Ian Leighton Horsemanship

03/09/2026

Thought for the day:
Proficiency, expertise or even being able to “get by” in your chosen field does not come from what you know alone.
You can study the masters, discuss pro’s and con’s, or read and watch every type of media you can acquire. You can talk with authority and debate what is happening or you can listen with interest. You can offer opinion and advise. You can wear the best clothes and own the best equipment. You can ponder it every minute of your day. You can have a doctorate in it or be high up on the committees that run it. You can pay the best people to help out or try to buy your way up the ladder.
The only way to become great at something is by doing it. Do it and accept the good with the bad. Do it without fear of a mistake, or of a little dirt on you, or of what others may think or say. Do it over and over and over. Gain experience in as many varying situations and work with as many different scenarios as you can for as many years as you can. Learn the little ways that you have to adjust to every situation and master the skills that keep you from making the wrong choice until you don’t even have to think about it any more. Look at new things and make them work for you before deciding on them. Expose your self to the physical act of putting your amassed knowledge to use enough times to become confident in your ability. No body ever expects to become great at a martial art just by reading about it. Anything else that requires physical action is the same. Proficiency is much more than just a knowledge of the subject. Horses learn to be great through exposure and practice. Don’t expect that he can carry past a level that you have practiced. That is not his responsibility.

27/08/2026

A thought from Liz

“Take the time it takes” it a common saying and one that has great application in horse and rider development and progression.

I like to add to this by saying “take the time it takes wisely”. Be efficient and effective, and value our time. Be mindful not to fall into a pattern of avoidance using the “take the time” approach when challenges arise.

There will be times when progress needs to be consolidated and times when progress needs to be advanced. Sometimes we will need guidance to overcome challenges, and sometimes with some adventurous spirit we can overcome them ourselves.

There is also a saying in riding - “forward is everything”. As long as we are taking a step forward, no matter how small or slow, we are still moving forward and using time wisely.

Be wise.

12/08/2026

We've been a bit quiet on the socials & clinic scheduling of late due to family commitments at home.

Liz has scheduled a couple of trips for the remainder of 2026, these are our only mainland visits so if you are keen for a clinic it's worth looking at travelling to either of these great clinic venues - "Bienvenido" Churchable SE QLD (near Gatton) & "Banyandah" Howlong NSW (between Albury and Corowa).

Interested???? Details are up on our website event page or message us for details.

28/06/2026

Some people have a plan and others have a scheme. Make sure you understand which one you are dealing with.

18/06/2026

We've been a bit quiet with clinic scheduling for 2026 so that our focus can be on supporting family with some unexpected illness. Fortunately, things are looking more positive on that front, so Liz is back scheduling some travel and clinics for later in the year.

If you are keen to attend a clinic in 2026, we have locked in 2 x 4 day clinics at Howlong NSW (located between Albury & Corowa) in November. Riders are welcome to do either block of dates, & for those very keen can book in for both & stay on for the full time.

Details are up on our website event page, or you can message us for more information.

10/06/2026

https://www.instagram.com/p/DZZzd_mh3ml/?igsh=MTR6M3plY284MnRxeA==

27/05/2026

Thought for the day:
Consider this.
When we see older horses and younger horses interacting, and the older horse chases the young horse off, many believe this is about teaching respectful behaviour.
Sometimes it seems like the chaser is just being mean to the “chasee”.
Maybe it’s not what it seems?
Maybe the horse doing the chasing is doing the horse being chased a favour?
Maybe the older prey animal is helping the younger prey animal learn to survive?
It makes sense to me that the youngster is learning avoidance techniques and awareness or vigilance.
I believe that it’s possible that it’s a mechanism for enhancing survival techniques that are instinctual.
It’s quite possible that this behaviour is an evolutionary way of ensuring survival of the species.
I think that often we think too much like humans that are evolving to live in an environment where we are protected from the need for these skills.
Not everything is about being dominant.
One of the greatest things you can teach horses and kids is how to respond to pressure, both physical and mental.
Pressure is only a problem if you have not been taught how to avoid it or go with it.
This is never learned if others ensure that pressure never presents itself.

18/05/2026

Some useful advice.

Thought for the day:
I still get asked regularly if I can take a young or green horse to further it's training.
Often as not the request includes a story about how everything was going ok but then one day outside pressures caused it to act up.
The request is generally to enhance it's knowledge or change their mindset so that they can handle all types of scenarios and be calmer and better behaved.
Often these requests are never attached to an aside like "can you teach me how I should handle and ride a green or inexperienced horse?".
The onus is all on the horse to be able to carry (no pun intended) the rider through any situation that may arise and keep them safe.
That is too much responsibility for a young or green horse.
Your horse needs some support and help while it gains experience.
Regardless of your knowledge of horses or riding or a particular discipline you may find a green horse a challenge if you are inexperienced with them.
Many older horses can be much more forgiving of mistakes and have more experience of the world.
It takes more than a stint at a trainers to make an experienced horse.
Often there is a way through but it takes the help of people with the experience. Hands on help.
It also takes a little fortitude and the ability to not make your horse feel trapped with your hands or legs no matter what occurs.
Most of what is called acting up would not have occurred at all if the rider had acted the way the horse needed them to.
The first thing that it takes is the recognition that to ride young or green horses you may need to have yourself trained.

12/04/2026

Thought for the day:
Horsemanship is not like learning to dance from a carefully set out collection of exercises that you can learn by rote and practice to perfection.
Its much more like teaching a very athletic alien, who is full of worry and does not understand a vocal language, how to dance. In addition you must work very precisely and consistently in sign language that you don’t fully understand and with the extra difficulty that they will have a melt down and leave the class if the confusion gets to more than that particular individual can tolerate.
It takes some commitment to learn to do this.
Theory alone won’t get you across the line line and nor will practice without understanding.
Intelligence or athleticism alone wont get you there.
Bravado or quietness are not the answer.
Patience or the need for instant change are also not going to make it all fall into place.
A scientific approach, artistic flair or emotional intelligence? Reactiveness or passiveness? Sorry not them either.

You probably need a little of all those attributes that you can turn on or off or manipulate the intensity of. Not only do you have to have control of those things but you have to be able to do it in a heartbeat.

Buy, beg, borrow or steal the theory but learning how to be with each horse and “when to be how to be” is where the magic happens.
You can only learn that from horses.