FAQ’s » Ross Nickless Horsemanship

Check out some of the most frequently asked questions...

What is good horsemanship?

Good horsemanship is being ‘at one’ with your horse, where you each respect each other in a relaxed and responsive way. You are aware of your horses emotions and respond accordingly in every situation that comes your way.

Remain calm, stay relaxed, be responsive and aware.

What are horsemanship lessons?

What happens in your lessons depends on you and your horses level of knowledge and training. Ross always starts at the beginning to ensure the foundation is solid, before moving onto the next steps. If you have a complete solid foundation then building on the layers becomes a lot easier. If you are having particular problems then these would be discussed and worked into the plan.

What are horsemanship skills?

Horsemanship skills start with basics such as being aware of where your horse is, both physically and mentally. Identifying the best action to be taken alongside each challenge or at any given time and having a good step by step plan in mind Anything you do with your horse is horsemanship, from leading them to and from the field, feeding, ground work, trailering or riding, they can all be classed as horsemanship.

What is natural horsemanship training and is there a difference with just horsemanship?

Personally I believe that the term horsemanship and natural horsemanship are one in the same, with emphasis on communication and understanding between horse and human. Good horsemanship can be identified in all disciplines, it’s not all about the stick and string or cow boy hat.

What do I need for horsemanship training?
Flag, stick and string, lunge whip, halter etc

First of all, the most important thing is safety, assess your and your horses mental connectivity and spacial awareness. You can start your journey with any equipment that is of good quality.

How do I learn horsemanship?

Online videos, virtual lessons and subscriptions, one to one training sessions, clinics, books , podcasts. We can also learn an incredible amount from horses simply by observing their behaviours and responses to situations and challenges caused by us, their companions or the environment they are in. Good horsemanship is about making these observations and assessments and then seeking ways to either help or teach things with an approach that is very much based on seeing the world form their perspective as much as possible and figuring out ways to teach, introduce things or help with situations and challenges with their perspective very much at the forefront of our minds.

Which is better a halter or head collar?

All in all it is not important which type of equipment you use as long as they are in good condition. Depending on your horse, training, comfort level, may determine what you wish to choose.

What is a flag stick and do I need one?

Flag sticks are a really useful communication tool, when you know how to use them effectively. You should be able to use them very subtlety to gain the horses attention or ask them to move off. Key things to remember is that you do not want the horse to become afraid of the movement of the flag and at the same time you do not want your horse to become complacent and ignore the flag. It is all about balance and monitoring the situation.

What happens at a horsemanship clinic?

A horsemanship clinic is an event offered by one or more horsemanship trainers that people can book onto and attend together with their horse with the aim of learning or further advancing their skills, knowledge, communication and connection with there horse. A clinic can be held typically over one or more days, the benefits of attending are many for example: gaining experience from one or more knowledgable horsemanship trainers, seeing and hearing other peoples horses, stories, situations etc. Much can be benefited from seeing and relating to a number of scenarios either the same similar or completely different to your own and watching how others act, respond and learn from the horse.