided to challenge him and fight it out. It was not a rash decision, it was the only one I could make. Do not try this at home!
Only a few minutes into our first meeting ever he became more manageable but he still retained his habit of whining and yelling in my ears. He quickly found out that it is not ok with me. I made it hard for him and sent him out to work more. Intelligent as he is, he learned very fast that it doesn't pay. So he started behaving. I gave him the choice to find his own answers to his problems. He did.
Why did I make such big thing out of it? As long as he is looking outside, whining to other horses he actually is not present. He is not particularly disrespectful but he focuses still on himself. I will not have that!
I saw how this horse was "leading people" and was overrunning them. I watched his behavior before I entered the round pen. Now he fell in line and is in a secure distance behind me, respecting my bubble. It took 12 minutes front start to finish. I am proud of him.
Today I am talking about how we often confuse separation anxiety of our horse with affection or love
Today I am talking about connecting with the horse, being present and synchronize...and what all this means
A little different approach to bonding, synchronizing and connecting