Well, it’s been awhile since I’ve chatted with everyone after the Supreme Extreme Mustang Makeover (SEMM) in Fort Worth.  What a rush!  After returning from that event we had a lot of things to do to play “catch-up” back home as you might imagine after having been gone for nearly 10 days. 

The event was fantastic and we had so much fun participating in it.  Both Viggo and Sparrow performed extremely well and Lauren and I were both very proud of them throughout the weekend.  A little too much “cow-work” in this competition kept us out of the finals but we are extremely satisfied knowing how well trained these horses are after only 5 months in training and how thrilled their owners are with their progress.

Sparrow is now in Pittsburgh with her owners helping out in their lesson program and Viggo is back at NLH getting some well deserved R&R intermixed with some trail riding.  He will be continuing his training here for awhile. What a ride it’s been and in the end, two families are fulfilling dreams because of two very special mustangs that have entered their lives.

Viggo continues to be a blessing in my life too as I am continuing to train him for Leslie.  The other day my daughter and I went on a trial ride together and I took Viggo.  On the ride, it occurred to me how important horses are in my life-and in Brooke’s life as well.  We share a very special mother-daughter bond, not unlike other horse enthusiasts may have, but one that continues to grow as she gets older.

Now in middle school, so many things are entering her life and we are starting down a new road where time becomes a commodity not only for me, but now for her as well.  More and more she is being pulled in different directions with the many school related activities that are being added to her schedule in addition to her already busy horse activities.  Riding together for us is a chance to reconnect and get away from everything else that impacts our routine.

Alone on the trail we have great conversations, and quiet time too.  It is a time to appreciate all of the God-given beauty around us and to come back to a “place” where each of us can just relax in the moment.  And, for me, I appreciate her growth as an excellent “hand” in horsemanship.  When I see her galloping off full blast in a wide open field and then touch upon the reins to communicate an excellent comeback transition, I realize that she is truly a natural talent.  That makes me proud for sure, but it also makes me realize that she is capable:  capable of handling horses and so much more that she will encounter in the days, weeks, and years to come.

Having gone through life as she is going through it now, I know she will have struggles, she will have conflicts (and some will be with me).  But she will always have her horse too and that is a relief to know.  For there she will find solace; she will find relief from stress and discover ways to come through the challenges she will face.  On the back of a horse, she will always rediscover herself time and time again.  And, for that…I am grateful to the horse.

So I started middle school on the 6th of September, and it is just SO awesome!  My teachers are cool and so is lunch and all of the subjects in between!  I really love my locker too.

Also, with Mom and Lauren doing the Supreme Extreme Mustang Challenge, we are all getting ready for that.  So we all just packed the trailer two nights ago and we left on the 8^th at 6:30 a.m.  So right now we are at our friends house, that live in TN.  Which is like our half way stop.  So today we will be hauling to Texas!  You know I LOVE road trips!  I mean don’t get me wrong, I love sleeping in my own bed, but I also love sleeping in the truck on road trips too.  I’m kind of sad that Annie (my Pembroke Welsh Corgi) can’t go this time, but that’s ok because she will be staying with my dad and he loves her too.  So that’s my little ‘blurb’ for right now, and the next blog I will tell you how we did and what the challenge was like!

Also, if you’re old enough, we will be keeping you posted by the hour on Facebook so check out our Next Level Horsemanship page!!!

It is hard to grasp the fact that we are on our way to Fort Worth, TX to the Supreme Extreme Mustang Makeover.  Every sore, ache and pain…not to mention the extra calices we have added to our hands has all been worthwhile in preparing for this competition.  We are hitting the blacktop early with Viggo and Sparrow to help us transition from the cool Northern Mountains in Central, PA to the dry Texas heat and to give the horses a break from the long haul.  I can remember every up and down during the adoption, from the bidding to ending up with a horse we didn’t bid on! Then anxiously waiting for the mystery mare from Bald Mountain, Nevada and the handsome bay gelding from Twin Peaks, California. Everything after that is a blur…just kidding it’s hard to forget every moment when you live and breathe it. But now here we are ready as we will ever be and more than thrilled that our friends will be accompanying us to Texas.

I am so grateful for the family and friends that have supported Suzanne and I throughout this journey. We intend to proudly represent Next Level Horsemanship^TM and Pennsylvania by bringing back some ribbons.  Although, the outcome of the competition is uncertain with the many talented trainers and horses we are up against, we feel that the adopters and their mustangs have already won.  We have two very unique horses and it is comforting to know they are both in the hands of two loving families the Soergels and the Lloyds.  Sparrow has taught me so much and she never fails to remind me with her kind ways what really matters …the simple moments between the horse and human.  “The horse is a mirror to your soul, and sometimes you don’t like what you see.  Sometimes you will .” -Buck Brannaman

Sparrow and I hope to showcase the progress we have made, and the bond we share with everyone at the Supreme Extreme Mustang Makeover.  If the judging allows us to proceed to the finals, we have a fun theme related freestyle to perform.  I can’t give it away, but it will be a “treasured” moment for us! (hint hint)  We express our thanks to everyone who has played a part in our mustang adventure and ask that everyone keeps updated on Viggo’s  and Sparrow’s performances.

And, I love the feeling I get when people come to visit their horses after being in training with us a short while.  It is SO utterly rewarding to me to see the smiles on their faces and get their feedback, comments of pleasant surprise at the progress they see in their horses.  Again, I’m blessed –  to be in a position to help people.  By improving their horse, we can improve people’s lives!

Today  we had many people stopping by the facility to visit with their horses.  We had a chance to demonstrate the progress of several horses in training and chat with their owners.  But this week is going to be full of busy days as we prepare to leave for the Supreme Extreme Mustang Makeover in Fort Worth, TX on Thursday.  We’re leaving early for the event to give the horses we’ve been training, Viggo and Sparrow, time to adjust to the travel and new environment before our upcoming competition.  The trip will be somewhat of a vacation for us, a getaway from everyday activities at NLH^TM and a time to reunite with friends and colleagues in the industry,  but not without its intensity as the countdown draws to a close on a very rigorous and challenging competition.

We’re ready though.  Our mustangs have excellent training and we’ve prepared them for this event day in, and day out by giving them the consistency in their training program, exposure to as many different places and events as we could get them to during the time of their training, and giving them days off and frolic time when we knew they needed it most.  We are ready and we are very excited to see these horses exemplify the versatility and trainability of all mustangs in this unique venue.

It’s amazing to look back now at how these horses started out.  I remember the demonstration we held at NLH^TM showcasing the gentling process, and I just watched a video of Viggo during his first rides under saddle.  Amazing the transformation of this horse who several times, after charging me initially, tried to buck me off but, who now willingly guides effortlessly off the neck rein,  performs spins and sliding stops, half passes and flying lead changes on command.  In just under 4 months he has truly gone from Wild-to-Wow!

But, they are still mustangs, not far from the wild in the whole scheme of things, and they still have instincts that could take hold at the event and prevent them from performing to the best of their abilities.  We’ll take measures to prevent this  – our preparation continues right up to the starting gate…but when push comes to shove ultimately it will be they who will decide how they will proceed.  Will they be guarded and unsure, cautious in every step…or, will they proceed throughout the event  trusting and confident despite their natural instincts?  Time will tell.

It truly is a great day when I spend time working with horses.  And the last several months, though intensely busy, have been a whirlwind of planning and  intense training, not just on the mustangs, but other wonderful breeds we’ve been blessed to work with.  In a few short days, on September 15-17th, five judges will decide who wins the Supreme Extreme Mustang Makeover in Fort Worth.  And, like any other competition, the winner will be decided by a few select criteria, but mostly by their professional  and highly respected…opinions.

Regardless of who wins this challenge, we will have a wonderful time and relish in the notion that we have done the best by our mustangs to ensure they are prepared for what we’ve asked them to do and that they have a wonderful future with their new families.  My hope is that Viggo and Sparrow exemplify their breed to the fullest.  They are both so talented and such wonderful horses and I’m confident that all who are watching will know that without a doubt.

Our August Foundations clinic was a huge success and we’re looking forward to the next clinic at NLH^TM the first weekend in November.  All of our participants made huge improvements in their horses and in their horsemanship in just a few short days and importantly – had FUN doing it!

We worked on several Foundation exercises such as the ‘basic-4′, the ‘tractor tire’ exercise and the ‘push-toy’ concept in addition to several others.  It was amazing to see the improvements in the participants and their horses throughout the weekend!

Here’s what some of the participants had to say about their experience:

• I recently attended the August clinic at NLH with my 7 year old gelding. We did both the beginning clinic as well as the intermediate. We had a great time! And I really felt that I accomplished a lot with Rio. Now I just need to continue what I’ve learned at home!  I also left my 2 year old filly with the girls to start her saddle training! I’m hoping they will be kind enough to document her progress through the next 60 days!  Thanks Suzanne, Lauren, and Brooke!!!!

~Lynn B.  Waynesburg, PA

• Great instruction and great fun—thank you Suzanne, Lauren, and Brooke!

~Leslie L. State College, PA

• The clinic was very good. Not sure how it could be improved. Lauren’s critical eye doesn’t miss much and Brooke was a big help as well. The networking and meeting new people is a bonus since I don’t do shows. Thanks.

~Jeff T. State College, PA

Check out our clinic photo gallery for additional pictures of participants and their horses!

Our next scheduled clinic for participants at the NLH^TM facility in Port Matilda is November 5th and 6th. See our calendar for details or contact us online.

I’ve come to realize that too many people view horses as “pull-toys”.  And too many people have problems because of it.  They erroneously learn to rely on their hands instead of their seat and legs to ride and as a result instill many problems into their horses.  One of my biggest mentors, Ron Johnson, always told me, horses are not pull-toys, they’re “push-toys”.  What he means by that is that you don’t pull horses where you want them to go, you must always push them there.  Drive them there with your seat and legs, using your hands only as a guide.  This is tried and true horsemanship theory and has truly been one of the best pieces of advice ever given to me in training.  This simple concept has pervaded every aspect of our training program and has perfected the techniques we use to teach beginning to advanced maneuvers.  And, I’m always amazed at how easy it has made it for the horses to understand what we’re trying to teach them.

It’s a language horses understand, it is familiar to them because it’s how they communicate with each other.  Horses don’t pull each other around, they push each other around.  They “get” that.  If we use more of that language in our training program and less of the pull-toy concept we will be much more highly effective as riders and in solving training issues.

Don’t get into the mindless habit of relying on your hands to make your horse do something.  Instead, lightly set your hands as a guide through the reins and push your horse up into that contact.  If he fights you, stay soft with your hands and drive harder.  You’ll begin to feel him accept the contact and guide from your hands as he moves forward with cadence and confidence.

We can fix so many “problems” with horses in just a short time by implementing the push-toy philosophy. Contact, collection, slowing down, stops, turns, you name it the push-toy concept applies to all maneuvers in any discipline and it starts in the very first ride.  It’s how people can ride their horses bridleless; how eventers master their course and reiners score a plus 1.5 in their spins.  It’s how dressage riders transition from the canter or trot to the piaffe – they don’t pull their horses there, they push them forward into a hold defined by feel.

I’m always excited to see the change in people that come to our clinics when they begin to implement the push-toy concept on their horses.  They can’t believe the difference it makes in the way their horses respond and how it fixes specific problems they’ve been having.  And, the best part about it – it’s never too late to introduce it to your horse.  Give it a try – believe me he’ll be grateful you did because he’ll finally “get” what you’re asking him to do.

CATRA, the Capital Area Therapeutic Riding Association, is a nonprofit organization located in Grantville, PA which provides  therapeutic horseback riding to people with disabilities. CATRA is run by Ben and Shirley Nolt  who just celebrated the organization’s 25th year helping disabled people improve their lives through interactions with horses, and other animals that live on the farm.  I first met Ben and Shirley several years ago when a former client introduced us.  Ben was looking for someone to train some of the horses used in the riding program at CATRA and after talking with us, sent two of his “big guys” to NLH^TM for training.  Nick and Dar were two draft crosses he had purchased for CATRA and they were the first in a line of many that have since come to NLH^TM for the start of their training or “tune-ups” to be suitable as partners for the special needs riders at CATRA.

“After 60 days they are right where we need them to be to continue to work with them at home. Understand that our horses are used in our work with handicapped riders, and need a good solid foundation” says Ben.  CATRA has many horses and they come in all shapes and sizes!  And each has a very specific purpose in the CATRA program.  The NLH^TM Training Program  has helped build better horses for CATRA; ones that know their job and do it well to become reliable and steady mounts for their extremely precious riders.

Two of CATRA’s horses that have come through the NLH^TM Program remain particularly near and dear to our hearts.  Chip and Dale are two nearly look alike “minis” that required a bit of de-sensitization so that they could help special riders at CATRA.  Though small in stature, these two horses were quite quick to react to many things unnecessarily and needed to be become more reliable and quiet in their interactions with people.  We spent a lot of time getting them used to many things that they may encounter at CATRA and in teaching them to be willing and submissive as opposed to distracted and over assertive.  Part of their training included hobbling and laying them down so that they learned to be soft, patient and very trusting of people hovering about them.  Brooke did much of the training on these two “little guys” and found riding them to be great fun!

At NLH^TM we always look forward to working with CATRA horses.  And we are happy to know that our work is benefiting many people through the pleasure and the therapy that these horses then give to their riders every day.

For more information on CATRA, please visit them at online at www.catra.net.

Do you feel like you have the versatility and flexibility that you’re looking for with the horse you have now?  You can by making a few changes in your training program.  At Next Level Horsemanship^TM we build the Foundation, from the Ground Up.  It’s important that horses have a strong Foundation in training before being asked to perform beyond their capabilities. Then they will be prepared to succeed in any discipline.

Think of training horses as an inverted pyramid.  For a horse to be well trained and versatile the bulk of the area of the pyramid should be filled with solid principles of training based on good horsemanship theory, no matter what discipline you want to pursue.  At the bottom are the basic elements of training that have to be there for any horse understand the Partnership that’s about to unfold with people.  As you move up the inverted pyramid it becomes filled with the basic and more intermediate and advanced elements of training that all horses need to Perform in any discipline.  Finally, at the very top and widest portion of the inverted pyramid we can fine tune or finesse the maneuvers for specific disciplines.  This is where all of the Possibilities unfold!

If you have the pyramid filled in with solid training principles, it’s easy to cross from one side to the other and span many disciplines in between.  If not, trying to be versatile is nearly impossible; it’s like asking your horse to swim across a raging river!

If you want a versatile horse, you need to add versatility to your training program from the ground up.  Many people refer to this as ‘cross-training’ but at NLH^TM versatility is something that we have built into our Program at each level of the pyramid.  We expose our horses to many things early in their training including long lining and harness work, obstacles, trail riding, and even trick training. Teaching your horse something new will help him become better both mentally and physically to excel at maneuvers in general.  As they progress in their training, we like to ask them to perform maneuvers in different ways.  For example, we may ask our horses to turn in a 360 degree spin and then ask for a turn on the haunches in the classic dressage style.  By ‘cross training’ your horse you add to your horse’s overall training and make him better at what you really want to do.  And if you teach the various maneuvers correctly, you will enhance their training and not dilute it.

Many people drill their horses on the same thing day in and day out without any variation in the regimen.  For sure that will teach your horse how to ride a particular way but it will also lock him in to a particular way of thinking and doing.  Horses can excel in multiple disciplines which means they are very capable of learning many things as well as different ways of doing various maneuvers.

So ‘Kick it Up’ with your horse!  Build the basics of the training pyramid and along the way spice things up with your horse by adding something new to his training routine or a different way of doing the same ‘old’ thing.

Photo: Sharon Gladski

May 16th to July 26th…a lot has happened with Viggo in his gentling and training in the two and half months since he arrived at NLH^TM!  With less than 7 weeks remaining until the competition in September we are moving into the final phases of our training – at least for the short term. Viggo will continue his training at NLH^TM beyond the competition for sure, but because he’s had such a solid Foundation from our training Program, he has advanced SO far already.  I was riding him on the trail the other day, listening to music on my I-phone and trying to get a feel for what songs will suit his tempo and way of going to use for our freestyle performance in the finals at the Supreme Extreme Mustang Makeover in TX.  As we trotted and galloped seamlessly in the wide open fields, it occurred to me how nice this horse really is.  I LOVE his strides and the constant reminder with every footfall of how proud he is of his own accomplishments.  Every day he has more and more confidence in his newfound relationship with me and with his owner -  who more and more everyday steps deeper into his life as well.  I was compelled to stop the music and call Leslie to share my feelings.  I simply said “I Love Your Horse!”

It’s amazing how horses can make you feel SO good.  They are truly therapeutic in many ways and on this day as I rode on the mountain with Viggo and gazed out over all the beauty of nature in the valleys around me, I was blessed by the breathtaking views and the feeling of freedom and bliss that riding adds to enjoying what nature has to offer.  I enjoy so many horses in this way.  But there is something special about the mustangs.  They are somehow different and likely that is associated in some way with the bond that is established with us during the gentling process, but also with the closeness they share with nature as well.  Somehow they realize it belongs to them and they relish in its’ beauty, I believe, as much as we do. And you can sense that unequivocally when you ride them.

Much like I would love to have about 12 or 15 different vehicles in my garage…to pull out and drive when the mood struck just for fun, it’s great having a variety of horses to work.  Each one has so much to offer and each is completely unique in their own style and way of going.  But, when I ride the mustangs, it’s like pulling out that haughty sports car…the one that gives you a sense of freedom on the road in a package combined with power, thrilling sensations, and just enough attitude to make you smile.
This horse, Viggo, who once felt compelled to charge me in fear 2 months ago when first being gentled, is now a trusting Partner full of life and zest in his new-found relationship with humans and he’s ready to Perform in ways that are suited to helping humans improve their lives. I look forward to the days when Leslie begins to ride him and to helping her enjoy the feelings that Viggo gives me when I ride him everyday!

Wow! Do you ever feel just like your summer is just flying away?  I mean every two weeks we write our blogs and it seems like every two days!  The fact is that at NLH^TM, TIME FLIES!  So I’m going to give all of you a little ‘mini’ update of what has been happening in the  past couple of weeks.

So first my mom and I went down to Tennessee to do a clinic for some of our good friends that compete in the mustang challenge with us, Chase and Kerri Dodd.  So that was really fun, we took two of my horses, Jamie and Jacuzzi.  They were both just little gems.  We got there late at night and unloaded the two horses then went to bed for just three whole hours! W e got up and started setting up our booth for the clinic.  Then people started to arrive, the next morning.   We got introduced to all of the people attending the clinic.  Then we started.  Each demo was about three hours long and there were two going on at once at two places on the grounds.  There were four clinicians in all and my mom was one of them.  So we would do that in the morning then have lunch then switch off clinicians  and do the same thing in the afternoon.  We did that for two days.

A couple of weeks later we loaded up and went to a reining show with our reining bred horses.  We took my horse Jamie, Nikki, a reining horse that we are showing for a client, Kahula a two year old horse that we purchased at the Oklahoma reining sale in 2010, Durango, Lauren’s mustang that she made the top ten with at the 2009 Mustang Challenge, and then Sparrow and Viggo the two mustangs that Mom and Lauren are competing with in September at Texas.  We took Sparrow and Viggo just to get them used to going different places and get de-spooked to a lot of stuff too.  On the first day of the show I entered in two classes and I won the first class and the second one I got second in, and I was showing Jamie in both of them.  On the second day I got first again in my first class and  in my second class I got third instead of second.  I learned a lot and really like going to the shows because it gives me a chance to compete!

So I’m in a little fun club called Pony Club.  They held a camp at Center Hall and you can bring your own horse(s.)  I took Jamie and then later in the week we brought Apple Gray over, my little Shetland/Welsh pony.  He is amazing to jump too!  So anyway at camp you can receive lessons, play games on your horse/pony, go on trail rides, ect. and it is basically just a really fun time for you and your horse to bond together and to make lots of friends.  The camp was five days long total, but was defiantly a lot of fun, and worth it!

Tomorrow mom and I are going to go to another reining show.  We will stay there on Friday and over the weekend and take Jamie to show, Viggo, Kahula, and Cisco, just to get them out and about.  So I will keep all of you posted on how I do in that show!!

Have a great summer and try to beat the heat!