There comes a point in every horse rider’s career when the realisation dawns on them – the creature they are sitting on or standing next to is bigger, and perhaps more importantly, stronger, than they will ever be. For some this realisation is the beginning of the end, the first step towards giving it all up. For others, it’s the start of a lifetime passion for creating lasting bonds between horse and rider based on trust and compassion.
The average 16hh riding horse weighs in excess of 550kg (1212lbs). That’s a lot of weight to come charging towards you, especially when you consider that the majority of that will be muscle. The heaviest horse ever recorded was called Samson, a Shire horse weighing in at 1524kg (3360lbs), he was also 21.2hh. Even when a horse is not ‘Samson-sized’ it’s wise not to enter into a battle of strength with them, because there’s only going to be one winner of that fight, and it’s not going to be the two-legged contestant!
For as long as people have been riding horses, they have been coming up with their own methods and ideas for training them. Natural horsemanship has been growing in popularity for a number of years now – essentially it’s the idea of understanding and using a horse’s natural instincts as a part of the training process. The most famous advocate of this method is Monty Roberts, and there are teachers of the ‘Monty Roberts Method’ all over the world.
Monty Roberts has made a living from writing books and giving live demonstrations to audiences who are keen to learn about his techniques. He is Queen Elizabeth’s official advisor on her beloved horses, having first demonstrated his skills at Windsor Castle in 1989. This was his lucky break, and when asked if it would have all happened without the Queen he said ‘Hell no, I’d still be in California struggling if it wasn’t for her’. In fact our very own travel advisor Fiona Turnbull trained horses forMonty in California early in her riding career.
Roberts’ legacy, along with various films and documentaries, has helped to tie the idea of natural horsemanship to the image of the US cowboy. The need for a trusting partnership is paramount for ranching and cattle driving – each movement made by horse and rider must be perfectly in sync. The very best horses used by cattle ranchers will sense which way a steer will run and move to block them before the rider can react.
Ranches are realising the popularity of natural horsemanship methods, with many of them training their own horses in this way and offering spaces for guests. This is not just in the US either, there are ranches in Portugal and France offering similar experiences –
The Western Ranch in Portugal’s beautiful Algarve region is the perfect destination for a short break, simply to get away from life’s stresses and relax surrounded by nature. Stephan, your host at the ranch, has always used natural horsemanship methods for training his horses. This year he’s also running special week-long programmes with the aid of a local Monty Roberts trained teacher, with the aim of giving more people the chance to putting these methods into practice. There’s still room left to join the course in May and June.
The Bridger Ranch in Montana has been owned by the hosts’ family for generations, and their love and knowledge of the local area is clear to see. Most of the horses are born and trained at the ranch, and regular training clinics take place throughout the year allowing guests to learn about the way things are done.
Many of the ranches are suitable for everyone – beginners to experienced riders – meaning that everyone can join in at their own level and learn more about the training methods used.
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