Derek & Jo

Author: Derek Clark

  • Is it really all about working from behind?

    Is putting all your focus on working your horse from behind really the best way to ride?

    If you’re like many riders who’ve come to us for help, you’ve probably been taught to think that riding your horse from the back to the front is the ‘correct’ way to do things. And if you hold on to that belief then, of course, doing anything to directly influence the forehand would be forbidden. 

    And it’s easy to understand why you’d think that. It’s the message the modern mainstream proclaims at every opportunity. 

    But is it really true? 

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  • Talent isn’t everything

    I remember my first real equine encounter as if it were yesterday…

     I was in the middle of my first ever groundwork lesson. A birthday present from Jo to her then completely non-horsey husband in an effort to help me understand why she spent so much time at the stables while I was messing around with rowing boats down at the river. 

    After a short human-to-human exercise to establish the basics of body language and how to wave my arms around as ‘aids’, I was let loose with the real deal.  (more…)

  • Is a bit really necessary for riding?

    From time to time, Jo and I get asked whether a bit is really necessary in order to ride a horse. Clearly, it’s not essential. On the other hand, if you know how to use one in a horse friendly way, it can become a very useful tool for both horse and rider.

    The reason why head collars and bridles were invented is that the simple truth that control over a horse’s head and neck provide a key to influencing the rest of his body. This is something all horses learn through instinct in their first few hours of life. 
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  • The art of classical gardening

    I couldn’t wait to tell you, I’ve just come in from mowing the lawn!

    “So what?”, you may ask.

    Well, I know it’s maybe not that big a deal to you, but I couldn’t help noticing how much my mowing skills have improved in the last 5 weeks.

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  • Could hiding your mistakes be the biggest mistake of all?

    If there’s one thing I see people doing that stops them making the progress they want with their horses it’s trying to hide their mistakes. And that could be a big mistake that’s holding you back too.

    In fact, you probably don’t even realise that you’re doing it – because hiding your mistakes is actually baked into the way most riders have been taught to use their aids.

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  • Why oh why won’t you just do what I want?

    There was a meme going around on social media the other day that caught my eye. It went something like this:

    Other people’s horses: “Oh, is that your inside leg and outside rein? OK, I’ll just start collecting myself and getting into a nice frame for you and working on my topline. No worries, you just relax and enjoy yourself and I’ll just carry myself nicely for you!”.

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  • Still hands are good hands, right?

    Well, yes… and no! As is often the case with riding, it depends.

    As something to work towards, then yes, hands that appear to be still can be a sign of a well schooled horse and a skilful rider. But if you want a happy horse who enjoys being ridden throughout his career, how your hands behave has to be determined by what your horse’s mouth is doing and not the other way around.

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  • Deepening connections…

    There’s some old horse wisdom that says, “it’s not how you are with horses, it’s how you are…”.

    It’s an idea that has been around for a long time.

    Back in the 16th Century, Antoine de Pluvinel (tutor to King Louis XIII of France) recognised how learning to work well with horses through empathy and skill helped his students in other ways. This train of thought led him to foster the creation of the first classical academies and ultimately the ‘Golden Age’ of French equitation.

    Recently, Derek appeared on the Mind, Body & Relationship Maze podcast with psychologist and relationship coach Tom Mackay.

    In this episode, Tom finds out how Derek came to make the leap from being a professional rowing coach to professional horseman. They also explore how building better relationships with horses can help you find more happiness and success in other areas of life too.   

    You can listen here: The Mind, Body & Relationship Maze Podcast

  • Opportunity knocks (but rarely more than once!)

    I’ve been thinking about opportunities this week.

    Back in 1995, shortly after Jo and I moved to Switzerland, we set about the task of getting ourselves connected to the (then brand new) internet.

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  • Just 3 simple steps to a happy horse and happy rider?

    Riding horses  in a way that they like can seem so difficult  sometimes. Because it is!

    Sometimes trying to pretend things aren’t so difficult just gets us into more and more trouble.

    I mean, take gadgets, for example.

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