Anna Blake

Anna Blake is a horse advocate, trainer, international clinician, and award-winning author of five books. Anna believes affirmative training principals build a relaxed and forward foundation that crosses over all riding disciplines in the same way that the understanding calming signals benefits all equine communication. Want more? Visit annablake.com to see our class schedule, online courses available on a revolving basis on Calming Signals, Affirmative Training, and more. You can purchase books or schedule a live consultation or lesson, subscribe for email delivery of her popular blog, or ask a question about the art and science of working with horses. Join us in The Barn, our online training group with video sharing, audio blogs, live-chats with Anna, and much more.

Trainer’s Corner: What to Do When Your Horse is Wrong

January 27, 2024 by Anna Blake

Photo Courtesy Anna Blake

Affirmative Training Shapes Behavior It started the way it usually starts. Either the horse looked to the side or the rider pulled on her horse’s face. It’s the fundamental disagreement; the rider thinks it’s her right to control the horse and the horse doesn’t like having metal jammed on his …

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Confidence Lost and Found – Overcoming Fear

January 19, 2022November 1, 2020 by Anna Blake

“You have to let your heart be soft. You have to let your love be just an inch bigger than your fear.” Photo by Anna Blake

Ever notice how horse stories all have the same plot? We get a new horse, usually the wrong one. There’s a period of struggle. We get bad advice, we lose money, we get bucked off. We persist, two steps forward and one step back. In time, the horse ends up …

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Confidence Lost and Found – Overcoming Fear

November 2, 2020November 1, 2020 by Anna Blake

“You have to let your heart be soft. You have to let your love be just an inch bigger than your fear.” Photo by Anna Blake

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Training Your Horse to Hate the Arena – Less Correction, More Direction

September 1, 2020 by Anna Blake

“Ride like nobody's watching.” Photo by Anna Blake

Does your horse go better out of the arena? It seems like some horses just won’t go forward and no amount of kicking and yelling work. Sometimes they’re gate sour: fast toward the gate but then getting away from the gate is a wrestling match. Horses who are great on …

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What to Do When Your Horse is Wrong – Affirmative Training Shapes Behavior

August 5, 2020July 30, 2020 by Anna Blake

Training is directing your horse toward something he doesn’t know. Photo by Anna Blake

It started the way it usually starts. Either the horse looked to the side or the rider pulled on her horse’s face. It’s the fundamental disagreement; the rider thinks it’s her right to control the horse and the horse doesn’t like having metal jammed on his jawbone. A common miscommunication, …

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Relaxed and Forward: Relationship Advice from Your Horse

September 30, 2020June 30, 2020 by Anna Blake

Do you still watch those old horse movies that you’ve seen a dozen times, just for the scenes of the horse galloping in slow motion? Do you hold your breath just a bit? It’s because horses embody so much more than muscle and bone. They evoke a full range of …

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How to be Your Performance Horse’s Best Friend – Listen to Horses in Their Own Language

August 5, 2020June 30, 2020 by Anna Blake

Photo courtesy of Anna Blake

The horse is relaxed and soft, volunteering his best answer to the rider’s quiet cues. Whether a competition horse or your trail horse, a sweet and successful partnership requires two-way conversations. Find a deeper connection with your horse by listening to his calming signals—the subtle body language horses use to …

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Thank you for supporting the businesses that support The Northwest Horse Source

Thank you for supporting the businesses that support The Northwest Horse Source

Thank you for supporting the businesses that support The Northwest Horse Source

Thank you for supporting the businesses that support The Northwest Horse Source

Thank you for supporting the businesses that support The Northwest Horse Source

Thank you for supporting the businesses that support The Northwest Horse Source

Thank you for supporting the businesses that support The Northwest Horse Source

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