Jenee Edwards Equine Coach

31/05/2026

Part 2 – Letting the Herd Happen

Over the last few months, I started noticing a calmness within Harry and what felt like a genuine desire for companionship again.

Harry and Crosby had been living in paddocks side-by-side with only a laneway between them, and I began noticing they were starting to behave more like a herd. Harry would follow Crosby along his side of the fence when grazing, walking to water, or even when resting.

That’s when I thought maybe now is the time.

So I decided to try putting them together again.

And wow, what a difference.

Harry was still cautious, but this time he was open to interaction with Crosby rather than trying to avoid it completely. I watched them closely for over an hour before feeding them, thinking dinner time might trigger unwanted behaviour, but it didn’t.

They each went to their own feed bins, ate quietly, and then wandered over to share the leftovers together.

Then came the part that truly surprised me.

They started grooming each other, and groomed and groomed. For nearly an hour. It was incredible to watch.

It’s now been a week, and the dynamic is already changing. We’ve gone from Crosby doing “baby talk” toward Harry, to Crosby starting to step into the role of lead horse.

It will be interesting to see what the next few weeks bring as Harry allows himself to relax and simply be himself again. Or perhaps he’ll find comfort in Crosby taking on that leadership role, much like Chips once did. She was always the quiet, steady mother figure of the herd, and maybe Harry found security in that.

Watching horses build relationships in their own time is pretty special. 💙

31/05/2026

Part 1 – Four Years in the Making

It has been four years in the making, but I’m so glad these two are finally able to share some time together. 💙

Horses are herd animals and generally thrive with companionship. Harry had always been with his sister, Chips, until she sadly passed away last year.

Over the years, I had tried introducing Crosby into the small herd, but three was definitely a crowd. Harry was very protective of both Chips and me, and it became unsafe for both Crosby and myself. So I stopped pushing it.

After Chips passed away, I gave Harry time to grieve. You could clearly see he wasn’t happy being alone, but he also wasn’t comfortable being placed with the others either.

Gradually, though, I started noticing little changes in his behaviour toward Crosby.

One day, I introduced them in the yards before letting them spend some time together in the arena. I repeated this a few times, and with each interaction they became a little more comfortable around one another.

Harry seemed curious, but cautious. He didn’t want to show too much affection, but he also wasn’t being overly defensive anymore. He wasn’t ready for mutual grooming or the closeness horses often show with companions, but it was progress.

Eventually, I tried putting them in a paddock together. For Harry, though, that step was still too much. He wanted out and back to his own paddock, so I listened and agreed.

Sometimes progress isn’t about pushing through.
Sometimes it’s about giving them space to work through things in their own time. 💙

23/04/2026

Rider Nerves & Being Hard on Yourself

We talk a lot about the horse’s feeling, but not always our own.

Rider nerves are real. So is that feeling of disappointment when things don’t go how you planned, when you thought you’d be further along, braver, or more confident than you are in that moment.

I’ve felt it too and it doesn't just disappear because you’ve done it before.

That moment where you question yourself.
Wonder if you’re holding your horse back.
Or feel frustrated that something that “should be easy” suddenly isn’t.

But horses don’t measure us against our past.
They meet us exactly where we are, in that moment.

They don’t care about timelines, expectations, or what you think you should be able to do. They respond to what you bring in that moment. And if that includes nerves, tension, or hesitation, they feel that too.

So instead of pushing through or being hard on yourself, sometimes the best thing you can do is:

Acknowledge it
Adjust the plan
And give both you and your horse space to reset

Because confidence isn’t built by forcing your way through fear.
It’s built by listening, regrouping, and coming back better prepared.

Some days the win isn’t what you achieved, it’s that you showed up, recognised where you were at, and chose to do right by your horse anyway.

Be as kind to yourself as you are to them. 💙🧚‍♀️

29/03/2026

We talk a lot about getting horses to “do things”…
But how often do we think about how they "feel in their body"?

A horse with good proprioception:
• Knows where their feet are
• Can adjust to different footing, obstacles and environments
• Stays more regulated because they feel organised, not overwhelmed

When they’re not in their body, you’ll often see: rushing, tripping, tension, overreacting or checking out.
This can be dangerous. 🥺

This moment here 👇
Sniffing, pausing, taking it in…
This is a horse "thinking".
Mapping their environment.
Working out where their body needs to go.

This isn’t resistance, it’s awareness.

This isn’t about pushing through… it’s about giving them the space to *find themselves*.

Slowing things down
Letting them investigate
Building confidence through understanding

Because when a horse can feel their body… they can start to use it properly.
And that’s where everything else starts to fall into place. 💜

29/03/2026

**When to rug? 🤔**

I don’t normally rug my horses, I prefer to keep things as natural as possible. They’re usually happier that way… until they’re not.

This week has been a different story 😳
The botflies have been *next level*. Eggs everywhere, flanks, tummies, necks, you name it.

Harry in particular has been really feeling it, even dropping some weight from constantly trying to escape them.

So today, rugs are on. Not for warmth, but for protection.

A good reminder that “natural” still needs to be flexible. It’s about what the horse needs *right now*, not sticking rigidly to a plan.

28/03/2026

Enjoyed the lovely views of the Cathedral Ranges this morning while instructing some enthusiastic 3PE riders.

The colder weather was welcome and made me glad I'm no longer teaching over the Summer.

Think I might need to explore this mountain range at some stage. 🤩

26/02/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/185KvGvpCL/

Going Back Is Going Forward 🙌

Yesterday I was volunteering at my local dressage club, sitting in a car that had all the ambience of a slow cooker on high. Beside me was a judge doing what good judges do. Encouraging. Educating. Rewarding the good. Gently pointing out where the basics had quietly packed their bags and left the building.
At one point, dripping in humidity and wisdom, they shared something they often say to riders:

Riding above your level without the basics is like being a white belt in karate entering a blue belt competition. You would not do it because you might get punched in the face. But we do it all the time with horses.

Their common advice is simple. Master what comes before the level you are attempting.

Fair.

In dressage, metaphorically the rider does not get punched.

The horse does.😎

Because when the movement exceeds the foundation and the gymnastic capacity, strength, and fitness that should support it, we compensate. We hold. We haul. We kick harder. We pull straighter. We deploy “encouragement” that looks suspiciously like force.

All because we skipped the white belt. And the mastery that quietly builds at each level on the way up.

If the horse is tense and pulling like a train, your canter chaotic, your simple change requiring divine intervention, and shoulder in has you online searching for longer spurs, it is not because your horse woke up plotting sabotage.

It is because the basics are not baked yet.

And basics are not sexy.

They are reins and a bit that do not function as a permanent handbrake.
Transitions that whisper instead of shout.
Straight lines that are actually straight.
A body strong enough to carry what you are asking.

This might be a dressage example. But it applies to everything we do with horses. Jumping. Campdrafting. Chasing cows. Trail riding. Liberty.

There are always levels of mastery.

There is always a progression.

There is always a way to build capacity from a solid foundation.

It is deeply unglamorous to say, “We are going back a level.”

But it is far more ethical than punching your horse in the metaphorical face because you fancied wearing a blue belt.

So here is today’s collectable advice:

If something feels hard, heavy, or held together with hope, thigh strength and blistered fingers from all the pulling, go backwards.

Master the white belt. Then master the level above it. Then the one above that.

If it feels like you are wrestling your horse into shape, you are not riding a higher level.

You are exposing a lower one.✊

Collectable Advice 165/365. Hit Save Or Share but not copy & paste please❤

25/02/2026

With the wet weather around, today felt like a good day to bring the umbrellas out again ☔️

Crosby has recently been having some bodywork done after I noticed reactions to certain things. Even young horses can carry issues. Gelding scars, paddock wear and tear, and general growth changes can all impact how they move. Addressing these things early is important so they don’t turn into bigger problems later on.

In Crosby’s case, it appears his gelding scars are affecting how he’s using his hind legs. While that’s being worked on, we’re continuing with groundwork rather than pushing ahead under saddle. Some might say to just get on and “work it out,” well, I’m not a buck-jump rider, and even if I was its not my way, I’m always looking for the best long-term outcome for the horse.

In the video you’ll see Crosby in the Christ fur saddle, which allows his back more freedom than a rigid saddle while his body continues to develop. As it turned out, the rain started mid-session, which gave me the idea to hold the umbrella. He wasn’t sure about the rain on them, or me holding it at first, but he settled nicely, finishing with a lick and chew.

Small steps, thoughtful choices, and listening to what the horse is telling you. 💙

11/02/2026

Over the last month it’s been hot, and since I don’t love the heat, Crosby hasn’t done a huge amount. One thing I have noticed though is a heightened reaction to noise… and with an increase in float travel, a growing dislike of loading.

On the weekend we had a wonderful clinic with Heartland Equestrian, and I found myself jumping around testing everyone’s floats to see how noisy they were. Turns out… mine was by far the loudest. Everything rattled.

So last night I decided to do something about it. I removed bits that weren’t needed, taped sections with cloth tape that vibrated, and gave it a proper test run. Huge improvement.

Today Crosby still did his little “I don’t really want to go in there” moment… but then hopped on, we drove to our appointment, and on the way home he walked straight back on again. 😎

That felt like a win, as I can't remember the last time he did that.

Hopefully we’ve found part of the puzzle. Sometimes it’s not resistance, attitude, or training gaps, sometimes it’s just listening closely enough to what they’re trying to tell us and being willing to change the environment around them. 🥰

Photo of Crosby having some river fun at the clinic. 😍

25/01/2026

With no fly mask it meant this pink nose needed a bit of extra protection from NRG Pink Nose Cream.

He also enjoyed his licorice muffin fron local producer Mario's Muffins. 🥰