About Anna Twinney

Creating Harmony for Horses and Humans

The obstacle course was set. Four horses had already finished, leaving Hope, a very trusting, partly blind chestnut filly to finish the day. As she moved from one obstacle to the next I was thrilled to see her doing just as well as the others – all 5 easily tackling the new experiences.

This story is not unusual unless you consider that they were all Mustangs at the Return to Freedom wild horse sanctuary in Lompoc, Ca. and that they were experiencing the exercise, at liberty, after only 2 weeks of gentling. Even more inspiring was the fact that once they were released into the connecting corral, each one stood at the gate watching and pawing, eager to come back into the barn to learn. It is moments like these that validate the importance of a trust-based relationship and the work I have chosen to do, creating harmony for humans and horses.

I’ve come a long way since my love of horses began over 25 years ago. Growing up as a young British girl in Germany I saved up my pocket money to purchase my first pony. Ringo taught me many lessons, the most important being the joy a horse can bring into one’s life. I spent hours with him, riding bareback, swimming in the river and even sleigh rides in the winter. On hindsight I realize that ignorance was bliss as Ringo displayed tremendous trust and forgiveness towards well intended but often misguided care.

As a young woman, back in England, I continued my experiences with my second horse, Carrie, an Irish Draught / TB mare. I competed in show jumping, long distance riding, and cross-country jumping. In my spare time I also helped local riding schools with remedial horses and trail rides. However, that spare time was limited as I was now a member of the Leicestershire Police Force. As a Police Officer I gained valuable insight into the behavior and body language of a far more complex animal, the human being. I never realized just how beneficial this would later prove to be in my new career.

Witnessing first hand the trauma violence often causes, my interest in non-violent communication eventually led me to a meeting with Monty Roberts. Following extensive studies into the unique "Language of Equus" I became an integral part of the research and development team for the Monty Roberts International Learning Center (MRILC). During my six year tenure with the Monty Roberts Organization I was the only Head Instructor and appointed as director of the Monty Roberts International Association and an MRILC Board Member.

While with the MRILC I enjoyed teaching the art of natural horsemanship to a variety of international students of all ages and skill levels and gained a wealth of knowledge coaching in excess of 1,000 students, including those with learning difficulties and physical challenges. I instructed numerous clinics, supervised several introductory and instructor courses, while also being instrumental in graduating the majority of instructor students.

In October of 2003, the Reach Out to Horses program was born. Today, through Reach Out, I offer clinics throughout the United States and abroad. Most recently I presented one of the featured seminars at the first annual Central Coast Equine Experience Horse Fair and even appeared on Martha Stewart Living.

The clinics offer a unique opportunity to learn and experiment with the methods and concepts of the horse’s language. I believe that teaching natural horsemanship isn’t just about showing a person how to work in partnership with a horse. It is also about creating an environment for people to learn about themselves and to grow emotionally and even spiritually. Many people often come away from their experience with insight and far more than knowledge about their horse.

In order to create this sacred space of self-awareness and discovery it is important to bring in the aspects of other areas and healing modalities. Drawing on my studies with world renowned clinicians and experts on imprint training, natural horsemanship, animal communication and alternative healing therapies such as Aromatherapy and Reiki - “the Japanese art of hands-on-healing” - we take natural horsemanship to another level by incorporating these different modalities and inter-species communication. A simple, effective and understandable approach means that everyone benefits and gains knowledge that can be taken from the round pen to the home environment.

I would like to take a moment to express my gratitude to those who have given me so many gifts on this journey - the wild horses. My passion is the survival and protection of these majestic symbols of freedom. I have been privileged to observe Brumbies in their natural habitat in Victoria, Australia and, for the past 5 years, to assist at the wild horse sanctuary ‘Return to Freedom’. RTF is home to the American Wild Horse and is considered a living museum, providing a natural environment where horses live in herd groups and students can observe natural wild horse dynamics. It is important to remember that these animals are intelligent, insightful and forgiving beings who can teach us as much, if not more, than we can them.

Read Franco's Story by Anna Twinney

Anna Twinney 'Understanding Equus' Demo in UK May 2005

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