Practical Horsemanship Demonstrations

[pipgibson]

Please support both Grant and Dan on their tour of the country this spring.

www.practicalhorsemanship.co.uk/
All the dates and locations are on their site.

[glow=red,2,300]P.S...Grant for the Your Horse Inspiration Award 2006[/glow]

[jinks]

bummer I missed the one on oxfordshire....

[em&ed]

There's one in Northampton this sunday 15th... anyone wanna come with me? I can do B&B too if neccessary ;D

[em&ed]

up

[Catrin]

We had a really enjoyable night in North Wales last night. Three horses with attitude put Mr Bazin and Mr Wilson to the test. Darcy, the starter had read all the chapters in My Hands to Yours apart from the one about not trying to step on Grant's feet. By the time Dan was on his back, his attitude had changed so that, 'aren't I clever' look on his face was well deserved.

Will rose to the major challenge, leaping on Dan to show what the owner meant when she said she couldn't lead him to the field - or anywhere it seemed. By the end of the session he was following Dan respectfully, over tarpaulins and poles, even when pursued by the dreaded plastic bag on a stick.

Trigger, the final horse, wouldn't stand still for mounting, it you put him near the mounting block, he moved away sideways and if you made the space smaller, he reared up. All the owner could do was get a leg up, and his back was a long way from the ground! Of course, like all the demo horses, he never displayed his errant behaviour to the audience. Instead, he learned from the simple things that Grant and Dan did to move him and stand him, that life can be fun for a horse.

Of course when you work as a partnership there can be disagreements and Grant failed to persuade Dan that he should be first on board, so he called in Susie off car parking duties. For a traffic warden, she showed a great talent as a rider, though there were moments, as she was leaping on and off Trigger, when it seemed her hat might leave her head. Mind you there were also times when it seemed her shiny black hair might do the same. Susie's success seemed to encourage Grant to give it a go and soon Dan was legging him on board. Once they'd walked a step or two with Grant on top, it was Dan's turn to pluck up courage and give it a try.

Trigger's owner was amazed at the whole process and how she appeared to have acquired a very different horse. As Grant pointed out though, she must continue the groundwork, leading and mounting exercises at home. If you go back to doing what you always did, your horse will go back to giving you what you always got.

Let's hope Grant and Dan go on to give us a lot more of what we got in North Wales last night. Lucky Accrington's turn tonight, Grant wonders if they'll get a horse called Stanley.

[pipgibson]

Sound's like you all had a good time... ;D

Can't wait to go to the one next week...

[em&ed]

sounds good - can't wait

[lynnyhamps]

It was a really good night, just a shame there wasn;t more support for it. We were only aware of it via word of mouth and stabling with Wil, the 2nd demo horse.

A brilliant night had though and good luck to them spreading their message!

[alfie]

we are going to the grange on wednesday, really looking forward to it.

[pipgibson]

Alfie,
Me and my O/H are going on Wednesday too...

Fancy meeting up??

PM me if you want!!!!

Pip.xxx

[emmab]

supposed to be going to the grange tomorrow but have moved house this weekend and lost tickets (have put a wingey thread about it on general board so wont go on about it again)

[Jenny (& the boys)]

Well we're back! A huge thank you to everyone that came along to watch and help, it was a fantastic tour with some beautiful and amazing horses.

If you'd like to see what we did then our tour blog is being updated as we speak.... www.practicalhorsemanship.co.uk/23.html

We had some cracking support for the tour so this is our thanks message:

Our heartfelt thanks to Mr Monty Roberts, for the numerous learning opportunities and experiences that form the basis of our techniques. For his support, advice and interest in our futures and his ongoing enthusiasm and input to Practical Horsemaship. We’d also like to thank him for passing on his flu to Dan and Sam, and for their subsequent passing to the rest of the team. Also thanks to Kelly Marks.

To those who gave us beds, stayed up until the stupid hours of the morning and then fed us in the next day:
Hilary Miles, John & Pat Bazin, Sarah Dent, Lyn Dixon & Chris, Sophie & John, Adrian & Sue Semmence, Perdy Sobey

For promotion and support:
Michelle Dannan, Rosie Jones, Queenie Wenwick, Sophie Easterbrook, Lyn Dixon, Sarah Dent, Shelley Foster, Gary Bosworth, Tracey Wilson, Di Wilson, Dido Fisher, Cat from Penzance

To the helpers who endured cold nights and heavy round pens….
Doreen & Alan White, Juli, Owen, Abi Little, Nikki, Laura, Claire Liddiard, Catherine, Grayson, Tina Gibson, Liz, Nikki Calphas, Joey, Jenny Learny, Sandy Coates, Ellie, Leanne, Debbie Coe, Kate Reece and an especially huge thank you to Lisa Tucker who went above and beyond the call of duty and has been a massive asset to the tour.

To the ladies at Equine Touch (Emma, Liz and especially Lara for keeping the team ticking over with her numerous treatments and responses to ’could you just flick my shoulder’ ), Bioflow (Julie) and Bill Lomas

Our photographers:
Simon, Miranda, and Richard for not sleeping for 3 days to get us some cracking shots.

Fellow Recommended Associates who have supported us:
Lyn Dixon, Suzanne Marshall, Gary Bosworth, Sarah Dent, Rosie Jones, Sandra Williams, Lynn Chapman, Zoe Chipman,

To our venues and the staff help at:
Blewbury Riding Centre, Crofton Manor Equestrian Centre, South Wales Equestrain Centre, Clwyd Special Riding Centre, Croft Top Equestrian Centre, Birstwith Livery Stables, Rodbaston College, Moulton College, Poplar Park Equestrian Centre, The Grange Equestrian Centre and especially Jo Stock and the team at Lands End and Emma at Plumpton for their extra effort and support.

For bringing their fantastic horses:
Sue Armstrong, Debbie Coates, Mary, Alison Cottle, Fiona Vernon, Matthew King, Mrs Bradshaw, Charlotte Thomas, Carolyn Poulter, Tracey Bertarelli, Amanda Davies, Rebecca Green, Gemma Albiston, Kelly Oldcraft, Mrs Duffin, Melanie Dunn, Jade Priddle, Sara Love, Diana Wilson, Louise Penny, Amanda Fuars, tracey Murdoch, Sandy Cotes, Hannah Lindsey, Dawn Spicer, Tracie Lavelle, Angela Owen, Richard Geldof, Tom Manning, Laura Foster, Lyndsey Goldsmith, Gill McPate, Marie Askell, Brenda Smith, Owen & Natalie Davies, Kate Bailey, Pauline Hewburn, Terry Salone, Vicky, Zoe, Milly Tilly, Sarah Roskilly.

To our audiences, who have sat through freezing temperatures but patiently responded so fantastically to the demonstrations, courses and information. Thank you for coming to see us and your lovely comments - we hope to see you and your friends on the next tour! (details to follow)

To Col for letting us have Sam for three weeks, to Tracey for being a superwoman - lending us Dan for so long and managing the kids, horses and promoting demonstrations, to Leanne for looking after New Leaf, Ian Vandenburghe for the loan of the heaviest (but safest) round pen known to mankind, to Tracy Barnes for being our internet connection, to Helen Aitkins for her printing and computer skills and her horse care skills, to Simon and Faye, Helen Stevenson, Ash and Nigel for the tickets, Joss for letting us use the Big Blue Bertha, Emma at BBC Cornwall, to Suzie our volunteer rider and her branch for letting her have the time off and to the policemen in Worthing Constabulary for not nicking us at 3am and allowing us to continue on our route after a routine stop….

To the people that make Lucozade Hydrowater, Brunchettas, Wotsits and Mash Pots and the people at Beechams for sustaining us through the tour - if you want to sponsor us on the next tour then we’re more than happy to enter into negotiations

We wrote this list at the end of the tour so if we’ve forgotten anyone we are very sorry but very grateful for your help - if you get into touch with Grant, he’ll thank you personally

And apologies to:
Anyone who was hit by a paper aeroplane flyer whilst standing at the bus stop in the North. The lady in PVC in the Bury Travelodge Reception who we obviously disturbed, anyone that has had to swerve out of the way of a big blue horse box and the numerous trees and branches who were felled in the name of progression.

[Louise C]

LOL - good post Jenny!

[Catrin]

Can't wait to hear what Grant has to say when he wins a big award. Great to read the blog. Please pass on our thanks for actually coming to see us in North Wales. It was great to be able to help and be home in bed again on almost the same day.

[Lara]

Hello Jennie and all the Practical Horsemanship Gang

That was a very comprehensive 'thank you' list! In return the Equine Touch gang would like to thank the boys for asking us on the tour - good fun and a great chance for us to present the equine bodywork information alongside the equine behaviour information.

The demos were great as the boys really got into their stride and provided a great educational opportunity - highly recommended.
Glad to hear that the 'tweaking' helped you all get through - hope you're all enjoying some post-tour rest now.

Lara :-)