Equine Awareness & Commuication

JENNIE with Doodle ~ 'Just wanted to say how amazing our sessions were and how impressed I was with how calm and confident you were with the Doodle Demon!! I have to tell you he really has changed and seems so much more relaxed. I remember every day to think as you said "he's being more brave - not less naughty" Taking the blame away from him and not letting other people condemn him has been very powerful and it's working! I will keep you updated!'

HEATHER with Sasha ~'Many thanks for all your help, I love how I look at my relationship with horses, especially my own so differently! '

 

SIMON with Velvet, Jack & Biddy ~'Had such fun chewing-the-fat about the horse world! Feel inspired and now confident to do things the right way for my horses. It all makes sense now! Thank you so much.'

 

LISA with Danny ~'I was really unhappy with my life and my horse was too, we have learnt so much and everything is completely different! Oh and we moved yards!!! Thanks Laura, "more tea?" !'

 

PAULA with Ben

Laura is great! If it wasn't for her I would never be having so much fun with my lovely loan horse

Ben! Thank-you Laura!!

I met Laura when I went into her tack shop looking for advice on riding schools. I was really

nervous as I hadn'tbeen around horses or horsey people for years. I was really excited to find

such a lovely friendly person who was more than happy to offer help and advice about all things

horsey. We spent hours chatting and Laura listened so patiently whilst I twittered on about my

nerves and fears etc of eventually getting what I had dreamed of for years, my own horse! She even

came on hair brained journeys checking horsesout with me! (chuckle!-Laura) I can't believe how

patient and understanding she was! I would have given up on me much sooner! So, after a number

of riding lessons and visits to Laura's family of horses, she put me in touch with Hannah who has a wonderfully friendly yard and it was here that I stared my adventure with Ben (with loads of support from my new friends Hannah and Imogen!). I am having so much fun and am learning so much about the world of horses. My dreams have nearly come true, thanks to Laura!

I love Laura's philosophy on horses, it is so refreshing to speak to someone who really understands horses and cares so much for them. She is incredibly knowledgeable and is more than happy to share this knowledge and to share her own experiences with you. So keep up the good work Laura! The horse world needs more people like you!!

 

WENDY with Polly

'Working with Laura has been a really positive experience

I am in my early 50's-'a galloping grannie' as Laura used to describe the 50+ age group, before

I informed her that I was nearly that age when we first met and not a grannie either!

(oops!-Laura)I went back to riding having given up as a teenager. We had horses as children,

but in hindsight I was completely oblivious to the responsibilities and challenges that owning

a horse involves and provides. As a teenager I had little regard for my 'mortality';

I was fairly fearless and going fast was high on my list of priorities along with jumping! Style

was not even thought about and although we loved our horses, I am not sure I gave their

comfort much thought.

So we soon found ourselves the proud owners of a beautiful bay mare, very young and terrifically

bossy, both in the field and out. We loved her to bits, but unfortunately I got kicked by someone

else's pony approximately 6 weeks after we got her and that severely knocked my confidence -

not something that I was able to admit to...

It was at this point that Laura came into my life in a big way. I had known her from her tack

shop, where she always knew who you were; where you were at and probably, the most important thing - the horse. I started to understand the horse in a completely different way, Laura was good at raising my awareness about their (horses) behaviour relating to mine. This encompassed my moods, attitudes, energy and feelings and where I was at in my life whether I was menopausal or just having a really bad day. This was a very different approach to the traditional BHS type of approach to horses.

I gradually became able to decipher my moods and see them reflected in my mare's behaviour. Sometimes I found that I had gone 2 steps forward and 3 steps back and at other times I just kept going forward. One of the other things that I need to mention here is that there are some days when I can and do achieve great things and there are other days when my confidence can just dissolve for no explicable reason. I do put this down to my age especially when I speak to people of a similar age. I am sure it is a common thing, not to do with horses, so much as where I am in my life. What was great about Laura was that she built my confidence up and I never felt stupid, some days I was on 'cloud nine' with what I had achieved even if it was the smallest thing. On the bad days when I was feeling hormonal and things went wrong, I had Laura there to suggest, advise and above all support. I think one of Laura's most important and helpful bits of advice and work with me was about being able to deal with horses on the ground. In my younger days certainly, it was all about being out there and riding, now I feel like I have achieved a lot if I have done stuff on the ground and not even contemplated riding on some days. I am now much more in line with my horse and feel like I am much more in tune with both of us. I have, by no means, cracked it all, but I feel that I am well on my way to communicating better with my horse and myself. The whole horse/human relationship experience often has a very spiritual element to it, at times hard to find in human relationships.

 

MEG with Misty

My childhood dream began to realise when, age 9, my stepfather swapped a motorbike for Gypsy, an unstarted skewbald rig! Despite visions of Gypsy dragging my stepfather across the playing fields during 'breaking', he was thankfully an honest, good natured pony who taught me to ride, and fall!! My first memory of Jasmine is a terrified, wild dun moors filly being hustled out the back of a dealers lorry to join an ecstatic Gypsy. She became my everything, gave me her trust, allowed me to back her and won us 2nd place and 80p prize money at our debut show, Slimbridge Horse Show and Gymkhana! Professional influences began age 10 working with showjumpers, a show pony stud, Berkeley Hunt stables, two racing yards and for the lovely family of a Hunt Master. At 18 a 'change of life' move from my quiet Gloucestershire village to Bath meant hands on horses became sporadic. Sooo...17 years, two kids, a simmering lack of confidence and acute awareness of mortality later; I agree to loan Misty, a skewbald cob filly, rising three. The excitement was over shadowed at times of blind panic...what have I taken on? Can I still do it? What if . . . ? EVERYTHING'S CHANGED!! Misty had never been shod and

with my good friend Sara being a trimmer, I wanted to keep her barefoot. Mistys honesty

and consistently is worth her weight in gold; I felt I wanted to explore other areas ie; going

bitless and going at a different leisurely pace. We were often met with "You wanna get on

and ride/ lunge/shoe, rug/ show etc" from the well meaning but we were exploring and

having fun in-hand...I was confused.com!

Then my guardian angel revealed herself in Laura!! I've taken so much of her time she's

had to relocate!(Ha!-Laura) I find Laura to be positive and encouraging particularly how

to make the best from what we have available to us in our individual situations. From

behaviour to nutrition Laura's always given neutral sound advice.

Observing the awesome Rosemary give Equine Touch to Misty I could clearly see reactions to tender spots, relief and deep relaxation, I was amazed. Less than 18 months later I had passed the 3 levels to obtain the diploma needed to become a Practitioner of Equine Touch!

In January 2007 Stanley, then 20 months, iron grey New Forest cheeky chap, joined Misty. We bought our field and shelter, then September our amazing 40 y.o. welsh/arab Lady came home for retirement. Now we're just waiting for Jasmine(currently on loan), at 29 to stop winning and retire too! So much has changed in such a short time and there's no stopping any of us now due to the input and inspiration of too many fabulous people to mention but big time to Laura who's part in our rolling harmony is immeasurable. Massive thanks for your limitless time, confidence and support and all the very best wishes. X