HER NAME IS RIO AND SHE WANTS TO BRIDGE SKILLS GAP

She went through the Pony Club system and passed BHS stage 3, and her mother always encouraged her to look at things from a horse's perspective.

"I always had the feeling that something was missing in what I was learning," said Rio.

"Most of my lessons were about equitation, the mechanics of riding, or traditional stable management issues, and I had some excellent teachers in these subjects.

"But I wanted to know what horses felt, and why, and how to give them really what they needed.

" I had never heard of 'horse whispering' and had no idea that these things could be taught."

It wasn't until she was in her 30's that she witnessed a demonstration of natural horsemanship.

For full article and details of a new book, 101 Horsemanship Exercises, written by Rio and how you can see her in action at a local demonstration, see West Sussex Gazette, October 31- Sussex Horse World.