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

05/06/2026

I have been trying to pinpoint a few things that might make it easier for some of you to help your non-loaders become loaders.

It's a difficult one because travelling is such an unnatural thing for a horse to do. You might have done absolutely everything right, spent ages building confidence, carefully introduced the trailer, got everything going beautifully, and then off you go on a journey and something happens. The mishap might seem negligible to you, you might barely register it, but to the horse it can mean a great deal. I'm afraid that is just part of having horses. Things happen. But I do think that the more good feelings they have around the trailer, and the more positive experiences they have stored away, the more likely they are to get over those hiccups when they occur.

If you watch the video, my young dark grey horse Moon, not the horse I am training, has a little mishap and then goes on to get back on the trailer. I think this is something really important to see because she doesn't give up on the thing that interested her in the first place. She has a wobble, reassesses, and then carries on. What I find particularly interesting is that there was no human involvement.

I think horses often hold more fear, concern and sometimes even resentment around us than we realise. We like to think we are helping, and often we are, but we are also part of the picture they are assessing all the time.

Funnily enough, when I loaded the non-loader the next time, I went into the trailer with her and she was actually more anxious. Was that because of my involvement? I don't know for certain, but it could have been. That was certainly how I read it.

I do want to be able to ask my horses to load and for them to do it when I ask. Some horses will need more encouragement than others, but they are very aware of how we feel about the situation.

If you are worried, they will pick up on it. And what they may hear is, "Thank you for that information. You are right. This probably is dangerous." Especially with a sensitive or frightened horse, I would much rather have a calm, unflappable, non-bossy person helping than somebody determined to make the horse do it.

This is only one observation amongst many, but it might resonate with some people.
Tell me what problems you are having with loading and I will see if I can help you look at them from a different angle in my next video.

05/06/2026

I've been trying to pinpoint a few things that might make it easier for some of you to help your non-loaders become loaders.

It's a difficult one because travelling is such an unnatural thing for a horse to do. You might have done everything right, spent ages building confidence, carefully introduced the trailer and got everything going beautifully, and then you go on a journey and something happens. The mishap might seem negligible to you, but to the horse it can mean a great deal.

I'm afraid that is just part of having horses. But I think the more good feelings they have around the trailer, the more positive experiences they have stored away, the more likely they are to get over those hiccups when they occur.

In the video, my young dark grey horse Moon (not the horse I am training) has a little mishap and then goes on to get back on the trailer. I think this is something really important to see because she doesn't give up on the thing that interested her in the first place. She has a wobble, reassesses, then carries on. Particularly interesting that there was no human involvement!

I think horses often hold more fear, concern and sometimes even resentment around us than we realise. We like to think we are helping, and often we are, but we are also part of the picture they are assessing all the time. Funnily enough, when I loaded the non-loader the next time, I went into the trailer with her and she was actually more anxious. Was that because of my involvement? I don't know for certain, but it could have been.

I want to be able to ask my horses to load and for them to do it when I ask. Some horses will need more encouragement than others, but they are very aware of how we feel about the situation. If you're worried, they will pick up on it. And what they may hear is, "Thank you for that information. You’re right, this probably is dangerous." Especially with a sensitive or frightened horse, I would rather have a calm, unflappable person helping than somebody determined to make the horse do it. Just an observation but it might resonate with some people.

03/06/2026

A little snapshot of our demonstration at the Fortune Centre.

It's always an odd thing trying to show what I do with horses in a limited amount of time because what interests me most isn't really the end result, it's all the little conversations that happen along the way. The moments where a horse hesitates, thinks, offers an idea, changes their mind, becomes curious or finds confidence.

Woodie, as always, was entirely himself.

What I love about him is that he doesn't do things because he has been drilled to do them. He does them because somewhere along the line they have made sense to him. That means he is free to have opinions, free to notice things, free to be distracted by life and free to rejoin the conversation when he is ready.

For me, that is far more interesting than obedience. Of course, we can train horses to be responsive and reliable too. They can learn the dressage movements, the technical exercises and all the things we might want to do together. But I don't want obedience to come at the expense of the horse's voice.

What I hope people see in these moments is that we genuinely enjoy each other. We have a lot of fun together. There is room for silliness, for play, for trying things out, for getting them wrong and for finding another way. I don't really want horses that perform for me. I want horses that want to be with me. Horses that bring something of themselves into what we do.

This video is just a collection of moments from start to finish. Little pieces of what we explored together on the day. It doesn't capture the atmosphere, the questions, the laughter or the discussions, but perhaps it gives a glimpse into what is possible when horses are allowed to think, when people are allowed to listen and when both horse and human are free enough to be themselves.

Thank you to everyone who came, watched, listened and shared the day with us.

And thank you Woodie, for always being willing to have the conversation... and for always making it an entertaining one.

01/06/2026

Does your horse run away when you try to catch them?

Would they rather stay with the other horses than be with you? Or only come after hours of bartering?

These details can tell us a lot about how a horse feels about being caught, and the reasons behind the behaviour are often more complex than they first appear.

I’ve just uploaded a new YouTube video where I work through a real client session exploring a horse that is difficult to catch and how positive reinforcement can help us better understand and change the conversation, it’s quite long and unfiltered but I think really valuable in seeing real-time, real-life changes when working with horses.

Watch the full session now on YouTube here 👉 https://youtu.be/eiD1r4eQQjE

Many owners struggle with a horse that is difficult to catch, but the answer is often much deeper than simply getting hold of the horse in the field.Does you...

30/05/2026

What a wonderful day we had at The Fortune Centre of Riding Therapy on Monday.

Woodie made himself completely at home from the moment we arrived. He spent his time introducing himself to everyone, inspecting the audience, collecting cuddles, and generally making as many friends as possible. I’m fairly sure he thinks every event is organised purely for his social life!

He happily stood amongst the crowd watching the demo and, at one point, while I was explaining more about what Woodie and I had just shown, he decided that eating a bush was far more interesting than listening to me talk. The bush won, and to be honest, I was absolutely fine with that because it actually demonstrated one of the things I talk about all the time.

Horses have their own thoughts, feelings, and opinions, and Woodie is always free to express his. He can wander, say hello to people, investigate things, or have a snack if he feels the need. What I love is that when I ask him to join me, he does. A little change in my body language and he was straight back with me, ready to engage.

We introduced some flags during the demo, which he found a little challenging, but he stayed with me throughout. There was food available all around him, plenty of people to visit, and lots of distractions, yet he chose to stay connected. I’m incredibly proud of the relationship Woodie and I have built together and the journey we’ve taken to get here. It hasn’t happened overnight, and it certainly hasn’t happened by accident. It comes from trust, understanding, listening, and creating a space where he feels safe. That feeling is something I wish for every horse and human partnership.

And if he had wandered off during the exercise? Well, that would simply have told me I'd asked too much in that moment and needed to make things a little easier. This is super valuable to us when training, as it tells us the exact moment they feel the need to leave. It might be that you've done something they don't like, or that there is simply something more valuable to them somewhere else. It's super useful to know and gives you something to work on. Our horses are constantly communicating with us, and some of the most valuable lessons come when we take the time to listen.

We tried some new things together in front of an audience for the first time, and I couldn’t have been prouder of him. As always, he was an absolute star and a joy to work with.

A huge thank you to everyone at the Fortune Centre for such a warm welcome, to those who came along and asked such thoughtful questions, and of course to everyone who stopped to give Woodie a cuddle. I think he’d happily come back every week!

27/05/2026

What a fabulous place the is! On Monday, Woodie, Frankie (my lovely super-helper who is here on work experience), and I arrived in the boiling heat. Frankie immediately set to work washing Woodie down, and we were greeted by two lovely students from the Fortune Centre. Harry, who was there to help with the demo, did an amazing job of finding me a pair of socks — not a normal request, I know!

The venue was busy with a great atmosphere, and Woodie settled himself in well, introducing himself to various people in the crowd while Frankie, Harry, and I set up.

Woodie was a star, as usual. I think he really enjoys interacting with people and showing everyone his moves — and he’s certainly not too old to show off! We covered introducing positive reinforcement, what I mean when I talk about pressure, introducing food rewards, and introducing your horse to new things.

There were some great, informed questions, and I had some amazing conversations after the demo. We are all thinking of ways to make a horse’s life the best it can be, and there are so many wonderful people training their horses in ways that help them find the world easier to navigate. It’s great to play even a small part in planting ideas in people’s minds about how we can do so much through training in a horse-centric way.

A big thank you to the Fortune Centre, Harry, Frankie, and of course Woodie for a fabulous day and for meeting some wonderful new people!

****ckriding ****ck

27/05/2026

What a fabulous place the The Fortune Centre of Riding Therapy is! On Monday, Woodie, Frankie (my lovely super-helper who is here on work experience), and I arrived in the boiling heat. Frankie immediately set to work washing Woodie down, and we were greeted by two lovely students from the Fortune Centre. Harry, who was there to help with the demo, did an amazing job of finding me a pair of socks — not a normal request, I know!

The venue was busy with a great atmosphere, and Woodie settled himself in well, introducing himself to various people in the crowd while Frankie, Harry, and I set up.

Woodie was a star, as usual. I think he really enjoys interacting with people and showing everyone his moves — and he’s certainly not too old to show off! We covered introducing positive reinforcement, what I mean when I talk about pressure, introducing food rewards, and introducing your horse to new things.

There were some great, informed questions, and I had some amazing conversations after the demo. We are all thinking of ways to make a horse’s life the best it can be, and there are so many wonderful people training their horses in ways that help them find the world easier to navigate. It’s great to play even a small part in planting ideas in people’s minds about how we can do so much through training in a horse-centric way.

A big thank you to the Fortune Centre, Harry, Frankie, and of course Woodie for a fabulous day and for meeting some wonderful new people!

****ckriding ****ck

25/05/2026

Today I'm taking a little piece of Eohippus out into the real world for a demo at the The Fortune Centre of Riding Therapy which feels both really exciting and really meaningful to me 🤍

When I first created Eohippus, it was never just about training techniques or solving behaviours. It came from a much deeper fascination with relationships - the emotional relationship between horses and humans, the way horses communicate, and the way our own emotions, confidence, nervous systems and experiences shape the way we interact with them too.

I think so often, both horses and humans are just trying to feel safe, understood and listened to.

Horses are incredibly honest animals. They respond so deeply to pressure, tension, intention, energy, emotion… and I think when we start approaching them with more curiosity and compassion, rather than simply trying to control behaviour, everything begins to change.

That’s a huge part of what Eohippus is about for me. Helping people understand the “why” behind behaviour. Learning how to work with the individual horse in front of you. Building trust and emotional safety alongside training, rather than treating those things as separate.

I also think horses have an extraordinary ability to help people reconnect with themselves. Their honesty, sensitivity and presence can be incredibly grounding, especially for people navigating disability, neurodivergence, anxiety, trauma or challenges with confidence and communication. They meet people at face value, and let our actions tell them what they need to know and I think there’s something really powerful in that. And honestly, I think some of the most beautiful moments happen when both horse and human begin to grow in confidence together.

I’m really looking forward to sharing some of that at the Fortune Centre and having conversations with people who care deeply about horses, relationships, welfare and communication in the same way. If you’re coming along, I’d love to know. And I’d genuinely love to hear what do you think matters most in building a good relationship with a horse?

Hopefully see you there!

20/05/2026

I think exposing young horses to the world outside of home is such an important part of their education, not in a “they just need to get on with it” kind of way, but in a way that genuinely helps them build confidence over time.

Hacking, seeing new places, different surfaces, traffic, open spaces, other horses, dogs galavanting beside them… all of it teaches them how to cope with life. But I think the biggest thing is remembering that every horse experiences those things differently.
Some babies feel much safer with a sensible friend beside them while others absolutely light up when they get to go out and explore on their own. Some need to stop and look at everything before they can move on, and some are naturally bold and take it in their stride, equally a horse that appears to be marching on ahead may actually be feeling stressed and rushing, rather than enjoying the experience. There’s so much nuance with horses and that’s why it’s so important to listen to the horse you actually have, rather than the horse you think they should be.

I never want a young horse to feel like they’re being pushed through something they’re genuinely worried about. Confidence doesn’t come from overwhelming them, it comes from letting them process, supporting them when they need it, and slowly helping them realise the world is a safe place to be.

I honestly think so much of good training is just learning to really pay attention. To notice when they’re trying, when they need reassurance, when they’re feeling brave, and when they’re telling you they need a moment. Every horse is different and every personality is different so I think the best thing we can do for them is treat them like individuals and let them grow in confidence at their own pace but being their to encourage, guide and support them as they work things out for themselves too.

How do you feel about hacking with your horse? Is it something you both genuinely look forward to, or something you’d love to enjoy more but actually find a bit anxiety-inducing sometimes?

I think so many people quietly struggle with confidence out hacking too, especially when they’re trying to do the right thing by a young or sensitive horse, and if it’s something you’d like some more tips on please do reach out for a free consultation with me! 🥰

15/05/2026

I was asked to write something about behaviour in horses. Crikey you can go on for ever and there is loads of stuff you can read about. I think the thing I would say is let your horse behave how he wants and observe it before you get stuck in and try and change too much.

The first training behaviour I want is to encourage is a horse coming when you call him. Then you have a base line. It doesn’t mean the day you go for your competition you’ve been working for for weeks and years and he doesn’t come to you, you can’t compete it would just give me the heads up he’s not feeling as comfortable about me as maybe he is on other days. It might be a for a myriad of reasons. He could be distracted by something else. You might be a bit different than normal so he’s not so sure of you because you are nervous about the big day. This will maybe make me change my behaviour when I prepare him for the day. I might think I need to slow myself down, I might put the plaits in loser than normal or not at all. I might take him for a hand graze before getting him ready and miss the bath. Behaviour is a two way thing.