Abi Ricketts (above right) teaches natural horsemanship techniques at her small riding school near Tai Tapu in Canterbury.
Colloquially known as horse whispering, natural horsemanship is a philosophy of working with horses based on the horse’s natural instincts and methods of communication.
Some of Abi’s horses were beaten or treated badly in their early years, but through love and communication she has built up their trust in people to the point where they are used for teaching children how to ride.
“It's about giving people a different experience of the horse, an experience where they can get to know the whole horse and not just how to sit on one and form a friendship and partnership that’s valuable”.
