Hawkwell Versuvius 12/223, Bear, champion Exmoor pony stallion, Exmoor pony stallion, multi champion Exmoor pony, Exmoor pony stallion Bear, Exmoor stallion standing at stud, Holtball Exmoor, Herd 11

The Horse Agility Club represents the equestrian sport of Horse Agility worldwide and was founded in 2010 by Vanessa Bee. Horse Agility enables horse and handler to work together as partners to face challenging obstacles at all paces. No sticks, shouting or pulling are allowed, and eventually, competitors progress to working 'at liberty' with their horse - which can only be achieved through positive, trust-based methods of horsemanship.

At Holtball Exmoors, we have embraced Horse Agility as a valuable training aid for our Exmoor ponies - from foals to stallions. All foundation stock at Holt Ball originally lived wild and free on the moor and both they and our in ground born foals and youngstock respond extremely well to a discipline that focuses on building trust, understanding and confidence.

Before we look at what Horse Agility is all about, let's first deal with a common misconception - this is NOT a sport that involves teaching 'Circus Tricks' or indeed, teaching 'tricks' of any kind. It is purely and simply a process of creating the ultimate understanding and respect with horses - if you can walk alongside your horse with no head collar or stick, and he willingly moves where you want him to, and stays with you, then you are creating true 'partnership' and 'trust' with your horse, nothing more and nothing less.

If you need a head collar, bridle, lead rope or anything else to get your horse to do what you want, then you have not reached true understanding or trust in your relationship. Horse Agility enables you to do just that. When we ask our horses to do anything that they don't want to do, or are fearful of - trust-based methods create long-lasting development, while the use of force or coercion achieves only short term compliance. Horse Agility teaches horse and handler to work together to face and solve problems and progression is based on trust, enjoyment, fun and achievement.

Is it not undignified for a horse to be hauled around a show ring, held tightly under the chin, and being hit to make it go forwards? Or, when ridden, to see a rider pulling hard on the reins, while constantly kicking the sides and using the stick? It is sad to see horses who have been forced into unnatural muscular development through intensive use of schooling equipment, but not engaging properly from behind with natural impulsion, which leaves a built-up front end and trailing, weak back end. Spirit and character can be seen as 'naughtiness', yet how can it be deemed either correct or attractive to see a tight-mouthed, dull, clockwork animal going through robotic, forced paces? All these are signs of work using force and coercion.

What would happen to any of these animals if their rider/handler took their tack off and said, 'Come with me, let's go and deal with this course of obstacles - including crossing a bridge, walking through a flapping plastic curtain, climbing up on to a podium and jumping through a hoop - and I want you to stay with me all the time?" The answer is that, at the first sight of anything they were unsure about, they would probably high tail it and avoid being caught again for as long as possible.

At Holtball Exmoors, we are on the journey to wanting to understand our ponies, win their trust, give them respect and dignity - and work with them to build solid, willing partnerships, where horse and handler and horse and rider want to work together to get the job done, as equal partners. We want to listen to our ponies, have them listen to us and engage their trust and friendship.

This is by no means easy - as man and horse are, at the end of the day, 'predator' and 'prey' and this poses deep rooted differences in our needs and psyche. But if we can convince the horse to see us as his 'protector' as well as a predator, a highly successful partnership can be developed. A few extremely pioneering horse people are a good way along this road, such as Frederic and Jean-Francois Pignon, and Frederic's wife Magali, Monty Roberts, Anna Twinney, Maya Horsey and Vanessa Bee.

So you're welcome to follow our progress and the inevitable ups and downs - each pony is an individual and they all have complex and different characters and temperaments. We have found that it is more difficult to build a trusting relationship with a pony that has been hot branded - which is still an accepted procedure in the identification methods for Exmoor ponies - and this is becoming more evident in the differences between our branded and unbranded ponies. Our policy at Holtball Exmoors is to microchip and not hot brand our Exmoor youngstock.

There is no definitive answer regarding the training and development of Exmoor ponies in this way - only endless patience, learning and discovery, and the progression of horsemanship methods which respect the ponies intelligence, ability and wellbeing.

Horse Agility is providing exceptional foundation tools in achieving progress with the ponies, and we look forward to supporting this exciting sport as it grows and develops in the UK and worldwide.

Filly Foal Penelope Pitstop learning Horse Agility - at liberty

Penelope runs with a mixed herd of horses and ponies, mares and geldings. She was a free-living pony until weaning and occasional, short sessions of Horse Agility 'play' have helped her to build a bond of trust with humans. She is highly intelligent and likes the obstacles. Because her experiences of humans has been based on trust, she is interested and curious, willing to try things. Horse Agility play helps her to overcome her natural flight instinct and enjoy new challenges.

(NB. At the time of filming this, Penelope had not long been weaned from her dam and brought off the moor. She is still displaying keen foal behaviour such as licking gestures. So through this session, she is looking for contact and often licks my hand. She is not being hand fed through the session. Treats are only used at the Podium, which starts and finishes the session - and you can see they have been put on the podium, rather than fed by hand. )