Linda and Sierra

After 35 + years of riding, owning several horses and taking lessons with cutting and reining horse trainers, I found Susan who was teaching the fundamentals of softening and flexion of horses. My goal was to make my horse (Sierra) less reactive and relaxed while trail riding. At this point on my life, I just wanted a quiet horse. Sierra had 7 yrs of cutting training in Texas, did not make it, thus she found her way to CA where I was able to purchase her. On my third lesson with Susan, a light bulb went on for me. I realized that with all the riding I have done, I never learned the fundamentals of riding and neither had Sierra. Sierra and I simply rode in the cutting/reining circuit and went home. It was like my horse went from being broke to ride into cutting training and didn’t learn what it took to make her body soft and supple. My horse was reactive and stiff to most commands. With Susan’s help, Sierra is learning how to bend her rib cage and lower her neck so that she can relax. When I arrived at Susan’s, I was riding with a ‘corrective bit’, just trying to make her collect and bend at the poll, now I am riding her in a snaffle bit and I know she likes that much better. Susan has also taught me how to read Sierra’s mental attitude, is she ‘full of it’ or relaxed and ready to work. All these years of owing a horse I felt obligated to exercise/ride them regularly, if I didn’t, we always had issues. I was anxious and fearful, thinking that I would get hurt the next time I got on; it became a love-hate relationship. Now, Susan has given me the tools to identify what needs to be done before I ever get on the horse. I can let my horse sit out in the pasture for any length of time and when I am ready to ride, I just follow Susan steps. I can’t thank you enough for taking the weight off my shoulders, now I am so happy and eager to exercise and ride again with confidence. - Linda Smith and Sierra 2012