The disciplines of dressage and jumping are putting the horse’s natural abilities into work, but not in the horses' natural situations.  In nature, horses perform certain movements when confronted with the need for them - without having to think about what it is doing.  Instead, a 'knowing' comes into play, and the horse automatically produces acrobatic-type movements without having to think about them.  In a natural situation, horses are able to apply themselves to any job at hand with displays of natural ability, and it is upon a certain range of a horse's natural movement that the training of dressage has been based upon.

However, once a human starts to work with a horse, the horse is no longer in its natural situation.  The NHDJ method helps to achieve a more natural response from the horse. 

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WHAT WE WILL AIM TO ACHIEVE BY ENGAGING IN EMAIL TUITION:

A sane and comfortable relationship with your horse, both on the ground and when riding
Balanced, effective ground handling skills
Balanced riding skills
Safe and comfortable jumping techniques
Effective dressage skills to a high level
Intellectual understanding of the skills involved
Development of feel, along with the understanding
Simple ideas and skills which will leave others in awe
Direct and safe skills that are useable with all horses
The least abusive ways to be effective in the disciplines that  NHDJ covers

Certain basic requirements need to be learnt about for the disciplines of dressage and jumping to be ridden in the most humane and effective, and therefore, satisfactory way.

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You will first be introduced to the basic dressage training skills which are necessary for balanced and safe training in both the disciplines of dressage and jumping.  At appropriate stages of the NHDJ system, the basic training of jump-work can be included.  While this is not necessary, basic jump-work does help to improve the relationship between horse and rider.  If all the components of dressage and jumping can be work on at the appropriate stages of this system, the result will be more spectacular than by only working on the dressage discipline by itself.

At a certain stage of the training, jump work can branch off into an area by itself if that is where you want to go.  Otherwise, the jump learning/training will finish once basic jump skills have been learnt.  The dressage skill learning will continue onto completion stage, where the Grand Prix level of work is the goal.

Choosing to continue with the jump-work allows riders to realise the value that the dressage component of this work has in helping horse's to develop a greater ability in their work, with riders gaining more enjoyment of their horse.  The height and width of the jump-work is increased during this time.



NOW TO WORK

Via this website I offer a training method by email, based upon a series of steps that need to be worked through to achieve this method’s goals.  Training this way is based upon you training yourself under the guidance of my written direction.  You will report to me about you and your horse's progress, with any queries you may have about any stage being working upon being dealt with as the training progresses.  You can support your progress by supplying me with videos or photos.

The modules page offers more information about the steps involved.

If interest is shown by pupils about sharing their experiences in this work via email, I am prepared to establish an online discussion group for this purpose.

Remember that with payment for any step undertaken via email required only after you have understood and achieved a step, this guarantees a return for your investment.  You can purchase steps ahead if you would like to.

Similarly, questions that are outside the current work can be asked, with payment required only after you are satisfied with my answers to them.


WHAT ARE THE CHOICES

You can choose to start with the riding work, but the preferred way is to begin by learning about the ground work skills.  The skill development involved for both horse and rider in the task of lunging allows the overall training of this work to formulate a better result.

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REMEMBER TO CHECK OUT THE TRAINING TOOLS PAGE