TLC Trainers

Updated December 22, 2008

Matney Cook has been riding since age 2 in 4-H, Open and Rodeo competition, as well as being a county and State level Grand Champion performer. In her youth she studied under Mary Nichols-Askvig; Kieran Donahue; Kim Gately; Dick Gately; Jamie Hinton and Alex Berryman. Her most recent and notable accomplishment after riding with Ken since age 10 was achieving her "Master Trainer" certification from Ken McNabb and his Practical Horsemanship training program, at the age of 20, in just 2 years of study and testing.

In addition to her skills and quiet confidence with horses, she began working for the Skagit Valley Food Co-op at the age of 16. This fueled her passion for natural remedies and holistic solutions for humans and horses. She is currently apprenticing under Leta Titus, owner of Herbs for All Seasons, to develop the healing aspect of her overall training program. Matney has had amazing response treating many ailments that often go unnoticed as they are not mainstream and have costly interventions with little or no success.

2008 introduced Matney to the value of her training style and healing work on difficult rescue horses. She successfully treated, retrained, and placed many unwanted and previously unmanageable horses...a passion to continue has resulted. This last fall one of her favorite clients invited her to attend "Centered Riding" lessons with Elaine Meredith Steele....which adds amazing levels of communication between horse and rider. It is a joy to add this new dimension to her already caring training style.

She met many inspiring horse and healing enthusiasts this year. In October she attended a 3 day trainers workshop @ Leigh Shambos new H.E.A.L. facility located in Chehalis. This amazing therapy has inspired her to continue with her studies of EFP/L (Equine-Facilitated Psychotherapy & Learning)and apply to study for her certification. At this workshop she spent time with Dr. Hanna Evergreen, from Monroe, and has joined her part time assisting with her holistic equine practice. She also connected with Lorna Sheperdsen. Lorna has her own therapy program in Bellingham "Therapy in Motion" and is working, with her already on special client cases.

Matney sees every client is a blessing and opportunity to learn MORE!!!

Matney is excited to help you strengthen your relationship and create a multifaceted and positive experience both you and your horse will enjoy!

"LETS GET BACK TO BASICS WITH PRACTICAL & NATURAL HORSEMANSHIP"

Terri L. Cook began studying the John Lyons style of training in the early 1980's, after a youth of self-taught success in 4-H, Open, and Rodeo competition. Searching for affordable education opportunities brought Terri to Ken McNabb in 1999. Also achieving her Master Trainer Certification through Kens acclaimed programs, she is proud of her studies and excited to share them with you! Softness, safety, and respect is what you will find in your sessions with Terri. Experience with injury should not keep you or your horse from riding and having fun. Learning WITH your horse....asking, not forcing your training....is the basis for her style. Understanding the pressure involved with being a daughter, wife, mother, grandmother, businesswoman, and friend... only serves to assist in my personal efforts to be supportive and considerate of my clients horsemanship goals.

Coaching success is not a unusual event for the Cook family. Terri and her husband have done volunteer work chairing county fair positions, helping develop athletic programs for youth of all ages....from soccer to volleyball, to horsemanship....coaching and supporting to local and state championship performances, in team and individual performances. Add onto this another 8 years in the dental field, and another 5 years with a cottage industry art business....and you realize where the depth of her teaching comes from.

"After years of hearing that a woman cannot make it in the horse training business...I chose to study John Lyons work, after raising a lovely colt and NOT being able to find a training facility that would work with ME AND THE HORSE. John Lyons teaches you that every minute you spend with your horse you are teaching it something...so you MUST learn to support and be your horses trainer!!! This has lead to a dream come true of not only training my personal horses, but helping others with similar dreams."

Terri's bio is not complete without describing how she and Matney work in partnership to create that willing, fun and successful communication that they are becoming so well known for. Matney and Terri Train & teach as a team. Quoted from the first expo appearance they had with  Horse Around Days in 2007 " I am living every horsewoman's dream, riding with my daughter each and every day. I could not be more proud of Matney and her achievements, and the fact that she shares them every day with me." Evaluating each horse weekly together, applying their different talents, with their combined Ken McNabb studies.....each horse has not one,  but two trainers while in school. Terri's level of experience, softness of touch, and sensitivity to all, combined with Matney's amazing ability for communicating from the simplest to upper level maneuvers, blends to cover a deeper and wider range of education for both horse and rider. You may prefer one, or riding with both.....we are happy to work together and ride side by side with you each and every day.

2009 will find us with some fun and exciting challenges. Our work with rescue horses, has inspired us to continue with our own "Foster a Rescue with TLC" A program to find foster sponsors and adoptive families. Teaching prospective owners, and training rescue horses to their fullest capabilities.

Our business will enjoy Matney's continuing educational experiences, Veterinarian's Assistant, Centered Riding studies, and EFP/L certification. We will also look forward to joining a 4 host statewide team producing a huge clinic event for Ken McNabb, our trainer, mentor and friend.

2009 will prove to be a fun, productive and exciting year for us, and we thank all that have helped us get here!!! COME LEARN WITH US!!!

" Riding with us, and not for us, is our goal for every person that we work with"

Terri Cook-TLC Horsemanship

"Riding is an art form, no true artist is ever really done with his piece" -Terri Cook

"To have a horse and not learn basic horsemanship, is like having children and not wanting to be a parent"

"Whats in it for the horse?" - Ken McNabb

"Fear is common sense in disguise" " The more time you take, the faster you will get there"

"There are three rules all exercises should be measured by: It cannot hurt you, it cannot hurt the horse, and the horse MUST be calmer at the end of the lesson"

Congratulations from Ken McNabb