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Turn Loose Horsemanship

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Turn Loose Horsemanship

📍 Murchison, South Island NZ. Starting client horses & 10-day trainings (Pre-Start & Foundation for youngsters). Please get in touch! Thanks!

Selling our own horses (focus on good horsemanship). 🔍 Always looking to buy quality unstarted horses (3yo+).

10/10/2026

Can’t beat a spring day on horseback, enjoying a ride out through the beautiful Owen Valley. 🌿 ☀️ 🐴 🤠

09/10/2026

Getting the boys ready for some action!

02/10/2026

👣 🐴 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗢𝗙 𝗜𝗦 𝗜𝗡 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗛𝗢𝗢𝗙 🐴 👣

One of the things we’ve really come to appreciate over the years is just how much a horse’s hooves can tell us.

The hoof is part of the bigger picture — a hoof doesn’t exist on its own; it’s part of the whole horse. In many ways, the hoof reflects what is going on with the horse as a whole, both internally and externally.

These are two examples of horses that, since coming to us, have had some changes to their management and nutrition. It’s been really interesting for us to see how the new hoof growth has developed over time.

It’s been a reminder of how much all the pieces of the puzzle matter. Regular trimming, plenty of movement, varied terrain, a suitable environment and good-quality forage have all become important parts of how we like to manage our own horses.

Nutrition is a big part of that picture too — it’s about making sure the horse has the right building blocks in the right balanced amounts, including vitamins, minerals and amino acids to support overall health.

There’s no overnight fix when it comes to hooves. They grow slowly, and what we see at the bottom of the hoof can be a reflection of what has been happening months earlier.

For us, horsemanship isn’t only about training the horse. It’s also about looking at the whole horse and paying attention to the things that support their wellbeing.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆.

27/09/2026

🌊 🐴 A LITTLE ADVENTURE TO THE SEA 🐴 🌊

We loved being able to spend some time at the beach with two of our young horses — seeing the sea, feeling the sand under the feet and taking it all in. 🐎

New places, new experiences, new people met along the way, and plenty to look at! What a great way to build confidence while enjoying a little adventure together. 🤍

Very grateful to have been able to make use of the Kawatiri Western Riding Club Grounds while we were in Westport. 🌿 🐴 🤠

11/09/2026

We put some glue-ons on Silva and took him out for a test ride to see how they’re holding up.

Gravel road, sand, water and big boulders — a bit of everything! So far, so good! 🙌 🤞

07/08/2026

FLOAT/TRAILER LOADING — IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT GETTING IN. 🐴

Being able to influence every foot, every stride — forward or back — is what makes float loading feel calm and controlled.

We always start with the groundwork first, well away from the float. Before asking a horse to walk into a float, we want to have the buttons installed. They know what the horsemanship flag is and understand that when we put some energy into it while raising our arm, that is a clear request to come forward. They also know how to navigate through a narrow gap when we send them through it. The sending part is important, as you can’t pull a horse onto a float.

We practise float loading in a rope halter, where we have a better feel. However, we never tie a horse in a float or travel them in a rope halter. For travelling, we use a webbing halter, as it can break in an emergency if the horse becomes caught or panicked.

Then we take that communication onto the ramp. One foot on, one foot back. Two or three steps on, then back again — releasing the pressure with every step. We’re practising control, communication, and teaching the horse that every correct response brings a release.

It’s just as crucial that a horse knows how to back up and has an understanding of how to get back out again. Some horses will load beautifully but then become really stuck once they’re inside because they have no real concept of how to leave the float.

Sure, this particular float has a front ramp to unload, but you don’t want to rely on that. Every horse should understand how to calmly back out when asked.

The same applies once they’re inside. We want the horse to be comfortable taking a step forward when asked, or calmly backing half a step or moving partway out, and then being able to step forward again.

No rushing in. No rushing out.

04/08/2026

A windy and cold start to the day, but beautiful once the sun came out! ☀️

Silva and Stetson did fabulous and each of them had a nice ride!

31/07/2026

What a stunning winter’s day! ☀️❄️

23/07/2026

Bonnie has been a good reminder that progress doesn’t usually come from asking for more. In fact, it comes from understanding more. She learnt that when she found the right answer, she got an instant release and time to stand, relax, and let it all soak in.

In the beginning, she questioned everything. If things got difficult, her answer was to resist or look for a way out. I don’t see that as being naughty or stubborn—it was simply the best answer she had at the time.

As we spent more time together, her understanding of what I was asking grew, and she started to realise it was a two-way conversation. She began searching for the release. The resistance became less, the try became bigger, and each ride started to flow a little more naturally.

I think that’s one of the things I enjoy most about working with horses. I’m trying to help them find a better answer.

The end result is rewarding, but for me it’s these small changes along the way that mean the most. They’re the pieces you build on—one step at a time… sometimes quite literally.

Bonnie is around 9 years of age and came to us to be started under saddle.

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