Overview This document introduces the fundamental principle of the Art of Natural Dressage (AND): before asking anything from a horse, a human must first become interesting and inspiring. The goal is to shift from training through pressure to fostering a voluntary, mutual relationship where the horse chooses to engage. Key Concepts • No Demands, Just…

Teaching Yourself and Your Horse How to Use Food Rewards *Note: Food rewards are not a necessary part of training and with some horse even better to not use. When starting with food rewards, the exercises below help the horse understand what the reward is for, when to expect it, and how to avoid mugging…

Many horse owners struggle with their horses being overly focused on grass, making it difficult to maintain attention and interaction. This discussion explores how to turn grass from a source of frustration into an advantage by integrating it into training. The Grazing Game Instead of battling the horse’s desire for grass, the method associates grazing…

Overview This document explores the use of role-playing games as a way to interact with horses in a fun, engaging, and meaningful way. Instead of traditional training exercises, the approach mimics real-world scenarios, allowing horses to participate in imaginative activities that foster natural communication and cooperation. Key Concepts • Purpose-Driven Play: The goal is not…

As high-energy play is not always suitable for every horse or situation, this discussion collects ideas for calm games—activities that are engaging and fun but require minimal energy. These games can serve as breaks between focused training sessions. Examples of Calm Games 1. Object Interaction • Picking up and moving objects like balls, cones, or…

Overview This document focuses on methods for working with horses that are fearful, traumatized, or anxious. The emphasis is on patience, invitation (rather than pressure), and allowing the horse to regain confidence through voluntary participation. Key Concepts • Drawing, Not Pushing: Instead of asking a horse to move away, encourage movement towards the human using…

This discussion explores various ways to begin interactions with horses, highlighting different approaches based on mutual trust, curiosity, and natural play. Key Approaches to Starting Interaction 1. Just Being with Your Horse • Spending time together without asking for anything builds trust. • Observing the horse in its environment helps develop mutual understanding. • Horses…

This discussion collects safety measures used when playing with horses, emphasizing awareness, communication, and individual approaches to maintaining safety. Key Safety Approaches 1. Maintaining Continuous Communication • Always check if the horse is responding to subtle body language cues. • Adjust interaction based on the horse’s awareness and responsiveness. • If a horse stops reacting,…

This discussion explores how to handle pushy horse behavior while maintaining a positive relationship. Instead of viewing pushiness as dominance or aggression, it is framed as a misunderstanding about personal space that can be corrected with clear, consistent communication. Key Approaches to Managing Pushy Behavior 1. Defining Personal Space Clearly • Humans have an invisible…

This discussion explores how to encourage politeness in horses by using mutual awareness and soft, clear communication rather than corrections or dominance-based methods. Key Approaches to Encouraging Politeness 1. Modeling Politeness Instead of Correcting Behavior • Instead of focusing on stopping unwanted behaviors, the approach emphasizes demonstrating the desired behavior and leading by example. •…