3rd Alumni Women's Camp Testimonies

The third Alumni Women’s Confidence Leadership Camp was Oct. 2-6th 2008 and the gals say it was the best one ever. Here are a few comments:

Thank You Sherry for all your preparation and commitment to our Women's camp. You really put your heart and soul into it this year, and I felt it was just perfect.

I love the Sandhills , mix that with my horse, furthering my horse knowledge and horse friends and I am in heaven.

I enjoyed learning new patterns. Now I understand the purpose of the patterns. Horses are pattern animals. Now I understand more clearly accepting "Good", and not just "good enough". And staying with the task until he is relaxed doing it.

Camp was awesome as usual-thanks to Sherry for mentoring and guiding us. A person really does learn tons of stuff about yourself (the great, the good, the bad, and the ugly) and lots of stuff about your horses.

I was really impressed with the leaps and bounds upward each of us has made and celebrated {and there were lots!} but more importantly how we hold each other accountable for positive progress, how we hold each other up when it's needed, and how we can share what we do have.

I only wish I could do camp more often. There is nothing like focused time on partnership with your horse.

Thank you for the nice thank you note. I loved the picture of me and Lexie on it! I would like to get one of that blown up. It really shows how far Lexie and I have come! I enjoyed this camp the most. I felt confident for once in my abilities and my horses abilities.

I really appeciated the private lesson format and the assessments. It made me take a good look at myself and even though I dreaded it I was pleasantly suprised by what I can actually do with my horse.

Every single time I've gone out since camp she's caught me. I don't push or force anymore, or grab when I can because I might not get the chance to again!! I let her decide to be with me. The other night I thought maybe we wouldn't get to ride because she kept changing her mind about staying with me. But then I thought, banish those thoughts from your mind, so what if you don't get to ride! That isn't the goal here! And wouldn't you know it she decided right at that moment to hook up with me!! It is so very very rewarding, words can't even describe my happiness, to see the changes in my horse because I have changed in my attitude, in my very being. And all for the better, all for the good, that even makes it worth even more to me!! Her placing her trust in me is the most best compliment she could ever give me, the best reward, and one I will guard and nurture with all that is within me. I can only think of one thing that would be even better: the feeling you must get knowing that your students and their horses are experiencing this partnership and that you had a hand in helping us do that! Thank you for that!! I will be forever grateful for this awesome, life changing experience.

I'd like to add that investing those dollars on riding lessons, clinics, or camps with Sherry regularly has a sneaky, surprise benefit in that you become better in dealing with people too, from casual acquaintances to your most personal relationships. Of course, my horses, mules, & I are absolutely enjoying the progress I'm making in horsemanship with Sherry's guidance and my perseverance.

Thank you for all your work preparing for Camp. The personaized notebook and materials, the cookie bag for my horse, making out a schedule, the obstacle courses outside, but especially for your always ready smile, positive attitude, your ever "upward and onward" striving to set and attain goals, and for the incredible vision to do what you're doing for those of us who have a passion for horses.
Thanks for sharing your "Gift",

Thank you for your kind words of support. You made my heart swell with pride. I took Dandy out in the hay field about 1/2 mile from my house on Friday and with some nice little incentive patches to eat on while he "rested" he was offering to canter on that weak side of his and it was wonderfully soft and collected. It continues to amaze me how collected and soft he can be when there is positive motivation. He is so smart. It only takes one reward before he learns the system and pretty soon he is offering to canter and then looking at me with those soft eyes asking if he can stop and eat again. It is just plain comical. By the end, I was getting almost two full circles at the canter on both sides. I have learn so much from you and you keep me moving in the right direction. Keep doing what you are doing---

I wanted to tell you that I got on my horse for the first time from the ground (the big quarter horse mare) using the mounting that you taught me. It is a lot less painful on my hips and I have been able to be a lot more comfortable getting on and off the horse. This is the first time since I got hurt that I have been able to do that without pain. I never would have realized that changing position would make such a major difference. Thank you.

Just wanted to say Thanks! for working to get the workshop at BKT stables set up last month. I really learned a lot, and have enjoyed new things to work on. I was able to ride Dominic (with the new saddle) for a couple of hours last night with a gal here at the stables. She is a pretty experienced rider, and I thought it was so nice of her to offer to buddy up. We stayed in the arena mostly, but even went out around the pens and barns -- walking and trotting. Actually, once I was up and on Dom, I felt a lot better about riding -- nice to have a saddle that fits!
But thanks again. I hope I will be able to join up with you again at a workshop!

Thanks for the fun time at camp. Brody is behaving very well now from after camp. Kelsey had a good time too.

Join our Yahoo Chat group to read more reports about the camp and get support and encouragement from other horse lovers seeking to enhance their horsemanship experience.

The camp and clinic schedule for 2009 will be out in the Nov. newsletter. So start planning now for a horse vacation which will give you a new perspective and confidence about your horsemanship which will take you to even more success and fun with your horse.

Horsemanship is a lifetime endeavor. The more we learn and experience the more artistic we can become in our expression of movement with the horse and the happier and more willing the horse will be.

Horse ownership is for fun, recreation and personal growth. Making the right investment to help insure less frustration and more safety will put the joy back into the experience. That is an invaluable gift.

Spending hard earned dollars on riding lesson, a clinic or camp may sound like a self indulgent luxury.  But, without coaching on a regular basis, the best professional athletes admit their performances begin to deteriorate.  At an amateur level, your investment in riding lessons will create personal joy and yield measurable progress in your goal to become the best rider and horseman you can be.  Isn't that what you expect?