By sending your horse to us, you’re giving them the chance to learn in a kind, ethical, and respectful environment—both on the ground and ridden. Every horse deserves this level of care, yet in the UK many still experience outdated training methods and unnecessary pressure. With us, you’re not only supporting your own horse, but also helping empower the next generation of riders who are passionate about ethical horsemanship, listening, and compassion.

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What is Ethical Training? And why is it so important to the way horses interact with us?

​“Ethical Training” is an approach to training horses that prioritizes their physical comfort, emotional wellbeing, and agency during learning. Instead of relying on force, fear, or learned helplessness, it looks at the horse as a sentient partner with needs, preferences, and limits. The goal is not just to produce behaviors, but to preserve trust and welfare while developing skills.

 

1. Motivation & Learning

Ethical

• Uses clear cues, gradual shaping, release of pressure, and rewards.

• Avoids creating confusion or learned helplessness.

• Training sessions are short enough to prevent fatigue and frustration.

Unethical

• Relies on fear, intimidation, or overwhelming pressure.

• Punishes without teaching an alternative behaviour.

• Creates compliance through exhaustion rather than understanding.

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2. Use of Equipment

Ethical

• Tack is fitted properly and checked for discomfort.

• Bits/spurs/whips are used as fine communication tools (if at all), not as pain amplifiers.

• Bitless or liberty can be ethical or unethical depending on how they’re used.

Unethical

• Over-tight nosebands, harsh bits, rollkur/hyperflexion, excessive spur use.

• Equipment used to override pain signals (e.g., tying the head down, severe leverage).

• “If the horse resists, escalate force until it stops resisting.”

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3. Reading the Horse’s Emotional State

Ethical

• Watches for stress signals (e.g., grinding teeth, pinned ears, tail swishing, tension).

• Pauses or regresses training when a horse is anxious or confused.

• Interprets resistance as communication, not misbehavior.

Unethical

• Interprets all resistance as defiance to be “shut down.”

• Ignores visible stress signs and labels horses “lazy,” “stubborn,” or “bad.”

• Suppresses symptoms rather than addressing causes.

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4. Physical Welfare & Soundness

Ethical

• Prioritizes long-term soundness over quick results.

• Conditions joints, hooves, muscles, and respiratory capacity gradually.

• Retires or cross-trains horses to prevent breakdown.

Unethical

• Works horses lame or sore.

• Medicates to mask pain so they can continue competing.

• Overuses young horses before they’ve matured skeletally.

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We believe every horse deserves the foundation for a long, healthy, and fulfilling life.

Our training focuses on nurturing both physical ability and mental resilience, ensuring every horse feels set up for success.​​​

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The Training Establishment offers Training Livery For:

• Starting young horses correctly

• Every breed of horse

• Re-education or further education (ground / ridden)

• Flatwork / Dressage

• Behaviour problems (stable / ground / ridden)​​​​​

 

Michelle also offers specialized rehabilitation for horses who have faced trauma or difficult past experiences. Her process begins with a comprehensive assessment of the horse’s physical condition, emotional balance, confidence levels, and overall personality. This holistic understanding allows her to

gently address the root of behavioural or physical challenges and support meaningful, lasting progress.

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Our Training Livery Packages, start from £450 per week which includes:

7 Days - Full Livery and all training... 4 / 5 days per week,

depending on the individual needs of each horse.

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For further details, please use the contact form below & we will get back to you ASAP​​​​