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For many years, I studied about horsemanship and wanted to create my own style of horsemanship education that made sense to me, and was easily understood by the horse and the students that I intended to educate. The three programs are the “Foundation”, “Intercommunication” and the Evolution”.  Each program contains levels with step by step methods that are designed to connect and follow each other in succession and subsequently to the next program.

Horses in the programs learn to respond safely, willingly and confidently both on the ground and under saddle and also learn to become soft and supple throughout the neck, poll, shoulders, rib cage and hindquarters on the ground and under saddle in order to perform various manoeuvers.

In order for me to answer the question, what makes Russ Krachun Kozak Horsemanship different, you will need to understand my previous background as an athlete in the sport of fencing.  As any athlete, I was trained by my coach to develop muscle memory, balance and coordination in order to become talented and to be able to use my body correctly.

I thought about the horse as also developing an athlete, so I decided to use the same concept into my horsemanship program by incorporating this philosophy and methodology into each of the programs.  The horse can also become an athlete by improving balance, coordination and by developing muscle memory in order to perform to the best of its ability and excel in a variety of disciplines.

The methods that I use in my programs involve the use of timing, repetition, along with periods of relaxation and also methods in order to increase the timing and increase the repetitions and periods of relaxation.  This methodology aids in the physical development of muscle memory and in developing mental abilities to aid in understanding and the ability to respond with the correct responses.  I have proven that these methods are much more effective than simply using pressure and release with excessive use of various tools and equipment.

Throughout each exercise, each method is explained to the horse step by step, first on the ground and is then later transferred under saddle using the same process of timing, repetition and relaxation.  The horse learns to become conditioned both mentally and physically and responds willingly through their understanding and is never asked to respond through fear, discomfort or through force.

I believe that we can prevent many issues and vices with our horses by educating the horse by using proper explanations in our equine education in order to develop and improve mental abilities.  We can also develop and prepare the horse body by improving their muscle memory, balance and coordination in order to improve the horses’ performance.

Russ Krachun

Russ Krachun Kozak Horsemanship