‘Always make Training & Riding Win-Win‘

Sandra’s Story

Sandra Poppema studied Animal Management because she’s always been communicating and connecting with animals. She’s very passionate about developing friendships with animals, but horses are her passion. Her story has been published in Canadian and European horse magazines. (For a full professional curriculum vitae visit: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandrapoppema/)

Riding Instructor and Clinician

After her study she earned her certification as Centered Riding instructor. Many of her clients struggled with misunderstanding their horse and misinterpreting their language.

Sandra started to give workshops and clinics Horse Behaviour and balancing the Riders Seat in order to enhance the horse-human relationship in the saddle and in their daily interactions.

How did Sandra started?

Sandra learned horse language from Horses

One of Sandra’s dreams was to have a black stallion and when she was 11, she found a free lease stallion. He was just a foal back then, but he, his shire and the rest of the herd taught Sandra a lot.

Sandra and her friend spent hours and hours observing the horses in the pasture. They had to when they couldn’t couldn’t catch them. She learned to communicate with horses, from horses. She started Sholto under saddle when he turned 4. That was another big wish on her bucket list: to start a stallion.

When Sholto was sold when he was 9 years old, Sandra lost him out of sight. She was determined to find him, despite that no one believed she could, except her mom. And when Sandra did find her beloved pony, she bought him and kept him until he died. Sholto was the one that steered her towards reward-based training. He was stubborn and didn’t respond well to coercion, whips and other traditional training methods.

Discovering Positive Reinforcement in ’99

Years later, in 1999, Sandra discovered positive reinforcement. She was lucky to have 2 mentors at the time that were studying the subject and implementing it in horse training and riding. The use of a bridge was the best kept secret in horse training and Sandra made it her mission to share this with other passionate and ethical horse owners.

There was no ‘system’ in using clicker training to train and ride horses. Everyone in The Netherlands she knew, was experimenting on their own, based on scientific studies.

Sandra connected with a wild horse, Kyra

In 2009 Sandra gets the opportunity to say ‘Yes’ to a wild horse. Another bucket list wish!

She had no previous experience taming horses, but she decided to give this horse a change. She gave Kyra one year to be tamed and if she couldn’t do it, she would find someone who could…

Kyra was born in a nature reserve in The Netherlands and has lived with her herd (10 mares, her 9 half siblings and her sire) her whole life. She was about 11 months old when she was caught and separated from everything she knew: nature, her herd and her freedom. She was incredible fearful and flighty. Yet, Sandra said ‘Yes’ and she was determined to use positive reinforcement to connect with Kyra.

Kyra set her on a new path: to develop a R+ training system that she could teach her clients. It’s only because Sandra made meticulous notes and videoed her training/taming process that she knows, it took only 3 weeks to tame Kyra.

Developing a friendship with a wild horse in 3 weeks

Three weeks was how long it took Sandra to turn Kyra from a wild horse that wanted to escape from everything human, to trusting her. In just three weeks Sandra could approach her, touch all over, halter her, lift and clean feet, cleaned the wound on her leg that happened in catching and rounding up the herd, and lead her over the premises.

Thanks to positive reinforcement Kyra turned from a fearful, wary horse into a horse that sought out human contact!

The rest of Kyra’s education (long reins, trick training, under saddle) was all taught with positive reinforcement. It wasn’t easy to shed the habits of traditional and Natural Horsemanship, but the pay off was enormous. That kept Sandra motivated to change her ways and help others.

Helping Horse Owners become Confident Clicker Trainers

Kyra helped Sandra to develop a R+ training system that helps horse owners to become Confident Clicker Trainers. She offers coaching and courses online so that she can help as many people as possible.

Sandra’s mission

Show passionate, smart riders ways to train & ride their horses in a 100% horse friendly way, that turns their horse into a friend for life. ♥

Book a call or join the HippoLogic Clicker Training Academy, when you want to work with Sandra.