Art of the Garrocha

03/30/2025

Next Clinic date in California : 24th April - 28th April.

03/28/2025

Considering the Word… TRUST

A small word with enormous weight.

It’s commonly defined as the trait of believing in the honesty and reliability of others. But the word goes far beyond any dictionary explanation.

Some might say faith is the same thing. But that word, faith, throws up all manner of questions.

Take religion, for instance. A person of faith places deep belief in their spiritual or religious framework. That belief may conflict with others’, and yet they remain steadfast, often without any concrete evidence beyond the faith itself. It is powerful. It shapes lives, decisions, entire cultures.

Then there’s the politician. They ask for your trust too. They promise they have the answers, not just for your challenges, but for everyone’s.
When the results don’t show up, when the promises go unmet, they ask again. For your trust. For your faith. Again and again.

And we humans? We may find ourselves in tough, life changing situations. And too often, we struggle to think critically in those moments. We lean into the idea that we must have faith, whether in people, systems, or ideologies.

Horses don’t operate that way.
They don’t conceptualize trust as an abstract idea. They don’t buy into persuasion, bribery, or force. They respond to presence, consistency, and clarity. They live in the now. And in that space, trust isn’t something they give. It’s something we earn.

Trust gained is a precious thing.
Trust lost is a tragedy. Because it's one of the hardest things to rebuild.

So perhaps it’s worth asking ourselves, what do we place our trust in? Who, or what, has earned it? And where might we be giving it away too easily, out of habit or hope?

Trust, after all, is not a light switch.
It’s a living thing.

03/26/2025

For more information.......https://johnsaintryan.com/the-art-of-the-garrocha

03/21/2025

ANTHROPOMORPHISING
Why do we attribute human characteristics or behavior to a horse

One of the challenges I find in working with people is convincing them to stop anthropomorphizing horses, (attributing human characteristics to them).
Unfortunately, some people struggle to let go of this mindset, especially when other trainers and coaches continue to mislabel horses as lazy, stupid, flighty, or disrespectful; when, in reality, these behaviors are trained into the horse by the human.
The problem is further compounded when people acknowledge the correct understanding (such as recognizing that horses live in the moment) yet continue to train in ways that contradict this, like physically punishing a horse for refusing a jump, avoiding an obstacle, or not loading into a trailer.
Such actions have serious consequences. While horses have poor short term memory, they do possess a strong long term memory, which is often triggered by specific contexts. As a result, a horse that is punished for refusing out of fear, does not overcome the original problem, instead the horse learns to associate fear with punishment and thus associates the human with the original problem.
This leaves the horse not only with unresolved fear but also with additional anxiety about human interactions. A sad and unfair state for the horse to be in.
To add more weight to my words let me quote Tom from his book True Unity:
“I wish I could describe the picture to you of what I see in the horse as I look at him and watch him and try to see him as he is. A horse. I try not to think of him as anything other than a horse. In watching horses, I try to let them tell me what is going on within themselves. There are so many things to try to bring out. It's hard to get it separated and get it in order, so that people understand. When I say, I want the person to think of the horse as a horse, some people might think that isn't much, but I am trying to bring out that that horse is really, really something special in his own uniqueness. I'm trying to stress the importance of the horse, of really seeing that horse as a horse, of seeing what he is and his potential.”

03/12/2025

Very pleased to have a new home for distribution of my book 'A Voice for the Horse'.
Many thanks to Xenophon Press CEO Richard Williams and my friend Suzanne Liscouski.
The book details more than three decades of serious study, research and teaching, the direct result of those experiences and my love of the horse. I have been very fortunate in having some excellent tuition and coaching from many world-class teachers in many different disciplines. Throughout all I will often refer to my time with Tom Dorrance, who despite never having taken a lesson from a human in his life about horses, still accomplished more than any man I know with regard to understanding how a horse thinks and behaves.
As a recognized Practitioner Member of the International Society for Equitation Science, I have dedicated my career to understanding and improving the relationship between horse and rider. My background includes competing at the highest levels, and I was honored to be the USA National Champion in Doma Vaquera in 2004, 2005, and 2006.
Today, my focus is on teaching horsemanship, blending the invaluable lessons I learned from Tom Dorrance with the principles of Equitation Science to help others develop a deeper, more effective connection with their horses.

NOW IN STOCK ALL ORDERS SHIPPING IMMEDIATELY More than three decades of serious study, research and teaching are brought to light in this book. The work I show here is the direct result of those experiences and my love of the horse. I have been very fortunate in having some excellent tuition and coa...

03/12/2025

On Patience
It’s always refreshing to see people appreciate the work I do with horses in my clinics. I find it heartening because, unless you’re deeply invested in horses, watching some of these clips or photos might seem as exciting as watching paint dry.
That’s not to diminish those who share ‘dramatic’ moments of horses performing fantastic movements—I enjoy those as well, as long as the horse is treated with respect and moves with as much willingness as possible.
One of the key lessons I try to emphasize in my clinics and private lessons is that patience is fundamental to this work. I understand how frustrating it can be when someone acquires a horse that is ‘green’ or has ‘problems.’ Naturally, they want the horse to improve, and with so much information available, they’re faced with countless choices on what steps to take.
The internet can be an amazing resource, but we must be careful and think critically about the advice we find there.
For me, a horse isn’t necessarily ‘green’ or problematic. I don’t feel the need to put those labels on them. I simply see the horse as a horse. If difficulties arise, I view them as either a lack of education or a poor education—either way, the responsibility falls on us.
That doesn’t mean I never feel frustrated by slow progress. But something I learned long ago is that pushing too hard often discourages the horse, leading to resistance or, worse, complete shutdown.
There’s a difference between forcing something to happen and encouraging it to happen.
* Be quiet and clear in your presentation.
* Be diligent and consistent in your approach.
* Be thoughtful and considerate in your understanding of how horses think and learn.
And above all—be patient.

03/08/2025

Next clinic............

02/07/2025

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✨ Meet and Greet Series
Follow two young horses in a 20-part series as they experience their first proper handling.
🎥 Get the Mind and the Feet Will Follow
The Award winning film blending Tom Dorrance’s wisdom with modern Equitation Science.
🌟 Art of the Garrocha
Dive into this beautiful equestrian art form with step-by-step guidance.
🏇 Work in Hand
Boost your skills with a full-length film and short clips focused on groundwork.
🐴 Work Under Saddle
A growing collection of videos covering a wide range of riding topics.
📜 Tom Dorrance Collection
Gain insights from Tom’s teachings with an ever-expanding library of clips.
🧠 Reflections of a Horseman
Enjoy over 60 hours of deep discussions about horse training and student Q&As.
🔍 Search Bar
Looking for something specific? Our search tool makes it easy to find exactly what you need.
💡 Personal Philosophy
Learn my approach to working with horses—and people!
🎭 Entertainment
Explore fun snippets from my acting and music career.
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01/25/2025

Clinic Trail 2025 begins here.
Looking forward to seeing my friends in person once more!

12/24/2024

Wishing all my Friends here a wonderful Christmas Season🎄

12/18/2024

Happy Wednesday!

09/18/2024

Next Clinic...........