Why your horse wants a best friend, not a boss.
The "pecking order" approach works on some horses some of the time. Here's why there's a better way — and what happens when you stop trying to dominate and start trying to connect.
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The first days with a foal are the most important of their life.
A newborn foal has no fear of humans. That window closes faster than most people realise. Here's how John approaches those critical first hours and days.
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Picking up feet, handling the head — and why the order matters.
Once the early trust is established, more detailed handling becomes straightforward. John walks through feet, head, and halter work — and explains why walls are the wrong place to stand.
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Float loading isn't the problem. The relationship is.
Almost every float loading problem John has ever seen came from somewhere else entirely — too little groundwork, too little trust. He explains what's really going on and how to fix it at the root.
Read article →Teaching foals to float — before they're big enough to argue.
Start float training early and it becomes a non-event for life. John explains the approach, from forward movement training to loading alongside the mare.
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Straight load or angle load? Here's what the research actually says.
The debate has been going on for decades. John looked at the actual research — and what he found about respiratory drainage, scrambling, and horse preference is worth knowing before you buy.
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So you're buying your first horse. Here's what I wish someone had told me.
Horses are one of the most rewarding things you can bring into your life — and one of the easiest ways to get hurt if you're not prepared. Honest, practical advice from someone who's seen it all.
Read article →What to expect at a John Chatterton clinic.
A practical guide to the clinic experience — the format, what to bring, what you'll work on, and why people drive nine hours to get there.
Read article →Three days, fourteen horses, and a sanctuary worth believing in.
John donated his time, skills, and clinic proceeds to Storm's Sanctuary — a rescue facility working with horses saved from slaughter. What happened over those three days was remarkable.
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