Diana Thompson

Early in my professional career, I realized the actions a horse makes need to be viewed as honest communication. For instance, if a horse argues when I ask him to canter in one direction, he isn’t a “bad” horse. He didn’t decide on a whim to be difficult. His resistance is his truth about what he is facing at that moment.

This horse is showing me he is physically uncomfortable and/or emotionally anxious about the task of cantering in one direction. He has a reason for his behavior. I need to reduce the difficulty of what I’m asking the horse to do, figure out the underlying cause of the resistance, then find a solution.

To better understand the reasons for physical and emotional problems in horses, I studied equine anatomy, massage, joint range of motion exercises, acupressure and Traditional Chinese Medicine, and Bach flower essences. I also learned gentle horse training methods including liberty work, clicker training, and some aspects of natural horsemanship.

This knowledge helps me identify what is causing a horse’s distress. It also provides hands-on ways to relieve the problems I find including 1) tight muscles and stiff joints that interfere with a horse’s ability to move smoothly in both directions at the walk, trot, and canter and 2) emotional tension and fear created by rough handling, accidents, or injuries.

Acupressure, massage, and other forms of body work, combined with gentle clear training calms horses, supports their health, and improves performance. They also build communication and trust between horse and handler. Here’s another bonus: the methods are easy to learn and carry out. They don’t require strength, quick reflexes, or years of horse experience.

I’ve spent more than 35 years teaching horse owners and caregivers how to use these highly effective techniques. They report health-changing, even life-saving results. Because of this experience, I know if you have the desire to learn I can show you how to use these methods to improve the well-being of your horse. Give it a try – your horse will thank you!