Jenny Paterson has spent a lifetime involved with horses and, now based just north of Christchurch, she regularly travels around New Zealand taking lessons as well as being involved in organising horse related clinics, such as the recent Dr Deb Bennett seminars and Ken Faulkener camps.
Here Jenny answers a few commonly asked questions and explains her philosphy for working with horses.

Jenny, have you always been interested in horses?
Ever since I can remember, I would draw horses, count horses everywhere we went, get totally into any horse books, the Golden Stallion etc, frantically save and earn extra pocket money to go to the local riding school. Finally, when I was 13, I got a paper round for a year and saved 50 pounds to buy my first horse. Because of complete lack of knowledge this didn't turn out too well, so I gave up owning a horse until I finished university and moved to the South Island, where I was amongst more people who could 'help'.

What Is "Horsemanship"?
I put a great deal of thought into this as it 'defines' what I do!! The best definition I have come up with so far is that it is:

"The Art of Gaining Compliance From the Horse,
Without Bringing out his Need for Self-Preservation."
(ie without troubling, confusing, forcing, offending, scaring,
blaming or hurting him)

This absolutely extends out to the whole horse. No matter how good your horsemanship skils are, your horse is not going to be happy and perform if the saddle is too tight, or if his hooves are too long or if his teeth need attention etc It really is about the horses total well-being.

How did you get involved with HorsemanshipNZ?
Prior to 1995, I would be riding a lot of young horses. In my 20's I had gone to California and spent about a year (3 summers in a row) with a fabulous couple who trained and showed quarter horses. When I look back they were excellent "horsemen' and I learned a lot about breaking in and riding young horses. Consequently that is what I ended up doing for people in NZ. However, not all the horses "had read the same book" as me!! I would end up on the ground every now and then and not be able to walk for a week etc, so when I saw an advertisement for a "Natural Horsemanship" clinic to be held locally, I went along. I saw that learning to see things from the horses point of view would make things a lot safer, so I went whole hog into it, became qualified and started instructing all around NZ. Since then I have realised that there is nothing "natural" about keeping and riding horses these days, it is the 'end' of the 'natural' or 'wild' horse as soon as he is behind a fence, but there is good horsemanship which helps the horse to feel as comfortable as possible in his current environment. Dr Deb Bennett recently described this as 100% OK-ness, 100% of the time!!

What are some of the main principals behind what you teach?
Great question!! I teach people how to have or improve their 'feel and timing', how they are presenting their ideas to the horse. I teach an attitude of "How can I Help the Horse", not "How can I make the horse". This requires a major 'mental shift', away from the old 'gotta show him who's boss',' mustn't let him win', and is more and more about becoming the sort of person that your horse needs you to be for him to feel that 100% OK. How to get the horse to feel that he can take all his troubles to you and you will help him out, instead of him having to look elsewhere for help. Patience!!! This comes easily when you KNOW things will work out. Horses have no concept of time whatsoever. How to set things up and wait for the horse to 'find it', or how to 'hold' at the same pressure. Most of those who come to lessons are women and they LOVE all this, it is the relationship they always wanted with their horse and now they can have it and feel safe and not "spoil" the horse.

When I think of Horsemanship, I think of Rope Halters and Bareback riding!! If I'm interested in Dressage or Showjumping how can Horsemanship help me?
This is a very common misconception as we all started out with this sort of thing. However, that was then, this is now!!! Horsemanship is universal to horses, not a separate discipline. There are thousands of people out their who are fantastic riders, but they are not a horseman's backside!! See them trying to get an unwilling horse onto a float and it becomes very obvious. It is very easy to "blame the horse" and sell him, or send him to Clover meats, instead of working on your horsemanship skills, so that you don't cause the problem in the first place. All "bad" behaviour is 'the human coming out in the horse', not the horse being naughty, stubborn etc. People inadvertently programme in the very behaviour they don't want. An increased awareness prevents this from happening. So many people are out there trying to compete on a horse that is not calm, definitely NOT balanced and supple or straight and therefore has difficulty rounding up and performing, so they never get the best results and the horse certainly doesn't have a good time. Much of what I do is help people "get them and their horse to Square One" so they are set up to succed at whatever they want to do with their horse.

Is there a common problem you come across with horses and riders?
Yes, people don't realise it until it is pointed out, but they are almost always over-cueing or 'doing too much'. They have no concept of how sensitive and perceptive horses are, and it always amazes them to see how their horse appreciates it when they learn lightness and softness.

Do you ride yourself?
Yes, I ride several horses a day when I'm home. I'm continually learning off all of them. My favorite horse is my chestnut mare, she is 50% Qh and 50% thoroughbred, extremely athletic and light on her feet, I have had her since 6 months old (she is rising 12) and learned heaps from her, mainly from making mistakes and fixing them!! Am training her up as a "Reining" horse.