Alex and Annie
Alex has been working with my young mare for what must be around 18 months now and I am really delighted with her work and how Annie has come on in leaps and bounds (sometimes literally!). From a sassy 3 year old she has matured into a level headed, willing mare that loves her work.
Alex has been very patient and has taken it slowly so as not to overwhelm Annie and by doing so I have a confident, well mannered mare ready to go on in any sphere.
I can highly recommend Alex and wouldn’t go to any one else for help with any of my horses.
Andrea Wolf
Kira and Rachel Jordan
“I contacted Alex for help when I began to have problems with my very green welsh cob. She had been spooked in the woods while hacking a few times, and it had become almost impossible to hack her out alone, even though she was making pleasing progress in other areas such as schooling. I was really puzzled and at a loss as to how to resolve the problems we were having.
Alex has a patient, calm and sensitive approach and won the trust of my pony very quickly, both in the saddle and on the ground. With her help and support I feel that I could understand the reasons for the behaviour that I was struggling with. Alex has shown me some different techniques to deal with the problems as well as how to defuse difficult situations. As a result she has increased the confidence and harmony between myself and my pony. I would not hesitate to contact her again in the future.”
Rachel Jordan
Helen Baker and Deej
“My 15 year old Spanish gelding has never been easy to clip. Over the years this situation has worsened to the extent I have had to use veterinary sedation. This has worked out costly due to having the vet on site and the sedation itself would only allow around 40 minutes for a full clip. I also hated the thought of intravenous sedation. It seems quite drastic! With the chance of the issue worsening over time, and because I really didn’t want to have to rely on drugs, I was keen to find someone to clip my horse who would perhaps like to try working with him to remove his fear.
I was nervous, in the past, I’ve had broken fingers where my boy has decided to flip when he sees the clippers. Having recently moved to the area I wasn’t sure if anyone offered such a service so asked around and was introduced to Alex.
Alex spent some time getting to know me and my horse. She then dedicated herself to my boy. Walking around with him, she was gentle but consistent with her approach so he absolutely understood the boundaries and listened to her. He uses food as a distraction and Alex picked up on this straight away. It was fascinating to watch and my nerves also subsided as I saw how he responded so calmly to her requests. After an hour Alex was able to clip his bib and belly. She didn’t want to do too much too soon, it was better he had a nice experience and we tackled more at a later date. At one point my usual agitated horse was actually asleep! Thank you Alex for taking the time to show him, and me, that clipping can be a relaxing experience. I would recommend Alex to anyone but especially to those people and horses that need some help because in the past they have been scared by twitching, sedation, brute force or other means! It may take a little time but the rewards are so worth it.”
Helen Baker
Shower and Hilary Boughton
Shower is a 4 year old TB x WB type who was rescued by the RSPCA as an abandoned 4 week old foal at foot. His Mum had to be anaesthetised and Shower was kept in a private boarding yard for a year. I gave him a home when he was a yearling and found him to be well handled and friendly, but quite dominant and rather cheeky!
Despite his dominant character, he lacked confidence in many situations. I tried to improve this by introducing him to horse agility, which he loved. I backed him as a 3 year old, and he hacked out beautifully on his own for the first month. For reasons unknown, he then had a confidence crisis and became extremely nappy. This gradually developed into a serious rearing habit, which on one occasion resulted in him rearing up over a five bar gate with me on him and he came crashing down onto his side. I bought him a new saddle to ensure a good fit and had a full veterinary assessment to check for pain issues.
It was difficult for me to admit defeat because I have always backed and ridden away my own youngsters. I realised that I needed help so Shower spent a month away from home in a professional training yard. Unfortunately, he returned in a terribly traumatised state. He was now bad tempered and I could only lead him in a Chifney. He panicked wildly if he caught sight of the mounting block and riding him was out of the question.
After being turned away for the winter, I started long reining him, but he was still very difficult. Alex was recommended to me by a friend, whose nappy horse she had helped with the previous year. Shower clearly needed help and Alex was able to come to my yard to train him. This was a perfect arrangement because I felt that Shower needed to learn to behave normally at home. Also, I needed to learn how to deal with his behaviour.
Shower immediately responded well to Alex. He actually seemed relieved to have finally found a person who understood him!
Alex showed me the importance of increasing Shower’s confidence by breaking things down into a series of small, easy tasks. This enabled him to mentally cope with what was being asked without becoming too worried or upset.
On the day of Alex’s first visit I couldn’t lead Shower out of the yard. Following her visits, I am able to mount unaided and ride him out of my yard on my own for the short circuits that we have practised without any napping or rearing. Alex has given me the tools to deal with any situations I may encounter and she has shown me the importance of remaining calm. This, apparently obvious, advice makes a huge difference to the way Shower responds. Alex doesn’t just tell you to keep calm, she shows you how to achieve it.
She has also taught me the importance of returning Shower to ‘low pressure’ areas immediately after he has been taken into a ‘high pressure’ area, allowing him to release any built up tensions.
I am delighted with the improvements in Shower’s behaviour. He is a happier horse since meeting Alex and, hopefully, will continue to progress with her help. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend her to anyone who needs help with their horse.
Hilary Boughton
Guthrie McGruer and George
Although I had ridden occasionally I had never had any formal riding lessons and I’d had a couple of falls which knocked my shaky confidence. Now in my 60s it was now or never if my wife Gaynor, an experienced life long rider, and I were ever going to be able to hack out together in the wonderful forest tracks of the Wye Valley. Alex was there at the beginning when I had the opportunity of taking a 16-year-old cob on long term loan last year. George was a handful, strong and forward going but a lovely fella really and with Alex’s help and perseverance he and I have made a lot of progress. Alex has given me the confidence to overcome my initial timidity through patience and understanding, repeating techniques and aids with skill and care so that I do now feel I have formed a bond with a horse I would have probably otherwise given up on. Alex is immensely knowledgeable, sensitive to the needs of horse and rider and completely professional in her approach. I could not recommend Alex too highly for training novice riders and forward going horses !
Guthrie McGruer
Cecilia Lindberg
“Alex has been my guide and advisor through several horses, and it’s been
invaluable having her input right from the start, as each new horse
arrives. Over the last three years, she has helped me bring on my young
Arab, turning a lively yearling into a well behaved, confident and
positive ridden horse. Alex involves the owner in everything, from
general handling to the initial preparatory work and through to the
ridden work: I know exactly what my horses have been doing and why.
She’s also my go-to person when it comes to problem solving, such as
loading, fear of specific things, problems when riding out, or handling
issues. Alex is particularly good at pointing out how one’s own
behaviour affects the outcome of any interaction with the horse, and how
to improve the relationship with your horse, explaining clearly what to
do to.”
Cecilia Lindberg
Karren Smith
“Alex came strongly recommended as a sensitive and patient horse trainer. My horse lacked confidence and refused to leave the yard, often napping and using his weight against me. Alex took the time to understand him and encourage him to be brave, so now he hacks out alone and can deal with new situations. More than this, Alex has taught me how to be brave too by giving me the understanding of how to anticipate and read my own horse and the techniques to deal with problem behaviour. Alex is a compassionate, professional, knowledgeable trainer and friend; she has helped me develop a trusting bond with my horse and given me the confidence and skill to take charge. Alex is a phenomenal teacher and has advised me about all aspects of horse ownership and riding. I would highly recommend her to anyone wanting to understand their horse and manage behaviour ethically.”
Karren Smith