Training horses with a positive focus with Jesse Drent.

Jesse Drent is an influencer, and horse trainer and is known for his natural approach to how he trains horses. Together with his four horses Andorra, Macho, Antares, and Gaio he forms a unique team in which trust, freedom, positivity, and cooperation is a key part to be a unique team. Jesse and his horses give freedom dressage demonstrations, and other shows, but also perform impressive dressage exercises without harness.
In his training, Jesse focused most on dressage with freedom of movement. The way Jesse cooperates with his horses is an inspiration for horse lovers in every branch of sport. In this blog Jesse tells everything about how a positive approach is the best approach to working with horses, and achieving growth. Jesse also tells about the role of nutrition and how supplements help his old mare Andorra.

A positive approach
If you have to describe the way Jesse works with horses in one word, then most would say ‘positivity’. ‘Positively working with your horse is what I believe is most important.’ Thus Jesse himself. He compares training horses with working with children. ‘If a child gives a wrong answer, and he gets punished by his teacher as he gave the wrong answer, then it could happen that a child won’t answer the next question.’ Horses react the same according to Jesse. By focusing on the positive, then there is more space for growth. ‘Of course, there are certain rules and you have to give clarity, but a horse benefits from it. But it is important to focus on what your horse does well, instead of what it does wrong. You can also give a solution to what you want to see. By focusing on the positive, then your horse will come out of its shell and show its personality. ‘Your horse might do an exercise by itself.’

Be honest with your horse
When Jesse is working with horses, he usually tries to open up, and not to have any expectations. ‘When you have expectations, it usually can only disappoint’.
The way you deal with expectations could determine how you work with your horse. ‘Don’t have unrealistic expectations, but expect honestly what your horse needs at that specific moment. Don’t train for too long, and do let your horse know when it does something well. To stop with something usually is a reward as well.’ Jesse states that when you constantly keep expecting something, it could work counterproductively. Constant repetition could make it seem that your horse does something wrong, which could be the reason why you keep repeating the exercise. Eventually, your horse could do well-performed exercises differently in an attempt to make the trainer happy.
Jesse gives a tip to start every training session with an open mind and to reward every small step in the right direction. This way, you’ll receive the most from your horse. ‘It is important to never forget that you why you have started to work with horses. You started with it as it gives you pleasure, because you love horses, and because it’s your passion. Even when you’re always performing, you shouldn’t forget that. Keep in mind why you work with horses and don’t forget that you do it together with your horse.

Nutrition and supplements
‘Sometimes it is forgotten how much depends on nutrition. I usually try to check every day what my horses need. How do they look today, and what have they done?’. Jesse has also started to learn more about the role of supplements. Jesse started with Andorra, his first horse, to recognize symptoms of arthrosis. For several months gets for a few months Jointpower + Hyaluronic acid. ‘I have noticed that you can help a horse significantly. You want your horse to be healthy and feel well, and there are different ways to help them with it. But when you don’t take nutrition and supplements into account, you’re already 5 points behind.’

Jointpower + Hyaluronic acid
Older horses, but also growing younger horses, and sports horses, sometimes need extra support to improve mobility. Jointpower + hyaluronic acid is a natural mix made from vegan glucosamine, MSM, chondroitin, and hyaluronic acid. It supports the joints, tendons, cartilage, and ligaments of a horse. Hyaluronic acid already occurs naturally in horses in different types of body tissue. It is essential for cartilage, eyes, the skin, and synovial fluid. A shortage of hyaluronic acid could cause different types of problems such as inflammation in the joints which could cause pain. By adding an easily absorbable form of hyaluronic acid to our trusted Jointpower, is it possible to support your horse to move more freely and flexibly.
Would you like to know more about Jesse Drent and his horses? Follow in on Instagram, YouTube, or take a look at his website.