Backing, Pre-backing, Re-backing and Handling Youngsters

Is it your dream to back your own horse or pony?

There are many benefits to backing your horse yourself, rather than sending it away to someone else. By backing your horse with me, you will be present for the whole process of basic handling, pre-backing and backing or re-backing. You will know exactly what the process is, and how and why ES coaches do such meticulous gradual habituation at every small stage of this process. You will become very independent, knowledgeable and competent at every stage during the process.

In over 10 years of backing/starting horses with ES techniques, I have never had a horse that displays hyper-reactive behaviours. It really is a bit like watching paint dry, and that’s what we want when you get on your horse the first few times.

Then we can begin to broaden the education and experience of your newly-backed horse.

This process can be done with a short series of in-person sessions, or even via online coaching - I’ve had great success with backing this way.

The process includes: basic handling and in-hand controls, including go, stop step back, head down, park, leading and turns.

Then we progress to bitting and bridling habituation (if required), and habituation to the saddle pad, saddle and girthing.

Next, we do the actual backing, followed by basic responses on the lead rope. We gradually fade the handler cues, and install rider cues. Finally, the rider is in independent control of the horse for stop, go, step back, and transitions (walk, trot, canter if required).

If students want further refinement (‘schooling’) we can book another short course of sessions. I also do accompanied first rides out, to help with rider confidence and safety.

Here’s what previous clients say about learning to back their horse with me:

"I wanted to give you a little update on S. I’ve been making more progress and putting the surcingle on him and he was as good as gold. And today I put the saddle blanket on him and had my sister's help and again he was really good."

"So far so good. I managed to progress to the point I got on B bareback yesterday and even managed to do a few circles.  She was super chill about it all."

"We're 2 days into practicing - go, stop, step back, head lower, and yield have improved massively - the turn we can manage one step without the quarters moving .....

Massive improvement on the nipping - I've only had to press my delete button a couple of times at the beginning.

I’ve stuck to staying under the 30 mins .....

We’re absolutely loving this method - everything feels very clear with a simple structure (I love the delete definition - that has really helped me) xx"

"I needed to understand why my partially backed young horse was behaving as she was. I was beginning to think I had made a massive mistake with regard to her purchase. I felt that she ... was a ‘nice’ horse but her rearing, bucking and dislodging of rider and her tension was overwhelming. I had enrolled the services of a professional and experienced backer/starter.

Julie came to the rescue. Julie delivered a number of geared training sessions to address the conflict behaviours, starting from scratch. I could see very quickly why I was in my current situation and why my mare was so confused.

At the end of the first session she was already transforming and by the last session I had the horse that I knew I had purchased. Calm, relaxed, and waiting for cues.

All through the process Julie delivered the training sessions in a clear and precise way, with demonstrations and explanations as to what she was going to cue my mare to do and what response she was expecting to get, and what she would do if the response wasn’t correct.

Julie then watched, and corrected me when necessary, as I repeated each process. All the training was ethical and my mare’s welfare always considered. Julie was also very happy to answer my umpteen questions.

Julie will be back to continue re-backing.

If you don’t want to ‘just deal with’ your horse’s behaviour, or think that your horse has always done such and such, then retrain it so that you never have to ‘just deal with it’ ever again. Julie is the one to do this."

"I can’t believe how smoothly it went!"

"Calm as!:

"Brill thank you so much Julie."

"I wanted to back my youngster myself, and didn’t want to send him away where I wouldn’t get to be part of this journey with him.

I had backed horses before - but a long while ago - I searched for a long time the support I felt would work for us .....

I had been introduced to ES and felt the clear approach could work for us.

I found Julie on Facebook and followed her work for a while.

I was thrilled when Julie confirmed she would provide online support for backing .

Julie started from the beginning with us and provided clear information on the steps to follow. She answered my questions and gave great feedback on numerous short videos I sent just to check we were on the right road.

When I eventually sat on my boy he was so chilled - no stress or tension at all.

For me this approach was great - and definitely least stressful for my horse".