HerdLeader Riding Coach + Simulator

08/11/2025

Montague Saddles - Julie Knaggs we should do this again over the winter - everyone enjoyed it!

With Jo Szegota

Are you 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗦𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘆? 📆 Join Julie Knaggs and Jo Szegota for a SMART Saddle experience with a difference! 🐴

Ever wondered what it’s like to ride on a mechanical horse, a horse where you can concentrate on you and your riding and not what they’re up to? 👀 Curious about what a SMART Saddle could do for you? Or just want to learn how to assess the fit of your own SMART Saddle?

Join us on 𝟭𝟳𝘁𝗵 𝗡𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 for an afternoon all about finding the perfect fit, comfort, and connection in the saddle—with not one but two SMART advisors and 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗿, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 🐴 to guide you!

This is your 🫵 chance to try something new, chat with experienced saddle fitters, and get hands-on with a range of saddles. And yes, there’ll be tea, coffee and cake too! 😋

Head over to the Events tab for all the details on times, location, and what’s included. 𝗦𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱 so drop me a message ASAP to secure your spot—don’t miss out on this unique experience!

Got questions? 🤔 Just ask below or drop me a message - you know me, I love a chat!

💚

EquiEdge Marketing
SMART Saddles
HerdLeader Riding Coach + Simulator

02/11/2025

Whilst the weather may mean less riding over the winter, it can be a great time to work on your position and improve your body awareness.

HerdLeader Riding Coach + Simulator offers lessons on a Racewood Limited simulator in South Oxfordshire, near Benson.

I’m a Ride With Your Mind Biomechanics Coach and a Personal Trainer and have been coaching for over 30 years.

I’m also a Masterson Method practitioner and SMART Saddles advisor, if you want to bring your horse with you for either of these or just a ridden session to accompany a simulator session.

Send me ✉️ for more ℹ️

27/10/2025

Looks like Trooper is about to loose a 🦷

With Jo Szegota

03/10/2025

Let me know if this appeals ⬇️
And if you like to learn any more about SMART Saddles 🐎

25/09/2025

This is fascinating and definately needs further thought from everyone around horses 🐴 🧡

DO HORSES REALLY ENJOY BEING TOUCHED, OR JUST TOLERATE IT?

Touch is part of almost every interaction we have with horses – grooming, routine handling, tacking-up, vet visits, even a pat after a ride. Touch is also a routine feature of equine-assisted services, yet surprisingly little is known about how horses themselves experience it. Do they actually enjoy it, or does their experience depend on having the choice to engage – the freedom to say yes, or no?

A recent study compared two situations using therapy horses who were regularly involved in equine-assisted services. In the ‘forced touch’ condition, horses were tied up and touched continuously on different body areas (neck/shoulder, body, hindquarters) using patting, stroking, or scratching. In the ‘free-choice’ condition, horses were loose in a round pen and could only be touched if they chose to come close enough.

The results showed clear differences. Horses showed more stress-linked behaviours – oral movements, restlessness, and tail swishing – when touched without the option to move away. When free to choose, they often carried their heads lower (a sign of relaxation) and spent over half of the session out of arm’s reach. Stroking was more often linked with relaxed, low head carriage than scratching or patting, and touches on the hindquarters produced fewer stress responses than touches on the neck or body.

The researchers also looked at how the horses responded to different kinds of people. Around experienced handlers, horses were more likely to hold their heads high and showed lower heart-rate variability – signs of vigilance or anticipation, perhaps expecting work. In contrast, their responses with less experienced people were generally more relaxed.

Touches on the hindquarters were linked with fewer stress behaviours, while touches on the neck and body produced more tail swishing and less relaxed postures. Horses were also more likely to lower their heads – a calmer signal – when touched on the body or hindquarters than on the neck.

Why does this matter? Horses in all kinds of contexts – riding schools, competition yards, therapy programmes, or leisure homes – are routinely touched and handled. These findings show that the manner of touch, the part of the body involved, and above all the horse’s ability to choose whether to participate all shape how she/he/they experience the interaction.

The welfare implications are clear: allowing horses more agency in how and when we touch them may reduce stress, strengthen trust, and make interactions safer and more positive for everyone.

For me, the sad part of these findings is that horses are rarely given a choice about when or how they are touched. And many people don’t recognise when touch is causing the horse stress.

Study: Sarrafchi, A., Lassallette, E., & Merkies, K. (2025). The effect of choice on horse behaviour, heart rate and heart rate variability during human–horse touch interactions. Applied Animal Behaviour Science

12/09/2025

How can I tell you I’ve been teaching on the Simulator each day without telling you 😉

X5 newbies in a row = good work ladies 🙌

With Jo Szegota

11/09/2025

Its been a busy couple of weeks of CPD

✅ 3 days at Ride With Your Mind Teacher Training with Mary Wanless and many other coaches. It was a really good group of collaborators and learners
✅ I did a one day intro course into Equine Hanna Somatics which was fascinating. I have been trying out the techniques I learnt and have been really impressed. The video clip is of Gunner but notice all the others joining in 💤
✅ Finally, the annual training day on SMART Saddles with loads of other advisors who help to make this such a great product

With Jo Szegota always learning 🙂

06/09/2025

Always lovely to see one of the herd using the broom head scratching post 🧡

Tubby Telly!

With Jo Szegota

18/08/2025

Another amazing clinic learning from Arne Koets. Such a variety of mounts doing in-hand, ridden, Garrocha and min-lance.

Thanks to riders: Amelia Wilbourn, Janet, Psyche, Emeryn, Amanda, Sharon and Kally with Jo Szegota

Can’t wait to do it all again - April and August 2026

09/08/2025

Great to see Jo Szegota isn’t the only one ranting about this… I’d add in making your thigh too vertical which can lead to a hollowed back!

09/08/2025

I’ve always felt that our UK culture of rugging horses 24/7/365 has a detrimental effect on their bodies 🐴

Mine do wear rugs in bad weather over the winter but have as much time ‘naked’ as possible… and I don’t layer them!

Great to see Melissa Troup Equestrian Coach BHSI & McTimoney Animal Chiropractor research into effects of rug layering on horses’ stride length featured in Horse&Rider Magazine this month.

Well done Melissa. 👏👏 McTimoney College of Chiropractic

04/08/2025

Gunner update: and I have to correct myself! He has been here 9 weeks and is 7 weeks post-op 🌟

A simple session on a windy day working on head-lowering and rein-back.

With Jo Szegota