There is no single interpretation of the word horsemanship, but we could define it as the art of relating to horses through a number of fundamental principles: observing the horse, learning to communicate clearly, respecting its nature, and building a relationship based on trust.
Those who work according to this method are not simply trying to obtain a certain behavior or teach an exercise, but want to create the conditions for the horse to understand what we are asking, feel safe, and actively participate in the relationship.
Horses communicate continuously
Horses, like humans, communicate continuously. They do so through body language, posture, movement, muscle tension, their gaze, and many other signals that may go unnoticed by those who are not trained to recognize them.
Learning to read these signals is one of the most important aspects of horsemanship. Every horse has its own character, sensitivities, and way of reacting to situations. Paying attention to details allows us to better understand how the horse feels and adapt our behavior accordingly.
Trust, leadership, and mutual respect
One of the most misunderstood concepts in training is leadership. It is often thought that leading a horse means imposing yourself, proving that you are “the boss,” or always managing to maintain control of the situation.
In natural horsemanship, leadership has a different meaning. With this approach, we want to become a reliable and predictable presence for the horse.
Consistency and calm are essential. Very often, the first work to be done is not with the horse, but with the person. Learning to manage your emotions, frustration, or impatience is an important part of the process.
One of the most misunderstood concepts in training is leadership. It is often thought that leading a horse means imposing yourself, proving that you are "the boss," or always managing to maintain control of the situation.
In natural horsemanship, leadership has a different meaning. With this approach, we want to become a reliable and predictable presence for the horse.
Consistency and calm are essential. Very often, the first work to be done is not with the horse, but with the person. Learning to manage your emotions, frustration, or impatience is an important part of the process.
Horsemanship is not only for those who train horses
Natural horsemanship is not exclusively for trainers and professionals; it can be useful to anyone who works with horses.
It can help owners better understand their animals, riders improve communication in the saddle and on the ground, and stable staff manage their care more consciously.
Above all, horsemanship is not something you learn once and that works forever. It is a way of relating that evolves over time, along with experience, the horses we meet, and our willingness to question ourselves.
Our experience with Mattia Basso
We first met Mattia Basso many years ago, when we graduated in Italy as equestrian tourism guides. Mattia was one of our instructors, and even then his way of working with horses made a lasting impression on us.
Over the years, the Ranch has grown, the number of horses has increased, and the experiences we offer have expanded as well. When we felt the need to update our training, the first person we thought of was Mattia.
We contacted him again because he already knew us, our environment, and our horses, but above all because we share the same idea of relating to horses.
Living in Morocco, we see every day how many restraints are still imposed on horses. We feel the need to move in the opposite direction: remove unnecessary pressure, observe more, and gain a better understanding of our Arab-Barb horses.
Training with Mattia helped us above all to return to the horse's nature.
After two intensive weeks, we realized that the journey had only just begun, so we decided to turn our training with Mattia into a recurring event.
From theory to practice
Some aspects of horsemanship can be studied in books or through the stories of those with more experience. Others can only be understood by building relationships with different horses, observing professionals at work, and getting personally involved.