EQWINE ESCAPES

10/04/2025

It's quite profound to realise the transformative power of simply being present with our equine companions, isn't it? It's almost as if the most impactful lesson they impart isn't about action or training, but rather about the art of stillness. In a world that constantly demands our doing, our striving, our achieving, the ability to simply be in the company of our beloved horses becomes a truly revolutionary act.
Think about it – at the heart of our connection with these magnificent creatures lies a deep yearning for uncomplicated companionship. Stripped away are the pressures of performance, the expectations of progress. What remains is the pure, unadulterated joy of shared space, the quiet understanding that passes between species.
In our human-centric existence, we've often lost touch with this fundamental state of just being. Our minds are perpetually occupied with tasks, worries, and future plans, leaving little room for the simple pleasure of existing in the present moment. Our horses, however, reside so beautifully in that present. They aren't concerned with yesterday's mistakes or tomorrow's challenges; they are simply here, in this field, under this sky, with us.
Perhaps the greatest gift they offer us is this gentle invitation to shed our human complexities, to quiet the incessant chatter within, and to rediscover that innate ability to simply be. It's in these moments of quiet presence, observing their gentle grazes, feeling the warmth of their breath, or simply sharing the silence, that the deepest connections are forged and a profound sense of peace washes over us. It truly is a game changer to realize that sometimes, the most meaningful interactions arise not from what we do, but from the simple act of being together.

Warwick Schiller's Attuned Horsemanship I learned this from you. My horses and I offer our deepest gratitude 🙏

DOING NOTHING IS AN ACTION

Yesterday I published a post on something I termed "Inappropriate Touching" that went a little viral, being shared 3,000 times in 24 hours (you can read that post here https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1274647950690356&set=a.269604291194732).

It was about missing what the horse was offering, and instead trying to touch a part of the horse that they weren't offering. The picture I used was taken at the Horse World Expo in Pennsylvania recently.

Today I want to share a picture of a different demo horse from that expo.

This is a 10 year old Warmblood mare who was a broodmare, and has recently been started under saddle. The owner says she drags everyone around, has severe attention issues, and always has her head up looking around.

That's at home on familiar turf, so you can imagine what she was like at the horse expo. When the mare and her handler came in, the mare couldn't stand still, and her head was straight up in the air looking around. As I usually do at horse expos, if I have an hour session, I usually let the handler lead the horse around (or try and stand still) for the first half an hour, so the audience can really see that the horse is not settled , and isn't going to.

Then I take over.

With this mare, when I took a hold of the lead rope, she immediately greeted me with her nose, which I reciprocated with my hand (Action #1). She then walked off away from me and as she tightened the lead rope, I used my flag to draw her thoughts back to where her body was, so getting her to be present (Action #2). These 2 actions are part of a flow chart I have on my website, which is basically a flow chart for appropriate responses to things your horse does.

These 2 things happened twice more in the first 5 minutes of me handling her, so I did a total of 4 quite subtle things.

And then I waited.

The photo of the mare shows the result after about 20 minutes or so.

The next day I posted the photo on Facebook and said a little about it, and someone asked if I'd videod the session. I replied that I hadn't, and didn't really need to, as I didn't do anything I hadn't captured many times on video and put in my video library on my website.

They said they were in the audience, and that they didn't really see me do much, so must have missed something. I had to point out I only did 4 things (which was actually 2 little things, twice each).

It's more about what I didn't do, that the handler had been doing.

I didn't hold the lead rope short or try to control her (the handler had been doing quite a bit of this).

When she stood there and pawed the ground (which she did quite a bit) I didn't do anything (the handler had been trying to correct that).

When she stood with her head high looking around, I didn't do anything (the handler had been trying to get her attention). Actually I looked at what she was looking at, so I suppose there I did do something.

When she chewed on the lead rope, I didn't do anything (The handler had tried to get it out of her mouth).

When she sidepassed up really close to me, I didn't do anything (the handler had stepped away from her when she did this).

And in relation to yesterdays viral post, I didn't touch her, I didn't pet her, I didn't rub her, and I didn't console her (the handler had been doing quite a bit of this), except for the 2 brief times she touched me with he nose.

In the half an hour I was handling her, those 4 little things I did happened in the first 5 minutes.

The rest of the time I did nothing.

After a while she started having the big yawning releases one often sees with the Masterson Method work. She yawned. And yawned. And yawned.

Then her head started to drop into the posture you see in the picture.

And I said to the audience "Doing nothing IS an action", and it's a very powerful one at that. Then I sat down and crossed my legs, for no other reason than to prove to the audience that I wasn't doing anything to her to get her to stand there.

Many people struggle to be in the presence of their horse without doing something. If there's a problem, they want to fix it. if there's not one, they want to fiddle and groom and touch (remember yesterdays post). Many times these well meaning owners (and the handler of this horse was lovely and well meaning) are doing a lot of work to try to resolve their horses anxiety issues, and many times the incessant fiddling and grooming and touching is part of the problem.

Sometimes the most helpful thing you can do is be a human being, instead of a human doing.

If you are interested in my work, everything I do is available on video and in courses at videos.warwickschiller.com

09/04/2025

THIS 👌

INAPPROPRIATE TOUCHING

I'm reading an amazing book called Amphibious Soul by Craig Foster, the Academy award winning documentary film maker of "My Octopus Teacher".

If you haven't read it, I highly recommend it, it is simply profound.

In the book he says "As a rule, I never touch an animal unless they touch me first".

In my work building relationship with horses, I do this too. Most times a horse will touch you with their nose/muzzle first, and matching that greeting (versus labelling the horse as a biter) is a game changer.

But there's a phenomenon I have noticed going on with people trying to build relationship with their horses that I have labelled "inappropriate touching", and it looks a bit like the photo below.

This picture was taken at a horse expo in Pennsylvania recently, where I worked with a demo horse who has a "biting issue". He would reaching out in a way that his owner was termed as nipping, whereas I interpreted as him saying hello, similar to reaching out to shake hands with someone.

When he reached out I would greet him with a flat hand that he is able to to nuzzle, lick or even scrape his teeth on. After doing this a while his snappy acting motions got less so, and he was no longer needing to say "hey, pay attention" , but was more "hey, how's it going". I was explaining to the audience that I was meeting him in the way that he was meeting me (with his muzzle) and that it's not an invitation to touch other parts (yet).

I then said that it's many people's default to reach up and rub a horse between the eyes, whether that's what they are offering or not, and that if you do, it's inappropriate touching and it gets in the way of connection. It doesn't meet their needs, and is all about yours.

With the horse in the picture, he'd been engaging me with his muzzle, and I said to the audience "watch what happens when I try to rub him between the eyes". As you can see in the photo, he has raised his head up and is clearly indicating "No, not there, on my muzzle".

We had a Connection And Attunement retreat here at the Journey On Ranch a week ago, and I used my wife Robyn to illustrate this point to the participants. I said "imagine I'm at a gathering and meeting Robyn for the first time". We walked up to each other in that way people do when they see someone new and they can tell an introduction is shaping up, Robyn reached out with her hand to say hello and instead of me reaching out to shake her hand, I gently reached up and lightly brushed a wisp of hair from her cheekbone and tucked it behind her ear.

The participants all gasped and the ick factor was high.

Even though it was caring, and gentle, it was inappropriate at that moment.

Now Im not saying you can't rub your horse on the forehead. I'm saying if your horse has a disregulated nervous system around humans because they don't feel seen (and safe), try to meet their needs first, before trying get get yours met.

I recently saw an instagram post from a University in the UK, and the professor was explaining that they were doing studies on horses to determine levels of stress. In the background a horse was standing with his head out over a Dutch door. While he was explaining their investigations on stress, a female student (or maybe another professor, I don't know which) walked up to the horse. The horse reached out with his muzzle to greet her.

She ignored this and reached up to rub the horse between the eyes.

He turned his head 90 degrees to the left to communicate that wasn't what he was offering.

Her hand followed him and kept rubbing.

he then turned his head 180 degrees to the right, saying "No, not like that".

Smiled, gave him another pet between the eyes, and walked of camera.

While the professor was saying that they are doing experiments determining the amounts of stress horses are under, someone in the background was actually creating stress, without either of them even knowing it.

Once you understand how sentient horses are, and how subtle their communication, you can't unsee it.

26/03/2025

This photograph beautifully illustrates the environment we strive to create for our horses each day.

A species-appropriate environment provides companionship, ample grazing, and freedom, all of which are evident in this image. Friends, Forage, Freedom.

It brings me great joy to observe their daily choices, from deciding when to drink, graze, seek shelter, or remain in the open, to determining when, where, and how to rest and play, and even which companions to approach or avoid.

They feel secure enough to rest even in the middle of the day, or to choose not to, as they please.

Ultimately, these factors contribute to their sense of independence and allow them to live fulfilling lives to the best of our ability.

25/03/2025

We were absolutely delighted to host such wonderful guests on our unforgettable horse trek through the Shoalhaven. From the thrill of cantering through the whispering bush trails to the sheer joy of sailing across endless stretches of golden sand, every moment was pure bliss. 🐎✨

But the adventure didn't stop there! Evenings were spent indulging in the finest local wines 🍷 and savouring the most delicious, mouthwatering meals. 🍽️ It was a feast for the senses, both in the saddle and around the table.
Watching our guests connect with the horses and the breathtaking landscapes filled our hearts. Their laughter, their smiles, and their shared love for horsey adventures made this trek truly special. It even ignited a renewed passion for horses for some guests.

Thank you for creating such beautiful memories with us!

Here’s to more horsey time, more canters, and more unforgettable moments. Cheers! 🥂

21/03/2025

A thrill courses through the air, a palpable sense of excitement that can only mean one thing: tomorrow, the curtain rises on our 2025 season!

Bernie and I are absolutely bursting with joy, our hearts overflowing with anticipation as we prepare to unveil the wonders of our world to you. We've poured our souls into crafting an experience that will captivate your senses and leave you with memories to cherish for a lifetime.

And of course, a special mention to our magnificent equine companions, the true stars of our show! These gentle giants, with their unwavering loyalty and boundless patience, will be receiving an abundance of extra kisses and affectionate pats for their invaluable role in carrying our cherished guests through the breathtaking landscapes of the great Shoalhaven. Their steady hooves and kind spirits are the very foundation of our journey, and we couldn't be more grateful for their unwavering dedication.

So, prepare yourselves for an unforgettable adventure, filled with laughter, discovery, and the magic of the Shoalhaven. We can't wait to welcome you!

02/03/2025

Our five-day ride begins with a connection session and groundwork. The following post reinforces the idea that building a relaxed and receptive partnership begins on the ground, a concept now supported by scientific research.

The Researchers concluded that 'perhaps horses trained in groundwork had more trust in their riders'

“Horses regularly trained with ground work are more relaxed when ridden”

A recent study of dressage horses in Germany that looked at rein length and tension revealed a surprising finding: horses who were regularly trained in ground work/in-hand work had lower heart rates during ridden work than all of the other participating horses. This wasn’t what the researchers were investigating, but it was clear in the results. From this, the researchers concluded that, “Perhaps horses trained in ground work had more trust in their rider.”

So why would it be true that horses who regularly learn via ground work/in-hand work are more relaxed? There are a few possibilities.

1) Horses trained regularly with ground work are more relaxed because their trainers are more relaxed. It’s possible that humans who take the time to teach their horses from the ground are less goal oriented and more concerned with the process. They may be more relaxed in general and foster this same relaxation in their horses. As you are, so is your horse.

2) Horses trained regularly with ground work have trainers who are more educated about a horse’s balance.

Their horses learn to move in correct balance which allows them to be healthy and sound in their bodies and, therefore, more relaxed. Physical balance is emotional balance.

3) Horses trained regularly with ground work understand the trainer’s criteria better. They have mastered the response to an aid before the rider mounts and know the “right answer” already once under saddle. They don’t experience any conflict when the rider asks for a behavior because the neural pathway has already been installed. They are more relaxed about being ridden because it rarely has caused confusion for them.

For us highly visual humans I think that ground work is often a better way to begin exercises because we are much better at seeing our horse doing the right thing than feeling it from the saddle. Often, my feel in the saddle is enhanced by the fact that I have watched my horse perform an exercise over and over in our in-hand work. It feels how it looks. In-hand work is also a good way to teach our horses because our own bodies are often more in balance when we are walking beside our horses. With the ground under our feet we are able to be more relaxed if something goes wrong and less likely to be so busy wrapped up in our own balance that we give our horses conflicting or confusing aids. It’s a good place to figure things out. I am a huge fan of in-hand work.

I’m glad to learn research revealed ground work is good for horses. Horses with a low heart rate are relaxed and relaxed horses perform better and live longer. In this day and age of people starting horses under saddle in under an hour and increasing monetary rewards for the “young horse dressage program“, everything seems to be done in a hurry. The entire horse culture seems to privilege “getting up there and riding your horse”. But as one of my favorite writers and accomplished horsewoman, Teresa Tsimmu Martino writes, “In today’s horse culture there are clinics that brag about starting a c**t in a day, as if the quickness of it was the miracle. But old horse people know it takes years to create art. Horses as great masterpieces are not created in a day. An artist does not need to rush.” We need more scientific studies like this one to encourage us to slow down and take our time with our horses.

So why were the horses in the study more relaxed? Likely it was a combination of all three factors – a relaxed trainer, better overall balance and clear understanding of criteria.

These are things that matter to your horse, and yes, will allow him to trust you when you ride. Take some time to slow down and work from the ground, learn a bit more about equine balance and teach new things in-hand before asking for them under saddle. You can take your riding to a whole new level and help your horse become more healthy and relaxed in the process.” - from the article by Jen of Spellbound Horses https://spellboundhorses.com/2013/03/07/horses-regularly-trained-with-ground-work-are-more-relaxed-when-ridden/

01/03/2025

Can't wait to do this again in 3 weeks' time with our guests! 🤩

28/02/2025

Cute as a button Bernie and I, Bay of Islands, New Zealand.
Next stop, Botswana 🦓🐆🦒🐘

21/02/2025

Wild horses of New Zealand.

📸 Karen on our Twin Coast Ride