Connie Colfox Young Horse Specialist. "How does your horse Really feel"

15/08/2025

If you want to see horses trained in a way that truly honours their emotional wellbeing, this is worth watching until the end.

For me, a horse leaping around during training isn’t a sign of “spirit” or “progress” — it’s a sign that the trainer hasn’t taken the time to understand that horse’s thresholds or done the right preparation. Yes, things can go wrong, and all of us face unwanted behaviour, but starting with a stressed, confused horse and calling it a success when they’re merely calmer at the end is missing the point entirely.

In my work, if a horse shows unwanted behaviour, I go back a step — not to punish, but to help the horse understand, solve the problem, and feel confident about what we’re doing together. My goal isn’t just compliance — it’s creating a horse that feels good, trusts the process, and thrives in training.

If you share that philosophy and want to refine your skills to consistently produce relaxed, confident horses, I’d love you to follow along — and explore the professional training resources I’ve created for dedicated horse trainers.

12/08/2025

11/08/2025

This guy has gone from pessimistic about his training and showing a big dislike to pressure. To a calm and motivated chap with a lovely optimistic outlook.

Are you wanting to have more ease in your training? I do a 12 week online course. I help you understand training from the horses perspective. How does he respond to what we are asking him? We can never know exactly how our horse is feeling but they can give us big hints.

If you want to know more then put a yes in the comments and I’ll send you a free zoom call to discuss any training issues you might have

08/08/2025

This is just play time for me. I’m really lucky because I ride horses because i just love them and I want them to feel how I feel when I’m riding them.

My day job is fixing training issues in horses. This video is just me having fun and seeing how far a horse has come with regards to connection calmness and just willingness to give things a go. It’s his first bridleless session

I do on line coaching. My courses aren’t about how high you can jump or fast you can run or how posh your dressage is. It’s about trying to work out what makes your horse tick. How to have him in the best mental state you can whether it’s when he’s not working or when he is.

The course is 12 weeks but you keep that knowledge for life and you can build on it for ever. If you are interested then book a chat

https://link.conniecolfox.com/widget/bookings/2025callwithconnie

02/08/2025

Training with food. Yikes big topic. Like all training there are pitfallsPitfalls🐎It’s all about the food. My horse just mugs me 🐎my horse gets over excited by the food🐎and many others Do you find on the internet there are lots of people talking about training with food just showing a picture. Well I can’t write I can only do so here is a little example of training where food isn’t the main motivator. Might be worth having the sound on This is an aim with all my horses I am starting my next online course in September if it interests you then book a call below. My course isn’t suitable for everyone. You’ve got to be a pretty committed trainer (amateur or professional ) who wants to solve horse training issues in a calm way. I feel I have a balanced approach and train using mainly positive reinforcement but use pressure release and neg reinforcement. https://link.conniecolfox.com/widget/bookings/2025callwithconnie

18/07/2025

Little things please little minds

First attempt at gates with Woodie

If you want to learn to train this way I am a small part of an open day at the holistic fair at the Fortune Centre on the 26th July Some great people to see there.


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15/06/2025

The great thing about training with autonomy and using rewards is that the horses really want to solve the problems to get the reward.

In this case although this horse came as a horse who couldn’t be sat on. With associating me with something that makes him feel good he has worked out how to receive his reward. I have not taught him to swing his quarters around or to back up. He just knows if he positions himself so I can get on he will receive a reward. I deliberately don’t ask him over. I don’t want any urgency, he also has access to the same food I am using scattered around the arena as I don’t want him desperate to come to me for the food as that can feel uncomfortable to him too

This is a very different way for a horse to learn than being pressurised to give a behaviour and it will have a very different emotion behind it

If you want to join me on the next course it starts on the 8th July. I help people who are stuck with their horses. They might be having difficulties starting them or maybe you are riding but find the experience scary because your horse isn’t relaxed. It could be they are nappy or bad in traffic. Or you just want to learn to train using food and don’t want to fall in the trap of muggy horses throwing behaviours at you.

I have 43 years experience starting and retraining horses. Over 20 years of these using positive reinforcement.

Book a call if you want to chat. This course isn’t for everyone, it takes dedication and hard work it’s not a quick fix but it could change you and your horses life

https://link.conniecolfox.com/widget/bookings/2025callwithconnie