| Howdy Larry!
Funny you called, I had this written in my journal, maybe
you can use it, maybe not. Hope everything is going good,
and I hope to talk to you soon.
I purchased a green 3 yr. old Mustang mare a year prior
to meeting Larry Jeffery. I would take her on trails once
in a while, mainly just ride in the arena where it was safe,
and where I could "train" her. Everything seemed to be going
o.k. until one day "out of the blue" she started acting
up. She would begin getting antsy on trail rearing, bucking,
etc. If we were with other horses, she would be more interested
in them than with me. I could no longer take her down any
steep trails. She would buck taking me down any path that
was too steep for her. She would run, full speed up any
incline. I also couldn't ride on any days after a windy
storm, for there would be twigs and sticks on the trail
that would pose a problem for her.
Since I basically couldn't ride on trail, I decided to ride
in the arena. But now tying her up became a problem. She
would dance around instead of letting me tack her up. It
escalated to the point where I had her fully saddled, and
she pulled back so hard she broke 3 leather halters, 1 lead
rope, and permanently damaged the brand new western saddle
I just bought. I was scared to ride my own horse. I had
no motivation to even see her at this point because she
was causing me more sadness than happiness.
After falling off and breaking my wrist, I decided to either
sell her to a cannery, or bite the bullet and pay for some
serious training.
I had heard of Larry through several horsemen that I respected.
I got his number and gave him a ring. On the other end was
a soft, kind, and somewhat weathered voice. He listened.
He asked me what she was doing, how I was doing, and what
to do till I got help. He struck me as someone who understood
horses better than most people. Why? Because he was very
interested in my rantings about my problems with my horse.
He didn't try to sell me on any "fix it" gimmicks, he just
stood on the other line, quietly letting me go on and on.
Right up front he told me he needed 1-3 months to work with
her. The price was right and I was making plans the next
day to trailer her out.
One month later, when I came to pick her up, I was truly
amazed. She didn't quite look like my horse, it looked more
like another sorrel horse out there cantering, stopping,
and ground tying. I walked up a little closer and sure enough,
it was my Ginger. She was standing perfectly still, eyes
focused. I could see a change in her demeanor. She looked,
how can I put this....mature. Like she had figured out what
it was to be a real horse. Like she had graduated from horsy
high-school. We loaded her into the trailer, and teary-eyed,
I told Larry I was thankful. I was excited to get her home,
but deep down inside I was fearful that she would revert
back to her old ways and become unmanageable. I decided
to stick to a regimen, and work with her everyday, and try
to better myself as a horsewoman.
We unloaded her from the trailer and to this day, six months
later, we are closer than ever! We are a team. We do 1st
level dressage, obstacle courses, trailer to new locations
and even go on camping trips. I am now able to enjoy my
horse, and work with her as a partnership. I never miss
a day to go up and ride. I am no longer scared to ride my
horse. I am no longer fearful that she will rear or buck
me off. I have confidence, through working with Larry and
learning to be a better rider, that everything is manageable.
There is nothing your horse won't or can't do for you. They
are willing creatures, and most importantly forgiving. If
I hadn't taken her to him when I did, she would've never
made it. I have Larry to thank for giving me back the joy
that is horse ownership.
Melissa Berntsen
Los Angles, California
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