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Methode cours
Ground driving, the foundation While learning to drive a horse, you can refine your movements untill they are just -almost invisible- cues. And then, from the ground, you take this cues up with you when you get upon your horse. Bareback - no saddle, no bridle. Working towards collecting your horse, working towards all the high school dressage movements - but: without reins, just because you learned to move in the same 'wave' your horse moves in. Isn't that everyone's silent dream?  Body language Hempflings' method is based on communication through the body - body language. No longe, no rope, no reins. Yes, this is a form of communication that also works on a distance.  The aim is "natural equilibrity": at an optimal rising 'frame' and collection, on loose reins, the horse shows - WITH a rider upon him - the same delicate, stabile equilibrity as when it's moving alone in optimal liberty. At the same time it is 'steerable' with minimal signals of the rider's body.  The starting point: trust and dominance That's why the loose reins: they become the symbol of voluntarity, partnership, friendship, harmony. Big words - how do we get there?  First contact with the horse This is the foundation: putting on the halter and walking with the horse. AND it's never too late to make this first contact, not even when you already 'own' your horse for years.  Next step: trust and obedience What we want from our horse is: love me AND obey me. When we translate that in human extremes we see a first rider hitting his horse when it does 'something wrong'. The horse will obey, but never completely trust you. The second rider hugs his horse and as a reward, gets squashed against the wall. "Watch horses in pasture", the hitting rider will tell you, "see how violent they are when they establish dominance." Well, LET'S take that closer look. Horses live in herds, but, contrary to wolves where the structure is strictly hierarchic, horses show 'friendship' towards maybe 1 or 2 horses. Being dominant or dominated - in between there's nothing. When hierarchy is NOT clear, a horse doesn't feel secure - after all, he has to know exactly what to expect in an environment that's percieved as always hostile; at any time a horse is ready to run. So, a horse needs to be sure of his position, and thus tests his relationships constantly. The higher in hierarchy, the lesser a horse has to establish his dominance by fighting for it; what's more the alpha horse NEVER fights. So, when you hit your horse to establish your dominance, all you really do is show that you're not sure of your position in hierarchy either. Your horse now understands that it's permittable to question your position, from time to time or - ALL the time.
The answer is clearly to imitate the behaviour of the alpha horse. Or more than imitate: become the alpha horse. This means:  1/ show personnality, self confidence, personal will. Work on your charisma.  2/ adapt your behaviour pattern through the way you act, move, communicate (learn horsey body language).  The basic rules of horse language   1/ Everything is information. Think about every movement you make, all the time.  2/ Learn to reduce your movements to the only necessary measurement. The more precise your movements become, the better your horse will understand you.  3/ Slow down. Make all your movements fluent, round and soft like a dancer - and much slower than you're used to. Think about it while you do it.  4/ Always use the same vocabulary.  5/ Go from aboundance to impulse. First speak 'loud and clear': make your movements very clear. Reduce the 'wideness' of your movements in time. In the end, your horse will only need to see your finger move to know what you mean.
Beginning right now We wouldn't want you to wait before trying out what you can already do right now with your horse. Get a taste of it and take a look at these 'cyber instructions'. Unless they really are connected to one method only, you won't find exactly who "invented" this - after all, they all speak more or less the same language. This site is not the place to give you thorough explanations of the "how-to's" in Hempfling's methods. The book explains things step by step and has nice pictures and illustrations, so it helps you on your way; although a lot of people get stuck at a certain point. The videos are rather "mystical" - they present Hempfling and his ideas, not his methods. Since Hempfling isn't doing anything like a public clinic anymore (or even remotely affordable) anymore, you have to rely on others who claim they present his methods. It really helps to go see those people, or others.
Infos et stages   Bibliographie
'Riding Naturally' There are 2 books and 2 videos on Hempfling, ofcourse, and especially the first book "Dancing with horses" explains all the details to you with very clear pictures. See below about how to order them. The book elaborates on the different steps to achieve this relationship with your horse, roughly you can find:  1. THE FOUNDATION  Leading your horse  Stopping your horse  Going backwards  Driving your horse (longing)  Downward transitions  Exercises  1. spiraling on circles  2. shoulder-in  3. changing hands through the circle  Driving at liberty  2. RIDING  Movement compensation  Equilibrity and seat  Equilibrity and changing direction  Transitions and tempi  Collection  Exercises