Equine Services: Private Horse Training

World renowned equine specialist Anna Twinney is available for private gentling, training and consulting throughout the year.  Anna has a number of clients for whom she prepares mares, colts & foals in ground training and continues through to starting them under saddle.

Anna creates tailor made training programs to suit both you and your horse’s needs.  They are designed to provide a safe and strong foundation in basic equine training.  Anna combines her knowledge of the use of body language, energy and imaging developed through studies in animal communication with her extensive experience in natural horsemanship methods to draw from a variety of disciplines.

Here are a number of subjects that can be addressed:

Photos by Michelle Egide

• Halter training – leading, loading and obstacle course
• Tying
• Bathing to also include familiarization with the wash rack
• Picking up feet

• Grooming
• Worming
• Vaccinations
• Blanketing
• Desensitization techniques to plastic bags, saddle pads, other objects

• Acceptance of saddle
• Acceptance of bridle
• Yielding to pressure
• Acceptance of single line
• Ground driving

• Acceptance of weight on back through use of dummy
• Acceptance of visual objects from above
• First time rider in round pen
• Rider in open arena
• Rider out on trails

Each horse progresses differently but the emphasis is always on positive reinforcement and pursuit of those areas in which the horse excels. The lessons are repeated regularly to help build the horse’s confidence and reinforce the experience as a positive one.

FOAL TRAINING

Anna has designed a program for foals to get them started in basic handling.

• Halter training - acceptance of halter, leading
• Tying
• Loading
• Picking up feet
• Grooming
• Worming
• Vaccinations
• Blanketing
• Navigating an obstacle course
• Desensitization techniques to plastic bags and other objects

By introducing these elements of Basic Handling to your foal at the age of weaning, we prepare them for a best possible start.

A Word from Anna’s Clients:
Celine Myers, President, The Ark Watch Foundation & Knightsbridge Farm – CA,Jan 06

On behalf of Knightsbridge Farm and The Ark Watch Foundation, I want to thank you for the outstanding job you did for us this year training our mares and foals.  We are very pleased with the solid foundation you instilled in the horses under your tutelage.

…..one of the most impressive aspects of your training abilities is your intuitive sense of knowing how to tailor the sessions to fit each individual horse’s needs.  You always manage to make it fun and upbeat for the horses  The photographer I had on site sent me some photos that showed after the third day of training, the mares were seen lining up in anticipation of your arrival, eager to begin the day’s session.  Just days before, these mares were difficult to catch.