MARCH/APRIL 2018 THE RIDER /41
Two-Way Trust Horsemanship with David Cowley
By David Cowley. Have you ever found yourself out on a trail
ride or working in the arena when your horse be- comes spooked or afraid of an object you’ve en- countered? Would you like to build a better, more trusting relationship with your horse? Do you want to make your ‘trusty steed’ more trusting? My name is David Cowley and I created my
own training method that I call “Two-Way Trust Horsemanship.” I am a horseman who was for- tunate to grow up on a ranch resort in the Rocky Mountains of Alberta. Spending my entire life with horses and people of all different back- grounds provided me with the opportunity to gain a profound understanding of equine/human rela- tionships that I may not have otherwise devel- oped. From a very early age, I was able to make a connection with horses and I learned to commu- nicate with them on an instinctual level. Over the years they have become some of my greatest teachers and friends. This is how my style of horsemanship techniques developed.
something but not so much that he feels that he has to find it immediately. This way you are giving the horse the time he requires to think about it. Allow- ing for that “think time” is encouraging his intelli- gence and is the start to changing the flight response. Flight response comes from us using training techniques whereby the horse is expected to immediately react to a cue or the pressure we apply goes up. With this less patient approach we are encouraging the flight instinct. Alternatively, by being patient, and giving our equine partner time to think, we are directly building faith and trust. Just keep in mind what ways you like to be taught some- thing new but remember that everyone learns a bit differently and at different rates.
2. Obstacles - A common error here occurs when a horse looks at an obstacle and is a bit afraid of it, people generally feel that they should add pressure, when typically it would be better to wait. By adding pressure in that circumstance the horse’s increasing fear and anxiety get attached to whatever the obsta- cle is. If it’s a bridge and you start kicking or whip- ping, eventually you may get over it or you may have a blow up. Either way though, you definitely will not gain any trust and in- stead erode it. Horses are often very forgiving but they also have great mem- ories. Instead, give them as much time as needed but do not let them go any- where else. Much of effec- tive training is largely about
timing and the
amount of pressure to apply.
These techniques are
much easier to demon- strate than they are to de-
Horses have always been more to me than
just a horse, they have been a friend and compan- ion, someone that was there for me through good times and bad. It is a connection that may be dif- ficult for some to understand as a horse is often still seen as a beast of burden or a commodity. They are living, breathing, thinking, feeling indi- viduals. How we see and treat them has a lot to do with how our relationship with them develops. Every horse I work with leaves an impression on my life and I always try to be the best I can for them. This doesn’t mean it’s always easy. It is im- portant to have an understanding of boundaries, to be consistent, honest, patient and firm when necessary, but always fair. My life’s work in building trust with horses
has led me down many exciting paths - from tak- ing my horses up to the Top of the Calgary Tower, riding into the John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California for WestJet, to numerous film events - and even to riding my horse “Tucker” across the glass Skywalk near Jasper, Alberta. The deep, mutually trusting relationship that I am able to build with my horses is the foundation of my success competing in Extreme Cowboy Rac- ing and the Calgary Stampede’s Cowboy Up Challenge. It has also made me a popular clini- cian, allowing me to travel the world and share my knowledge with many horse enthusiasts. It is my firm belief that developing a rela-
tionship with our horse through trust, communi- cation and patience leads to a much more fulfilling experience between both horse and rider. In giving advice on developing a trusting horse, there are many lessons to share but let’s focus on two main points that often get missed or over- looked.
1. Developing body control - This is a key oppor- tunity to teach your horse that you are patient, consistent and the leader. This is often the place where I earn the most trust and understanding be- fore I step it up to obstacle training. When I start asking my horse for anything new, I start by ask- ing him for one step. The moment he looks for what I am asking, that’s when I release the pres- sure. The amount of pressure is also important, I want just enough that he knows I’m asking for
scribe in an article and I invite you to meet me and watch my Two-Way Trust Horsemanship techniques in action at this year’s Can-Am Equine Expo in Markham, Ontario on April 6-8. I will be presenting clinics on “starting the young horse” and “introduc- tion to obstacles.” Please feel free to introduce yourself or come see me at my new Ontario home, Willow Way Farm, near Kitchener/Waterloo where I am currently taking a limited number of clients for training and lesson programs. I hope our trails cross and I look forward to helping you achieve a deeper level of trust with your equine partner. David Cowley lives at Willow Way Farm, 3887 Weimar Line, Bamberg, Ontario N0B 2T0. He can
Your horse has given you a lifetime of love and it is hard to walk away when the time has come to say goodbye
Honouring the life of your horse.
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be reached at dcow-
leyr6@gmail.com and he is always keen to help im- prove the equine/human re- lationship in any discipline.
Horse Shows
2018 ●
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