This horse is displaying his attitude when asked to do something. Dan asked him to go in one direction, and the horse did it, but he did not want to! How can we tell he did not want to? He kicked out at Dan, displaying his feelings. If he wanted to hurt Dan, he would have. But, he was only expressing himself! We laughingly call this specific behavior The Horsey Finger! Why do we laugh? Because now we know exactly what kind of attitude the horse has, and we know what we must do to calmly change that attitude!

Why do people need Sumerel Training?

The Sumerel Training lectures, demonstrations and workshops get people to stop and think. They are designed to give people a chance to see how Dan is different  when it comes to working with horses. They are able to experience, first hand, how Dan explains things in a very detailed, yet easily understood way. The observer really starts to understand what's going on! There are no mysterious techniques, or unnecessary tack that is used in order to communicate with the horse. Rather, the horses Dan works with are ALWAYS AT LIBERTY! This method of working with horses is so easily learned, AND is just as easily duplicated. Have you ever seen someone do something really neat with a horse, then you go home only to find that you can't begin to duplicate what they did? It happens all the time! But not with Sumerel Training. You will see that Dan's approach is simple, effective, and most of all, is also duplicable by anyone. We have children learning to control their horses without force, as well as people who have been involved with horses all their lives.

A happy STS foal! 2 weeks old, halter trained and on her first trail ride! Notice the loose lead, and the fact that Dan is willing to let the filly check out what concerns her!

The Sumerel Horse Course [TM] workshops teach people what they didn't know they didn't know! This is a three-day class that is both fun and enjoyable, but also very moving and informative. In 2 to 3 days, people come out of this program saying that they don't even look at a horse the same way they did before the class.  Awareness of the horse AND the person is enhanced dramatically. People are taught to control their horses without force or equipment. The people who attend our courses are so blown away by all of the information we give them, that they will often come back to attend another class because they enjoyed the first one so much! Please read our Horse Course Testimonials Page, and you will understand!

In this class, people learn how to earn the respect of their horse, and they learn how to do so without any force. Then, they will learn how to control their horse's movement. As strange as it sounds, this is all done at liberty, for this is the best way to see your horse's attitude:
TO LET HIM GO! NO ROPES, NO LUNGE LINES, NO CHAINS...

When working with a horse at liberty, the true nature and attitudes of that horse become very apparent. There is no rope or chain to dampen the attitude for the moment, only to become a crisis later. The reality is all that's there. A person and a horse, working out the basis for a relationship, based on understanding and communication. And if you think phrases such as 'Having a relationship with your horse', or 'Understanding your horse’s perspective', or 'Learning to control without using equipment', are not viable terms, then we would LOVE to have you join us in a Horse Course*!  We promise to you that we can prove these ARE viable terms!

People should have FUN with their horses and NOT struggle with them. Notice how calm the filly is; that is because Jocelyn is calm. Magikh, because of her trust and respect for Jocelyn, thought the silly reindeer ears, complete with ornaments, were no big deal.

It is our belief that you must be able to control your horse. If you can't, you are not safe, and because your horse does not see you as his leader, he is not safe, either. This is certainly not a good position to be in! If you are in a show ring and your horse becomes frightened, you are both at risk if he does not believe that you can provide him the feeling of safety that he craves. If you are out on a trail ride, and your horse spooks at a deer or a rabbit (or worse), and he decides to run all the way home, you are not safe. And, we all know a panicked horse is not safe. What we can teach you in a Horse Course* will give you the tools to gain your horse's trust and respect, and can teach you how you and your horse can always be safe with each other..... Partners!

The "normal" way of working with horses usually involves some kind of equipment, force or bribery (carrots, apple, or horse cookies). All can work in the moment, but NONE of these methods will always work. You need something very dependable! All three methods can give you leverage to motivate and control the horse, but where is your leverage when you don't have the carrots, or the equipment? And you DO need leverage to manage a thousand pound animal. That fact is a given. Ask anyone who has been thrown from a panicked horse, or has been dragged across an arena in a show, when something frightened their horse. Ask someone who cannot load their horse onto a trailer, even with the use of bribery or force! WHERE is the horse's attention then? It is not on his handler. The horse's attention is on what is scaring him so much. If you can capture the horse's mind, you can capture his attention. If you can capture his attention, in a soft yet firm manner, you have just proven to him that you are WORTHY of his RESPECT. If your horse respects you, he will attempt anything you ask of him.

As a prey animal, the horse's need to survive what he perceives to be a threat will always overshadow ANY hunger, which totally negates the amount of leverage that treats will present. With horses, FORCE is usually always counter-productive. How many times have we watched a horse break a halter, or a lead rope, or cross ties when he perceives danger to himself? Will going to a stronger halter get your horse to respect and trust you? NO, it won't. A stronger halter will cause him pain, with the extra pressure against his poll and nose, when he panics. However, if a stronger halter is used on a horse who completely trusts his handler, there will be no panic. This is because the horse equates Respect with Trust. RESPECT and TRUST will ALWAYS provide leverage with horses. WE all just need to understand that what defines leverage is determined by the horse's values, NOT OURS! Respect is ALWAYS there, if only you know how to get it and keep it! Respect and trust is also more powerful than the alternatives, so it has effect even in a crisis when the alternatives usually fail.

Sumerel Training is about changing YOUR WAY OF THINKING, and HOW YOU RELATE TO YOUR HORSE. WE ARE NOT ABOUT SELLING YOU MORE equipment. You probably already own more equipment than you need! Understand this:
WHAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR HEAD IS ALWAYS MORE POWERFUL THAN WHAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR HAND!