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“Thank you again for all that you have done for Precious and I. Words do not do justice to the appreciation I feel for all your gentle guidance that has vastly improved our ‘way of going’ and understanding of each other. You have been pivotal to us making a large quantum leap in the last year.”

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Patricia Warhurst and Precious, Nelson

Patricia's Case Study

Patricia Warhurst and Precious

When I first started work with Patricia and Precious I knew I had a combination of horse and rider that had talent and potential.

Patricia had no ambitions for competitive dressage but was very motivated to enjoy taking the training of herself and her horse seriously and to work for a higher level. Careful time to assess the strengths and weaknesses was needed if the right foundations and progress was to be made.

A rider with good ‘feel’ for what was happening with a logical analytical approach was a great start, knowledge of the more advanced movements and the aids for them gave a good base from which to start.

Precious had the good attributes for dressage being of Andelusion and Thoroughbred breeding with a fair amount of natural ability and desire to work and please.

The Barriers to progress, in my mind:- the need for Patricia to improve the depth of her seat and balance – back to basic’s on the lunge and rider correction. With a back problem (non horse related) needing therapy at times meant care and timing of this type of work.

Precious has a sensitive nature and could quickly become tense and either quicken the footfall and/or go behind or above the contact if he felt pressure from the rider making him sometimes afraid to try.

Continuity was the key to establishing a more secure relationship/understanding between the two. Once overcome they could work with more engagement and confidence in each other, the regular weekly lessons helped enormously.

Developing Patricia’s ability to use and selection from a range of different movements and exercises – using them as ‘tools’ to get a better feel and way of going. With support and encouragement to ride through resistance proved to be much more productive than ‘buying into’ the problem/resistance, riding forward and through it all is the key. Once achieved Precious has become more consistent in his outline and happier to stay on the contact and work from behind.

One day we rode to music to lighten the environment and to create a nonchalant and happy outlook.

We are now introducing counter change of hand (zig zags) half passes in walk and trot, direct downwards transitions (i.e. canter to walk) counter canter and more variation within the paces - lengthening and shortening – towards collection.

I have very much enjoyed working with a motivated, logical, analytical rider like Patricia and a responsive “willingness to please’ horse like Precious.

Thank you to them both for the opportunity

Jeanette