Located on the outskirts of Wigan, in the North West Territory of the United Kingdom, Wendy Bliss is a freelance coach and equestrian author/writer for The Arabian Magazine. She is the proprietor of Clip and Canter, offering professional clipping services as well as practical training. Her new book, Enhanced Riding, is the process with a release date coming soon!
Welcome
Wendy!
What was your first encounter with a horse?
MMMmm.
Well I think it was when I was about seven, if you do not count my obsession
with riding donkeys on the beach when I was two years old! My parents took us
on a family holiday where there were ponies you could ride. My dad (who
incidentally knew absolutely nothing about horses) lead me round a field on a
pony named Mardy. From that day on I was hooked. When we returned from our
family holiday I begged my parents for lessons….
What is your riding discipline?
When I
was younger jumping, jumping and more jumping, indeed anything that was not
jumping was boring! In my twenties however, I became interested in showing and
in particular with my purebred Arab. In my thirties, I then thought I would try
my hand at dressage, with my Arab retired, I bought an Irish Sports Horse for
the job. I have stopped competing now to concentrate on my teaching.
Do you have a favorite breed?
I love
all breeds of horses/ponies, but I have a particular love of Arabs, so strong
but delicate, graceful and willing partners with amazing personalities.
As a
trainer, what training methods do you use?
I like to
use a combination of methods, each horse and rider is an individual and what
works for one, may not work for another. If there is a problem or behavioral
issue, then I believe trying to find out why is essential to come up with a
solution. I like to use some Classical Training, ‘Natural Horsemanship’
techniques and my own ideas from my experiences. I have a holistic approach to
training, utilizing knowledge of equine and human psychology, physiology and my
teaching / coaching qualifications to develop horse and rider into successful
partnerships.
What is
the secret to the perfect clip?
Taking
your time! A clean horse and clean sharp blades. By overlapping strokes helps
minimize tram lines. Even though I clip lots of horses, I still always chalk
lines on them as a guide.
Tell me about your books and freelance...
I am
currently a regular writer and contributor for The Arabian Magazine. My
articles, The Enhanced Riding Series, are being developed into a book – Enhanced
Riding.
What advice do you have for beginning riders?
What advice do you have for beginning riders?
If you
are thinking of doing it, then do it! Horse riding is an amazing hobby and
keeps you fit, both mentally and physically. There is always a risk of falling
no matter how experienced we are but taking the time to understand how a horse
thinks and appreciate these fantastic animals is a journey, in my opinion well
worth embarking on. Always think safety, wearing a hard hat, a body protector
perhaps and learning simple safety handling rules can minimize accidents.
Follow
Wendy…
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