Natural horsemanship trainer George Schaefer demonstrates how to get your horse to back up safely and gently.
Tell Me What Help You Need
I created a short 2 question survey so you can tell me what kind of horse behaviors are frustrating you.
Then it asks what format do you prefer to learn with… watching a short video, reading a report, or listening to an audio clip.
It’s quick and easy. Just click the link above and tell me what’s on your mind and I’ll do my best to answer your questions.
Happy Riding,
George
Turkeycock Mountain Wildlife Reserve
George up, Autumn Splendor mount We (Kathy and me) decided to check out the wildlife reserve on Turkeycock Mountain. We only rode 1/2 the main forestry road and it took us about 2 hours. It is a beautiful ride and should be even prettier when the colors change on the trees. It is a good conditioning ride because of the steep inclines of the mountain. We took it easy on our mounts, since it was their first ride there too! It is very rocky there, so hoof protection is highly recommended.
Turkeycock Mountain Wildlife Reserve is on the line of Henry and Franklin Co.s. If you take 57 W from Chatham, VA turn right onto 651. Follow that to Max Kendall Rd. and make a right. Follow to the sign that says wildlife reserve and turn right into the dirt/gravel parking area.
If you know of any neat places to ride, please post them!
Riding with Friends!
The best part about the horses is sharing them with your friends and the friends that you make along the way.
This is a photo from our recent Cowboys for Christ trail ride here in Virginia. Good fun and fellowship was had by all.
If you would like more info on these trail rides or the Cowboys for Christ organization, feel free to contact me through this website.
We would love to hear from you.
In the meantime… we’ve been working on more training videos for you. Be sure to let me know what kinds of trouble spots you might have when dealing with your horse. The whole point of this site is to help you build a closer, more enjoyable relationship with your horse. So, let me know what you want help with and I’ll do my best to answer your questions.
Talk to you soon and happy trails,
George
Photo Gallery
We just added a new photo gallery featuring images of our beloved horses as well as some from different projects we’re working on to bring you the best in gentle, natural horse training.
We also embedded the gallery slide show in the right side bar. Just scroll down a little and you can see it.
Enjoy the gallery.
George
Tip of the Week: Establishing Respect With Your Circle of Safety
Here’s another horsemanship tip on how to earn your horse’s respect with a simple technique called the circle of safety.
The key to earning respect is moving your horse’s feet around you and not letting your horse move you around. By keeping your horse outside of your circle of safety, it won’t be able to push you around.
Check out this short video that demonstrates how the Circle of Safety works.
Tip of the Week: Your Circle of Safety from George Schaefer on Vimeo.
Tip of the Week: How To Safely Remove Your Horse’s Saddle
Here’s another horsemanship tip that most people tend to overlook… how to SAFELY remove the saddle.
Most people just unbuckle and give it a yank. This can annoy and possible endanger the horse. There is a better way that ensures your safety while making the experience more pleasant for your horse.
I demonstrate the proper technique in this short video.
Tip of the Week: How To Safely Remove Your Saddle from George Schaefer on Vimeo.
Tip of the Week: How To Regain Control When Your Horse Panics
Here’s your weekly horsemanship tip on how to regain control of your horse when he gets spooked and wants to bolt. It’s called disengaging the hind quarters. It’s like pressing the clutch on a car, causing the horse to momentarily pause.
Take a look at this short video to see just how to do it.
Weekly Horse Tip: How To Control the Hind Quarters from George Schaefer on Vimeo.
Tip of the Week: Herd Dynamics and How To Deal With an Aggressive Horse
Here is your latest tip on dealing with a pushy or aggressive horse. It’s easy to correct this behavior once you understand what’s goin’ on in the mind of your horse.
Watch this short video to get the details.
Weekly Horse Tip: Herd Dynamics from George Schaefer on Vimeo.