Nancy Clarke fell in love with horses as a child after her mother spent 50c for Nancy to have a pony ride around the base of an old industrial chimney before Southbank was reinvented. Nancy has dedicated her life to studying horsemanship, learning from the best horsemen in both Australian and the world. She has competed in Dressage, Show Jumping, Endurance, Working Equitation, Horsemanship (Libert
y & Bareback, bridleless) and Mounted Archery. On her journey she realised that the knowledge she gained might help others who are seeking a better relationship with their horse through understanding who horses are, on a physical and emotional level. Communicating to the horse on the ground and in the saddle builds trust and a "yes" attitude. Learning their biomechanics teaches us how to shape our horses to make the movement possible"
In 2018 Nancy qualified as a EFL Facilitator and has been working with humans with special needs ever since. Learning to communicate in a non-verbal environment has built her understanding of the human - horse connection. All of Nancy's horses are highly educated to listen to their humans and enjoy our company, whether being asked to engage in Liberty, Groundwork, Ridden - Saddled or bareback. "Learning to communicate with your horse on the ground is a reflection of what to expect in the saddle. Communication is a two-way street. Building a strong connection on the ground and observing your horses’ body language teaches us what to look for before you decide to put a foot in the stirrup. It's not just about “is he sore or lame” it's about is he emotionally with us in the moment. At this point he is reading us too, weighing us up to see where we are in the herd. If we are leader quality and if he can trust us to keep him safe. Ground work is an opportunity to start the conversation, it is the truth, the foundation building block of everything to come ."
