Our initial session with Emma focused on where I was with my in-hand knowledge (attended the foundation course earlier this year) and what I wanted to achieve with Molly. She listened very carefully to what I was saying and reflected back her understanding of what that was to ensure she had understood.

 
She collected my history as well as what I knew about Molly, which wasn't much as she'd been recently imported from Ireland as a 4 year old. And then matched the practical exercises to my and Molly's needs. 

We moved on to basic in-hand techniques, which was what I was asking for. Emma started with the 3 leading positions, explained them, demonstrated them for me and then talked me through them whilst I did them. All this was done at my pace and with all questions answered fully. 

Emma also did 2 basic pole work exercises with us, again checking I understood what we were doing and why. Following the initial session Emma sent me a report on what we'd done and a written explanation of the exercises which I've referred to whilst practising them since. 

At the follow-up session we did last week we reviewed what we'd done at the initial session and then built on that work leaving me with a new set of exercises to develop my in-hand work. Again Emma sent me an explanation of the new exercises in writing to use as a reference. 

I have found Emma to be calm, patient, knowledgeable, horse welfare focused and happy to explain always checking understanding.