Hi! I wanted to share a victory of my own since watching Josh’s latest course. It’s given me so much more awareness of my horse’s needs. While my horse tends to be more of a Mind horse, I’ve definitely seen him experience all three needs. Over the past week, I’ve changed how I respond when I recognize he's seeking a need. For example, when he’s in a Pressure state, I used to think he was being disrespectful and would move him out of my space. I still don't let him walk over me, but now the energy is different—I've learned to use those moments to connect with him.
When I’m riding, I’ve been focusing on using my reins to help change his thoughts. The other day, we were in the ring, and his paddock buddy was getting ready to head out for a trail ride. I started feeling a bit anxious because usually, when his friend leaves without him, my horse gets upset, and I end up needing to get off and do groundwork. But this time, after just a few soft thought redirections, he stayed calm and relaxed, and we had an amazing ride. He didn’t look, lean towards the gate, or call out once. I was so happy! It felt amazing to have a better understanding of his needs so that we can have the best relationship and truly want to be together— even more than being on a fun trail ride with his best horse-friend!
We’re excited to share some big news—the first course of Understanding Your Horse’s Needs is now live on NF+! This course is designed to help you build a deeper, more trusting relationship with your horse.
Led by the amazing Josh Nichol, his Relational Horsemanship method focuses on understanding your horse’s emotional needs to create trust, respect, and a true partnership—not just control.
🎥 Check it out here
🤗 And please share your thoughts in the comments!
Josh makes horsemanship feel accessible by breaking down complex ideas into simple, practical steps, and we can’t wait for you to experience his approach.
NF+ Office Hours give you an opportunity to hear from our instructors LIVE and have your personal questions answered!
We want to know, which NF+ instructors do you want to see in Office Hours?? Share names below and like your favorites to vote on who you want to hear from next!
We want to hear from YOU! What have you learned on NF+ that has helped you and your horse improve? Have you had any break-throughs or memorable learning moments? Share your pictures, videos, and success stories here!
You asked, we listened! Guided Rides are back!!
We are also planning a new selection of Guided Rides so we want to hear from you:
Who do you want to hear more Guided Rides from?!
What topics do you want to hear about??
UPDATE! For those of you who were planning to join us today for Office Hours with Tik, we have RESCHEDULED our first live Q&A for Tuesday Sept 10, 2024 at 2-3pm EDT (11am-12 noon PDT). Thank you for your patience and we promise there’s a good reason! Tik and the NF+ team are filming on location this week and needed to change the schedule today to include a special guest. Stay tuned to find out who it is in Tik’s next masterclass!
In the meantime, we have saved your questions and will catch up with Tik in two weeks. To join us live, go to our private community channel titled "ask_our_instructors" and follow the link to register. Replays will also be available to all members. Hope to see you there!
We’re raising the bar: Equestrian Masterclass becomes NF+
We’ve kept all your favorite Equestrian Masterclass courses and made navigating our content easier than ever. You’ll be able to explore high-quality lessons, guides, and video series on horse care, training, and rider wellness. Plus, you can now connect with a dynamic community of NF+ equestrians!
Welcome here! My name is Kylie and my role at NOËLLE FLOYD is to enhance your learning through connecting with our instructors and other NF+ members. Here are a few guidelines for making the most of your time here:
Be kind. Lead by example and engage with the tone and energy you would like to receive back. Let’s make this community a good place to be!
Empathy always. Take a moment to put yourself in the other person’s shoes and engage conversations in ways that you would personally find helpful. Also embrace empathy for the horses as well. They benefit greatly when we strive to see the world through their eyes.
Make generous assumptions* (about other people’s intentions). We believe that, in most cases, riders are doing the best they can with the information they currently have. If we are all going to learn and do better, we need to be allowed to ask questions and work through the messy parts without needing to be perfect.
*Note: To learn more about making generous assumptions, check out the video “SuperSoul Sessions: The Anatomy of Trust” on www.brenebrown.com/videosBe excellent with your words. This guideline is a nod to “The Four Agreements” by Miguel Ruiz but the summary is this: speak with integrity. Say only what you mean and avoid using words to speak against yourself or others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.
That’s it for now! If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to us directly or send us an email at info@noellefloyd.com. Thanks for being here. ❤️
Kylie Bartel
NF+ Community Director