Backing Youngsters
When starting or restarting your young horse or mule, if you have an arena at your yard Anna will travel within a 30 mile radius of Bovey Tracey, Devon. If you live outside of the 30 mile radius, youngsters can come in for training at at a trusted facility in Moretonhampstead or Trusham.
Anna will work with your youngster five days a week for a period of four to twelve weeks depending on your equine’s needs. Groundwork carries over into ridden life, Anna’s emphasis is on exposing youngsters to good experiences from the beginning. Although Anna works by herself, she is extremely keen for owners to spectate, aware how observing the process can make the transition to riding your youngster much easier. Uniting horse and human is Anna’s goal, so she will help you by answering your questions and explaining what she’s doing.
For more about Anna’s approach and philosophy click the button below.
My Thoughts About Backing Youngsters
My goal in backing youngsters is to preserve their naturally inquisitive nature, when I present a question, I give them time to search for the answer, cultivating this mindful response keeps the human safe and keeps the youngster’s confidence intact; this being said, every session and everything I do involves multitasking: whilst getting used to the sensation of the stirrups the youngster is also learning to follow my feel and direction, for example whilst backing between tall barrels. I expose the youngster to situations like this, situations that might concern them, I’m there when they need guidance, whilst they are in the process of finding the answer. I’m creating an environment where the human becomes useful, someone they can find help from, whereas most of the equines which I restart have previously been unintentionally taught that they need to defend themselves around humans, this creates a mindset of wanting to leave the human when challenging situations occur and no one is fully safe on a horse that doesn’t want to be with them. I spend the time creating equines who seek humans out when they feel worried, thus creating a safer riding companion.
Booking
Backing a youngster costs £350- £400 per week depending on your yard location or whether your youngster comes to livery at the Moretonhampstead or Trusham facility. This consists of five, one hour training sessions per week Monday - Friday
Please contact Anna for a definite price and to discuss both your and your youngster’s needs.
