HORSES ARE LOOKING FOR...
LOVE
The horse is a family animal who loves to be in relationship. He is looking for the herd feeling! When we take him out of the herd to be alone with us, we need to be aware of how deep this need is in him and be willing to meet it. If we don’t meet his need for connection, he will feel lost. If you are the one who provides love, peace and joy for him, he will become completely secure in your presence, feeling safe, protected and provided for.
JOY
Otis is a Lusitano. He used to be very nervous, tense, tight and therefore a challenge to ride. Ingela built the relationship with him very, very slowly. She spent lots of time just hanging out with him. She helped him relax without asking him to do anything. He slowly learned to let go of his fears and became more confident. Now Otis connects extremely deeply and strongly. These days, Ingela & Otis have a lot of fun together!
PEACE
For the horse to come to us to find peace, we first need to be at peace in ourselves. Then our horse will be able to let go of any mental, emotional and physical brace. In order to truly connect and offer our horse love, peace and joy, we need to receive the healing of our hearts. When we open our hearts freely, without self-preservation and self-protection, our horse can begin to do the same.
YOUR TEACHER, FOUNDER & CREATOR OF SECRETS OF THE HORSE
As a professional natural horsewoman,
Ingela Larsson Smith has demonstrated her abilities in the Royal Mews for her Majesty the Queen of England, been summoned by Sheiks to tame their most challenging Champion Arabians, and consulted, taught and shared her expertise worldwide.
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Her incredible gift for horsemanship has been honed by professional training under renowned natural horsemanship masters. But it is her spiritual relationship with her Creator that gave Ingela insight into the depth of connection that is possible with horses through the healing of the heart and transformation of the mind.
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Her students are wide and varied: from England to Brazil, from millionaires to orphans. Ingela’s teachings impart not only understanding, but passion and compassion.
WHAT MAKES INGELA'S COURSES UNIQUE
Ingela uses a natural approach to communicate with horses, meaning she communicates with them in the same way as horses communicate with each other. The True Connection Approach is based on the communication of the lead mare in the herd. This approach honors the horse and centers on building trust without dominance, using a language he understands. With this approach you can create a connection so strong that the horse will respond to even just a thought.
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Individuals or Family?
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Horses and humans are fundamentally different. Humans are individuals by design and will therefore often treat the horse as an individual too. Horses on the other hand are herd animals and deeply desire to connect with other herd members. The connections a horse forms within his herd are vital for his wellbeing and survival, because they provide him with love, peace (safety) and joy. When humans approach horses as individuals, they unknowingly take away the fulfillment of these important needs, which prevents the horse from performing in accordance with his potential. It is therefore important that we invite the horse to form a herd with us so we can become our horse's provider of love, peace and joy.
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Healing the Heart
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In order to invite the horse into a family connection with us, we as humans first need to make sure that we are able to connect to our own hearts! Anything that prevents us from being our authentic self, e.g. hurt from the past or fear, will prevent us from truly connecting with our horse. The healing of our heart can break through these barriers to connection. Ingela firmly believes that the healing of the heart is totally possible when you have a connection to God, through Jesus, and will address this in all her courses. Healing your heart wounds will indeed enable you to make a heart to heart connection with your horse, so love, peace and joy can freely flow from you to the horse. No horse will be able to resist these gifts you offer and every horse will gladly connect with you!
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Everything Becomes Possible
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As we connect with the horse and provide him with all he needs, the horse will enter a soft and relaxed state of mind, which will help him to find relaxation in motion. This will increase his performance enormously and allows him to reach his full potential as a strong and happy athlete. By understanding the horse's nature and seeing the world from his point of view, we meet the horse where he is at and are able to take him to where he has never been before.
CHOOSE YOUR COURSE OPTION
FOUNDATION + THEORY
3 Key Ingredients to create True Connection
Transform your bond with your horse in the True Connection Program! Discover key principles for a safe, joyful partnership, free from dominance, through inspiring videos, hands-on training, and a downloadable eBook. Unlock the secrets to true connection and achieve the relationship you’ve always dreamed of!
True Connection FOUNDATION THEORY COURSE
Discover a heart-to-heart connection with your horse in this 7-hour course. Learn to become your horse’s trusted leader by understanding herd dynamics, overcoming fears, and communicating through thought, energy, and body language. Strengthen your bond and achieve true harmony with your horse.
True Connection LIBERTY THEORY COURSE
Take your horse connection to the next level in this advanced course. Learn to refine communication, build trust, and develop harmony at liberty through thought and energy. With step-by-step guidance, create a fear-free bond where your horse moves with you willingly, achieving lightness, relaxation, and true connection.
True Connection RIDING THEORY COURSE
Achieve harmony in motion with the True Connection Riding Theory Course! Building on the TC Foundation Course, this 7-hour program teaches you to ride as one with your horse. Learn to use thought and energy to foster relaxation, lightness, and healthy biomechanics, while developing a calm, trusting partnership through targeted exercises.
True Connection - THEORY MASTERCLASS
Unlock the ultimate learning experience with the True Connection Masterclass Package! Combining TC Foundation, Liberty, and Riding Theory Courses, this 21-hour program offers in-depth education and simulations to master the Principles of True Connection. As a bonus, receive direct feedback from Ingela on a 10-minute video of you and your horse!
CREATING THE FEARLESS HORSE (CTFH)
CTFH Course #1: ONLINE & LIBERTY
Transform your relationship with your horse in the Creating the Fearless Horse Course: Online & Liberty! This 10-hour program teaches relaxation, trust, and true connection through love, peace, and joy, featuring Ingela’s work with an unhandled Lusitano stallion. Perfect for creating a safe, rewarding bond with any horse, this course suits those familiar with natural horsemanship principles.
CTFH Course #1 + LIVE COACHING PACKAGE
Join the Creating the Fearless Horse Course: Online & Liberty PLUS Live Coaching for an unbeatable experience! This bundle combines 10 hours of educational videos with 90 days of live coaching, including six bi-weekly sessions and a private Facebook community. Master True Connection principles while receiving personalized guidance to help your horse overcome fear and build trust.
CTFH Course #2: FUNDAMENTAL RIDING TASKS
The perfect journey for starting young horses or improving communication with your riding partner. This 10-hour, four-week course covers everything from saddle acceptance to step-by-step gentling, creating a relaxed and confident horse under saddle. Ideal for those who’ve completed the Online & Liberty course, it ensures a safe, joyful riding experience for horse and rider.
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CTFH Course #2 + LIVE COACHING PACKAGE
The Creating the Fearless Horse: Fundamental Riding Tasks PLUS Live Coaching bundle combines the course with 3 months of live support from Ingela. Enjoy bi-weekly group meetups, a private Facebook community, and discounted access to expert guidance. Perfect for enhancing your learning and connecting with like-minded horse enthusiasts!
CTFH Course #3: ADVANCED SKILLS
The Creating the Fearless Horse Course: Advanced Skills is ideal for elevating your horse’s training and communication. This 10-hour, four-week course focuses on extreme gentling, advanced exercises, and building a strong riding foundation, helping your horse become fearless and reliable in any situation. Perfect for creating a true partnership at liberty and under saddle.
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CTFH Course #3 + LIVE COACHING PACKAGE
The Creating the Fearless Horse: Advanced Skills PLUS Live Coaching bundle combines the Advanced Skills course with 3 months of live coaching from Ingela. Enjoy bi-weekly group meetups, a private Facebook community, and direct support to refine your skills and connect with fellow horse enthusiasts—all at a discounted rate!
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CTFH Course #4: ADVANCING LIBERTY AND BAREBACK & BRIDLE-LESS RIDING
Advancing Liberty and Bareback & Bridle-less Riding is ideal for teaching advanced liberty skills and bareback, bridle-less riding. Over four weeks and 10 hours of material, learn to train your horse for circles, transitions, and focus in large spaces, even around other horses. For those who’ve completed prior Fearless Horse courses.
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CTFH Course #4 + LIVE COACHING PACKAGE
The Creating the Fearless Horse: Advancing Liberty and Bareback & Bridle-less Riding PLUS Live Coaching bundle combines the course with 3 months of live coaching from Ingela. Enjoy bi-weekly group meetups, a private Facebook community, and direct guidance to enhance your skills—all at a discounted rate!
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CTFH Course #5: GENTLING PRINCIPLES IN PRACTICE - THE TRANSFORMATION
This course is perfect for working with traumatized or challenging horses. In 70 hours of uncut footage, follow Ingela’s journey transforming Maravilla, a severely abused mare, into a trusting riding partner. Ideal for owners and professionals, this seven-week course offers hands-on insights into gentling and young horse starting.
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CTFH Course #5 + LIVE COACHING PACKAGE
The Creating the Fearless Horse: Gentling Principles in Practice PLUS Live Coaching bundle combines the Transformation course with 3 months of live coaching. Enjoy bi-weekly group meetups, a private Facebook community, and personalized guidance from Ingela to support your journey with challenging horses.
CREATING THE FEARLESS HORSE SPECIAL OFFER
The Creating the Fearless Horse 5-Course Package offers the first four courses in the series plus a year of bi-weekly Zoom coaching with Ingela and access to 200+ hours of live coaching archives. With 40 hours of step-by-step material, learn to build a fearless, relaxed, and attentive horse while mastering liberty, riding bareback and bridle-less, and creating a deep heart connection. Perfect for all levels, from starting young horses to refining advanced communication skills.
LIVE COACHING
Live Coaching with Ingela: 3 MONTHS SESSION ARCHIVE
This package offers Coaching & Community. It enables you to take part in bi-weekly group Zoom Coaching Sessions with Ingela for in-depth answers to questions. You will also receive access to the Session Archive of all previous live coaching sessions and a private Facebook community group with your own personal accountability thread for 3 months.
Live Coaching with Ingela: 1 YEAR PLUS SESSION ARCHIVE
This package offers Coaching & Community. It enables you to take part in bi-weekly group Zoom Coaching Sessions with Ingela for in-depth answers to questions. You will also receive access to the Session Archive of all previous live coaching sessions and a private Facebook community group with your own personal accountability thread for 1 year.
what do students say
"We learned so many valuable things with Ingela, it’s hard to choose! Being from a performance horse background, it was valuable to know that you can’t force connection, only performance. My goal now is more about the WE and being a true partner with my horse. I also LOVED all the information about the herd structure and why it is so important!"
Judy C. from Texas
Questions or problems with this site?
Please send an email to: ingela@secretsofthehorse.com
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