Venture Into The Horse's Mind
Welcome To The Real Wild WestĀ
The Ardnamurchan Peninsula is a magical wilderness hidden away in the Western Highlands of Scotland. The furthest point west on the British Isles, it is home to a wealth of flora and fauna. Minky whale, basking shark and orcas glide majestically past the Ardnamurchan light house, deer, pine martin and red squirrels explore the forests and sea eagles, golden eagles and a huge array of sea birds fill the skies.
Our home is nestled into the Atlantic Temperate Rainforest. The oak woods date back 10,000 years to the end of the last ice age and radiate with an abundance of symbiotic relationships.
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Nature And Nurture
Our herd of Shetland ponies have evolved to thrive in this untamed environment. In the winter, they graze in the hills on the heather, rushes and seaweed. In the summer they come home to the forest, browsing on low branches, native grasses and wild flowers. The space they occupy is vast and their presence serves to conserve and enrich the landscape: Manure fertilises the soil; grazing keeps the rushes and gorse from taking over; trees regenerate faster and are protected from disease by the ponies' saliva sealing their branches.Ā
Horses and Humans in Harmony
We are careful to preserve this place and nurture those within it - Ā flora, fauna, ponies and people.Ā Our guests come from around the world to discover how we incorporate this unique environment into creating our force-free, horse-led approach. Owners, carers and professionals experience how a knowledge of ethology explains their motivation. Evolution reveals their perception, and close attention highlights equine communication. These key concepts combine to create a truly magical horse/human relationship.
Our adventures with guests take us across the beaches, over the mountains and through the ancient forests with the herd roaming freely beside us. We observe how they navigate this landscape and request connection with us in the most natural, instinctive way possible.
AboutĀ me
Hi, Iām Nicky, an equine behaviourist specialising in horse/human interactions. I live on the Ardnamurchan Peninsula in the Scottish Highlands with my family, Ā my Shetland ponies, and pet rabbits!
From an early age I have been fascinated by horses. I wanted to know how they thought, what they were saying and how I could be part of their world.
I have spent my life immersing myself in this quest for information, studying equine behavioural science, observing free living equids, working with abused and neglected horses and investigating my own herd's communications and motivations.
It has been an amazing adventure into horse's minds and one that I will be on forever.
My mission is to get the most recent, accurate and beneficial information out to equine carers, owners and professionals, in a fun, relaxed and easily applicable way.
Moving the herd to the Highlands has given me the unique opportunity to rewild the herd and combine a domestic life with the fulfilment of natural needs and desires. Developing how these concepts can be adapted by horse carers worldwide.
I have now had this work published in theĀ Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International (CABI) animal welfare journal which can be viewed here.
My Methods
I have developed a way of working with horses that is horse-led and force-free. Creating a harmonious and empathetic relationship between horse and human.
To create this and share it with our guests and online students, I have combined knowledge and understanding of motivation, perception and communication. With these key principles in place, owners and carers are empowered to make informed decisions that positively impact the lives of their horses.
