Jack and Paula Curtis on Modern Horsemanship Challenges
Building Real Connections in a Distracted World
Every horse trainer worldwide receives the same complaints: pushy horses, feeding time chaos, separation anxiety. Jack and Paula Curtis know why - and it's not what you think.
In our latest episode, the founders of Art of the Horseman reveal how smartphones create a mismatch between our energy and environment that horses immediately detect and find unsettling.
Three Critical Insights That Change Everything
The Presence Problem: Horses mirror our emotional state. When phone notifications trigger stress or distraction, horses feel the energy shift and become wary or disconnected.
The Observation Solution: Simply watching your horse in their natural environment reveals personality traits that inform training approaches. Some horses are naturally curious, others cautious - knowing which guides effective communication.
The Art Approach: Viewing horsemanship as an art form rather than mere training creates beautiful, harmonious partnerships that benefit both horse and rider.
Why "Art" of the Horseman?
The Curtises chose their name deliberately. Art, they explain, has feel - it's aesthetic and energetic. When horsemanship becomes artistic, it flows naturally and feels good for both partners. Like painters creating unique interpretations of the same tree, each rider's relationship with their horse should be original and come from the heart.
This artistic approach prioritises beauty and harmony over ribbons and results. When riders focus on creating something beautiful with their horse, everything else follows naturally.
What's Really Behind Common Problems
The couple receives identical questions from riders worldwide, regardless of skill level: feeding time chaos, pushy horses, separation anxiety, and behind-the-leg issues. Their diagnosis? All these problems stem from the same root cause - lack of genuine connection.
The Online Horse Fair Revolution
Their Art of the Horseman platform brings together 40-60 heart-centred professionals annually, offering free access to veterinarians, trainers, body workers, and mindset coaches who prioritise horse welfare over ribbons.
The next fair runs from 31st May to 1st June, with free tickets available.
🎟️ Online Horse Fair Free Tickets: https://www.becauseofthehorse.net/free-ticket
▶️ YouTube: youtube.com/@ArtOfTheHorseman
🌐 Online Programs: https://www.becauseofthehorse.net/
the after-hours tapes: behind the scenes with jack & paula curtis
The recording light went off. Anna Louise put down her notes and asked the question we couldn't ask on air. It is about the friction that happens when you try to balance a marriage with a business and a barn full of horses.
Jack and Paula got incredibly honest about the ego that crops up when you ask your partner for help, only to get defensive the second they give it. If you are in the herd, that recording is below.