Mark Dewsbery Horsemanship

27/09/2025

26/09/2025

20/09/2025

Update on Cash:
The first few rides were in some pretty rough weather so he held himself together well, although I'm not sure how much learning was done 🤣
He's polar opposite to Jade in his way of thinking and how he processes information. Jade just jumps in boots and all where Cash is more laid back and you need to just slow things down and not over load him. Very typical for his breed they mentally mature a bit later than other breeds. He will still be doing everything like opening gates etc before he leaves, it's just a different path I take in his training to get him there.
It's what I love about training horses, every one is different, I'm just trying to get the most out of each one of them.
Hopefully a set of shoes on him later this week then out on the trails.

Happy Trails :)

19/09/2025

Working on gate opening with Jade:
As mentioned in the video I like the gate opening as it tells me where my horse is mentally and what I need to work on. Is it standing still, backing up, leg yield, left or right, reactive to a rope, maybe your hand out to one side or the rope brushing on their butt. The gate shows you what area to work on. Theres a reason they have them on the Working Equitation course, they are not easy if your hoeses mind is not on you.
For Jade, her biggest past mark is being able to slow her mind down enough that she doesn't feel the need to move her feet more than one or two steps at a time. This is so mentally draining on a horse like her, but the more she does these sorts of things the more in tune she is to me and the softer she becomes.

15/09/2025

Dates confirmed for this year's Southland Clinic, 1st & 2nd of November. Great opportunity to brush up on groundwork or get any problems sorted. Limited numbers, PM to book your spot.

14/09/2025

New student in for starting Cash.
Nice fella, bit pushy and very fussy, no real anxiety just doesn't know what to do with himself. He's 3 so a perfect age to start because he just wants a job to do and very teachable.
No pressure on him today, just want to keep him guessing, engaged and he's willing to do so.
He needs to trust me as much as I need to trust him. looking forward to the next couple of days as he will excel with his attitude.

Happy trails :)

13/09/2025

First trail ride out on Jade today.
Very impressed with her holding her s**t together in what seemed near blizzard conditions at times and only on her 10th ride. What I was most impressed with is it was me that had to tell her we needed to head home after a 45min. She was showing no sign's of slowing down or any mental fatigue.

First ride in conditions like today I'll ride for 15min get off for a walk then back on and repeat this. I'm using everything as training, even getting on and off where there is so much going on and she wants to move her feet, i'll make sure her mind is on me and she's doing what she's been taught.
If she wants to trot off I just slowly (not grabbing/yanking on the reins) bring her around in a circle and let her know thats not what I've asked. Knowing she wants to trot is great so a few mintunts later I'll ask for the trot. It becomes my idea not her, and she's willing.
Again, and I can emphasise this enough everything must be on a loose rein, she needs to be listening to ME, not me holding her back in contact because she wants to do something else. If you are riding in contact out on the trail you are not fixing a problem you are just stopping if (for a while) from happening. Theres a big difference.

Happy trails :)

12/09/2025

Jade having a day out looking around the local trails.
The first ride out with these young horses I like to ride alone, it does the horse good to gain confidence and not hang on the back of another horse. This stops the likes of those buddy sour horses.

Thats why the day before their first trail ride I pony them out, show them the area without any real stress added. A lot of the horses start here have never seen running water, let alone had to go through bogs, sand, rocks, scrub, dogs around their legs, I like to give them a taste of it all.

Jade here on the first stream we came to she wasn't to sure about the soft sand and water, so I just spent 10min walking up and down this creek. In no time it means nothing to her.
Yes, I could do that without having to pony out, but you just add another level of stress. Like everything I offer to them for the first time I want it to be the best I can and set them up for success not failure.

09/09/2025

Stockwhip training with Jade:
Introducing this is pretty much the same as the flag, just another level up. Some horses have diverent reactions to sound than other, so I always start off with a milk bottle of stones and work up from there. You just want to fine where their comfort zone is.

The last thing you ever want to happen when introducing anything new is for them to get a massive fright. They hold onto that for so long and it takes a lot of unnecessary training for them to get over it.

Looking forward to getting her out on the trails soon.

Happy Trails :)

07/09/2025

Introducing the flag:
I personally would not ride a horse (young or old) outside unless I could ride with a flag or something similar. I need to know my horse is listening to me and not worry about whats going on around it.
Jade, finished pre-school today, accepted the bit, flag, riding over poles etc. Tomorrow I'll lengthening the rides out to 40min and I'll start asking a bit more from her. Never forget how far they have come, I look back to where her brain was on day one, her anxiety level was right up there, calling out to her friends, walking, bumping and in my space. None of this I have trained out of her, all I've done is given her a job, kept her guessing and engaged with me and worked on the things she's gets right on picking on what she gets wrong.
My reward for this? I have a horse turning up wanting to go work full of energy, engage with me and wanting to stay with me.
Connection - Respect - Trust.

Happy Trails :)

06/09/2025

3rd ride on Jade after a couple of days off, so much rain.
She is going well, nice to see a bit of Sass coming out now she is getting comfortable with whats going on.
Bouncing around and fidgeting means she not all knotted up concerned whats going on. Important at this stage not to start nit-picking on them, I just want her moving out freely. As the length of the rides progress and she's got a job to do all that stuff just goes away by itself.
Looking forward to some more sunshine over the coming days and some consistency training for her.

03/09/2025

Getting those emotions in check:
In this video I talk about the importance of the horse not moving its feet until you have asked for something. Another way to look at this would be the calmer the horse the better quality answer they will give you.
Imagine yourself in a stressful situation and someone asks you to solve a problem. How much extra time do you need to figure it out and what the quality of your answer going to be like compare to if you were totally relaxed.
When you introduce something new to a horse many times it's stressful for them, especially young horses. So if I want them to give me a good answer to what I've asked I need them to be calm first.
The word "desensitise" has been way over used in the horse world. You actually want your horse to be sensitive TO YOU, its when they are sensitive to everything else going on around them then they are not sensitive to what you are asking.
The flag work here on day one and the very first thing I introduce is to get them to lock onto me. I'm telling them I'll take care of all the loins hiding in the grass (flags flapping around) you just have to trust and concentrate on me.
When they realise this you become their leader.

Happy Trails :)