Ten steps that build something most training methods never reach — a horse that genuinely wants to be with you.
Think about a foal in its first hours of life. It stays near its mother not because she's dominant — but because she's safety. She's warmth, stillness, and certainty in a confusing world. That bond isn't enforced. It forms because the foal wants to be there.
John's method builds exactly that kind of relationship between horse and handler. Instead of using pressure and release to make the horse move away from you, John teaches you to become the place the horse moves toward. When you're the comfort zone — when being near you feels better than being anywhere else — the horse's whole attitude changes.
This isn't just philosophy. The practical results are concrete: horses that load without a fight, stand quietly for the farrier, accept new experiences calmly, and respond to a whisper instead of a shout.
Most problems John sees in horses — aggression, anxiety, float refusal, hard-to-catch — trace back to a relationship that was built on pressure before it was built on trust. His Ten Steps address the foundation before anything else.
Each step is a complete lesson. Work through them at your horse's pace — not yours. Rushing is the only way to get it wrong.
The very beginning — teaching your horse to turn and face you rather than moving away. This first step sets the tone for everything that follows. It's not about catching; it's about being worth facing.
Get the eBook →Teaching the horse to stand quietly beside you — and to understand that next to you is the most comfortable place to be. The "pull and release" technique is introduced here, gently and clearly.
Get the eBook →Desensitising through patient, deliberate touch — working across the horse's entire body until every area can be handled without tension. This step directly reduces spooking and reactive behaviour.
Get the eBook →Teaching the horse to move backward on request — not through pushing or pressure on the head, but through clear communication. Backing up demonstrates respect and attention without confrontation.
Get the eBook →Asking the horse to flex at the jaw and bend the neck softly in response to a gentle request. A horse that flexes willingly is beginning to release tension — in their body and in the relationship.
Get the eBook →Teaching give — the ability to move away from steady, light pressure rather than bracing against it. This foundational skill underpins every discipline, from trail riding to competition work.
Get the eBook →Moving specific parts of the horse's body on request — the shoulder forward and around, the hindquarter stepping across. This is the beginning of precise communication and real responsiveness.
Get the eBook →Working through the flight instinct — teaching the horse to investigate new or frightening objects with curiosity rather than panic. A horse that's been through this step is genuinely safer on the trail and in the arena.
Get the eBook →Teaching the horse to walk beside you — not dragging behind or barging ahead, but moving together with awareness and respect. This step transforms every daily interaction.
Get the eBook →The final step — asking for movement on a circle with purpose and connection. John's approach to lunging is nothing like chasing a horse around a round yard. It's a conversation, with clear signals and willing responses.
Get the eBook →"People are amazed at how quickly the horse relaxes and stands quietly next to me. There is no pressure next to John."
— John ChattertonThe eBooks for each step are available individually — ideal if you want to work through one step at a time with your horse. The full book, JC's Ten Commandments, covers all ten steps plus foal handling, float loading, and problem solving in one illustrated manual.