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  Letter Of The Month: October, 2005

Dear Frank,

I just wanted to drop you a note and let you know what a wonderful job Bob Claymier did with my 7 year old Arabian mare. I bought her last fall from a breeder and sent her directly to a trainer in MD to start her under saddle. The person had her for 3 months and did a fine job of accustoming the horse to being under saddle in an indoor arena. I am primarily a trail rider, however and had asked her to take the horse out more, but it didn't happen. I have trained several green broke horses to the trail so was not worried about this one. In the spring, I began taking her out with my seasoned 10 year old gelding and she was nervous, but otherwise was doing fine. One day, while on the WO&D trail, some heavy equipment above us on adjacent trail was turned on just as we were passing underneath. It was a cherry picker with a person in the bucket using a chain saw to cut tree tops off, the branches then falling to the ground, and a wood chipper chopping up the branches. My gelding, whom a friend was riding, jumped forward, but immediately came to a stop when she checked him with the reins. My little mare, however was inconsolable. I am familiar with the one rein stop, and immediately implemented it. It didn't work in this instance. She just went around and around, sideways backwards, forwards, over the creek bank and back up again. We went every direction but up. It was one of the wildest rides I have had. The idiot construction workers who finally noticed the problem they had created, thankfully, shut the equipment off, and my mare came to a stop. I was sideways in the saddle with no stirrups. I completely lost my confidence and did not get back on her again. After several months of not doing anything with her, I decided to give her one last chance before selling her as a brood mare. I found Bob when looking for Arabian breeders in Virginia. My thought was someone who knows the Arabian breed would have the best chance of working with my mare. I noticed he was one of your certified trainers, and having heard good things about your training methods, decided to give Bob a try. He worked primarily on desensitizing her to obstacles and loud noises, and giving her lots of love and reassurance in the process. He also worked with me to show me what he was doing, and how to work with her when she came back home. He had me take her out on a trail ride where he "terrorized" us on that ATV of his! The little mare handled all just beautifully, and when something did frighten her, I put her into the one rein stop. This time, she actually came to a stop right away, turned her head to me for reassurance and petting, and relaxed. It was just amazing. I have had her out on six trail rides since she arrived back home, and have put her training to the test. We have been up and down very steep hills, one with the whole down hill area terraced with RR ties, a muddy ditch at the bottom, with a narrow foot bridge right next to where she had to cross. She managed the terraces fine, but was nervous about the ditch and bridge. I was too, as I feared she was going to take a big jump over it. I stopped her, took a few deep breathes, turned her head towards me, petted her forehead, then asked her to go over it. She very calmly WALKED over the ditch. I was just thrilled. I haven't run into any cherry pickers with chain saw wielding men in them yet, but the parking lots we park the trailer in are filled with bikers, loose dogs and running children. So far she has been good with all. Bob did such a good job with her I am taking my orphan foal (now a yearling) to him this week. It is time she is weaned from me and learns to respect a human's space. Anyhow, I just thought you would like to know the good job one of your trainer's is doing for you, and spreading YOUR good words of wisdom.

Sincerely,

Jeannie Jirucha

Frank - we met briefly during your seminar in Virginia near Page Turner's. I hope your travels have brought you many an adventure, but you've now rediscovered the comforts of home.

Rameous, the insecure percheron cross you assisted Page with is now a completely different animal. No longer low man on the totem pole, he is now quietly going out on the busy trails of Manassas Nat'l Battlefield Park here near Washington, D.C. Standing quietly for petting by oogling Park visitors, crossing streams, passing hikers, bikers, traffic & tractors, he is at times so calm I think he might stop and fall asleep. Thanks to your genius and my inability to give up, we are now closer than ever and loving OUR adventure which has been 6 years in the making! Pics attached.
Thanks again Frank. Till we meet again ~ Cynthia

Cynthia Royal

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