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First Time Horse Owner
Confidence Builder
Extraordinaire!
 I
was working at a stable when I first saw Cathie’s business
card tacked on the wall. Somehow I knew I would meet up with
her someday. I didn’t have a horse of my own, but was
working on finishing my barn and getting one very soon. Sure
enough I met Cathie when she came to work with some horses
at the stable and even though she didn’t know me from Adam,
after talking briefly she offered to let me come over and
ride her horse. I thought that was pretty cool. Shortly
thereafter, at 41 years of age, I finally got my first
horse. Danny Boy was 9 years old at the time and I didn’t
have much history on him, except that he was a slow poke and
was described to be a “jerk” (not my choice of words) in a
ring. But he was advertised as a beginner’s horse. Right
away I knew that he was a little more than testing me with
his domineering behaviors. From refusing to pick up his
feet, and then “falling” while I was cleaning his hooves and
pulling his back feet away and kicking out at me, to
swinging his head aggressively at me and practically running
me over. I could handle him o.k., but did not know how to go
about changing his behavior. I had no training experience
and did not even know how to lunge him. I also did not know
what his aggressiveness potential was. I called Cathie to
come work with us. She has helped me tremendously in so many
ways. She doesn’t just train my horse, but she trains me
with patience (most of the time) J and is very affirming and
encouraging. We have gone from groundwork with the lead, to
now free lunging and she has started teaching me how to deal
with behaviors while in the saddle. I knew that there was a
good horse in Danny Boy, and who knows what he has been
through…. He is not the cuddliest horse, but sometimes he
forgets the tough guy exterior and extends his head to me
gently to let me kiss his eyelid. I am so grateful that God
put Cathie in my life just at the right time. She is an
excellent horse and people trainer! Teddianne Parent
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