The Dream That Started It All
Every equestrian has wondered about it at least once: Could you ride a horse without any tools, bridles, or saddles? What if there were no corrections, no punishments, and no treats—just pure communication and mutual trust? Elsa Sinclair, a visionary horse trainer, didn’t just wonder. She decided to prove it was possible.
Sinclair launched The Project: one wild mustang fresh off the range, one trainer, zero tools, and only body language as their means of connection. Her mission? To discover how far equestrian art could evolve when built entirely on willing partnership rather than force and control.
“From my earliest memories with horses, I’ve asked myself: could this beautiful activity of riding and working with horses be done with less force and more genuine partnership?” Sinclair explains. “What would it take for a horse to truly want to do what I’m asking?”
Why This Experiment Mattered
Sinclair searched for existing research on this topic but came up empty. No one had ever truly given a horse the choice. So she decided to fill that gap herself, creating an experiment that would challenge everything we think we know about horse training.
Who Is Elsa Sinclair?
Sinclair isn’t your typical horse trainer. She’s been passionate about horsemanship since age 7, and by 16, she knew exactly what she wanted to do. She earned her GED and hit the road, apprenticing under trainers she admired across the country.
Over the years, she studied every training methodology imaginable: reward-based training, clicker training, round pen work, natural horsemanship, classical dressage, equine bodywork, and even alternative communication methods. “Every approach had its strengths and limitations,” she reflects. “I learned invaluable lessons from each one.”
The Project Begins: Meeting Myrnah
Sinclair obtained special permission from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to adopt a mustang just days after it was captured—as wild and untouched as possible. She selected a bay mare with a strong sense of self, naming her Myrnah.
“I also adopted another horse for a client who’d been in the corrals for years,” Sinclair explains. “It was crucial that Myrnah have as natural a life as possible so she felt she genuinely had a choice to work with me.”
In the beginning, legal requirements meant keeping Myrnah in high-fenced enclosures. But as soon as possible, Sinclair turned her out on 100 acres of pasture with a large herd on San Juan Island. This freedom was essential—Myrnah needed to truly feel she could walk away.
What Makes This Training Philosophy Different?
While Sinclair drew inspiration from legendary trainers like John Lyons and Monty Roberts, her approach took their principles further. She removed the time constraints and eliminated force entirely.
The core of her method? Always give the horse the ability to leave. She kept the intensity low enough that Myrnah never felt trapped or forced—she always had genuine choice and space to walk away if she wanted to.
A Testament to Partnership
Elsa Sinclair’s groundbreaking project proves what many horse lovers have always believed: horses are intelligent, willing partners when given the choice. By removing tools, force, and artificial timelines, she discovered something profound—the deepest connection with horses comes from mutual respect and genuine partnership.
Whether you’re a seasoned equestrian or a horse enthusiast dreaming of a deeper bond with these magnificent creatures, Sinclair’s journey reminds us that the most transformative horsemanship comes not from dominance, but from dialogue.
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