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About Kerry
Kerry has been involved with horses since she was a young girl and throughout her life has worked with show jumpers, hunters, eventers and a whole host of young stock, tame and wild. Kerry holds The British Horse Society Assistant Instructors Certificate (BHSAI) and has taught riding for many years on and off. However over the past ten years or so she has adopted a rather different approach, learning from trainers such as Monty Roberts, Pat Parelli, Mark Rashid, Ken Faulkner, Perry Wood and others. She has combined this knowledge to develop her own successful techniques, the results of which are proven through the many wild ponies she trains each year, turning them into trusting, safe ponies using quiet communication, infinite patience and an ability to see things from their point of view. The testimonials from happy customers speak for themselves. |
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How are the ponies at Mitchelcombe Farm Trained? Each Autumn following the pony drift the foals are weaned and each and every foal is halter broken and trained. At this young age and receptive age the foals are taught the skills they will need for life, such as catching, haltering, leading, tying up, grooming, picking up feet and loading into a trailer. This is a steep learning curve for wild foals but with the careful use of Natural Horsemanship techniques, we can turn most of them into calm, trustworthy ponies suitable for children's riding ponies, family ponies or driving ponies. The ponies with temperaments not suitable for this job are produced for "conservation grazing" ie. to go out and graze on wildlife reserves or coastal grasslands. A few of the filly foals with good bloodlines and suitable temperaments will be selected as future breeding mares. Training Offered Kerry is available to help with common problem solving and ground handling with your horse or pony and has a special empathy for working with young and nervous equines. Kerry's quiet and patient approach instills confidence in both horse and handler. Kerry can offer one to one lessons, either at Mitchelcombe Farm or by visiting you and your horse or pony at home. Short courses on ground handling for domesticated or feral equines are available by arrangement and can be tailored to suit your requirements.. Each Autumn when the mares and foals return from the moor this is when the training of wild foals begins. Short courses are offered at Mitchelcombe Farm where you can get first hand experience of the impressive transition from wild to willing, trusting ponies. If you are considering purchasing a young foal or becoming a foal foster carer then this is an ideal opportunity to work alongside the young foals, contributing to their early training and picking a temperament to suit your needs. The next foal handling course will be November 2013. |
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Fostering
Each year we send a percentage of the foals out to foster homes where they are cared for, usually in pairs, by enthusiastic volunteers who are keen to help with the education of these young foals. They typically spend from November until May in their foster home where they are handled daily and get used to people and the comings and goings of a stable yard. This is an essential experience for them, having started life in the wild they need to gain confidence in people and learn new skills for their lives ahead. Anyone interested in becoming a foal foster carer is encouraged to contact us for an informal chat. |
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