HI, I'M JAMES

I am a dedicated natural horseman from Gibraltar. I was put on a horse from the age of three, and loved it from the first moment. I have grown up within the Campo De Gibraltar and learnt to ride the traditional way in Spain, known as Doma Vaquera. I have used the spurs, whips, sticks, and even made my horse bleed. Back then I was quite ignorant of my actions, as most self appointed horsemen are. I have always owned horses raised in a field and living with a herd. My first horse was born in a herd and I watched him grow up; he was the first horse I had ever trained. Luckily he was very forgiving for I was heavy handed in the beginning. As time passes and one becomes self conscious, I began to question my motives and why I had to use so much force as to make my horse bleed and feel pain just to obey my commands. I felt guilty, for deep down inside this person that dedicates so much time, effort and money on his horse is capable of hurting him, am I sane? Everybody else does it but does that make it moral? I didn’t know where to look for an answer. I came across a book called The Man Who Listens to Horses by Monty Roberts, and when I read it, I was fascinated, and wanted to know more.
At first I was sceptical. Until I fell in love with a beautiful golden coloured Arabian horse. This horse had been locked away in a stable for 4 years without been ridden or worked with, only taken out of his stable to be tied up all day in the sun. I took pity on him so I would lunge him and take him out to eat some grass and stretch his legs. He bit, he kicked, not to mention bucked; he had me on the floor three times before I managed to stay on. They had tried to train him the traditional way but he would have none of it, he had too much spirit, and I could see that. At the stables they said I was out of my league to even consider buying him but I could see this horse could really be something, he was just misunderstood. 
I bought this Arabian for next to nothing in comparison to what he was worth, and at first I was a bit intimidated by his wild outbursts, and asked for some advice. They said I had to show him who was boss and be firm. I tried that for a while but the harder I tried the more times I went home exhausted, frustrated and unmotivated. It was time to change and start trying something new, nothing seemed to work up to now so I studied these natural methods and tried them out, I never looked back. I spent many weeks leading my horse on a rope everywhere to get to know him and try to gain his trust. I have no round pen to work in but it’s amazing how much trust you can gain by just spending time with your horse without demanding anything. He taught me how to become self-conscious by refusing to accept the old ways and led me on a path of trust and infinite joy! 
My relation with both horses became so much stronger as they no longer feared me and I discovered how to be a passive leader. Even today my first horse, although he no longer belongs to me, comes running towards me when I go to visit him. It is very gratifying to know he still trusts me and wishes to be by my side. For my Arabian, he’s really the wilder side of my soul, for without him I would never have discovered the true beauty of horses. I still visit the stables from where I bought him and the people who knew him can’t believe he is the same horse. They cannot grasp the concept of how I can ride naked, with no equipment to “control” him. I have to laugh at their comments for I once thought like this, but was liberated by choice, and now I am a FreeSpirit! 
From an early age I have always had a connection with mother-nature. I was always rescuing injured animals and bring them home to try to help them recuperate, some made it and some were not so lucky. In most cases the animal would usually have injuries from abuse by other kids, and it made me angry, but I did what I could. My child fantasy job, “when I grow up”, was always to become a vet and help save as many animals as I could. Later on in life, as I progressed through school years, my interests and thoughts changed with changing circumstances and social interests. However, my love of animals has remained and I have always owned some kind of pet.
My family always say that I seem to spend more time with my horses and dogs than with anybody else, and, to be honest, I think it’s true. I feel a deep inner peace when I spend time with my animals; they remind me of who I am and where I come from. The bond we share predates to our ancestral past, when humans and animals shared the same world and expressed mutual respect for one another. After all, we are a part of nature but we tend to forget this, and it is the love for our pets which keeps this connection alive within us. 

WHAT LIES AHEAD:
What lies ahead is a life dedicated to helping horses have a better place in this life, and helping to educate others to work with their horses using natural methods so they can begin to develop a true partnership. Having grasped the concept of natural horsemanship, I feel confident to work with any horse I come across, but my knowledge is still growing, for with horses, we never stop learning. I am currently training with one of the top leading horsewomen of today, Tracy James, who owns The Tracy James Natural Horse Centre, Spain, located in the beautiful valleys of Antequera. She dedicates her life to teaching natural horsemanship and, watching her, you can tell she loves every moment. She is a true friend and an amazing personality. If you wish to know more about the training she offers visit her page: www.naturalhorseridinginspain.com. For those who don’t have the time off to attend a natural horsemanship course but would like to learn more, please feel free to share your interest on this page or contact me at freespiritnaturalriding@gmail.com You can also text me at (+350)54008738. I also offer training within the Campo De Gibraltar, this includes: La Linea, San Roque, Castellar, Sotogrande, Alcaidesa, Algeciras and Los Barrios.