Frequently Asked Questions...
Q- How long have you been training horses?
A- I have been training horses for 11 years, but my training business has been open for 4 years.
Q- What makes you different from other equine professionals/trainers?
A- I am the kind of trainer that wants the owners involvement as much as possible with their horse's training.
I want my clients to understand what I'm doing with their horses, and why I'm doing it. Then they will be taught how to do it with their horse. It's my desire that every horse owner walks away satisfied and confident knowing what they can accomplish with their horse.
Q- What do you specialize in?
A- I do mostly western. I also train babies, older horses, colt starting, problem solving, trail riding, or horses that haven't been trained at all and need an education. The kind of foundation training I do is not just for western, but is good for any discipline.
Q- What do you mean foundation training?
A- I call it foundation training because the certain exercises I do with the horse builds on each other. It makes it easier by breaking down each step, instead of just jumping right into some advanced maneuver and trying to make the horse do it and understand what you want. Just like you need a foundation before you go ahead and build a house. Let me give you another example, when you were in 2nd grade in school, if you skipped 3rd and 4th, and went right into 5th grade, it would not have made any sense to you.
Well, it's the same with the horse. If you start skipping the fundamental, foundational steps, your going to start running into more problems with communicating to your horse, and not getting him to do what your asking.
Q- What makes you qualified to work with problem horses?
A- Experience with working many horses over the years. Horses are going to be your best teachers, because no two are ever going to be the same. Each one is going to have their own problems to deal with, their own personality, and quirks. By learning how they speak through body language, and being around many difficult ones over the years, I'm able to pick up on more subtle hints they may give off. The quicker you pick up on their hints the faster it is to correct their behavior. Horses can't speak with words like you or I can, but they will speak to you in their body language. That's where experience comes in with knowing how to read them.
Q- Who have you taken lessons from, or learned under?
A- I have taken lessons under Wendy Hilton Smith, and attended clinics from Clinton Anderson and Chris Cox.