VH Freelance Equestrian Services

21/06/2025

20/06/2025

🔥 Let’s talk about horse training aids, for instance what about the Pessoa, spurs, side reins, martingales, and more. Should they be feared? Avoided? Or… could they actually belong in the tack room of a thoughtful, educated rider?

I know this is controversial territory. Some believe no aids should ever be used and I’m not here to say they’re wrong. We all have different lived experiences, different horses, and different philosophies. That’s the beauty of horsemanship, it’s not black and white. 🐎

But here’s my take:

✨ When used with intention, education, and the horse’s best interest at heart, aids can unlock understanding. They can guide, support, and refine.
But used incorrectly? Without timing, feel, or knowledge? They can absolutely become a crutch or worse, a source of confusion or discomfort.

It’s not about the tool.
It’s about the hands that hold it. 🖐️

So does a Pessoa system deserve a place in a training or rehab program? Can spurs be used to finesse, rather than punish? Are side reins always restrictive or can they help a young horse find balance?

I’m an advocate for using the right tools at the right time, for the right horse. But that doesn’t mean everyone has to agree with me. Let’s open up the conversation:

👉 Do you use training aids in your program?
👉 Are there tools you swear by or off?
👉 Have your thoughts on aids changed over time?

Let’s keep it respectful. Let’s learn from each other. Let’s put the horse first.

Drop your thoughts below – let’s discuss. 👇

19/06/2025

🤩‼️SELLING ON BEHALF OF A FRIEND‼️🤩

2022 17” voltaire design Adelaide
Full black buffalo
2A 2M PRO
£2.3k

✅Very well looked after,regularly checked & cleaned,will come with saddle cover.
Has one scratch on knee roll which is shown in photos.✅

18/06/2025

2/2 SO EVERY TIME HE SAYS NO, YOU JUST DROP EVERYTHING AND GIVE IN?
Seriously!? Are you out of your mind!? A horse has to obey—always! Why else do we have them? To graze in the paddock all day? So if he says no, I just let him stand there? What if he says no every time I come to him? So now I’m supposed to teach him to resist me? He’ll never want to do anything again. Hysterical girls treating horses like dolls.

So much fear around a horse’s NO.
Can someone please show me the divine decree that states horses were created so people could entertain themselves by riding their backs? That they’re here for us and our ideas. To serve us, to obey us, to submit. A certified copy will do, thanks.

I don’t understand why it’s considered standard that a horse is not allowed to say no.
As long as they agree and comply—we’re fine. But the moment they disagree? Punishment. Fine-tuned training strategies. New gear and tricks. NO simply isn’t an acceptable answer.

In the horse world we know, a horse’s NO means: The rider failed. The rider is weak, inexperienced, has no respect.

Trainers compete to offer courses in “communication” with horses— but the goal is always the same: To teach the horse that resistance will not be tolerated.

This is where we’ve ended up, proud rulers of the earth—polishing strategies to erase the last living thing inside horses: Their own opinion.

Why can’t a horse say NO to work? Why can’t he show fear or insecurity? Why can’t he express pain or discomfort?

Because then our illusion of control collapses like a house of cards. The horse’s NO is rejection. Rejection of our ego. Rejection of our effort ("I pay for you, and you say no?!"), of our affection ("I love you, and you won’t come to me?!"), of our certainty ("If even you don’t listen—then who will?!").

Yes, there are situations in human management where a horse must obey. Respect our space, cooperate for safety, load into a trailer, stand for the farrier, accept treatment. Some even carry riders to help their owners make a living. In those cases, yes—the room for a horse’s opinion is limited. But with good upbringing and proper care, it can still be bearable for the horse.

Much more often though, we find ourselves in situations where the horse can be safely allowed to express himself. To speak. To say NO—even if it hurts our ego. To refuse a saddle or a bridle. To refuse work.

Because when we recover from the shock of “the horse isn’t doing what I want,”
we finally have space to ask why. And change that.

A horse’s NO isn’t manipulation or a tactic. It’s pure information about how he feels.
If we’re able to listen, we’ll discover what needs to change and improve. What hurts, what feels wrong, why he doesn’t want to be with us.

We’ll change the training. We’ll change ourselves. For the better.

A horse’s NO isn’t a defeat—it’s an invitation. It might mean we ride less for a while,
but it opens a whole new universe—one where horses are heard. One where we experience true cooperation with a horse who wants to,
not one who simply has no choice.

Yes, I’m aware this strategy isn’t compatible with modern equestrian industry.
Here’s a secret— neither are horses.
And neither am I.

K.

📸 .kom

18/06/2025

☀️How to spot a groom during summer...☀️

💪 Their tan lines put farmers to shame!
😬 They always have a stash of deodorant and wet wipes in their car
😁They have the world's best (and biggest?) collection of baseball hats
☀️ They always put sun cream on their horses but often forget themselves
🐴 They wear strappy vests, shorts or summer t-shirts with massive boots!
🤦‍♀️ They've perfected the art of 'Hat Hair'
🧐 They think it's perfectly normal to use horse fly spray on their legs
🦟 They're always moaning about flies
🌧 They're the ONLY person wishing it would rain a bit so the ground softens up!

💕But they also get to look after some amazing horses in the beautiful sunshine, with their friends and get paid for doing a job they love.

Join the best community for grooms: britishgrooms.org.uk

18/06/2025

‼️‼️LOOKING ON BEHALF OF A HARD WORKING GROOM,
WORK NEEDED ASAP‼️‼️

Can be a live in role or can travel within a 15 mile radius from trumpington,

Dedicated & hard working young groom with plenty of experience working on competition yards/polo yards & experience with all different types of horses 🐎🐴

5 days a week 8-5 or 8-4

Can provide many references,

Please message for more info.

Groom is desperate for work x

14/06/2025

👏👏👏👏

🇬🇧🐴 Huge congratulations to our incredible Veteran team who proudly represented Great Britain at the FEI Jumping Veteran European Championships in Italy – bringing home a fantastic third place finish!

A brilliant result showcasing true team spirit, skill, and experience on the international stage. Well done to all involved – we’re so proud of you! 👏🇬🇧🥉

Read More: https://bit.ly/4jQm9N9

📷Mandy Frost

13/06/2025

Bath day for Mr B🤩🐴

Using our new Pony Jet which makes bathing so much easier🙏🏻🤩

Brujo is so good to bath and loves having a drink as you can tell☺️

13/06/2025

Handy horsey tips -

Horse carrots can go off super quickly in the summer, but if you pop them in a bucket of water then they’ll last a lot longer!

Change the water daily, and avoid slimy carrots 🥕😁