MAY /JUNE 2025
THE GREYTON POST
25
Horsemanship with Heart L es Ansley, founder of 13th Rabbit Horsemanship, is quietly making a big difference in the lives of young no baggage—just a shared moment of learning and connection.
people in our village. Each week, he runs a free horsemanship clinic on the Vlei, using gentle, thoughtful training methods to teach local youth how to build trust and respect with their horses. But as Les explains in the heartfelt reflection below, the lessons often go far beyond riding— and sometimes, what the horses teach us can change the way we treat each other. ‘There’s an old adage in horse training: work with the horse you’ve got. It means you can’t bring yesterday’s expectations into today’s session. You can’t assume the horse will perform today just because it did yesterday. You have to meet it where it is, in the moment. That principle has shaped not only how I work with horses, but also how I work with the youngsters in our village. Once a week, on Thursday afternoons, I meet with a group of local boys and girls in an open park space. They bring their horses, and I try to teach them the fundamentals of horse training—how to build trust, how to lead gently, how to understand what the horse is trying to say. Many of these kids haven’t had the easiest start in life. They’ve often been shown more aggression than kindness, so it’s no surprise that some of the methods they use with their horses mirror that. But I see these sessions as an opportunity to offer something different. No judgment,
I focus on groundwork first. Softness from the ground becomes softness in the saddle. Teaching them that you get more from a horse when you’re gentle than when you’re harsh—it’s a lesson that often surprises them. But once they see it, once the horse starts responding, they light up. And that’s everything. Of course, there are complaints at times about how the horses are ridden, and many of them are valid. But I believe if we want to see change, we need to show a different way. We can’t just expect these kids to know better without ever being taught. Education, without alienation—that’s my goal. Riding can be a joy like no other. The connection between thought and movement, the shared momentum—it’s something profound. And I want them to experience that joy in a way that’s respectful and kind. My hope is that these small lessons ripple outwards—not just in how they treat horses, but how they relate to others, and to themselves. If even one of them sees a different future through this work, then it’s all been worth it’ If you’d like to learn more about Les’s horsemanship sessions or need help with an equine issue, you can reach him on 066 216 9667.
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