Meet Our Think Like a Pony Instructors
Clare Dimsdale
Location - Yorkshire
My Pony Passion started when I was 5 and I had my first riding lesson. After that, I spent all my time with horses, pretending to be them or reading about them. As soon as I was old enough, I completed all my BHS horse owners certificates and began to compete in local shows and cross country events.
At the age of 18, I bought my own horse, Lady. I soon found that a lot of what I had learned at local riding schools just wasn’t practical or didn’t make sense. Because my horse was a lot more sensitive than riding school ponies, she soon showed me that she didn’t appreciate how I was approaching my riding; kicking to go, pulling to stop! It never seemed like she was getting any benefit from our time together. It is then that I started looking into natural horsemanship.
I looked at many different methods, watching DVD’s and reading books and took a little bit from each one, but even then, things were so disjointed, nothing seemed to ‘fit’ together, but things had improved with my horse so I just carried on. When my daughter started riding at a local riding school, it was horrific! I just couldn’t believe this was the only way for children to learn to ride. The ponies were slow (quite rightly so!) and my daughter was told to kick them, and use a whip if they didn’t listen. Being such an empathetic, caring little girl, she didn’t enjoy this, but wasn’t prepared to give up riding as like me, she has a real passion for it. For 2 years, she endured this weekly hour-long session which she loved and loathed all at the same time.
It was about 2 years ago that I found Think Like a Pony and joined the instructor programme. Soon after this, my daughter started riding lessons with Lynn. After just one lesson, her riding and understanding of horses improved greatly. I am so happy that she can now enjoy her time with horses without worrying and getting upset!
I am now very excited to part of the Think Like a Pony team, and share the understanding, caring way in which we all, children, young people and adults can enjoy and work with our ponies.
Contact Clare
Email: clare.dimsdale@yahoo.com - Tel: 07875 295 491
