Intelligent Horsemanship Trainer – Sandra Williams
Sandra Williams aka HearingHorses
Lacey Green, Buckinghamshire
Covering 20 mile radius of HP27 0QG Phone and Video Consultations available
07785 544174 or 01844 274344
sandra@hearinghorses.com
www.hearinghorses.com
About Sandra…
Sandra, based in Buckinghamshire, is passionate about improving the lives of both horses and humans through non-violent, empathetic training techniques. Combining a deep understanding of equine psychology Online Horse Psychology Course (Tuesday Evening for 8 Weeks) – Intelligent Horsemanship with decades of hands-on experience across the equine industry, she helps horse owners, riders, and trainers build lasting, trusting partnerships with their horses.
With an empathetic ear and a clear, calm presence, Sandra listens to both you and your horse, communicating direction and guidance visually as well as verbally. Her work focuses on developing mutual understanding, confidence, and connection, whether on the ground or in the saddle.
Sandra is the author of Loading the Less Easy Horse: Loading The Less Easy Horse – A Book for all Equestrians – Sandra Williams and The Mindful Equestrian: The Mindful Equestrian – Recipes for Balance, Connection and Well-Being – Sandra Williams 18 Exercises Written as Recipes for Balance, Connection and Well-Being. Two highly regarded books that reflect her thoughtful and holistic approach to horsemanship.
As one of Intelligent Horsemanship’s key trainers and instructors, Sandra taught on many of the organisation’s courses, including the 5-Day Foundation, and plays a vital role at HQ as student coordinator. She also runs regular Intelligent Agility (an amalgamation of both IH and Horse Agility) sessions as well as one-to-one groundwork training, covering areas such as handling, long-lining, confidence-building and ridden exercises.
🏆 Sandra also developed and continues to lead the IH Awards, What Are IH Awards? – Intelligent Horsemanship celebrating progress, partnership, and the quiet transformations that define true horsemanship. The Mindful Equestrian was born out of these exercises and includes short videos accessible via QR codes found through the book.
A Q&A with IH Trainer Sandra Williams
(The Intelligent Horsemanship Magazine)
How long have you been involved with horses? And how did you get involved with them?
I have been involved with Horses for 47 years. My sisters begged our Mum and Dad for lessons at the local riding school. I used to tag along wearing my white knitted bobble hat and be lifted on to one of the Shetland ponies (Tweedledum and Tweedledee). Not sure you would call what I did riding or a lesson but I loved following the bigger horses round the arena
Why did you decide to qualify as a Recommended Trainer?
I saw it as a way to help more people to help more horses. If I could help at least one person, there was the potential to help an extra horse and have a more positive effect. I had also been carrying a lot of guilt about misunderstanding one of my ponies. He hated going in to the trailer and as a child I couldn’t understand why, especially as when we got to an event he jumped to win and win we did. He was a very spiritual soul and supported me through my early years, teenage years and into adulthood. When I work with ponies and horses today worried about loading and travelling a part of him is always with me.
What is a typical day for you?
Having thought about this question for sometime. I decided this was a way to answer clearly giving an insight into my day to day routine. Over the last year to 18 months I have attempted to divide my daily time up in to chunks, large medium and small. This means I will have 2-3 large chunks to achieve in a day, 3-4 medium and several smaller ones. A large chunk could be working one to one with clients, teaching on the IH Courses or working on IH Administration. Medium chunks would be, tend to our ponies and dogs, my own business administration and since my Dads diagnoses of Dementia and being appointed his legal power of attorney, many duties for him. Small chunks would include, running our home and all that entails, ensuring our animals husbandry’s are organised as well as catching up with friends and family.
What’s important to you when you see an owner and their horse for the first time?
I listen and hear what they and their horse is saying and then I link the two of them together. If you have worked with me you may have heard me talk about my Olympic Rings or Links analogy. This means working on one thing at a time, working on individual movements and tasks, then linking them together. If you are learning how to play golf, you firstly learn how to hit the ball a long way, then you learn how to hit it with accuracy and then you link the two together. I do exactly the same using groundwork exercises with horses and humans.
IH Trainer Sandra Williams is based in Lacey Green, Buckinghamshire.
