TLC Training and Horsemanship

Success Stories

Alice and Lucky

Val and Jmar

I had taken a video of my horse Jmar(and some of his behavior issues I was trying to deal with at the time) to the Puyallup expo. When I showed my video to Ken McNabb, he introduced me to Terri Cook of TLC Training.

Terri lived 5hrs away from me, but finding someone who trained in the way I was looking for was so worth it. I have had Jmar since he was a colt/10 months old. At 4yrs. old he was still unbroke, and I really wasn't sure where to start.

So I made arrangements with Terri to bring Jmar to her facility for 30 days.

Terri & Matney were just what we were looking for- Training with out trauma. They laid the ground work with Jmar and gave ME the tools to take him home and continue to work with him.

I really like their way of training and communicating. I get it, and so does my horse. They are soft spoken, but yet firm in asking for that give, inside turn, or Whoa! They are patient, and won't ask you to do anthing you are not comfortable with. It has to be safe for you & the horse.

They helped me re-build my confidence, so I could successfully work with my horse.

To date, Jmar is 7yrs old, & has had 60days training with TLC. They are always willing to send me some homework via email if I get stuck. Or have me up to the stable for a tune up. I can always count on them for their honesty in the advice they provide.

Jmar & I are really lucky to have met them. Taking that video was a last minute thing I did before heading up to the expo- I am so glad I did!

-Val & Jmar

I met Val at the very first Expo I had helped Ken McNabb at, offering assistance in the booth, and demonstration horses. Val had approached Ken with a video of her troubled relationship with Jmar and Ken referred her to me!  I was so surprised by the referral....Ken McNabb referring someone to ME for training? WOW!
I thought, this lovely woman, with this horse that she adored....attacking her, rearing, striking, biting.....and being WAY too aggressive for anyone’s comfort but so far away. How could this work, and how could anyone love a horse so much they would pursue my little training business 5 hours north of her location?
We visited by phone and on-line many times, and finally found a time she could bring Jmar up to my home. I started my formal business on our gentlemen’s farm, with two training pens, walk in cabin, attached to a good sized wood paddock area, and small pasture, pen air round pen, etc.
Jmar arrived, a cute bay Arab, with the biggest impression of himself. Each horse teaches me something new- Jmar taught me how to let a horse know he was NOT in charge.
Working in the round pen to start, when Jmar would turn in, he would pin his ears and come at you.....I had to use my lariat to defend my position many times. He worked outside turns, until he was polite, then if he was not polite for an inside turn, it was back to OUTSIDE turns! We worked on tons of patient turning away and requiring him to listen to MY direction NOT do things before being asked.
Jmar, with is beautiful typey head, and quick pinned ears, looked most threatening when he did not get his way. He also taught me that work does not affect the Arabian breed as it does some other breeds. Arabians LOVE to work, and play, and use games....you have to be very creative to keep their mind busy, and positive....it was wonderful. Jmar taught me a great deal.
Val’s face was something to see the first time she worked him with me. Terror was the only word you could use to describe it as Jmar realized who was in the pen with him he figured he would try to use his old tricks to persuade her to let HIM do the driving. Pinning his ears and coming RIGHT at her! Man, I wanted to just KILL him!  He was supposed to be showing her all the work we had done so far, not still displaying that aggressive behavior! I just couldn’t figure out how I could get this to work, with her justified fear of him....and such a distance apart?
I finished our 30 days, she took him home, after a good long positive last lesson, and he proceeded to be a pill!  I told her to sell him. She did not, and we kept working on-line on exercises, and consulting. Life got in the way, we both were too busy, I got hurt, and she kept Jmar.
Matney started training with me, and we moved into Gunderson barn. Val sent Jmar up for his second 30 days. He arrived more mature and better to handle. Remembered all his round pen work, and even had some time with a saddle on. In the next 30 days, we not only reminded him of some manners in the pen, but on the line as well, and were even able to put 10 to 15 rides on him.
We returned him, at the same time we were coaching a 4-H clinic....and thought we would use him as a demo horse, showing Val the work, and seeing if she could work with him and us during the event? Unsure how he would react, he was a star for his demo....and Val continues to work with Jmar, AND her own confidence.
We could not be more proud of the both of them for their achievements, and will look forward to hearing of their rides for years to come!

-Terri

Amy and Sedona

I first met Terri at a clinic with Ron and Kathy Valentine a number of years ago. We had stayed in contact over the years, and when the time came for my gelding to get saddle-trained, I knew just who I wanted to call! Due to the fact that Terri and Matney are so very kind and gentle to the horses, and truly do love and care for them. I was also pretty familiar with their basic training concepts, and it did match up well with the way I work with all of my horses.

Sedona, a 4yo Thoroughbred x Percheron x Quarter Horse cross (AKA: mutt) spent 4 months with Terri and Matney. I could not be more happy with the result. He is now a soft, gentle and willing partner, ready to learn new things, and a true joy to be around. I can't recommend the two of them enough to start your young horse, or put a finish on your advanced horse. I guarantee it will be a positive experience, for horse AND rider!

___________ Amy Lacy  Finch Meadow Farm Monroe, WA

I have known Amy and her kind and generous nature, since meeting her riding for Kathy and Ron Valentine in the early 2000's.  A avidly devpted horsewoman, also busy with a family life and busy job....along with wearing many other hats!  I sure was excited to hear she had a horse for us to put some time on...but so very hard to hear of what happened when she brought him home from his first formal training experience.

We found Sedonna to be a willing and reasonable ride, but his ground manners were not pretty to say the least.  He would not hold still for brushing or saddling or anything...he led YOU, and would run over you as first choice when spooking on the ground at everything....A big, red, strong horse, he certainly needed the best manners in the barn! We NEVER use chains on horses, but when I watched him run over Matney three times in the parking lot, as we tried to lead him to and from the turnout pens(knowing he had knocked Amy down in a similar fashion)...we KNEW we had to do something.

Working the head down exercises, taking him back to the round pen, and working on his paying attention, and respecting his handler without restraint...was just the thing he needed.  I know Amy was upset after week upon week went by and she would ask" have you loped him yet?" and my response would be "no, we need to get some manners on the ground first"

Then, once he would ground tie with his head relaxed for the brush, saddle, and mount.....we added some power steering, brakes, and control of the speed at which he worked under saddle, Amy supporting...realizing
the more time you take, the FASTER you will get there.....and finished Sedonna after an additional two months of training.  Sending him and her to a Ken McNabb clinic to ride out and enjoy the newly remodelled version....
We all had tears in our eyes when he went home, and every time I looked in the arena during the clinic/ Amy was smiling from ear to ear!!!....great experience....great owner/trainer..... Great HORSE!
Thanks for the work Amy....

-Terri

Raven-A Rescue Success

Raven is a Paso Fino, aged at 10 years old. She was a rescued mare in rehab and retraining, waiting for the go ahead to be fostered, or adopted out when Matney and I met her and she was referred to as "Psycho".  Well, first things first....we needed to CHANGE her name!!!! There was already a black horse named Raven in the rescue barn, so very soon after accepting her to our training program, we called her licorice, after my favorite candy. Licorice may not have been an appropriate name for a classic Paso Fino mare, but at the time we were trying to change every ones outlook on her, keeping in mind a favorite phrase from Ken McNabb  "Don't name a horse something they have to live up to!"

Raven was so frightened of being handled, she bit at the air when you looked in the stall, she would bite and kick the walls, walked to the back wall and pinned her ears, and lashed out. When she was taken in and out she bolted, and ran you over. With these behaviors, she was simply not the kind of rescue anyone wanted to handle. Fed, clean, dry surroundings, but not much interaction with people, because it was just not safe.

We knew she was mistrustful and frightened, and just trying to keep herself safe from those that had hurt her in the past.  She caught our eye, being placed in our section of barn, even before we were asked to work with her.  Any extra time during the work day, we would take her out....and bring her in, noticing as her weight and strength was returning, she clearly WAS gaited, and a very nice moving mare.  She had been in the program approximately 6 months prior to our officially starting our rehabilitation program with her.

We immediately started with a healing program and quiet, soft handling. We also began to reach out to our clientele to see if they would come help us identify her breed. We quickly found two homes interested in adopting or fostering her when she became available!

Raven was in the rescue barn with us for two to three months, working with daily handling, her healing program, and a quiet, confidence building training program.  We were able to get her to work in the round pen, lead better, be handled by experienced other handlers, but she was terrified of her saddle, and when she DID stand for it to be cinched, would bolt and buck and it was clear she had some horrible memories of her past.

Mary and Gene adopted her the day she became available...with faith and the "feel" she would overcome her terrible past.  She jumped RIGHT in the trailer, like she knew she was off to a wonderful future.  She simply could not have found a better home.  

She needed patience and a lot of healing...both mentally and physically.  So Mary and Gene just pastured her and we visited once or twice a week to address handling issues.

Raven was still wanting to bolt and run you over. NOT something you really wanted to handle...but further research with veterinarians, massage therapists, and honest caring professionals found scarring on her back and ribs most likely from a poorly fitting saddle. Her spine was missalligned, as were her hips and several ribs. She had moved incorrectly for so long, she had a large visible scar on her back hind quarter, her back legs trembled when she tried to hold them for you. She just panicked with shots and worming, but through all of this, Mary and Gene never quit working with her.

We all continued her healing process, and after a long and hard winter, Raven moved into our training barn March 1st, to restart her training to saddle. She was pretty anxious, but her body work and training resumed on a 5 day a week schedule.  We worked on the saddle, but she was unhappy, and with a saddle evaluation by a vet, discovered there was a huge bridging problem with all their saddles.  She was fitted for a custom light weight "Specialized Saddle"

In the midst of this process, Raven went home after about 45 days. She had an odd swelling underneath her front legs. She was not lame, but there was no explanation of how it got there. So, she went home for two weeks to rest and resolve the issue.

Raven moved back in, complete with custom saddle, two weeks ago.  Within a week of offering the new saddle. She was noticably more relaxed and confident in all her handlers that there would not be the pain she had endured in the past.  She still does NOT want to hold still, but does NOT bite and constantly swish her tail when you are working on placing the saddle.  We added many stretches to her routine, and used our " riding from the side" groundwork, to help her prepare for the big day.

This time and care has paid off in amazing ways.  Raven accepted her rider for the first time Saturday April 25th, and has had 4 quiet and relaxed rides since. It brings tears to your eyes to see the quiet expression, happy ears, and willing animal, that one year prior had been hunching in the back of the stall and not willing to interact with anyone.

I am thankful each and every day for my training, my daughter Matney, and family that support these mentally challenging events, the TEAM of dedicated volunteers and friends that encourage us and drive us on....SO VERY THANKFUL for people like Mary and Gene that bring us horses to teach us, and to learn from....

You must come see Raven, she has a sleek shiny black healthy coat, huge and happy eye, natural gait that will make a Paso breeder drool....and we look forward to continuing to be a part of her fun and exciting future.
May God continue to Bless the Trails we ride.   : )

_____________________________________________________

Dani and Gospel

Hi Terri, just thought I'd forward this photo to you. Because of all the great help you've given me with Gospel I was able to ride him bareback for most of girls camp last month. (I only got pitched off once when he jumped a big patch of mud and I slipped off because he was so sweaty!) We were just starting out in this pic and Robin caught it before I'd started to ask him to give to the bit and lower his head. The first year i rode him at girls camp and tried bareback Gospel was way too hyper and I didn't have the great tools you've given me to work with him.

So a great big thanks to you and Matney!

-Dani