Testimonials
"When I first met Sarah, I considered myself a little knowledgeable about Natural Horsemanship. Since I have been working with her for the last six months, I have realized how much more there was to learn!
Moose and I were at the end of our rope. He had thrown me twice, breaking bones in both occurrences. My confidence was at an all time low. Since winter was approaching, I decided I would give the two of us the winter to make something of ourselves or sell him in the spring.
Sarah worked on Moose understanding his boundaries. He couldn’t bite anymore and he had to be respectful of humans, always. Boy, was that a big undertaking. Here was a 17.2 hand Hanoverian who had been spoiled in his past. He had no idea what boundaries were.
Six months later, I feel MUCH more confident with my horse. I feel like we have a better partnership. The biting is nearly completely gone, and his ground manners are lovely.
If you ever feel like you are at the end of your rope, give Sarah a call. She is patient (with both the horse AND me). She is kind and SO very encouraging."
Denny
"Some advice for all who have had the privilege of knowing and loving horses - Don’t hesitate to ask for help when trying to communicate with your horse.
Denny, a Gypsy Cob, came into my care as a young ‘immigrant’ from Ireland. He was close to 3 years old when he made the trip to the United States. There was no history on how he was handled prior to his arrival in the States, but this young gelding was trusting, compliant, underfed, and contending with various medical and worming issues. After 30 days of quarantine, Denny arrived at North View Farm, his intended destination, where he enjoyed a year of pasture and some beginning training by me.
It became clear early on that Denny would be agreeable to his training only whenever he chose. After attempting to train Denny in basic manners and riding - I realized that he did not understand what was being asked of him and was now becoming unpredictable in his behavior and reactions. There developed a conflict in understanding between Denny and me. Misbehaviors in the barn, resistance on the trail, and some off-putting attitudes. I needed help for Denny’s future and my safety.
After auditing a Natural Horsemanship Training session at White Oak Equestrian Center, I was introduced to Sarah Sheehy and her considerate and holistic way of communicating with horses. I placed Denny in training with Sarah before his negative behaviors had the chance to escalate.
Denny was presented to Sarah with the following issues: no respect for personal space, no understanding of herd behavior, no respect for authority, no patience, and a lack of balance in his gaits. At the completion of his first three months of training, we had astonishing results! All issues surrounding ground handling were successfully addressed. He was a softer, supple horse showing respect for all who handle him. During the fourth month of training, Sarah involved me with Denny as his schooling progressed.
Sarah worked with Denny and me as a team both in ground work and under saddle. This collaborative approach restored my confidence in not only riding, but in developing a connectedness with my horse. We continued to progress under saddle while riding in group sessions and individually. Riding Denny as a pleasure horse became a reality!
Denny’s successful development has much to do with Sarah’s ability to find a connection to the horse so the horse understands what is being asked of him. In the future I will place Denny back in training with Sarah, both for my development as a rider and a refresher course on natural training techniques.
Through Sarah Sheehy’s horsemanship and training, a remarkable, willing Gypsy will be seen as the sociable family horse that he is, and the family is gifted with a great, long term, safe relationship with the Gypsy.
Thank you Sarah for bringing back the smile and enjoyment to everyone in Denny’s extended family."
-Pat Martin
Denny, a Gypsy Cob, came into my care as a young ‘immigrant’ from Ireland. He was close to 3 years old when he made the trip to the United States. There was no history on how he was handled prior to his arrival in the States, but this young gelding was trusting, compliant, underfed, and contending with various medical and worming issues. After 30 days of quarantine, Denny arrived at North View Farm, his intended destination, where he enjoyed a year of pasture and some beginning training by me.
It became clear early on that Denny would be agreeable to his training only whenever he chose. After attempting to train Denny in basic manners and riding - I realized that he did not understand what was being asked of him and was now becoming unpredictable in his behavior and reactions. There developed a conflict in understanding between Denny and me. Misbehaviors in the barn, resistance on the trail, and some off-putting attitudes. I needed help for Denny’s future and my safety.
After auditing a Natural Horsemanship Training session at White Oak Equestrian Center, I was introduced to Sarah Sheehy and her considerate and holistic way of communicating with horses. I placed Denny in training with Sarah before his negative behaviors had the chance to escalate.
Denny was presented to Sarah with the following issues: no respect for personal space, no understanding of herd behavior, no respect for authority, no patience, and a lack of balance in his gaits. At the completion of his first three months of training, we had astonishing results! All issues surrounding ground handling were successfully addressed. He was a softer, supple horse showing respect for all who handle him. During the fourth month of training, Sarah involved me with Denny as his schooling progressed.
Sarah worked with Denny and me as a team both in ground work and under saddle. This collaborative approach restored my confidence in not only riding, but in developing a connectedness with my horse. We continued to progress under saddle while riding in group sessions and individually. Riding Denny as a pleasure horse became a reality!
Denny’s successful development has much to do with Sarah’s ability to find a connection to the horse so the horse understands what is being asked of him. In the future I will place Denny back in training with Sarah, both for my development as a rider and a refresher course on natural training techniques.
Through Sarah Sheehy’s horsemanship and training, a remarkable, willing Gypsy will be seen as the sociable family horse that he is, and the family is gifted with a great, long term, safe relationship with the Gypsy.
Thank you Sarah for bringing back the smile and enjoyment to everyone in Denny’s extended family."
-Pat Martin
Romeo
"I can’t say enough good things about Sarah’s training. She helped me to restart my horse, who had some pretty big holes in his training, beginning with ground work for a foundation before moving on to under-saddle work. She has helped both me and my horse immensely. I have seen such positive changes in my horse and I have become a better horseperson, better able to understand and work with my sometimes-challenging thoroughbred.
Before Sarah’s training, my horse was spooky and reactive, easily set off by the unexpected (a plastic bag, a noise). He didn’t know basics like leading well, standing still for mounting, or giving to pressure. When being ridden, he was very tense, chomping on the bit constantly, and often feeling like a coiled spring, ready to explode. While he would often do what I asked him under saddle (walk, trot, canter, jump), if he got overwhelmed or scared, he would take off.
When I began taking lessons with Sarah, I didn’t know anything about natural horsemanship, but I knew that my horse needed a different approach. The training has really paid off; I now have a better connection with my horse, and the knowledge, awareness, and skills to work with him on my own (though I continue to have Sarah work with us regularly). My horse is now better equipped to handle the unexpected. Instead of being afraid of new things or changes to his environment, he is now more confident and curious. He has learned how to relax; to give to pressure; to stand quietly at the mounting block, for vaccinations, or for clipping. My horse is much happier and more well-adjusted."
-Valerie Burdette
Before Sarah’s training, my horse was spooky and reactive, easily set off by the unexpected (a plastic bag, a noise). He didn’t know basics like leading well, standing still for mounting, or giving to pressure. When being ridden, he was very tense, chomping on the bit constantly, and often feeling like a coiled spring, ready to explode. While he would often do what I asked him under saddle (walk, trot, canter, jump), if he got overwhelmed or scared, he would take off.
When I began taking lessons with Sarah, I didn’t know anything about natural horsemanship, but I knew that my horse needed a different approach. The training has really paid off; I now have a better connection with my horse, and the knowledge, awareness, and skills to work with him on my own (though I continue to have Sarah work with us regularly). My horse is now better equipped to handle the unexpected. Instead of being afraid of new things or changes to his environment, he is now more confident and curious. He has learned how to relax; to give to pressure; to stand quietly at the mounting block, for vaccinations, or for clipping. My horse is much happier and more well-adjusted."
-Valerie Burdette