Tessa Goddard

Animals have always been a huge part of my life. I used to be a traditional horse owner – I competed in eventing and didn’t know much beyond riding and the basic knowledge that was needed to care for them. My entire horse career was based on becoming a better rider, moving up in the levels, and going to as many shows as I could. Even though I felt happy doing this, there was always something missing; there was always an empty hole in my heart as to whether or not my horses enjoyed the experience as much as I did.

I started exploring other ways to train and spend time with my horses – one that involved less force and punishment and instead, focused on two-way communication. I came across positive reinforcement training and everything shifted for me as I began to see a reason behind every behavior and “issue” present in the horse. I developed a whole new perspective not only on training practices, but also how to properly care for my equines. (Source)