I thought I’d start this off with some testimonials for our philosophy and over-all approach here and then go on to some specific clinic testimonials.
Hannah (pictured here on her horse Maia) said:
A year ago, I couldn’t even catch my horse.
It wasn’t for any lack of effort on my part—I had studied nearly every trainer I could find, tried dozens of methods, for days, weeks, months, years, and yet still my goal of bridleless dressage and transcendent connection with my horse was so far off that I almost felt like giving up. If I couldn’t even catch my horse, what business did I have searching for heaven on earth with my mare, Maia?
I knew it had to be something so simple it was profound, the sort of door in the wardrobe that would lead me to Narnia—I just had to find it.
And then I met Jenny Pearce—embarked on her program through the generosity of the Gold Star Scholarship—and began glimpsing the beauty of pure connection with horses that I’d only dreamed of.
As of today, I’m on Lesson 62 in Jenny’s online program, and the transformation is astounding. Just last month, I finished my 10-day “bridleless experiment” where I rode Maia only bridleless (not even a neckrope or stick) for 10 days in a row to see if long-term bridleless was possible—and every day was better than the last. Just yesterday, Maiawent trotting away from me after being ground tied, and far from her instantly becoming near uncatchable, I was instantly able to call her back to me without hesitation.
How did this happen? Jenny’s program gave me two incredible gifts. First, the lesson that pursuing joy, happiness, lightness, and comfort with horses at all times is good and is beautiful. So often we’re told to push through, to fight it out, that frustration and fear are normal with horses, and I didn’t want to live like that—that was not the horsemanship I longed for. In fact, I distinctly remember when Jenny said that if I felt even the slightest bit uncomfortable, I didn’t have to even enter the paddock—I didn’t even have to look at the paddock! I was so relieved that I began to cry; I had no idea how much tension I had built up about horses.
The second gift was enabling me to trust myself, to continue to study and learn always, of course, but to break down the boxes I’d kept myself in regarding what was “right” or “wrong” with horses. We’ve all heard them—the endless rules of do this, don’t do that, try this, but never, ever do that—and I was trying to remember so many rules in becoming a “Good Horse Trainer” that I was choking my own creativity and grace with horses. By teaching me to truly listen to myself, my comfort zone, and the understanding I already had and also that which was intuitive inside me, I was able to approach Maia as a living being, a friend, and a mystery to be explored, not a problem to be solved.
In the end, it wasn’t that Jenny’s wonderful program has taught me everything I need to know about horses, but instead, it has done something much greater: it has helped me to find for myself what I need to know. As I said before, I was looking for the door to Narnia—the element that would open me to the beautiful world I knew existed with horses—the peace, joy, lightness, success—and let me then explore my world with my horse.
And that is an incredible gift.
– Hannah Rivard, USA
If you want to LEARN “feel” and LEARN how to open your heart to reveal all the skills you have inside you to eventually be on a par with all the great horsemen and so-called horse whisperers, there is no other way that I am aware of to do that, to LEARN that, than by taking one of Jenny’s meticulously, brilliantly constructed online courses. (Read full testimonial here)
– Corey Mindlin, New Zealand – dressage and breeder of the GoldStar Warmbloods
Without practising or even thinking about it, the riding position has become automatic – kind of cool, as most things I have to repeat, work hard at to finally get results and learn, before it becomes a habit.
Thank goodness I was led to Jenny Pearce’s way of teaching… Absolutely nothing compares… No fear, mutual respect, a bond I only ever dreamed of having.
– Marie Richards, New Zealand
I cannot speak highly enough of Jenny either as a person or a teacher.
– Jan (older lady, artificial hips) Australia
My seat was still glued in and my body naturally flowed with her and we stayed together. This was my very first shy on any horse.
– Valezka McDonald, Australia (at that stage a complete beginner rider)
I feel Jenny is teaching me to be the horsewoman I want to be, and am able to be being the person I am, rather than teaching me to train a horse her way which I think is why I haven’t done too well with other teachers. … seeing my horse slowly unveil himself and to feel the growing compassion we have for each other’s stuck spots is worth everything.
– Amanda, dressage rider, Australia
Yesterday (Jeff Sanders) was incredibly complimentary about my riding and the togetherness Sasha and I have to the point that I don’t move anymore as I ride just sit straight in the saddle and Sasha floats under neath me with us both working as a total unit together – yeeha all due to the stuff I have done with you – THANK YOU!!
– Mary House from South Australia
I have been working with Jen off and on for a while now, but last year I was thrown from a horse I was trialing… it shattered my confidence completely and I was a nervous rider before that so I felt well and truly beaten. The fright imprint and riding seat work has done wonders for my confidence and riding; after the fall I was afraid to do anything but a slow walk but now we are zooming around the arena doing figure eights and all sorts of lovely patterns, trotting around like a centaur. Nothing is coming between my butt and my horse 🙂 it is an awesome feeling. Thank you so much Jen. The magnetic butt is a wonderful thing for both of us.
– Tammy Nicholas from Bruthen in Australia
After a lifetime of horsemanship – from traditional, to natural horsemanship, there was still something wrong… something missing, and a build up of fear and anxiety with me and my horses. Not having much fun anymore.
Jenny’s teachings were the breath of fresh air I needed to move forward – I was able to finally breathe out and relax with my horses and it was ok. It was ok to step back and not push through fear, in fact by slowing down with our horses to start with, we can speed up with other things further on down the track because our horses know we are listening to them and honouring them as a worthwhile, important being with valid feelings and opinions.
Jenny’s teachings help us and our horses create a better bond, release any bad history either you or your horse have, and create a wholistic environment for you and your horse’s lives.
And most importantly of all, Jenny teaches that WE are capable, and have all the answers inside, by using her methods we are encouraged to access our inner wisdom. No putting teachers up on pedestals as having “all the answers” here is allowed!
The support is fantastic, as is the community of like minded individuals on the forum. And the miracles, they just keep coming. By releasing the negative, relearning using Jenny’s methods and then reprogramming our experiences by really anchoring into all the good things going on with our horses the result equals a place of pure joy and calm.
Perfect.
– Narel Wilson, South Coast NSW, Australia
A life-long horse fanatic, from a 3 year old child through to middle age adulthood, I witnessed so much that left me feeling cold, and sick to the stomach, when it came to how humans interacted with horses. There was the “old school”, there was the “new school” of horsemanship, and yet I saw the horses still reacting in the same distressed and frightened ways.
No number of questions asked received answers that made any sense and so I studied Equine Behaviour. This unleashed horrific understanding of what the domesticated horse suffers at our hands, mostly unknowingly, which lead to fervent research into the “kinder” methods of training.
There is much said about the “partnership” of horse and rider, using equine psychology as its foundation, which in the most part, is hugely misleading, misunderstood and misinterpreted. However, I found with Jenny’s way of teaching, is that she teaches the tools of true partnership, where both parties have an equal say in the matter, and an equal part to play. She teaches the skills to enable US to empower our horse to find his/her voice, to allow communication with us, from which comes peaceful trust and a happy willingness to enjoy being and doing things with us, and she teaches US to be empowered to know exactly what is right for us and this horse, and us and that horse.
Each is different and we learn all the skills to know what is right for each individual combination. With your new skills, you will always find the right way to release and enjoy your horse’s abilities, and your own. In addition, we are taught how to undo the damage caused from previous life experiences, be it our own or our horses.
As a behaviourist, this has given me a new dimension to helping overcome difficulties, or problem behaviours. Rather than just understanding why and being able to suggest changes to help horse and owner, I am now able (and so is everyone else), to UNDO, or RELEASE the memory both mentally and physically, of a past trauma. This “release” part, is incredibly healing for our horse, and allows us to learn new things together without the usual underlying problems, without the mystifying “what am I doing wrong”, or “why will my horse not do this thing”. I know of no other who teaches this amazingly empowering way to be with horses, for me it is The School of Horsemanship Life Skills.
-Caroline Schillig~ Horse Behaviourist from Portugal
This video of the Healing of Pye was an on-line clinic. His owner Mel now rescues and rehabilitates difficult horses.
Here’s a video of the transformation of Sue’s “toey” working stockhorse AUS into being able to work stock bridle-less after a clinic here at Rokeby.
Kristine Nesbitt – double World Champion Reining Rider
I just felt great…I don’t have that little thing holding me back…That old thing that just kept saying you’re not enough, you’re not enough is just gone!
…The way (Jenny) works with you is light-years ahead of the traditional riding instruction!
– Mary, England
Susie helped Solnar to transform from a weaving nervous wreck into a relaxed horse.
Suze (Prix St George dressage rider) and Solnar (new rescue horse) at a clinic here at Rokeby.
After patiently releasing saddle and other issues, Solnar started to find self carriage fairly quickly, thanks to Susie’s great work. Suze found a new liberation in her body in our morning walk/runs (that we do in some of the longer clinics) that she hadn’t felt since before she had children and through that experience in her own body, improved her own riding seat too (which is exactly the purpose behind the simulations on our morning walk/runs).
Her recently bought horse Solnar arrived a windsucking, pacing, weaving from side to side, nervous wreck and made an enormous relaxation breakthrough, I think it was the afternoon of Day 2. That was the last we saw of the weaving.
Then we watched Suze slowly and patiently lay every step of preparing to ride and then riding, into Solnar’s relaxation.
He even found a naturally elevated back in self carriage by the end of the week. OMGoodness that horse can move beautifully. What a star!
Here’s some feedback from Suze a couple of weeks after our clinic…
Suze said: Sol is a different horse. Agistees at the paddock have noticed the shift. He’s more relaxed, yet more energetic! (more of the “right” energy!!) On a recent ride, I felt more aware and more connected (at all levels)! The effect of the whole week is rippling out into all layers of my life…hard to explain but will have to keep you posted over the next….several years?!!!!! haha xx
Thank goodness I was led to Jenny Pearce’s way of teaching… Absolutely nothing compares… No fear, mutual respect, a bond I only ever dreamed of having.
After a lifetime of horsemanship – from traditional, to natural horsemanship, there was still something wrong… something missing, and a build up of fear and anxiety with me and my horses. Not having much fun anymore.
A life-long horse fanatic, from a 3 year old child through to middle age adulthood, I witnessed so much that left me feeling cold, and sick to the stomach, when it came to how humans interacted with horses. There was the “old school”, there was the “new school” of horsemanship, and yet I saw the horses still reacting in the same distressed and frightened ways.
Kristine Nesbitt – double World Champion Reining Rider
