Lucy Chester Horsemanship

09/06/2026

When the babies are fighting over who gets the injection 🤣 💉 Super proud of these boys. It’s only the second training session due to horrendous weather this week but hopefully it’s enough for them to have a good experience tomorrow for their vaccines. I did the training all over their necks and chest so they are prepared for wherever it is done. Especially pleased with Artos as he was quite sceptical the first session I did. Sometimes having a break for them to process is helpful. 💪🏻 Equivet Mobile Horse Veterinary Services

08/06/2026

Please read post from Liz. Equine flu is not on the yard but has been confirmed nearby. We are taking all precautions. I am so glad the little boys end their quarantine on Thursday - it’s been such a lot of work 😅 Can you believe it’s been 4 weeks already 😱.

As the equine flu is on the rise, if I am teaching at your yard, please make me aware if there are any horses who are unwell or showing any signs. Tao had his booster 4 weeks ago and the little boys are booked in on Weds anyway for their boosters (I’ve been doing injection training!) 💉 and to have their microchips/ markings checked to be registered in the UK! 🇬🇧 exciting!

🐴 Important Yard Update: No Equine Flu on Our Yard, But Precautions in Place

I am thrilled to share that our two yearling Haflinger c**ts will be completing their quarantine period this Thursday. Apart from Lucy’s boy deciding that fences are merely a suggestion and attempting to go over, or under, the post and rail and electric fencing, everything has gone smoothly!

However, we have been made aware of a confirmed case of equine influenza in the local area, associated with another young c**t.

While this case is not connected to our yard, we have spoken with our vet and are taking sensible precautionary measures to help protect our horses.

As a result:
• We will only be hacking out from the yard in a southerly direction until further notice.
• The three mares have been moved from the Wishanger Lane paddocks.
• For this Thursday’s Clip-Clop Club, a foot bath and hand sanitiser station will be available, and we kindly ask all visitors to use them on arrival.

For anyone who may be unfamiliar with equine influenza, symptoms can include:
• A sudden high temperature (fever)
• A dry, persistent cough
• Nasal discharge
• Lethargy or depression
• Loss of appetite
• Swollen glands under the jaw

If your horse develops any of these symptoms, please contact your vet promptly and avoid all unnecessary horse-to-horse contact.

Thank you to everyone for your understanding and cooperation. We will continue to follow veterinary advice and keep everyone updated as needed.

Thank you,

08/06/2026

JUNE Spaces:
Friday 12th - Medstead/ Alton area (1 space or 2 if same yard)
Saturday 20th - Chobham/ Woking Area (2 spaces)
Sunday 21st - Churt/Elstead/ Farnham (2 spaces)
If you’d like a weekday session, I have a handful of dates available. Comment or message me 😊

Clip Clop Club THIS Thursday 11th June @ 6.30pm. Teresa Wilson - Equine Podiatrist will be doing a talk. Tea, coffee and biscuits. £5PP that goes to charity.

CAMP: 1 x space has become available on the 17-19th July camp. Message me for details.

Almost every client I’ve seen since last weekend has asked me about bridleless riding 😆. So exciting that so many people have this as a goal now! ⭐️ Yes, I can absolutely help with it. For me, bridleless riding is an end goal - the culmination of a strong relationship, a confident horse and clear/ refined communication. My recommendation is to have a confident, happy and soft horse bitless first so they understand all seat cues (especially stop!). I do not use tools like whips/ sticks for steering so this is especially important.

06/06/2026

‘Your horse coming into your space is disrespectful’

‘He’s walking all over you, back him out of your space,’ ‘move his feet,’ ‘don’t let her move you’, ‘don’t let her rub on you.’

These are phrases I frequently hear and read. But one of the ways horses build relationships with each other is to share space and they will often do this with preferred companions. Close proximity can be one indicator of an affiliative (friendly) relationship.

We are not horses and staying safe is, of course, always important. But is keeping them out of our space by repeatedly doing something unpleasant (like wiggling the rope, waving a flag or tapping a stick - all things I’ve done in the past before I learnt about horse behaviour and how horses learn) unintentionally damaging trust and the relationship? Do we not want our horses to feel safe with us? Isn’t the relationship what it’s all about? What if it also increases stress/ frustration and therefore the likelihood of dangerous or escalating behaviours? (For example, rearing or trying to get away).

Observing Artos and Arkado (the two yearling c**ts who arrived from Austria over 3 weeks ago), they have grown up together and are often found eating the same strand of grass, sleeping almost on top of each other and bashing into each other in play. They are friends and half-brothers. These behaviours are relationship building.

Again, we are not horses. But they are also not humans and they do not understand the concept of ‘respect’ or ‘manners’. It’s up to us to teach them how to behave around us. But this can be done without damaging trust and the relationship. Just a few of the ways you can do this:
⁃ Using protected contact (a barrier like a gate or fence)
⁃ Antecedent arrangement (Environmental set up - training in a quiet area with hay available)
⁃ Teaching alternate behaviours (e.g teach a calm neutral where the horse stands with their head facing forwards)
⁃ Differential reinforcement (reinforce head forwards instead of crowding space)
⁃ Capturing behaviour (marking and rewarding a step back that has occurred naturally).
⁃ Shaping behaviour (rewarding little steps towards an end goal)

So the next time someone says to you that your horse is being disrespectful, trying to dominate you or is walking all over you. Remember that horses do not understand the concept of respect, nor do they understand human rules or expectations. They are simply being horses and it’s up to us to look at the driving factors for behaviour including environment, management, ourselves and our training.

01/06/2026

June Dates ☀️
If your area isn’t included, please message me. Weekdays available - please message. I will do a Chilworth/ Gford date.

Thurs 4th - Woking/ Chobham (1 space)
Sat 6th - available
Sun 7th - Wokingham & surrounding areas could also go via Farnham
Thursday 11th - Clip Clop Club. Come and join us for a talk from Teresa Wilson Equine Podiatry Services - Teresa Wilson DEP MEPA👣 @ 6.30pm
Friday 12th - Medstead/ Alton (1 space)
Sun 14th - Bromley/ Redhill (FULL)
Thurs 18th - Loxwood Area (FULL)
Sat 20th - Chobham/ Woking/ Claygate (spaces)
Sun 21st - Churt & surrounding areas (spaces)
Sat 27th - Epsom & surrounding areas
Sun 28th - Oxted/ Redhill/ Caterham (1 space)

SUMMER CAMP:
We have one space that has become available on 17-19th July. Please message me for more info. Location: Churt with Liz Wenman (Veterinary Chiropractor) and myself.

Photo: Lovely Lizzie and Bob (who is in his 30s) standing on the mat at liberty during his first lesson! 👏 😍

30/05/2026

Two weeks with Artos ❤️ I have done everything at liberty, so he is free to leave if he feels uncomfortable. This way he gets to have a voice and feel more relaxed. I have only done very short training sessions on:
- Recall
- Fly mask
- Fly cream
- Grooming
- Mane and tail

Next on the list is hoof lifts (I stopped as it was too soon and my trimmer kindly let me push the appointment back) and injection training as he will need to have a jab in a few weeks.

90% of what I have done with him is relationship building. Hanging out, scratches and being the person who delivers food and opens the grass (being associated with nice things).

So many people like to say that using food causes all sorts of problems - but that’s usually because they aren’t using it well or are trying to train horse who are not in a trainable state (needs not met, pain or stress etc). When used properly, it creates calm, trusting horses who enjoy training and interactions and it absolutely is relationship building. There is also so much you can train babies to make general handling easier, safer and less stressful. It is cognitively enriching for them too!

27/05/2026

Artos, I promise you will always be listened to ❤️

I will never move your feet to get you to ‘respect me’ or back you out of my space. You are welcome into my space because I know this is a sign of trust and friendship. If you ever push into me or try to get away, I know it’s because you are stressed and worried so you will not be punished. I will do my best to help you in these situations.

You will never be whipped or chased with a plastic bag on a stick (or any other ‘extension of my arm’). I want you to like me, trust me and enjoy time with me. I want you to do things because you want and choose to.

You will never be twitched or hit on my watch 👊

Your welfare will come first and I will do all in my power to keep you happy ❤️. I made many mistakes with Tao that I have learned from and will not subject you to. I’m excited to see where this journey takes us. Getting to know you is such a privilege 🥰

21/05/2026

One week with these boys ❤️ Mostly they are just being left to decompress after their long journey but there are some things that have required starting. Like teaching them to come off the grass as both were very reluctant 😆 (understandably!). The flies are bad already and the boys were getting so irritated so fly masks were also a priority. These clips are as much as I have done with them. They are fast learners (like all horses) and it’s easy when they trust you and the task is clear. Hand feeding horses is so often demonised but food is never the problem - it just highlights A problem. Whether that is training related (food delivery, reinforcer etc), environment (stress), management (need not being met) or how the horse is feeling physically (pain). It’s not easy training both together especially with certain horses going through fencing 😅 and I don’t want to stress them out by separating them so soon. Both boys have such wonderful temperaments and I’m excited to see how they develop. Arkado (the lighter haffy) is owned by one of my lovely clients, Margaret. Artos, the darker haffy, is mine. I adore them both. **t

20/05/2026

Last spaces and new dates for May 🌺:

Thurs 28th - Chobham/ Woking tbc
Friday 29th - Ropley/ Medstead
Sat 30th - Epsom/ Chipstead
Sun 31st - Redhill/ Caterham

Let me know if you’d like to be included 😊
Will be sorting June diary tomorrow so if you’d like to put your name down, please let me know ✨

Photo: Huge moment for Alice and her rising 3 year old, Cino. He was so calm learning to spend some time away from the herd. Love being able to celebrate these wins and special moments with you guys 🥰

20/05/2026

Horses are so intelligent 🧠 Relationship building is my main focus at the moment. The boys have had to deal with big changes. I’m just having short interactions with them to get to know them and for them to feel safe in my company and listened to. This is what creates safe horses and a solid foundation. So excited for the future with this guy 🤩. Adore him already. **t