Last night I galloped off to Sparsholt in the pouring rain to catch a lecture/ demo by Emma Massingale. She really is a rising star and to watch her with her team of grey Connemaras and her Falabellas, not to forget Itsy the Sports Horse, is a real joy. As usual, I want to know, okay, so how did you arrive at that level of subtlety and she was only too willing to tell us and show us. She takes advantage of a moment, a moment when the horse wants to lie down to roll, or wants to stand still after work, in order to teach the horse to lie down on cue or to stand and park. She uses pressure and release and food treats, but not in abundance, to refine what she wants to achieve. I can live with a horse being taught to lie down in this way and with her carrying a whip as a method of comunicating with the horses very very lightly. It was a joy to watch and to listen to.
Emma's training and riding goes far beyond what is considered to be normal and traditional in horsemanship. She's mad and entirely sensible at the same time.
Emma Massingale Video
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