my advice to you

My worst performing posts that I write on social media are those associated with the resources I have created to help people learn my unique way of helping horses.

To be honest I think it is because we are all just so sick of seeing constant advertisements and being marketed to. However, it makes it very difficult for me to let people know what resources I have created that document my insights into working with horses and how to do it well.

So, here is this information in one place so that I can send it to anyone that asked me how I can help them.

The way I help you is that I have worked out how to transform everyday people to be very good at being able to influence and train horses. So, while you may come seeking help with a particular horse with a particular problem, I will help solve this problem but at the same time hand you my knowledge and skills to be able to do it. This will forever change your interactions with horses.

Course Support:

Throughout ALL of my courses you get access to the online learning AND my feedback and support. Course students send me short 1-3 minute video recordings where I can give you feedback on certain nuances which are great in refining your skills allowing you to apply them to more than one horse you may own or have access to! The courses have all been prepared in a very easy to follow format where I have had 20 plus years preparing and professionally writing courses for students, all designed with a focus on progressing your skills in a step by step format.

Here are my resources presented in the way I have intended them to used. NOTE: They are all available separately or you can buy them all together in a bundle which is discounted called the “Complete Reboot System” which you can find HERE :

1. My book “Confidence & Trust - solving the horse + human equation”: This book is deliberately short and easy to read because I want people to get through it fast. Whether you have lost some confidence with a horse or not, this books helps you understand that how we are triggered to feel around horses via our experience with them can have a massive impact on your ability to influence them successfully. In this book I reveal how to build confidence and trust with a horse by being strategic and thoughtful. This book helps you understand WHY my process that comes next is so effective. For more information on this book click HERE.

2. Things to Know About Horses: You find this on my course site and it is my first “course” but it is really more like a set of short presentations by me that point out the key things you need to know about horses. Horses are not like us, they have differences and understanding these differences allows you to make better decisions when you work with them. To get good with anything you need a foundation of knowledge to draw from. This “course” presents you with this and it only takes you a couple of hours to work through and the insights you will find interesting! For more information on this course click HERE

3. Masterclass in How to Round Pen a Horse: After setting you up with insights into yourself and the horse, it is now time to build your skills that you need to have to effectively influence a horse. My favourite place to start actively building a partnership with a horse is in the round yard. The process of working a horse at liberty in the round yard I call “round penning”. Round penning can get a bad reputation as there are many methods. This is another “course” and outlines each step of round penning with both presentation and demonstration videos.

My method of round penning is simple and surgical and certainly does not involve “chasing and scaring horses”. There is not a lot of difference in my round penning method to my groundwork lunging process. The main difference being in the round yard the horse has nothing attached to its head and is at liberty. I start here because that is actually important. Having a halter on a horses head and having it experience being pulled or bumped on can add to how much the horse is confronted. Also, a halter and lead rope dictate more of the line and posture on a horse the puts pressure on their sense of balance. I like the round yard as the horse the only thing the horse has to navigate is the fence line and you working on what is known as their “drive line”, which is a hardwired zone on the horse that they can sense that you can trigger them to move forward or block. The round yard helps horses as it teaches them the basis of how we communicate with signals and pressure, it helps them develop their coordination in all gaits, helps them to develop the capacity to regulate stress and improve their fitness. It is also a place where unsoundness issues can be identified and people become away of their of their movements and intention can have impact on the horse. It is the great place for people to learn what is known as the triad of horsemanship - timing, feel and balance. This is because when you have only your body to influence a horse, this greatly improves your awareness.

I tell people that it is typical that I solve around 80% of all horse problems in the round yard and I greatly recommend doing this step; however, many people do not have access and this is perfectly fine. It just means that you must start at groundwork. But, if there is anyway you can trailer or float to a round yard or get one built or borrowed, then I highly recommend you do this step. For more information on this course click HERE.

4. Masterclass in How to Groundwork a Horse: This is the next “course”. Most groundwork programs tend to be complex. Mine is simple. I learnt that a small number of exercises done very well is more powerful than lots of exercises performed in an average way. Groundwork has many dimensions to it. Overall, it allows the horse to learn to pay attention to the feelings we send down the lead rope to their halter or apply to their bodies…and understand what it means for them to do. So the horse learns to follow the information we send to them and perform what we ask. This allows for a transition to take place from following us on the ground to sitting on their backs. But there’s more to groundwork. It can help horses get used to tack without us on their backs, it helps their gymnastic development and fitness, it helps handle them on the ground and become confident with navigating obstacles or being transported in trailers or floats. Getting good at groundwork is a game changer for your confidence with horses as it is powerful at getting horses confident being handled by us. For more information about this course click HERE.

5. Building a Riding Foundation on a Horse: This is the “course” that transitions influencing the horse from the ground into the saddle. This takes all the preparation we have done on the ground and transfer this to the saddle. If you look at the training scale that is commonly refer to when training horses (see image below), this is the specific training that influences the development of “rhythm and relaxation” and “suppleness” under saddle which has been supported by the previous two stages of round penning and/or groundwork. For more information about this course click HERE.

6. Foundation of Contact & Connection: The next stage that builds on from the foundation riding responses that targets the “contact” is this course. The mothership of tension in most ridden horses is how it feels about the communication that is coming through the bit in their mouth. This grossly significant aspect is not very well understood and has been something I have been passionate about working out. This course reveals the steps I have learnt to change this situation and to set about influencing the horse in how to connect its body to support us sitting on their back and to continue their development towards straightness and protection against the rigours of being ridden. This is currently the completion of my courses but I do have more planned in the future. I should add that every course is life time access and you are able to seek feedback directly from me during your enrolment. For more information about this course click HERE.

7. Canter Therapy Podcast: This podcast I produce with my co-host and good friend Kathryn Christieson a highly skilled farrier. Together we share our knowledge and ideas as well as those equine experts that we respect. The podcast has become more popular than we ever expected and if you follow it, you will hear some great insights and be entertain with our chats. To listen click HERE.

8. Calm Willing Confident Horse Society Subscription: Ideas get you started but it is community that support and inspire you to continue. You are welcome to join my community of followers. It costs $19.95AUD per month or $180AUD per year and you get access to case study videos, challenge events, special articles designed to add further to your horsemanship development, discounts on courses etc. It is also the place I will give you advice on anything you wish to post. The community is supportive and encouraging. You will meet like minded people here that will cheer you on. For more information click HERE.

Finally, I get asked all the time if I give private coaching or if I do online coaching. I do but only to clients who have enrolled in my courses. Because I work with people all over the world to give you the absolute best of my time and insights I need my clients to be doing the homework from my courses. This is by far the most effective way. People can say to me “but I hate doing an online course”, I am a hands on learner and prefer direct help in the moment. I understand this as I am a hands on learner too; however, you will be surprised at how much better you can help your horse when you try to watch a video or read some material and just start off by having a go yourself. Learning can never be perfect, you will struggle with somethings, but finding out what you struggle with can help me target helping you and your horse more effectively.

So here we are at the end. The last thing I want to say is why I described my process as “unique”. That might be a bit eyeballing 🙄 for some. I am unique as while I am very good with horses, I understand how to build expertise in people to a very high level. My background in developing expertise in people makes me a bit different than others. I know that the thing that impacts the horse the most is the sense of competence felt by the person hanging onto their lead rope or sitting in the saddle. I am an expert at strategically targeting your competence at feeling in control of influencing your horse….and I know that the only thing standing in your way of developing this is what you currently know and can do and I have made it my life’s work to change this for as many people as possible.

Cheers, Shelley ❤️

If you have any other questions please email admin@calmwillingconfidenthorses.com.au