The basic principles

The central idea of the hand-saddle-hand (HSH)-method is to school the horse by work in hand during half a year to a year before backing it for the first time – no matter what you want to do with the horse lateron.

• Teaching from the ground, without the weight of the rider, the movements of the most difficult exercises up to Grand-Prix-level can be trained with the two or three year old horse.
• At the age of four, when the horse will then be backed, it is already familiar with all the movements, the muscles have developed adequately and it will carry the rider without any effort.
• The HSH-method is mentally demanding, awakening the vitality of the horse, training its obedience. As there is almost no psychical stress and the teaching from the ground makes learning so much easier for the young horse, it gains confidence into the rider, learns to accept him as the alpha-leader.
• The growing partnership between horse and rider helps the horse to understand the aids and prevents misunderstandings and conflicts when it is backed for the first time.
• Working in hand – and treating with care the horse’s body and mind – permits further development of collection and raising of the forehand.
• Even in the course of the further development of the horse the HSH-method always remains a possibility to create more variety in working with the horse, to deepen the partnership between rider and horse, to correct problems from the ground which might arise through riding.

The HSH-method is a way to train a horse for both the professional rider as well as the amateur considering riding a wonderful leisure activity. Both will be successfull!

The most important part of the equipment necessary for this training method is theschooling bridle developed by Fritz Stahlecker. The mouth of the horse won’t be touched during the first months of training, early painful experiences and by this resistance will be avoided. This schooling bridle makes learning much easier for the horse!

On the following pages all parts of the equipment necessary for the HSH-method will be described in detail. You can acquire it immediately on the page “Products“.