Amy Carson Equine Trainer

27/10/2025

Ronaldo and I came second in the 1.10m speed championship. We really nailed our round. The course was a bit harder than Saturday’s, and the first-place rider was two seconds faster — I would’ve liked to see their round.

I was lucky to get a video from our round on Saturday. It’s good to watch and reflect — to stay aware of what feels natural and supportive for us, and also notice what we might like to adjust to keep the ride balanced, enjoyable, and continuously growing.

11/06/2025

Bonding with Your Horse Using Sincerity

Horses are incredibly perceptive. They respond not only to our actions, but to the intention behind them. Sincerity is one of the most powerful ways we can build trust and connection with our horse. When we approach our horse with a genuine heart—free from hidden agendas, tension, or emotional clutter—they can feel it.

True sincerity is calm, open, and steady. It means showing up with presence, not performance. When we are honest about how we feel, clear about what we’re asking, and grounded in a respectful connection, the horse becomes more willing to meet us in that space.

You don’t need to be perfect—you just need to be real. A sincere moment of quiet, a gentle breath shared, or a heartfelt thank you after a ride can speak more than a thousand techniques.

Bonding isn’t something we do to a horse—it’s something we allow to grow, moment by moment, through our sincerity.

26/05/2025

This is Ronaldo and me during a dressage lesson with Jo Rothery. It’s good to receive support as we move toward the new place we’d like to be. Now, it’s about gently continuing to return to that new place—so it can gradually become our new normal.

29/03/2025

Taster one day course with your horse

10-3.30pm please come earlier if you need to to settle in.

Talk about what a Healthy experience for you and your horse could look like.

Introduction to a short effective moving method that can help your mind, body, relaxation and riding.

Private time with your horse to help with the calm state while riding…then
A lovely hack out together through trees and over the farm and a healing with the horses.

April 20th 10-3.30pm
$80 with a horse provided
$60 when you beingg your own horse
$55 Joining In and not riding
Limited spaces
Please register by the 15th April with payment to secure your spot.
Bring a lunch to share💚
PM for more Information or ring
02040941406
[email protected]

28/03/2025

It’s been a while , with moving a few times , now I’m settled into a lovely place with the horses. I have an adult course coming up! Detailed coming in the next day or so.

11/02/2025

A happy looking horse with amazing body extension look at those open hips. He looks like he loved and trusted his rider.

Stroller the Olympic Wonder Pony
Despite being significantly smaller—often eight inches shorter than his nearest competitors—Stroller could leap as high as the best in the world. In the 1960s and 70s, if you were passionate about show jumping in either England or North America, one name stood out among the rest. During a time when major league sports dominated cable television, and hockey and baseball were broadcast around the clock, show jumping in Great Britain enjoyed an unparalleled following. This was an era when top riders published books and annuals, delighting their devoted fans, while company-sponsored jumpers proudly carried their sponsors' names as part of their own. Enthusiasts even wrote in to request locks of hair from their favorite equine stars.

Amidst a sea of tall, long-legged show jumpers, an extraordinary talent emerged: Stroller, a 14.1-hand Connemara-Thoroughbred mix, who seemed to have been touched by the magic of genetics. He possessed both confidence and remarkable jumping ability, allowing him to compete with the best, despite his smaller stature.

Born in 1950, Stroller was initially purchased in a bulk deal from Ireland by a dealer and later sold to Ted Cripps for his daughter. It didn't take long for Ted to realize he had discovered a true gem. He sold Stroller to Ralph Coakes, a farmer from New Milton who had a solid understanding of horses and the show jumping scene. By acquiring this little pony, Ralph and his daughter Marion were about to embark on a journey with a star that would shine brightly for the next 15 years.

While Marion had two brothers, John and Douglas, who were part of the British Show Jumping Team, it was Marion who possessed the innate riding talent to truly connect with Stroller. Although it seemed natural for her to eventually transition to riding a horse, Marion and Stroller were destined for greatness together.

17/11/2024

Our nervous system does have an effect on our riding, and it is good to have tools to calm so the body and mind can relax.

A story about my right leg - and riding from center

Something I have been learning more and more about with great interest, is just how much the nervous system protects our balance. It doesn’t care about how you look, or if you feel good in your body - it only cares that you don’t fall off and 💀

I have had many concussions, and as every horse person, my share of injuries. My nervous system worked very hard to stabilize me by giving me these solutions of tension- and one of them was a scrunchy right leg. This was compensation for a right hip that didn’t move well, and couldn’t get into the horse’s motion well.

Naturally, right bend and right lead canters were difficult for me. These imbalances make us overuse our exterior aids- when our center is not congruent with our aids, our arms and legs do funky things to get the job done.

Thankfully, I’ve been receiving some good help to create better stability, and enjoying a longer right leg. Thanks to some vestibular and visual exercises to help concussion recovery with Leah Astrup, and some
Excellent riding instruction, my body is feeling better, and consequently my horses are too.

If you’re fighting the same issues over and over again, no amount of drilling your position will counter a nervous system desperate to stabilize you. Find center, and the legs and arms stabilize as an extension of that.

The top two photos show my right leg acting as a hook, to compensate for a hip that doesn’t move. You can see my rib cage thrown to the left as a result - making right bend quite tough.

The bottom two photos show a much more stable position with a longer thigh, and consequently a more centered rib cage and quieter hands.

This stuff really matters. You’ll feel better and your horse will too.

28/10/2024

A big weekend for Ronaldo, with his first ODE, the practice cross country on Saturday, and then the Mimi ODE on Sunday at the lovely venue of Woodhill Sands. Very happy with nice movements in his dressage and improving since his second equal overall in the winter dressage series. Clever boy listening so well through the showjump round and fun to be out on the cross country after so many years. I slept well after those days, wow!!
Third prize in the 95cm
He makes the jumps look small, smaller than what my eyes see🙂
Nice big boy, he was happy to get home.
Gratitude for riding him.