About Josepha Guillaume
"No such thing as a Last Resort Horse"
"Don't dominate, motivate!"
Josepha Guillaume
Josepha Guillaume in a nutshell:
"I have been training rehabilitation Horses internationally for 30 years, with the last 20 years predominantly focusing on in-hand work.
I have taught countless riders how to train their Horses, to make them happy and healthy (again)."
Left: 12 year old Josepha and her Wielkopolsky Horse and Horse Love of her life Jimmy
Starting my Horse journey when I was a baby
"I lived with my grandparents; my grandfather worked at the cavalry school of Liège. Horses were his passion and he took me everywhere there were Horses.
My first memories are of Horses, and my first word after ‘Mamma’, ‘Opa’ and ‘Oma’ was, in fact, ‘Horse’.
I playfully learnt to interact and ride without tack with the carnival ponies in the village from the age of seven. I started riding at the riding school when I was eleven.
It turned out I had a knack for working with difficult Horses and I could forge special bonds with them. Horses would follow me around, whether I knew them or not. I always loved being with Horses first and foremost and riding second. Throughout my life I rescued and kept Horses that could not be ridden, but I never cared about that. Horses to me were family and friends — the same as Cats and Dogs."
Right: Josepha's grandfather with Jimmy in 1985
Starting teaching and training Horses at 16
"I started teaching riding classes and successfully helping others with their ‘problem’ Horses (which, in reality, meant Horses having problems because of people) at the age of sixteen.
My goal has always been to help Horses be understood, to feel safe and comfortable — not to make them perform, nor to dominate them. Back then I didn’t realise this was my formula for success; nevertheless, it became the foundation of the international career that followed.
Ultimately, it was my husband, Ralph, who recognised my unique talent and both ‘forced’ and enabled me to start teaching and training for a living in 2004."
Left: Josepha’s mother, Ria (also a published author), even though legally blind, riding Porthos — an ‘unrideable’ rescue from slaughter and a 20-year-old rehab Horse — both trained by Josepha. Ria has the same connection with Horses as her Father and daughter.
Follow Ria on Facebook:
The first Bitless Tack Shop in the world
"In 2004 my husband, Ralph Scheffer, and I founded the first bitless tack shop in the world: Equihof, the Natural Lifestyle. Not only did we sell bitless tack and treeless saddles, we also only sold animal-testing-free products. We were also one of the first online tack shops, selling worldwide. We were first place in google for everything bitless (dressage) and Horse Welfare for many years.
Our own herb mixes helped many Horses, Cats & Dogs with their health problems, and vets sent their patients to us. It was then that I designed the first classical, bitless dressage bridle — inspired by the Vienna cavesson, but with a soft noseband. This bitless bridle is now mainstream and many trainers and manufacturers have copied it.
I am also the co-founder of the Art of Natural Dressage (method and forum, est. 2007) — an open-source experiment in training completely without any form of force: no bridle, just a cordeo; exploring 100% choice and autonomy for Horses, using only positive reinforcement."
Left: Josepha and Owen featuring her design bridle in a Dutch Equestrian magazine in 2005
World's first International Classical Dressage x Positive reinforcement & In hand Trainer School
"After helping many last-resort Horses heal — from injuries and severe trauma — and giving lessons and clinics around the world, my husband suggested I start training instructors and trainers so this revolutionary work with Horses would spread more quickly across the globe.
So in 2012 I founded the trainer school Equus Universalis — School for Classical Dressage & Equine Welfare. Over the course of a two-year programme, I taught more than 30 students my method of rehabilitating Horses with physical or mental challenges and starting young Horses correctly to prevent problems in the first place. In 2019, my best and longest-standing student took over the school, but I remain involved as an adviser and guest teacher once or twice a year."
Right: Josepha and Owen, riding an Equus Universalis demonstration.
Published and awarded international equestrian author
"I have published several books — one in multiple languages on bitless dressage (2015) and one on Dressage in Hand & Equine Rehab (2021), which won the Equus Award in 2022 and is also available in Dutch from 2025. I have also published several children’s books in English and Dutch.
In addition, I have written dozens of articles for international equestrian magazines and have been featured in interviews and publications worldwide.
I have been invited to give clinics and lectures at events, schools and universities across Europe and beyond, including South Africa.
Left: Josepha and Owen giving a show at Equitana Germany in 2015
Retired from teaching, but continue spreading Horse Welfare
"Currently, my primary focus is advocating for legislation within the EU and beyond to protect Horses. My mission is to ensure species-appropriate husbandry, hoof care and force-free training methods.
To support this goal, I am writing a new book titled Yellow Horse Revolution: The Case for the Equine Manifesto. After being featured in many magazines all over the world for 20 years, I launched my own magazine in 2025 — find out all about it here: #YellowHorseRevolution.
After teaching worldwide for two decades, I retired from teaching in 2025 for health reasons. I am working on new books and, together with my team and writers from around the world, on four magazine issues per year.
Right: Josepha being interviewed for national Flemish TV by Flemish celebrity and Ms Belgium, Els Tibau in 2013, Porthos in the background
