"Relaxed and Forward", "Going Steady" and books by Anna Blake Anna Blake

Books and clinics by world-renowned horse trainer and author Anna Blake.

Want horsemanship books written by a world-renowned trainer and award-winning author?

"Relaxed and Forward", "Going Steady"and books by Anna Blake
Anna Blake is a world reknowned author and speaker. Her Books, "Relaxed and Forward", "Going Steady", 'Horse.Woman", "Stable Relations" and others are read and enjoyed by horse people everywhere.

About Anna Blake

Anna Blake is a horse advocate, trainer, international clinician, and award-winning author of several books about understanding, training, and living with horses. Says Anna,"My first babysitter was a horse and we’ve been looking out for each other ever since. Always a committed student of the horse, I competed as a fanatic amateur in a few disciplines, took thousands of riding lessons, and trained my own horses. One day someone made me an offer I couldn’t refuse, and I became a professional trainer. I love the understanding and communicating aspect of helping horses, but I’ve been most profoundly impacted by working for rescue organizations rehabbing “throw-away” horses, who could not be failed again. Once my books began to be widely read, I was invited to give clinics across the US and in several other countries. It’s been the thrill of my life. I could list a resume of trainers I’ve worked with and drop some famous names, but I prefer horses be my resume. They have been my most challenging teachers. I live at Infinity Farm on the flat, windy plains of Colorado, home to a multi-species herd of horses, llamas, goats, and our moral compass, Edgar Rice Burro.”

Is Your Horse a Happy Horse? Does He or She Enjoy a True Partnership With You? Anna’s Training Philosophy/ Instruction Will Help!
With so many ‘trainers’ out there, it is often hard to know where to turn! Just what training philosophy sets Anna Blake apart from other nationally known trainers?

Anna’s “Affirmative Training" is the art and science of understanding the horse. We work in alignment with how horses think and how they learn, toward the goal of building a foundation of trust. We train patiently confirming the horse’s intelligence and courage, because a confident horse is a safe horse. Affirmative training is the fine art of saying yes to peaceful partnership with your horse.

Is It True That Anna Blake Refuses To Employ Fear-based Training?
Absolutely YES!To create a reliable partnership with a horse, your horse can NOT be trained with fear! Anna refuses to bully or bribe or tease a horse into compliance. Working with riders of all levels and disciplines, and horses of any breed, including Long Ears, Anna believes Affirmative Training of the dressage fundamentals build a relaxed & forward foundation that crosses over all riding disciplines in the same way that understanding Calming Signals illuminates all equine communication. We take horses and riding very seriously but do it with humor and lightness because horses like happy riders.

The Solution Section

Who is Anna Blake?

Per Anna Blake's own words: "My first babysitter was a horse and we've been looking out for each other ever since." Anna is a horse advocate, trainer, international clinician, and award-winning author of several books about understanding, training, and living with horses. Always a committed student of the horse, she competed as a fanatic amateur in a few disciplines, took thousands of riding lessons, and trained her own horses before becoming a professional trainer.

Per Anna: "I love the understanding and communicating aspect of helping horses, but I've been most profoundly impacted by working for rescue organizations rehabbing throw-away horses, who could not be failed again." Once her books began to be widely read, she was invited to give clinics across the US and in several other countries. She lives at Infinity Farm on the flat, windy plains of Colorado, home to a multi-species herd of horses, llamas, goats, and her moral compass — Edgar Rice Burro.

What is Anna Blake's training philosophy — Affirmative Training?

Per Anna Blake: Affirmative Training is the art and science of understanding the horse. Per Anna's framing:

Work in alignment with how horses think and how they learn, toward the goal of building a foundation of trust
Train patiently, confirming the horse's intelligence and courage — "because a confident horse is a safe horse"
The fine art of saying yes to peaceful partnership with your horse
Less correction and more direction
Take horses and riding very seriously, but do it with humor and lightness — "because horses like happy riders"

Does Anna Blake use any fear-based or punishment-based training?

Per Anna Blake: absolutely not. To create a reliable partnership with a horse, your horse cannot be trained with fear. Per Anna: she "refuses to bully or bribe or tease a horse into compliance." Working with riders of all levels and disciplines, and horses of any breed (including Long Ears), Anna believes Affirmative Training of the dressage fundamentals builds a relaxed and forward foundation that crosses over all riding disciplines — in the same way that understanding Calming Signals illuminates all equine communication.

What's in "Relaxed and Forward" — and "Going Steady"?

Per Anna Blake:

Relaxed and Forward — essays that balance the horse's perspective with the rider's wishes. Training advice combining the everyday fundamentals of dressage with mutual listening skills. Topics range from reading calming signals from your horse to using breath as your best communication tool. Per Anna: "Less correction and more direction. Horses are honest; they answer us in kind."

Going Steady — picks up where Relaxed and Forward left off. Bite-sized essays on affirmative horse training, rescue stories, and gray mare thoughts. Per Anna: "Don't be fooled by smoke and lights. Anyone can spur a horse into speed and jerk them to a halt. If you want to know true connection, look for partnership between the movements. Because the art is always in the transition." Theme: "Be the change you want to see in your horse."

What about "Stable Relations" — and the personal side of Anna Blake's writing?

Per Anna Blake:

Stable Relations — 2016 Readers' Favorite Gold Medal Award Winner, National Indie Excellence Award Finalist. Per Anna: "When most women go through a mid-life crisis, they start a diet, get plastic surgery, or have an affair. My life went to the dogs — and horses — and llamas, and did I mention happy hour with the goats?" The story of her bittersweet transition from a mid-life orphan to a modern pioneer woman, building an entirely different kind of family farm on the flat, windy, treeless prairie of Colorado.

Horse.Woman — a poetry collection telling small stories from a women's perspective about life defined by horses, nature, and memory. Per Anna: "For many of us, the cowboy persona has never been a good fit... For us, it was never about fighting for domination. It was always about herd and home."

What about "Barn Dance" and "Horse Prayers"?

Per Anna Blake:

Barn Dance — "Nickers, brays, bleats, howls, and quacks: tales from the herd." A collection of essays on horse-play, donkey ethics, and the fine art of mucking — from a small Colorado horse farm. Topics range from what a parrot can teach you about horses, to a donkey with more scruples than Edgar Rice Burro, to what to do when the Grandfather Horse steals your goat, to the question of who really gets rescued when a neglected horse comes to the farm for fostering.

Horse Prayers — a 106-page softcover mini-coffee-table book of poetry and photography from the Colorado prairie. Per Anna: "I'm a woman on a farm, wonderstruck by this simple life with its plain beauty; the comfort of daily chores and bittersweet sunsets. Even my words can't look away. And the horses."

How can I work with Anna Blake more personally — clinics, courses, membership?

Per Anna Blake, three formats for working with her:

Concept Clinics — from Alaska to Florida and internationally, Anna is available for clinics at your farm with the goal to educate and inspire while supporting the horse's welfare. Rescue horses, timid riders, and all horse-lovers are welcome.
Online Courses at the R&F Barn School — small-group online courses with one-on-one teaching, weekly homework videos, and group support. Per Anna: "Recommended by horses who like to work from home."
Equine Membership Group: "the Barnies" — an online membership group of like-minded folks committed to learning, supporting each other, and putting horses first.

Can I really do live private lessons with Anna virtually — and how do I get started?

Per Anna Blake: yes. Per Anna's goal: private lessons be as close to a LIVE lesson as possible. Using cell phones and Zoom technology, you can have a virtual lesson from your location. Alternatively, start with a Zoom consultation to talk about options and together come up with a path toward your goal.

To work with Anna: contact via email (phone: use email address please). Address: Anna Blake, Peyton, Colorado 80831. Per the company: pricing is reasonable across her formats — books, online courses, membership group, virtual private lessons, and on-farm clinics. Pricing as quoted is subject to change due to economic factors — confirm current pricing with Anna directly when scoping.