Explore
Start the conversation
Explore is the first step in the HorseFirst™ pathway - and often the most powerful.
Before we change anything in our riding, we first need to understand what we are already bringing to the saddle. Most riders are unaware of how their body influences the horse. Old injuries, tension we’ve normalised, asymmetries, or habits developed over years quietly shape how we sit, move, and communicate with the horse.
The horse feels all of this, often long before we do.
Explore is where we begin to notice. It is an observational and often eye-opening process, where riders start to understand the conversation their body has been having with the horse all along.
When problems arise, most riders believe the next step is to work harder, or maybe ...
Ride another lesson
Strengthen the core
Stretch more
Try a different bit
Buy a new saddle
Ask for more collection
Sometimes the most important changes in riding begin with simply noticing what has always been there.
But what if .....
..... the first step isn't changing anything at all?
What if the first step is simply understanding?
Here's what we may explore together
You
Nervous System
Feet
Breathing
Horse
Tack
History & Goals
Posture, movement patterns and how you influence you horse in and out of the saddle.
How your nervous system influences your vision, clance, reactions, focus and confidence.
How your feet move,connect and support the rest of your body in daily life and while in the saddle.
How you breathe and how it affects tension, clarity and performance.
Movement, posture and behaviour clues that reveal how your horse feels and copes.
How your tack fits, influences movement and supports (or restriccts) you and the horse.
Your story so far, your horse's story and where you want to head to next.
How we start the conversation.
A detailed process that helps us understand the whole picture together, so we can create the right plan for you, for the right reasons.
1. observe
2. assess
3. understand
We watch how you and your horse move, both on the ground and in the saddle.
Posture, movement patterns and how you influence you horse in and out of the saddle.
We put the pieces together so we truly understand what's going on.
To understand the root drivers behind your movement patterns, and begin to build a roadmap of how we will create lasting change for you and your horse.
"The horse never stopped talking... we just forgot how to listen."
The goal of our conversation ...
Explore is where the conversation begins again.