🔴 We’re LIVE with Josh Nichol – Tune in Now!

Josh is breaking down real rider videos right now and sharing his expert insights on everything from contact issues to jumping pace, ground handling, and herd-bound behaviors. Here’s a look at some of the challenges he’s may tackle today:

✅ How to encourage a "space horse" to respond to pressure without escalation
✅ Exercises to steady a strong, experienced jumper after fences
✅ Whether mares in heat could be affecting a young stallion’s behavior
✅ Supporting an ex-broodmare’s transition to dressage
✅ Helping an anxious Andalusian gelding feel more secure on the ground
✅ Finding the right balance between rhythm and impulsion over fences
✅ Managing a spooky horse with vision limitations and a barn mate who evades by running backward

Josh is sharing tailored strategies to help each rider—and you can learn alongside them! Jump in now and ask questions live.

Join the webinar: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_tU1BmIVNTbueGr6ulf_LPQ

I have just finished following the Tik Masterclass for Anxious and Spooky horses.  I have followed a couple of other online trainers' methods for this for a couple of years but both my mare and I just ended up getting frustrated and she even started to get dangerous when I asked her to do any sort of work - and that is only from the ground! This was the last chance saloon. Tik explains everything so clearly and precisely and the demos show it all with raw footage. Everything he said made sense to me (finally) and I was able to easily put it into practice with immediate results - small incremental improvements everyday. Bingo - my mare finally has the leader she has been desperately seeking and I feel like I am at last speaking her language. It has also worked for my young horse who was getting more and more anxious on the trails after a couple of incidents that sent him over the top e.g. loose galloping horses next to the trail.  BTW I come from the old school of dominant horsemanship (I am ashamed to admit) and in the past I have been able to get some pretty difficult horses to do things but the mare I have now said a firm "NO" to my dominant approach. Thanks to this mare I have changed how I work with all my horses and thanks to Tik I have finally found the key to successfully working with my current horses without being dominant. (If only I could apologise to those of my horses that are no longer with me who put up with me in the past.) I can't thank Tik enough for putting this Masterclass together, and Noëlle for starting this platform and getting such great trainers on board and for all content. It is life changing. Even my non-horsey husband is enjoying the Ifa Simmonds' workout and the Yoga!

Hi members! Have you tried Ifa Simmond's Cross Training for Equestrians program? I’m collecting testimonials and would love to hear about your experience! 🤩 Your feedback could inspire others to take the leap and transform their riding and fitness journey.

The first two episodes of Tik Maynard’s Building Blocks to Better Horsemanship are here! 🎉

This new docuseries isn’t about step-by-step training techniques — it’s about changing the way you see and think about working with horses. Tik takes you beyond mechanics and into the four building blocks at the heart of true horsemanship: Observation, Communication, Motivation, and Play.

In Episode 1: Observation, Tik sets out to observe wild horses in British Columbia, only to find the herd has already been rounded up — a reminder of how human intervention shapes a horse’s world. Shifting focus to a skeptical colt at Caleb Smith’s ranch, he demonstrates how horsemanship begins with seeing, listening, and understanding.

In Episode 2: Communication, Tik explores the art of clear, intentional communication with Andrea Taylor, a top dressage rider and Paralympic coach. Working with her young horse, Freddie, he unpacks the small, everyday moments that either build connection or break it — proving that real communication is more than cues, it’s a conversation.

We can't wait for you to watch —  tune in now on NF+!

Tom Dorrance and Ray Hunt shaped modern horsemanship not through rigid techniques, but through their ability to read a horse. Their influence runs deep, and their lessons on feel, timing, and intuition still shape the way we train and ride today.

In Part 2 of our conversation with Martin Black, we take a closer look at their philosophies, the impact they had on generations of horsemen, and how their wisdom continues to resonate in today’s horse world.

🎧 Listen now on NF+, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube!

The final episodes of Tik Maynard's Four Building Blocks to Better Horsemanship are now live on NF+!

In Episode 3: Motivation, Tik meets Sienna, a skeptical pony with a history of avoiding contact. With the help of animal behavior scientist Amelia McCray, he unpacks what truly motivates horses—and how understanding fear, curiosity, and reward can build trust instead of resistance. Through a thoughtful mix of pressure and release, clicker training, and food rewards, Tik shifts Sienna’s experience from one of fear to curiosity.

In Episode 4: Play, Tik explores the essential yet often-overlooked role of play in training. With liberty expert Michelle Young, he breaks down how play fosters connection, transforms the way horses feel about learning, and turns training into an invitation rather than an obligation.

Have you been tuning in? Let us know your thoughts!

This is one of my five year olds, Labyrinth IHF.

Although he is a little too short to be my dream horse, he is so well connected and conformed naturally that he wants to perform more challenging movements already.

My win is that he gave me a clean change yesterday (when trying a counter canter pattern, of course).

I am working hard to show the Five Year Old test with him this year and hoping to gain more opportunities as a young horse rider.

Fun Fact: I broke my wrist starting him! We grew through fear and connect now more than ever, using many techniques trainers at NF+ have taught me. Now, he really has decided his job is fun, has found his balance without ducking behind vertical, and I know he will make an amateur so happy once he has more miles under his belt.

His enthusiasm and talent is a fun new challenge for me!

As there are no big or small wins, here’s mine for the week:

Today, I was getting frustrated while riding my horse. He kept pulling toward the gate and just wouldn’t relax. I was waiting (and waiting) for that moment of calm release, where he’d stop moving his feet and his head would drop—but it wasn’t coming, no matter what I tried or how long I waited. I felt myself getting more and more annoyed. I didn’t have all day to wait for him to settle, and the frustration was building.

But after watching all of Josh's content, I knew––if I couldn’t relax, there was no way my horse would, either. So, as he continued to walk around the ring, I decided to focus on myself. I tried some of Julia’s breathing exercises, and slowly, the fog of frustration started to clear. I stopped fixating on what wasn’t happening and started to just be in (and enjoy!) the moment, even if it wasn’t the ride I originally wanted.

Eventually, my horse found his calm, too. When he did, we ended the ride—both of us no longer frustrated or tense.

What's your win this week?

The latest episode of Dear Horse World is here, featuring the fascinating Martin Black, who grew up learning from legends like Ray Hunt and Tom Dorrance and has spent a lifetime blending traditional Vaquero techniques with modern, evidence-based methods.

Join Martin and Noelle as they dig into the balance between tradition and innovation, the lessons English and Western riders can learn from each other, and why intuition should always come before labels.

🎧 Listen now on NF+, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube!