“Throughout my younger years I had always dreamed of owning my own horse. Of course, in this dream, we would be best friends and could do anything together. My favourite film and books were the black stallion and I dreamed of having a relationship like Alec and the Black’s.

Unfortunately, when I was eventually able to buy my first horse this dream was far from our reality! Phoenix was a barely started 4 year old Arab, who was terrified of everything, causing him to spook and bolt. Frustration became a part of our relationship and I was limited to the things we could do together.

Luckily I was introduced to the Parelli Programme and this changed everything! I had finally found an effective way to communicate with Phoenix and was able to build the trust and partnership I had always dreamed of. It wasn’t long before I could take him places & do things with him that I thought would never be possible.

I was so amazed with the changes in myself and Phoenix that I wanted to learn as much as possible, I became a working student for a Parelli Instructor and after 2 years was admitted onto the Parelli instructor course in Colorado, learning with both Pat & Linda Parelli. After spending months in the USA I was awarded my certification as a Parelli Instructor and have returned many times since to further my education.

I am now one of only three 4* senior instructors in the UK.

Phoenix and I went from strength to strength, not only making my dream of galloping bridleless & bareback along a beach a reality, but performing in front of thousands at the NEC, HOYS, the British Open and many more Parelli celebrations. Who would have thought my spooky, bolting Arab would ever be able to do that?” – Rachael Shawyer

Rachael’s training video ‘Gates Made Easy’ details the preparation and techniques needed to teach your horse to understand how to move through and around a gate, strengthening your partnership and of course, making your trail riding much easier!

Hanna has ridden throughout her life, always being given the tricky, unridable horses. This took her on a journey in to horsemanship, where she has trained with some of the best horsemen in the world.

As an eventer Hanna also trains and rides with some of the top event riders in the world, and combines her natural approach to horse development with eventing.

Hanna has worked extensively with a number of leading figures in the equestrian world, including, Pat and Linda Parelli, David Stuart, Tik Maynard, Sinead Halpin, Monty Roberts, Ros Canter, Ian Cast and Sarah Bullimore.

For Hanna, balance is a critical word. Balance between the horse and rider, balance in the horse’s body, balance in the training plan and most importantly, balance between natural horsemanship and the classical disciplines.

This approach, has led to a unique and bespoke experience for each of her clients and their horses. Hanna prioritises finding ways to make the horse feel motivated to be part of any goal, and push beyond simply having a willing partner, aiming to help horses and riders reach their individual potential.

In this video Hanna will teach you how to develop rhythm and balance in the canter, from the ground up.

First and foremost, Sean is an equine behaviourist and helps people to understand not only why horses do what they do, but how to affect it. Sean has spent extensive time learning directly from Pat Parelli as one of his apprentices and currently studies with Mike Bridges, a master of the true California style Bridle Horse tradition.

Sean’s focus is purpose based horsemanship and combines his passion for western performance and bridle horses with natural horsemanship and classical dressage. Sean is an AQHA Senior Ranch Riding European Championship medal winner and is on the path to developing bridle horses in the true California Style Vaquero tradition.

Sean works with horses and riders of all ages and background – from recreational to top level, from foundation training, first rides, through to competition preparation – because horsemanship is a philosophy that is the corner stone for all disciplines.

Sean’s training video ‘Trailer Loading’, is a step by step approach to teaching a horse confidence and curiosity when loading.

Alison’s equine career started by working for an event rider, and then gaining her BHS stages I II and III as well as a BSc in Equine Studies.

Through this time though she became nervous of jumping but also of riding. She could not always see why the horse bucked, stopped or over jumped and as a result couldn’t predict when the horse would do it again.

An introduction to groundwork was a completely new concept and to begin with she felt as though she had taken a step back, asking her horse to back up and go sideways on the ground instead of working on half pass. However, after a while, she realized that she was working on half pass!

Alison has spent much time training in the USA (with both Pat and Linda Parelli as well as other Parelli professionals) and she is constantly undertaking further training. From being able to read the horse she now competes in affiliated horse trials, dressage, and starts young horses.

Performance is one of Alison’s passions – how to have a great foundation for the competition horse. Two of her horses are currently affiliated, regularly competing and winning points at novice, elementary and medium with aspirations of advanced medium dressage.

“Everyone had a dream when they first got into horses. Often they take the shape of the films we saw as a child- The Black Stallion or National Velvet, or books like Black Beauty or the Jill series, provoke us to wanting an infallible relationship with our horse. These vary from high level competition to safely owning or riding down the road. Through a variety of reasons rarely are we living this dream. Parelli has enabled me to achieve my goals- some which I did not even know I had!”

Alison’s passion is to help people and horses have a solid foundation, a must for a great partnership as well as for performance. In this video, Alison teaches the steps towards bareback and bridle-less riding, what to feel for, how to ensure you get there safely and confidently and how to become completely harmonious with your horse.

Guy represented the UK in the sport of Polocrosse between 2002 and 2011, of which the last 3 years were spent as the Captain, in test matches against Zimbabwe, South Africa, USA, New Zealand, Australia and Holland. Having won numerous national and international titles including a runners up medal at the 2007 polocrosse world cup Guy retired to concentrate on his horsemanship and now spends all his time running Horsemanship Clinics and Demonstrations all over the UK as well as Europe and the U.S.A.

Guy has travelled extensively, and considers himself a student of horsemanship and great horseman. Guy has trained and started horses all over the world, including UK, Australia, USA, Poland and New Zealand.

In 2019, Guy was selected to take part in the Mustang Makeover in Germany, a competition where wild mustangs are flown over from America and each trainer has 100 days to train the mustang ready before showing them at the makeover competition in Aachen.

The mustangs are flown to Germany from Oregon, where they are selected at random for each trainer. Guy drew a 7 yo bay roan mare who was named Taste the Magic, by their sponsors Taste the World, and after a stopover in Holland, returned home with her at the beginning of May.

Guy attended the Mustang Makeover in August with Magic where they competed in various events. After the event, the horses are entered into a public auction in an effort to give them all good homes. (According to research, due to fencing, roads, industry and water shortages, the available area of the wild can only sustainably house and feed 27,000 animals, but 88,000 mustangs and donkeys currently roam free).

The story of Guy & Magic touched many hearts, she was like no other horse Guy had worked before!! At the event, just after the finals and before the auction, Guy was approached by his sponsors and one other lady. They had been so touched and inspired by the bond that Guy had with Magic, that they had managed to raise the funds and were going to bid on Magic so that she could remain with Guy and come back home to the UK! THEY WON!!!!

You can find out more about the story of Guy and Magic on his website here and about the Mustang Makeover in Germany here.

In 2020, Guy returned to Aachen with another Mustang, Taste of Merlin. In this training video, Guy discusses and demonstrates his stages of training a wild horse to be a great partner.

Bert is a Canadian Paralympic Dressage Rider, based in Lincolnshire, UK. She has represented Canada at 3 Major Games including the Rio Paralympics and was also placed 4th, individually, at the World Equestrian Games 2014 in Normandy.

International Grade 3 Para-Equestrian dressage rider, based in Lincolnshire, UK. She also competes in able-bodied British Dressage competitions,up to Advanced Medium level and training up to Grand Prix. Bert is currently on the Equestrian Canada National Team Program and has represented Canada at 3 Major Games, including the 2018 World Equestrian Games, 2016 Rio Paralympics and finished 4th Individually at the 2014 World Equestrian Games.

Bert is also a UKCC qualified riding coach and experienced trainer who enjoys teaching a variety of riders in a multitude of ways; confidence-building 1 to 1 sessions, pole-work clinics, position workshops, horsemanship playdates and test-riding!

In this training video, Bert and her horse ‘Wonky’ have prepared a superb demonstration on truly understanding Dressage movements and how to put them together for absolute harmony with your horse.

David is a 4* Parelli Professional and Young Horse Development Specialist, originally from Switzerland, now based in the UK with his wife, Alison. Together, at their facility The Horse Place in North Devon, they are dedicated to helping people live their dreams, achieving calm, confident and responsive horses.

David’s biggest passion is colt starting (backing of youngsters); he starts colts all year in England and twice a year in Switzerland. Coming from a background in mountaineering, David believes that mountaineering and colt starting are very similar… it’s critical to respect the laws of nature and important that the whole team (guide and guest) makes it to the top and back to the cabin before dark.

In this training video, filmed over three days, in real time, David starts a young horse and discusses the fundamentals of training for long term partnership.

“I promise to put my relationship with you, my student first. And I promise to help you put the relationship with your horse first. Rather than perfecting the task, we will care more about confidence, trust, motivation and willingness as true horsemen do.”

With a reputation built through word of mouth, UK-based Australian, Jason Webb, is a leading horse trainer specialising in starting young horses under saddle and solving all behavioural and ridden problems. Working with international riders of all disciplines and world renowned studs, as well as recreational riders desiring a safe, confident and responsive riding horse, Jason’s skill, patience and deep understanding of horse behaviour has made him one of the UK’s most sought after horse trainers.

Jason has spent his working life building on his experiences and the knowledge of generations of exceptional horsemen in, and outside, his own family, and these decades of experience underpin his training philosophy.

His horse training revolves around three concepts:

“Knowledge is power. The more you learn, the more knowledge you can impart to your horse and the more your partnership will progress and strengthen… Never stop trying to learn to be a better horseperson!” – Jason Webb

Having the skills and confidence to be a leader to your horse creates willingness in the horse to follow and try for you.

Developing a balance between TRUST and RESPECT in both horse and owner creates an attitude to learn. They are fundamental to your partnership with your horse and future progression and success in your chosen discipline.

In these videos, Jason works through some of the most common problems that horse owners experience and demonstrates how to overcome them.

Working Equitation started in Europe in 1998, with just four countries participating – Spain, Portugal, France and Italy. The World governing body (WAWE) was formed in 2004 and now more than 17 countries worldwide are now working under the same rules to develop the sport.

It is the ultimate outcome of the development of the horse as a working animal. Horses were originally domesticated for farming and herding purposes, work which required them to respond to their rider whatever the terrain and difficulties they may face. The sport is a highly refined and sophisticated demonstration of these skills with the added requirement of elegance and speed of execution.

Competitions are split into different phases, similar to Eventing; Dressage, Ease of handling, Speed and at International level, cattle penning .

The dressage phase is much like that of a normal dressage test although some of the movements are performed slightly differently. At the highest level it involves some Grand Prix movements being performed with the use of just one hand.

The ease of handling test consists of a course of obstacles, replicating those that may be found when working in the countryside. For example, a gate, a bridge and a jump. There are also other more technical obstacles such as the parallel slalom, straight slalom and barrels all of which at Advanced level require the horse and rider to perform flying changes in specific places in order to perform the obstacle correctly. Riders are given a mark out of ten for precision, submission and ease of movement for each obstacle.

The speed test involves some or all of the same obstacles tackled in the ease of handling test but is purely marked on the time it takes for the horse and rider to complete to course. Time faults and bonuses can occur according to specific obstacles

British Working Equitation Champion Holly Barber explains the sport and demonstrates how to use obstacles to train flatwork, bringing variety and focus to your training.

Give your horse a great education. A solid foundation is key to a mentally, emotionally and physically happy horse who is ready to specialise and perform.

Mia wants to teach people to have good horsemanship, giving them the habits and skills they need to become a great partner for their horse.

In her video ‘Liberty in Open Spaces’, Mia takes this training to the next level, teaching you how to prepare your horse, step by step, for being in complete freedom with you, wherever you are!