Horses and Dogs
I’ve been training dogs for 35 years now, professionally for 25 years. Prior to that, I did my share of riding as well. In my teenager years, I showed competitively in Hunter/Jumper and dressage, pretty hard core. In fact, in my first show with my first horse, I beat 3 of my riding instructors in Hunter/Jumper. I still look at that in total astonishment! In several big shows back in Michigan I won High Point Champion winning in both Hunter/Jumper and dressage. I had a very difficult horse that was not from champion stock, but rather a big grade palomino horse my parents bought for me for a $1. Yup. I had two sisters in college and my parents had just built a new house, so family finances were a little tough even though my father was a GM Executive. My mother even saved $7.50 out of the grocery money for me to have lessons every week! The manager of the ranch where I rode realized our financial situation, and the situation with Sam (my soon to be horse) in needing someone to ride and love him. When the opportunity arose for me to have my own horse, my parents jumped on it. He was sound, mostly. But, I learned how to ride a very difficult horse in order to get him over 5 foot fences! He was no push button horse.
