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What is Horse Whisperer?
Horse Whisperer is the official site of trainer Frank Bell and his company, Dances With Horses. It presents his natural horsemanship method, branded the Gentle Solutions Revolution and built around the Frank Bell 7-Step Safety System, along with the books, videos and equipment that teach it.
What you'll find on the site
- A defined training method. Bell describes an approach that starts by "indulging the horse" through touch, then progresses through a structured sequence of exercises toward riding a relaxed, willing partner. His stated specialty is difficult horses that other trainers have struggled with.
- Learning materials. A foundation video, Discover the Horse You Never Knew, and a book, Gentle Solutions, are the core teaching products. Additional training videos are listed.
- An online store. Books, hats, shirts, hoodies and miscellaneous items, plus an Equinecare store and recommended products, with a cart and checkout.
- Background and proof. Sections cover Bell's philosophy, testimonials, a 1998 Western Horseman magazine profile, and a documentary, A Day in the Life of a Horsewhisperer.
Who it suits
The emphasis on safety and on groundwork before riding makes this most relevant to owners of anxious, defensive or previously mishandled horses, and to riders who want a step-by-step framework rather than tips. Bell states plainly that safety matters most for households with children riding, so parents may find the structure useful.
How to decide
If you are weighing this against other natural horsemanship schools, compare how each one sequences groundwork into ridden work and how much video versus reading is required. A practical first step: read the 7-Step Safety System summary, then watch the foundation video before buying anything further, so you can judge whether Bell's tone and pace fit how you and your horse learn. For a broader view of the field, Parelli and Clinton Anderson teach comparable groundwork-first programs.
How does Frank Bell's 7-Step Safety System work?
Frank Bell's 7-Step Safety System is a structured, sequential method for building a horse's trust before asking it to ride. Bell describes it as a logical progression that begins with touch-based giving: finding the spots horses naturally relax to, such as the V under the jaw, the dock of the tail, and the withers. Once the horse softens and begins to trust again, the handler moves through the remaining exercises, culminating in riding what Bell calls a trusting, eager partner. The system is presented as suitable for any horse regardless of age or issue, and Bell frames safety as its central purpose — especially for children who ride.
The published detail stops at the seven-step structure and its starting point. The specific exercises in steps two through seven are not laid out on the page; they are taught in Bell's foundation video, Discover the Horse You Never Knew, and in his Gentle Solutions book. So the honest answer is that the system works as a fixed order of groundwork and trust-building stages, but the exact content of each stage has to come from those materials rather than from the website overview.
Who it suits, and the trade-off
- Suits: owners of difficult, fearful, or "problem" horses that other trainers have struggled with; riders who want a repeatable checklist applied the same way every session; parents prioritising safety around children and horses.
- Trade-off: a sequential system rewards patience and consistency. If you skip ahead to riding before the horse relaxes, you lose the foundation the later steps depend on. Expect to spend real time on the early giving and touch work.
A practical next step
Before buying anything, test the first principle yourself: spend a session doing nothing but finding and gently working the relaxation spots Bell names — under the jaw, the tail dock, the withers — and note how your horse responds. If that produces visible softening, the foundation video or book is a reasonable way to learn the full sequence. For background on the broader natural horsemanship tradition this sits within, see Horse Whisperer and Western Horseman.
Is Frank Bell's natural horsemanship approach suitable for children riding horses?
Yes—with the crucial caveat that Frank Bell himself treats child safety as a non-negotiable starting point rather than an add-on. On Horse Whisperer, he writes that "for those with children riding horses, safety must be number 1," and his whole method is built around reducing risk before speed or performance. That makes it a reasonable fit for families, provided an adult supervises and the child works at the pace the horse sets.
What the approach actually involves
Bell's stated foundation is touch and relaxation, not control. He describes starting by "indulging the horse"—finding spots like the V under the jaw, the dock of the tail and the withers that most horses enjoy—so the animal begins to trust the human again. Only after that does he move through a structured sequence, which he formalised as the 7-Step Safety System and documented in the Discover the Horse You Never Knew video and the Gentle Solutions book.
For a child, this sequence matters because it is predictable. A young rider who knows what comes next, and who spends the early sessions on the ground rather than in the saddle, is less likely to be caught out by a spook or a bolt.
Where it suits children well
- Groundwork first. Grooming, leading and desensitising build confidence without putting a child on an unpredictable horse.
- Rehabilitation focus. Bell says his specialty is horses that "have fallen through the cracks" and confounded other trainers. A family rehoming a nervous rescue pony is squarely in his target audience.
- Simple, repeatable steps. The 7-Step system is designed so "anyone can learn" it, which means a parent can learn alongside the child rather than relying on a trainer's presence every session.
- Consistent application. Bell notes his followers use the system "with every single horse every single time regardless of age or issue," which gives children a stable routine instead of conflicting signals.
Where to be careful
The method is a philosophy, not a substitute for qualified instruction. Bell's own framing is that horsemanship is "a lifetime journey," and the testimonials on the site are self-reported rather than independent assessments. A few practical trade-offs:
| Consideration | Why it matters for a child |
|---|---|
| Groundwork-heavy start | Slower progress toward riding, which can frustrate impatient young riders |
| Emphasis on reading the horse | Requires adult interpretation; children may miss subtle warning signs |
| Suited to difficult horses | A calm schoolmaster pony may not need this depth, though the safety habits still help |
| Video and book format | No live feedback, so a local instructor is still valuable for correcting technique |
A sensible next step
Before buying anything, watch the foundation video or read the Gentle Solutions book yourself, then try the first touch-and-relax steps with your child on a quiet, known horse while an experienced instructor observes. If the child can stay calm and the horse visibly softens, the approach is working. If either party is getting tense, that is the signal to bring in hands-on professional help rather than push further into the sequence.
For broader equestrian safety guidance aimed at young riders, the British Horse Society publishes material on children and riding that complements Bell's groundwork philosophy.
What specific horse behavior problems can Frank Bell's methods solve?
Frank Bell's approach is aimed less at a single vice than at the root problem behind many of them: a horse that has stopped trusting people. His own framing is that his focus has been the horses "that have fallen through the cracks and have confounded other seasoned trainers," and that the work starts by giving to the horse through touch before asking anything back. From that starting point, the program is designed to move a horse toward being a calm, willing riding partner.
Problems the method is presented as addressing
- Fear and mistrust of humans, including horses described as shut down or defensive after rough handling.
- Handling and safety problems — the material is organized around a 7-Step Safety System, which suggests groundwork issues that make a horse risky to be around.
- Horses other trainers have given up on, which is the case type Bell explicitly says he built the sequence around.
- Ridden problems that trace back to tension, since the stated goal is "riding a trusting eager partner" rather than a horse that merely tolerates a rider.
What this means in practice
If your horse is dangerous — striking, biting, bolting, or panicking during handling — groundwork and trust-building are a reasonable first layer, but they are not a substitute for veterinary, dental, saddle-fit or lameness checks, and genuinely dangerous behavior warrants in-person help from a qualified trainer who can see the horse. Bell's own emphasis on safety, and his note that safety matters most with children riding, points the same direction: treat the system as a foundation to work through with supervision, not a set of fixes to apply alone.
A useful next step is to look at the 7-Step Safety System page and the Discover the Horse You Never Knew video listing on Horse Whisperer and match each step against your horse's specific issue. If the problem sits in groundwork and handling, the sequence is likely relevant; if it appears only under saddle, you will also want eyes on saddle fit, teeth and soundness before assuming training is the whole answer. For comparison with other natural horsemanship schools, Parelli and Clinton Anderson both publish their own structured groundwork progressions, and reading two or three side by side helps you judge which sequence fits how you and your horse actually learn.
What training materials and equipment does Horse Whisperer offer for purchase?
Horse Whisperer, the site of trainer Frank Bell and his company Dances With Horses, sells natural horsemanship training materials and a small line of branded apparel through its own online shop. The catalog centers on Bell's 7-Step Safety System, a sequence of groundwork exercises meant to build a horse's trust before riding.
Training materials
- Books — including Gentle Solutions, described on the site as the written version of Bell's training approach.
- Videos — the foundation title Discover the Horse You Never Knew lays out the 7-Step Safety System; other horse training videos by Bell are listed on the site.
- Instructional content — the site also presents Bell's philosophy, testimonials, and background material such as a Western Horseman magazine profile and a documentary, A Day in the Life of a Horsewhisperer.
Equipment and other items
- Equinecare Store — a section of the shop for horse care and training-related products.
- Recommended Products — a curated selection of items Bell endorses.
- Branded merchandise — books, hats, shirts, hoodies, and miscellaneous items.
Checkout is handled through the site's own cart and checkout pages.
How to choose
If you are starting out, the logical entry point is the foundation video plus the Gentle Solutions book, since both are presented as the core explanation of the safety system. If you already follow a groundwork program and want to troubleshoot a specific problem horse, look at the individual training videos and the recommended products instead. The apparel is incidental to training and mainly signals affiliation with the method.
One practical note: the site describes an approach built on touch and relaxation before riding, aimed at horses that have "fallen through the cracks." That framing suits owners of anxious, resistant, or previously mishandled horses more than someone looking for competition-focused riding instruction. For comparison with other established natural horsemanship programs, see Parelli Natural Horsemanship and Clinton Anderson's Downunder Horsemanship.
How can I learn Frank Bell's Gentle Solutions Revolution through his books and videos?
Start with the foundation materials, then practise the sequence in order with one horse. Frank Bell's own description of his method begins with touch and relaxation—finding the spots most horses enjoy, such as the V under the jaw, the dock of the tail and the withers—before moving through a logical progression that ends in riding a trusting, willing partner. His 7-Step Safety System is the spine of that progression.
What to use, in what order
- Video: Discover the Horse You Never Knew — Bell calls this his foundation video. Use it first to see the seven steps demonstrated rather than only described. Watching the timing of each release is the part that is hardest to get from text.
- Book: Gentle Solutions — the written companion to the system. Read it alongside the video so you can return to a step between sessions and check your own handling.
- The 7-Step Safety System itself — treat it as a fixed sequence, not a menu. Bell's stated point is that the same system is used with every horse, regardless of age or problem.
- Equinecare store and shop sections — books, hats, shirts and hoodies. The clothing is merchandise; only the training titles matter for learning the method.
- Consultation with Wisdom and the testimonials pages — useful if you want to see how other owners applied the approach, or to ask about your own case rather than working from general material.
A realistic first month
A reader with a nervous rescue horse might watch the foundation video once through without touching the horse, then rewatch only the first two steps. The first week is spent on the ground: grooming, finding the relaxation points Bell describes, and stopping while the horse is still soft rather than waiting for a reaction. The book fills the gaps on what "giving" should feel like. Only once the horse reliably lowers its head and softens to touch does the next step make sense. Riders with confident, well-started horses can move faster, but the same order still applies.
Choosing between the formats
| Format | Best for | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Foundation video | Seeing timing, pressure and release | You cannot easily search or skim it mid-session |
| Gentle Solutions book | Reviewing a step, planning a session | Static description of a feel-based skill |
| Consultation | A specific, difficult or dangerous horse | Slower and more personal than self-study |
| Testimonials | Judging whether the approach fits your situation | Other people's horses, not yours |
Decision criterion
If your horse is dangerous, bolting, or has been through other trainers without success, start with the video and book to learn the vocabulary, then use a consultation before attempting later steps alone. Bell's stated focus is exactly those horses that have "fallen through the cracks." If your horse is green but calm, the video plus book is usually enough to work through the seven steps at your own pace, with safety as the priority Bell insists on—especially where children ride.
A useful next step: watch the foundation video once without your horse present, note where in the seven steps you would currently place your own horse, and only then begin. For broader background on natural horsemanship approaches, Horse Whisperer is the source for Bell's own material.
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