Over the past 20 years I have ridden with and studied many great horsemen and found that several share the same principles. What I have also found is that many of them learned their craft early on from a small group of very skilled horsemen. It can be assumed that the craft of horsemanship dates back thousands of years to the first domesticated horses used for food and transportation. Somewhere along the way we learned to work with the horse instead of against. We’re lucky that today we have so many ways to learn in our fast-paced digital worlds and sometimes we are overwhelmed with who to ‘follow’ or imitate. What I tell students at the end of the day is if it feels good to you and your horse, do it and if it doesn’t, leave it.
Some of the very talented and handy people I have been lucky to ride with and learn from are listed below. They are also people and programs I endorse for you or your horse to explore. They are not ranked or listed in any particular order and include a brief description of why I find them influential in my horsemanship.
Warwick Schiller
I got dragged down the rabbit hole, if you will, in 2019 when I started hearing rumblings about Warwick from a friend who said she had been to a clinic and heard him discussing the horse’s nervous system. My time learning about this from Evidence Based Horsemanship piqued my interest. In 2020 Warwick started his Journey On podcast and episode 1, “Changes” literally blew my mind. Warwick started discussing the very thing that caused me to want to explore deeper philosophies in my horsemanship beyond what I had already learned. Warwick is who I currently follow today but not someone I have ridden with (yet). His program is built on principles and helps so many horses who have experienced trauma, big or small. What I currently teach aligns most closely with ideas discussed in his podcast and his book. He also has an extensive video library that is well worth the small monthly fee. https://videos.warwickschiller.com/
Martin Black, Buck Brannaman, Dave Ellis and Joe Wolter
I have ridden with all four of these extremely talented horsemen and greatly value my time learning from them. Martin’s program is no-nonsense and based on learning ‘on the job’. His tried and true horsemanship comes from years of real-world application on his ranch in Idaho. He has a kindness to him that may be missed if you aren’t listening carefully. His passion for teaching is shown in his care helping students be more handy, avoid accidents and get something done with their horses. If you want to fast track your riding, check out his month long Ranch School. https://martinblack.net/
Dave Ellis is an icon in the horse world and severely underrated. His decades of experience in ranching and refined riding have left a mark on me and how I handle horses. Dave is in constant pursuit of bettering his skills and at almost 80 years old, he is still out every day riding and improving his horsemanship. Dave writes and teaches in a way with great humbleness and never makes a student or a horse feel wrong. He is practical and endearing in the way he helps people of all levels. The things I have learned from Dave over the past 15 years will stay with me always. If you have a chance to get down to Porterville, CA to LS Ranch you had better take it – riding with Dave will be extremely valuable to your horsemanship. https://lsranchnaturally.com/
Joe Wolter is another one of those practical and no-fuss horsemen and is invaluable to the clinic sector of the horse industry. He has decades of experience and shares with students the ways he has learned can help get horses fixed. You may enjoy learning from Joe if you have a horse who needs motivation or an introduction to working cattle. He is a frequent visitor to the Pacific Northwest. http://www.joewolter.com/
Buck Brannaman is someone I still quote in my lessons almost weekly. What I learned in his clinics over a few years time has been a core pillar in my program. Nobody out there teaches FEEL like Buck does. His horsemanship is an art form. I learned the most from him as far as how to be delicate, intricate and smooth with my horses while still getting something done. I did a colt start with him in 2015 and over 10 days helped develop a young Arabian mare. Buck has some exercises I still teach students today to help with rein positions, bit placement and how the horse carries themselves. Buck is still out teaching clinics, check them out: https://brannaman.com/
Pat and Linda Parelli
My journey with Parelli Natural Horsemanship began by chance, in Colorado around 2005 I boarded at a barn which happened to have others there who were immersed in the PNH program. I quickly saw that my sweet QH gelding actually really didn’t enjoy being with me so I started to rebuild my relationship with him following Pat and Linda’s strategic levels program. Within 10 years I had passed all 4 levels in all four of their Savvys (Online, Freestyle, Liberty and Finesse) and learned a great deal about my horse and myself. I wouldn’t trade my time and what I learned for anything and value it a great deal. There are things I still use today and some things I have moved on from but simply because I have sought deeper understanding. Pat’s principles, if followed, have never steered me wrong. The Savvy Club and Parelli program, even with the absence of Linda, is well worth looking into. Linda also has a similar program that may be to your liking, both are linked here: https://shopus.parelli.com/ and https://www.happyhorsehappylife.com/
