Help your older horse stay mindful and comfortable in movement
From 3 October, join the online mini course In-hand work with the older horse. You will receive five practical lessons, get a full practice day between each lesson, and can submit your questions and training videos for personal advice for ten days.
Value of the guided edition €297
Now free
The lessons and personal guidance close after 12 October.
10 days of personal guidance
You take good care of your horse. Yet you see his body changing.
Your horse gets plenty of movement, lovely equine friends, good feed and all the care you can give him. Yet you may notice that getting up after lying down or rolling takes more effort, that bends are less supple, or that his muscling is changing.
That can feel powerless. Precisely because you know him so well and want to do something meaningful for him, without asking too much of him.
- Getting up or rolling takes more effort.
- Bends and turns come less easily.
- Your horse is getting stiffer or moves more cautiously.
- His topline and muscling are changing.
- You're not sure which exercises are still suitable.
Quality of movement instead of quantity
With an older horse, working together doesn't have to mean training long, fast or intensely. With short, calm and focused exercises you can invite him to keep using his body consciously.
You keep looking at what is possible, where his comfort zone lies and what he can manage that day. The horse sets the pace. You offer the exercises calmly and let them do their work.
Five lessons. Five practice days. One calmly built whole.
You deliberately won't receive a new lesson every day. After each video lesson you get a full day to practise together with your horse, to feel what happens and, if you like, to submit a video.
01
Lesson 1 • 3 October
Starting calmly and gathering information
You look at what your horse currently finds easy and less easy, and begin with calm exercises from a standstill.
Extra practice day 14 October
02
Lesson 2 • 5 October
Clarity in position, posture and aids
You discover how your position, posture and direction of movement help your horse understand what you are asking.
Extra practice day 26 October
03
Lesson 3 • 7 October
Consciously moving the forehand and hindquarters
You free up the shoulders and invite the inside hind leg to participate more consciously.
Extra practice day 38 October
04
Lesson 4 • 9 October
Moving from balance
You combine the earlier exercises and move calmly from a standstill into work on the circle and the straight line.
Extra practice day 410 October
05
Lesson 5 • 11 October
A first valuable lateral movement
You get to work on shoulder-fore: a gentle exercise that can contribute to better balance and suppleness.
Final practice day12 October
One last day to practise, submit your video and receive personal advice.
You don't have to do everything perfectly or tick every box. What matters is that you calmly observe, try things out and discover what is possible for your horse.
We are here for you every day for ten days
This is not a collection of free videos to save somewhere for later. We start together and spend ten days working through it step by step.
Throughout the entire mini course we are present daily in the private community. Stuck on something? You can ask a question or submit a short training video.
We review the submitted videos and give personal advice you can continue practising with. That way you never have to guess whether you are on the right track.
- 1
Watch the lesson
The new video lesson is ready for you in the morning.
- 2
Practise with your horse
Short, calm sessions at your horse's own pace.
- 3
Share your video
We watch along with you and give you personal advice.
Join free of charge
Value of the guided edition €297 • only from 3 to 12 October
- 5 in-depth video lessons
- 5 full practice days
- The new lesson in your inbox every lesson day
- 10 days of access to all released lessons
- Access to the private community
- The chance to ask questions every day
- Submit your training videos
- Personal advice from us
Participation is free, but the course is not meant to be saved for some day far in the future. Sign up when you want to consciously make time to practise with your horse during these ten days.
Experiences with our lessons and guidance
“When Ariel became stiffer and slower around the age of twelve, I thought she already needed adapted training. But with this method it turned out we were really only just getting started. She is 26 now and, thanks to this way of training, still in top condition.”
“The exercises are explained so clearly and calmly that I could get started right away. I now understand better where to stand, when to ask something and how to give my horse the time to find the right answer himself.”
“Submitting a video made all the difference for me. I got very concrete feedback on what was already going well and what I could make clearer with a small adjustment. That made me feel more confident, and my horse and I could move forward straight away.”
3,000+ horse lovers helped
Tonnie • 26 years old
Tonnie showed Astrid how much calmly keeping moving can mean
“The work is there for the horse — not the other way around.”
Tonnie has been with Astrid since she was three years old and is now 26. Because of her physical challenges, she was retired at a relatively young age.
During her retirement, Astrid saw her decline further and further, both mentally and physically. Her muscling decreased and lying down, getting up and moving became harder.
That is why Astrid started working with her again, calmly. Not for performance and not to train her intensively, but to support her as well as possible, both physically and mentally.
Tonnie sets the limit. As long as it feels comfortable and the work does her good, they keep moving calmly together.
About Astrid
Astrid helps horse owners look at their horse's behaviour and body with more understanding. In her lessons, the focus is not only on performing an exercise, but above all on learning to see what the horse needs and what an exercise does for his body.
She built this mini course from her experience with her own older horses.
Practical information and frequently asked questions
- Start
- 3 October
- Duration
- 10 days
- Lessons
- 5 lessons + 5 practice days
- Guidance
- Daily in the community
- Access
- Until 12 October
- End:
- 12 October
- Content:
- 5 lessons and 5 extra practice days
- Email:
- In your inbox every lesson morning
- Participation:
- Free
- Riding:
- Not required
Which horses is this mini course suitable for?
The mini course is designed for older horses and horses that could use some extra support. You adapt every exercise to what your horse can manage at that moment. Never force anything, and always consult your vet or therapist if your horse has physical complaints or if you are in doubt.
Does my horse still need to be ridden?
No. All exercises are done from the ground. You do not need to ride your horse for this mini course.
Do I have to train every day?
No. You receive a new lesson every other day, followed by a dedicated practice day. Even on a practice day you don't need to train for long. Short, focused sessions fit the core principle of this course: quality of movement over quantity.
What do I need?
Astrid works with a cavesson, a groundwork whip and optionally a few treats. The groundwork whip is used to point and motivate, and is never meant for hitting or punishing. The treats are optional.
How does the personal guidance work?
During the ten days of the mini course you can ask questions in the private community and submit short training videos. We review the submissions and give you personal advice to continue practising with.
How long do I keep access?
The lessons are available for as long as the mini course runs. We start on 3 October and 12 October is the final practice day. After that, the lessons and guidance close.
What if I miss a lesson day?
All lessons that have already been released remain available during the mini course, so you can catch up on a missed lesson while the course is running. Don't wait until after 12 October, because the course closes after that date.
Do the exercises replace a vet or therapist?
No. The mini course is meant to support your older horse with gentle exercises. The lessons are no substitute for examination or treatment by a vet, physiotherapist, osteopath or other qualified professional.
Discover what is still possible together with your older horse
You don't have to train long, hard or intensely to do something valuable with your horse. During these ten days we show you step by step how to offer calm exercises that suit the older horse. We are here every day to watch along with you — the only thing we ask is that you consciously make time between 3 and 12 October.
Value €297
Now free
5 lessons • 5 practice days • 10 days of personal guidance