A horse can be obedient and still not feel safe, and it can be labelled difficult when it is really confused, afraid, physically uncomfortable or simply unprepared for what is being asked. In this episode I am joined by Scott Purdum, horse behaviourist and rider confidence coach at Advantage Horsemanship, who has spent more than 20 years helping riders understand what their horse's behaviour is actually trying to communicate.
Scott shares the story of the young horse that bucked him off twice in fifteen minutes, turned his anger into fear, and changed the direction of his career, and how buying that horse and spending a year rebuilding the relationship taught him what no amount of ego ever could. We dig into why preparation replaces fear, how to build a plan that stacks wins your brain recognises as evidence, why you should stop riding for a feeling and start riding with a plan, and what neuroplasticity teaches us about habits in both horses and humans, because a habit is never broken, only replaced.
We also unpack the language we use around horses, why Scott refuses to call a horse disrespectful, what a pushy horse is really responding to, how intention and energy decide whether your horse believes you, and why trust comes down to one thing, which is the consistency of how you show up, mentally and physically, every single time.
Whether you have lost your confidence, inherited a horse with an ingrained pattern, or simply want to understand the why behind your horse's behaviour, this conversation will change how you see the label "difficult".
Connect with Scott Purdum: Website: https://www.advantagehorsemanship.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/advantagehorsemanship Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/advantagehorsemanship YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/AdvantageHorseman TikTok: search Advantage Horsemanship Confident Accelerator programme: via the website
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