Letters of the Month

LETTER OF THE MONTH:

September 2007

Dearest Sylvia, I recently purchased your Whispering Way 12-Step Total Training System for my 12-year old daughter. She is a Level 2 [another NH trainer program] student. I bought her the [other trainer's] program when we bought her horse. It has been wonderful for them, but there was that special something that was missing. And then we found you! (We purchased her first horse six months ago. He is now 6 years old and has one brown eye and one blue eye.)...

We have absolutely fallen in love with you and your methods. This horse was in Hurricane Katrina at the young age of 3 years old. The breeder lost everything. The story goes they found this horse on a tiny mound of land surrounded by water. As fate would have it, he made his way to central Florida. Apparently the place he arrived was extremely cruel to him. He has scars on the back of his ears from their clipping techniques. He seemed to trailer load great. The first time we tried we understood why. He had been forced to load, he was absolutely terrified of the trailer. Because of the two of these incidents this horse was also absolutely terrified of blue tarps and clippers.

We had tried so many approach and retreats and a lot of sessions with other Natural Horseman Trainers with no success. This horse always seemed to be a nervous wreck after each session. However, we have been using your techniques for the past three weeks since purchasing your program and the difference is absolutely amazing! This week he paraded around with the blue tarp draped completely over him, and this morning, he walked across the tarp eight times, head lowered at ease. What a miracle! After struggling for six months. You are such a blessing!

We are still working on the "at ease with the clippers." We are using all of your bonding techniques and approach and retreats. This is a horse that was so ear shy when we purchased him that no one could touch his ears. After the purchase we found out that they had to drug him to clip him. The first time we turned on the clippers he got very wide eyed and began snorting. When I saw the scars on the back of his ears I understood why. We absolutely refuse to twitch or drug him to clip...I now have printed out some of your clipping advice from your website.

Thank you for everything that you do. As my daughter has said during the last three weeks every time that she and her horse pass through a threshold, "I love Sylvia!"

Keeping it natural,

K. & R. R.
Winter Haven, Florida

LETTER OF THE MONTH:

September 2007

Hi Sylvia! I watched your Round Pen Leadership and your Whispering Way 12-Step Total Training System DVDs (you are absolutely incredible!), set up the round pen, and am ready to get started on the training. I can hardly wait! Your instructions were very clear and easy to understand.

J. K. - Fairview, Tennessee

LETTER OF THE MONTH:

September 2007

Hi there Sylvia. I hope that you and your family, human, equine and canine are all doing very well. I wanted to tell you two things:

Firstly, that, whenever I have had a particularly tiring day at work, and decide that I need a break and a treat, I log onto your web site. It never fails to cheer me with the number of fascinating articles and stories, and the wonderful pics of your horses and your family. Thanks so much.

Secondly, I wanted to share the attached recently-taken picture of my little horse with you. I am so proud of it, and her. This is the little one who was so abused when she was younger, and whom your techniques have helped so incredibly. She has gone from a horse who kicked, bit and chased me frequently (embarrassing as well as painful and deeply worrying), to a horse who now longes beautifully, whom one can groom and touch all over her body, all in less than 8 months! The best part of the story is that now I can finally give her the affection that I have wanted to for 5 long years! She gets so proud when she does her routine well too, and one can see her wanting the approval. It is fantastic!

So a tremendous thank-you from both of us!

Have a wonderful evening and kindest regards,

N. G. - Pretoria, South Africa

LETTER OF THE MONTH:

September 2007

Dear Sylvia, I just wanted to take a moment this afternoon to write in thanks. My husband and I were not horse people, but when I volunteered on a rescue farm near here, we fell in love with two two-year-old fillies, the offspring of Premarin mares. At the farm, they were fed and provided shelter, but when we began, they were totally untouchable. We spent hours in the fields with them, and one day when I finally could lay hands on the little mare, I was massaging her neck and then upper legs when she lay her muzzle against me. We had never once thought of adopting...until that moment that is.

Through your work...we have come a long way -- I, my husband our mares, and our unexpected surprise of a little filly this last spring. I, who had little horse experience except as a kid--and none formal--spent the year reaching the peaks of my fear, and then going beyond those places with the help of individuals as yourself as I tried to work with the mares, from the very beginning, even to their allowing us to halter them.

And then this spring came the problem of lifting back hooves. The girls had always been drugged before for that. Our current farrier will not work on a horse that has been tranquilized and will not work on a horse that fights. I found in trying to prepare them, the two mares both took swipes at me, and I truly, truly respect the power those hind quarters can pack. I just did not know how to approach the problem. Even the woman where we boarded them at that time was not much help. She herself had once been kicked badly.

But then I found your information in your question and answer section of your web site. It opened doors for us. It gave me a way to handle my fears while working with theirs. It has actually taken a period of months for us, but today I trust the mares and I know through the process they have come to trust me more as well. Our mares and the little new filly, too, will hold those hooves up for minutes at a time now. We still have a ways to go before riding, though one of our mares has been under saddle three times now. We are grateful to these mares and the filly, not only for the added meaning they give our lives, but also for the gift of the wonderful people we have met--in person and through the written word--in our journey with them.

You have been one of those people. I just wanted to say thank you, and also for your great generosity in all you share on your web site. You have made a difference in our lives together. I know you must make a great difference for many others too — horses and their humans. Blessings on your work and life!! Sincerely and again so many thanks,

N. P. - Internet

LETTER OF THE MONTH:

September 2007

Good Afternoon Sylvia. Just wanted to shoot you a quick email and ask you if your ears were burning over the weekend? Some friends of mine and I were sitting around the campfire talking about you. I was telling my friends about all the help you have given me with my horse. We had recently gone trail riding with them and they couldn't believe the changes in my horse (all my hard work did pay off!). I told them that I swear by you and your Round Pen Leadership and your Whispering Way 12-Step Total Training System videos were awesome! So I lent them to my friends to watch. They were having trouble round penning one of their horses and they had emailed you and you had given them some great advice (as usual) and we were all sitting around talking about what a great person you are, that you are really out there to help people bond with their horses, and how knowledgeable you are and are so willing to share that information at no charge, and how much we all appreciated it. There are not many people in this world like you, Sylvia. Keep up the great work, because I know you have touched many people and horses' lives. Just wanted to let you know how appreciative we all are for it.

Well, anyway, this message was just another quick thank you for all the great advice and for so openly sharing all your knowledge with us less knowledgeable horse people so we can have a great relationship with our horses.

P.S. Just to let you know...my friends swear by you now, too! But I already knew that. Take care,

T. B. - Greenville, Ohio

If you have a horse problem or question and you

don't see it addressed in TRAINING TIPS or if you

would like to share your success story with our

natural horsemanship training methods...

Contact Sylvia Scott

Email: Sylvia@NaturalHorseTraining.com

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