"...Thank you for the new peace and confidence I have about working with my newly-trusting horse."

-Carrie, Snohomish, WA

Barb Apple, a Natural Horsewoman

Barb Apple has been a little of everything-

Cowgirl, Ranch Hand, Instructor, Clinician, and Student of horses and life.

Article by Buck A. Poe

What if you were so good at understanding what horses think, that you could speak out loud for them?  What would your horse say about you?  Would it be something so powerful that it could change your life?  If you ever have a chance to take a clinic from Barb Apple you may just find out.  Barb Apple changes lives through horses.

With an introduction like that you might think Barb is a “horse whisperer” or horse psychic, or maybe a fringe mind reader.  Barb may be unusual but it’s not any of these things that make her so.  Barb is a student of horses and a clinician of natural horsemanship. Contrary to what most people might think, this is only the start of the journey that Barb takes  her students on. 

So what makes Barb a cut above the working clinician?  Barb’s history although very accomplished, could be considered an ordinary path for an Instructor or Clinician.  She spent a lifetime with horses, owned and trained 27 of her own horses, has taken 3 horses to Parelli level III, and taken hundreds upon hundreds of hours of instruction.  She’s traveled almost nonstop across the US and Europe since 1993 and has given instruction and clinics to over 4,200 students. When Barb got into the business there were few nationally known clinicians and even fewer working full time.  When most people think of a professional clinician they think of your average tall cowboy type with a mustache and chaps.  As a female, Barb was walking a path pioneered by only a few brave women before her.  But even these accomplishments are a sideline to what Barb has become know for…

“I’ve done my share of cattle working but no one will ever accuse me of being a ‘Cowgirl Clinician’ that’s for sure.” Barb grins. “ I’m just as likley to show up for a ride in chinks, an english saddle, and a sun visor.  Folks look at me and say I look like a school teacher not a horse trainer.  That vision however only lasts till a horse and I have a meaningful conversation, then I guess the best in me comes out.   When I am asked what style of horsemanship I teach I always have to stop and think about that question.  My methods are based on many years with many teachers. The years with Pat Parelli, some Centered Riding training, the amazing work I’ve done with Jack Brainard (Jack is the Tom Dorrance of the reining industry), colt start clinics with Pat Parelli, Tom Dorrance and Ronnie Willis, all of which have added critical pieces to my understanding.  But the truth is that my style is uniquely my own.  I realized in mid 2004 it was time to leave the Parelli organization, as I no longer fit the mold of just a “Parelli Instructor”.    Now when I consider this question it’s clear that I teach the Barb Apple style, I call it Horse-Play, it’s about serious Fun.”      

It’s been said that explanation relies on the ordinary, while enlightenment relies on the extraordinary.  Barb has studied with well know and extraordinary horse professionals such as Parelli, Brainard, Dorrance, Ronnie Willis and Mike Bridges to name a few.  But she is also a student of a diverse collection of human and spiritual studies. “I’ve had some great teachers and mentors over the years and each one brought me to a new level of understanding,” she explains. “When I begin to work with a new student and their horse, I begin to understand the relationship between them. A whole world opens up to me and I start the process of opening doors that my student may choose to walk through.  Ultimately I want to help the student begin to understand their horses’ thoughts and actions bring that relationship to a higher level of connection and joy.

          What I find is that along the way many students will meet a challenge of some sort with their horse.  Interestingly it’s a challenge that they are usually familiar with in some other area of their life.  Often if we can face this challenge together in the arena, the rider wins and the horse wins.  When the student understands how to communicate their desires and wishes to the horse with fairness and mutual respect, this understanding is often carried into some challenging areas of there life journey as well.  That is a true victory in the student’s life and that’s when I feel as if we’ve all won.  I firmly believe that horses came here to help us be the best we can be in this journey called life.   

    One of my students, a middle age woman I’ll call Mary saw this experience in a profound way.  When she arrived at my ranch her horse was trying to walk on her, trying to bite her, and had already stuck her twice.  Over the course of the three days I spent with her we overcame a number of misunderstandings, concerns, and behaviors that were road blocks to her desire and ability for clear communication.  The end result was a line of communication that led to the horse respecting her, allowing her room, wanting to be with her and being truly interested.  It was heartwarming, satisfying, and a much safer situation.  During our closing session she revealed to me that her relationship with her daughter had so closely paralleled the relationship with her horse that she realized she had some long suppressed talks with her daughter that needed to take place as soon as she got home.  It never ceases to amaze me that our tendency as humans is to choose horses that reflect our needs and desires.

Of course all my sessions are different and everyone comes away with different insight into different aspects of their riding, relationships or clarity of communication. Most tell me they imagined they would learn about their horse, which they do, but also picked up some insight they hadn’t expected in regard to themselves.  Our horses often reflect a quality or “way of being” that we have.  Sometimes these are qualities that work for us as well as the horse and some times these are qualities that don’t work so well for us or for the horse.  Connection with your horse will often reveal these qualities and provide an open door for transformation.  This is really the beauty and joy of natural horsemanship.   What makes my life’s journey   so unique with people and horses, is that I get to participate in the excitement people feel when they discover a new level of awareness.   It’s About The Horse.  But not really...  To quote Tom Dorrance, “Natural horsemanship is not just a way to train horses, but a way of Life”.

          In 2003 Barb began to expand on her trademark clinic format called Horse-Play. “For years I have been bringing to my students the tools to begin to understand what their horses are thinking.  I wanted them to know how remarkable the relationship between human and horse is.  We don’t find the predators and pray animals forming partnerships in the wild.  This thinking surpasses the ideas of just training horses. 

Barb’s Horse-Play concept is unique as an instructional system since most clinicians use formats where the main focus is on teaching tasks.  Barb also uses the teaching tasks format for her clinics but combines it with observation and diagnostics which gives students the tools to communicate more effectively when they are “home alone.” 

After years of teaching only by tasking I got a wake-up call during the first morning of a clinic. A new student proudly showed me some of the tasks she had taught her horse.  What she was totally unaware of was that her horse was on the verge of exploding over her at any moment and she was in danger of being hurt.  He was confused and his flat back ears told me he was not a happy camper.  This poor girl had no clue of her precarious position.  He could do the games but she was not winning them.  It became obvious after that situation that I had students who could complete a truckload of tasks with their horses and still had no idea what their horse was thinking. As in the case of this girl she had no idea the tasks her horse could do were done with little or no respect, no trust and very little understanding on her part the purpose of the task.  

That’s when Barb began to formalize her trademarked Horse-Play System. Based on what Barb calls “the 3 C’s”  the Clarity, Communication, Connection  format.  The Hose Play System uses the 3 C’s format to give her students access to understand what a horse is thinking and most importantly why the horse is thinking that way.  We aren’t born speaking horse but with some practice we can begin to learn their language.  It’s truly as clear and understandable as English if you know what to watch, listen, and feel for. Barb explains.  Your horse won’t lie to you, in fact, your horse is trying to tell you exactly what’s on his mind.  But it’s up to you to learn to speak his language.

When Barb was working with her first foal as a teen she realized that unless there is a clear understanding as to what role you play in your horses life, your horse, and not you, will determine this role.  Most often this will be the role of doormat, rubbing post, or crash test dummy.  Barbs early experiences taught her these lessons the hard way.  She was kicked, bitten, stepped on, walked over, and dumped off.  But eventually by combining she school of hard knocks with an extensive education in life and horse behavior, she mastered the art of enlightened understanding with her horses.  She has further honed and perfected her ability to teach this to others over the last decade.

“I’ve been fortunate to be able to combine my background in Parelli, Centered Riding, and Basic Reining with my own experience.  I feel I have a rich and diverse set of tools that I can share with my students.  It is my greatest joy to see my students transform their relationships with their horses.  It is very rewarding to see the joy return to a jaded rider or see a bored horse respond with attentiveness and curiosity.  And the new horse owner is a very special treat, as you get the opportunity to send them off on the right foot so to speak.”

There are now many new clinicians in the field of natural horsemanship.  There are schools and “Universities” that require only a hefty student loan and as little as 3 years and to become certified as a working Instructor.  Most of these instructors are capable of teaching the tasks of natural horsemanship.  In time many will also become experienced at teaching these tasks.  But this is where most instructors eventually plateau. Barb departs from the masses with her comprehensive background and genuinely cutting edge training methods. “I have been a student of horsemanship and the interaction between horse and human nearly my entire life.  I believe this is what helps me to be a good teacher.”  Perhaps this ideal is best described by one of Barb’s Students;

“ … my experience with your [Barb’s] teaching is one that I will never forget. You taught me so many things in so many ways I will treasure it always. Your knowledge in the horse world is so tremendous and you share this in such a way that a person can understand it.  You have a way of teaching that is calm, positive and straight to the point. I’ve taken many lessons with many instructors and you have given me more insight into my horse and myself than I’ve gotten from all the previous instruction combined.  It was if I had been sitting on a one legged stool for the last 10 years and you showed me there are two more legs available to me.  You are truly a gift to your students…”

I guess that sums Barb up it quite nicely.

Barb Apple is currently building a facility in Washington State and continues to travel throughout the US.  Barb’s new facility is planned to open in Summer 2007 and will host the already famous “Cowgirl Spa Retreats”, Trail Riding Retreats, Instructor Training Program, as well as Barb’s Clinics, Workshops, and Private Instruction.