Helping Your Horse Feel Brave and Safe

Description

Confidence is not about making a horse “face up” to something scary. It is about helping them feel safe enough to stay curious, think clearly and learn at a pace they can cope with.

This mini-magazine brings together four original Intelligent Horsemanship Magazine articles on acceptance training, emotional and mental agility, exploration and rider confidence. Together, they offer a thoughtful route from introducing an unfamiliar object at home to helping a horse cope more calmly with the wider world.

Sandra Williams explains how acceptance training can help horses overcome fear in-hand and under saddle. Gillian Bradley explores the value of building emotional and mental agility, particularly in younger or older starting horses, and then gives a practical exploration-based exercise to develop confidence around unfamiliar objects. Sharon Hunt shares seven clear tips to help riders support their horse’s confidence too.

These articles are full of sensible reminders: stay calm, start small, avoid overwhelming your horse, notice the smallest try and allow time for learning to settle. A lovely collection for any horse who is naturally cautious, inexperienced, returning to work, or simply in need of a little more confidence in life.

Included articles

• Acceptance Training: Overcoming Fear In-Hand & Under Saddle by Sandra Williams
• IH Magazine, Autumn 2023, pages 19–21TEAM A: Training Emotional and Mental Agility, Especially in the Older Starting Horse by Gillian Bradley
• IH Magazine, Autumn & Winter 2024, pages 35–38TEAM A: An Exploration-Based Exercise – Encountering Unfamiliar Objects by Gillian Bradley
• IH Magazine, Spring & Summer 2025, pages 28–307 Tips for Horse Confidence by Sharon Hunt
• IH Magazine, Spring & Summer 2025, pages 32–33