Watching Jon Ensign train horses is like watching an exercise in patience and gentleness. It belies his decades spent rodeoing and breaking ranch and cow horses. It was during that time that Jon sensed there was something better to be learned about breaking horses. He wanted to unite the horse and the rider into a mutually beneficial team.
Jon studied under Buck Brannaman and other notable horseman and developed a teaching method that has helped thousands of riders improve their horsemanship skills. He teaches form the horse’s point of view and shows his clients how to ride from a “partnership” perspective. Jon doesn’t believe in “making” the horse do anything but he will set up situations and “let things happen” with the rider still taking the lead role.
Jon is showing riders what was shown to him – a better way. He explains why the horse is doing what it’s doing. His clients learn to discard their assumptions and to think and feel like the horse does and deal with their horses in a more natural way.
Jon’s understanding of horses, his easy communication with both horse and rider and his skill and patience have made his the popular clinician he is. He gives credit to the horseman that have influenced him including Ray Hunt, Brian Neubert, Martin Black, Jeff Griffith, and of course Buck Brannaman. Jon is also deeply appreciative of the many horses he’s been privileged to ride and train, calling them all “amazing…and often misunderstood.”
Jon Ensign offers clinics at his home on his 640-acre horse ranch in Belgrade, MT and all over the world to riders who want establish a connection and partnership with their horses. With gentle patience, skill and more than 30 years experience, Jon trains riders to build relationships with their horses.
Jon has a wonderful collection of instructional videos on Spalding-Labs TV. You can also learn more about Jon and see his clinic schedule at www.jonensign.com.
Lighthands Horsemanship has been fortunate over the years to have Jon Ensign as a clinician.