Hello horse lovers,

I am not a "natural horsemanship" trainer. I am a all around gentle good Horsemanship trainer. For the past 10 plus years, I have set out to teach people that, you can do anything with a horse by teaching through gentle methods. I do not believe in "boss mare" methods and 3 seconds to smack a horse! I have been successful in turning around even the most vicious horses, or the most sour. I have been a trainer and blacksmith, of all types of horses and have saved 1000's of horses from ill fates by my gentle methods. Many have gone on to become stake horses in racing, or top horses in their field, all by being taught how to do what is ASKED of them. The key word being ASKED.

Did you know you could ruin a horse for life just in the first handling with him. What you do to a young horse can stay with them forever!

For years I have heard that there is no wrong way to train a horse. After over 20 years of training different horses of different breeds, and disciplines, I have come to the conclusion they are wrong! If you are training your horse with abusive methods it is wrong! If you are teaching your colt to be handled and lead with force you are wrong! If you are teaching your colt to pick up his legs in a rough fashion you are wrong!

If you want your horse to enjoy their life, then abusive or rough methods are not the answer! A competitive horse will not perform to his ability if started with abuse. Sometimes abuse comes in different forms. It may simply be by rushing your horse along and scaring him with the things you are doing. He will become resentful later on or unwilling at the time or in the future! I watched as a trainer brought some thoroughbred and standard bred colts home from sale, immediately the next day put them in cross ties in the isle, and harnessed them. Many of the colts flipped or hit their head on the ceiling. Many went out and line drove, but you could tell they were scared to death and were real resentful. Later in about two weeks, they became worse and almost to the point of shutting down. If you scare a colt early, most of the time it will hurt you later. The colt learns to hate his life and becomes sulky!

You don’t have to buck one out or beat one up to break him! If you teach him step by step to accept the saddle weight and you above his head, he will ride good from the get go, and enjoy it! If we would spend time brushing and combing and bonding with the horse at what ever age you are going to handle them, they will enjoy their life at whatever it is. So don’t break your horse the wrong way! Take time, use some good horse sense and good sense, to create the animal I know you want to have whether it is for competition or show or just pleasure your percentage of a better animal will increase with some kindness and care.

Many trainer's believe in desensitization techniques. I do not! This is where most people get in trouble with a problem horse spooky horse or young unbroken horse. The problem with desensitizing is this.... You teach a horse to be scared first and calm second (not good)! 

When most people can't get a horse over spooky issues (I do a lot of) they desensitize! It doesn't work. I simply show a horse something and stop at the very point he shows me it is scary - before he gets scared I pet him. STEP ONE REASSURANCE. Then I move it, or walk him to it, or line drive him etc.... to that point again.  If he goes to the same point and is not scared, I accomplished STEP TWO TRUST.  I then move it or him closer to the thing or object and stop at the very point of scared, and pet and calm him showing him he can trust me and has nothing to fear!  STEP THREE CONFIDENCE!  With these three things alone all things will become unscarey and he will be confident, sure, and unspooky. Soon he will take care of you the rider in different situations.

With a horse that has become defensive from someone's mistreatment or lack of experience in how to treat a horse, it is important to take away aggression by not being aggressive yourself. I know Clinton Anderson, Pat Parelli, and most all of the clinicians will tell you that you have to be the "boss" of your horse. This is wrong! I have fixed several 100 horses that had problems from this type training!

Here is a link to a filly whose owners were told to be the "boss mare" and that would stop the behavior.  Instead she was only getting worse!  She was to the point of running them out of her stall and pen!  She ended up putting the daughter in critical care with a kick to the chest.

This video is the second day with the filly at my place, my first day working with the horse. 

                            Click here to view the day 1 video on YouTube

She was taking both feet and just firing the first two days.  I will post her again in a few days. to show what a little love will do to fix a horse gone bad!

Here is what the owners wrote about this filly:

FIRST!! She's a crazy nut, but the SMARTEST horse I have ever been around. One day she is COMPLETELY fine but the next...INSANE. I stopped working with her when she sent me to the trauma unit all because she didn't want me in the field cleaning her water. Although you may believe that she has been abused, I can guarantee that she has had no such thing under our care.

In this video, I've had her 3 days and have not shown her aggression. I have been consistent in being gentle and kind to reassure her that she does not have to be defensive or protective!

This video is the fifth day, four days working with the horse.

                           Click here to watch the day 5 video on YouTube

This is a video of Bill riding "Miss B." who he is currently training.  She is the sister of "Lawyer Ron" who has won over 3 million dollars. 

Click on the arrow on the left to play.  Slide the button back to play again.

Below is a horse I just started who was severely mistreated as a weanling and she would come at you mouth open, striking and kicking both. Now she is a big pet at almost 16 hands as a 2 yr old. All with gentle care and showing her what is expected of her not forced or bossed into it.

Two years ago a man called me to come to Alabama to fix some thoroughbred that they started. They tried breaking them and they all were stopping, flipping, bucking, and lying down, Right now 7 of the 8 are currently racing, after I used my kind methods to fix them. Cash Storm won her second life start, and they all enjoy running now! Zirrito has won 5 races all ready!                                                  

Minnaloushe's girl is another race horse that I started and trained with my kind methods.  Here are some current statistics on her.

Next Post 4:48 Off: 4:22 | 1 Mile (Turf) | 3 Year Olds | Maiden Special Weight | Purse: $20,000

# Horse Jockey Weight Win Place Show

5 Sister Dolores Martinez J R Jr 120 43.00 17.20 10.00

10 Minnaloushe's Girl Galviz W 120 15.20 7.40

9 Santa Fe Sally Montalvo C 120 5.00

Times in 5ths: :232 :483 1:14 1:264 1:394

Times in 100ths: :23.46 :48.61 1:14.01 1:26.98

1:39.86

March 25, 2008 - Scat Soohey at Tampa Bay Downs.

Bill's latest wins with Scat Soohey at Ellis