His protests to work were quite severe, he would half rear up whilst being asked to move into trot and really slam his front feet down. Even on the horse walker he would rear and buck.

I do manage to bond with my horses very quickly as i did with this horse, but the problems really stumped me.

I spoke to Melanie on many occasions to work out a training program for him, which i carried out exactly as discussed with Melanie.
Unfortunately he did not respond. My concerns and Melanie’s concerns were then, that he must have some underlying injury. I spoke to the Racehorse Trainer and the Vet that looked after him whilst racing, and sure enough he had suffered an injury so bad that he could not been ridden ever again. The injury was not evident in any way, and the trainer thought i had been made aware of this upon purchasing him, unfortunately i wasnt informed.

Melanie was an absolute Rock for me through this whole process, I had a gorgeous horse that couldnt be ridden and i was absolutely broken hearted.

Melanie sent me details of where i could purchase another ex-racehorse, but right at the last minute, Melanie told me that she had an ex-racehorse that she had retrained and was ready to be sold on.

I received photos of the horse and i fell in love with him instantly. Melanie’s yard is in Yorkshire and I am in Berkshire (approx 6 hours drive away), so I asked her if I could have him on loan for a month to try him out before I bought him. Bless her heart, she said “Yes”.

Before I knew it my horse was on the lorry and on his way down to me. He arrived late at night and it was dark so i couldnt really get a good look at him, but in the morning he greeted me through the yard gate.

What a gorgeous boy. I had my trial month and absolutely adored him, there was no way he was travelling 6 hours back to yorkshire. He was my boy now and will stay with me for the rest of his life.

I have now had this horse for 5 months and he is exactly as Melanie described and much more. He loves me so much and i love him so much, we have a great relationship and enjoy lots of quiet time together and lots of fussing and love.

We are now enjoying a life of dressage and practicing our show jumping.

I can honestly say if it wasnt for melanie i really dont know where i would be now.
She is the most decent, honest, trustworthy person i know. She willingly gave me advice over the phone, she willingly loaned me her horse to try with a view to buy. She gave me more confidence and self esteem, i have even passed my BHS stage 1.

If anyone has training issues melanie is definately the right person to contact, she is very successful in her training methods.

thank you Melanie – ive never met you, but we will be friends forever.

Deborah.

Her enthusiasm never faltered throughout, so when she reached her 12^th Birthday last June I gave her a challenge, I would allow her £500 to invest/trade in any way she wanted, and if she could turn this initial sum into £2000 before her 13^th Birthday then I would bring forward the time when we would start looking for her pony, to the date she fulfilled her challenge. She duly completed her challenge just after Christmas, having earned all the money herself without any gifts at all, save for the original £500…!!!

We looked at many ponies across the whole of East Anglia, when it looked like we might never find one we stumbled across “Smokey” a lovely 3-4 year old New Forrest x Connemara she was only about 5 miles from where we live. She had a lovely temperament and was gentle and easy to handle. After a couple of days thinking we bought her. Lucy soon began riding her and quickly fell in love with her new best friend. Everything was going along brilliantly; Lucy’s weekly lessons were now carried out on “The Smoke”. Things couldn’t be better if they were a fairy tale.

Then one day out of the blue Lucy was riding along side our farm track, when a white van went by too quickly and Spooked Smokey badly, she threw Lucy off and trampled her. Luckily Loo only suffered a bit of bruising and was ok. “The Smoke “however was particularly upset by all this and didn’t want anything to do with anybody….!!!   She became bad tempered, and over the next few weeks the pony that our daughter had so ably earned the right to own had turned into a vicious animal, that was both intimidating and unrecognisable as the lovely pony we had bought a month or so earlier.

. My wife and I are complete novices when it comes to our equine friends; we hadn’t even a solitary idea what to do. We do however have lots of friends who have ponies and horses but I quickly learnt that they all had different ideas, as to how to tackle the problem. My poor daughter in the meantime was pulled first one way then another, by all the competition to help…..!!! During this time Smoky was getting worse and worse, she was now unable to be ridden and was frightened of her own shadow. When faced with this, my daughter true to her character, dug her heals in and battled on, trying desperately to regain control and Smokey’s trust. With very little help from us she stayed determined and unwilling to give in. Tears were flowing freely now from a small girl that had laboured hard to earn her money, and had fulfilled her dream of one day getting her own pony. What would we do?  It was getting increasingly unsafe for anyone to go in the field with Smokey now and we had to tell Lucy to only go in when we could be there as well.

I decided we needed some impartial professional help, and we needed it straight away. I set about searching the internet for a trainer/behaviourist; it was there I first saw the name Melanie Watson. I looked her website up and was impressed with her work, and also that she had her mobile number readily available, I rang the number and straight away it was answered by a friendly Melanie who spoke with an accent that I instantly recognised as one from Humberside.

We booked an appointment for Melanie to come to our farm in Cambridgeshire and have a day with us training Smokey and more importantly our daughter Lucy. She was almost uncontrollable in her excitement and anticipation, when the day finally came.

I have to admit I was a little sceptical about one days training having much if any effect on this ever deteriorating situation. Ours was a situation of desperation though, and anything was worth trying. What was to follow though totally blew me away, within an hour or so Melanie had started to make progress, and by after dinner the pony was transformed. At no time was the pony hit or any cruelty dished out, better still my daughter was then trained to carry on the work in the coming weeks and months.

It has been just over a month now since Melanie’s visit and Smokey is improving all the time, Lucy spends many hours a week training and riding, not once have we seen any nastiness from our pony again.

Thank you Melanie for the brilliant job you did for my daughter, and for Smokey. Lucy has a permanent smile on her face now and can feel safe and confident with “The Smoke”

We now have back the Pony we originally bought, more importantly my daughter can move forward with the knowledge of how to train her pony properly.

As for my wife and I, we not only have the wonderful addition to the family that Smokey is, we also have a very confident little girl who is living her dream thanks to you Melanie.

George and Jane Munns

After trawling through various names offering horse re-training, I decided on Melanie Watson. I could not have made a better choice by choosing her. Subsequently, since being involved with horses again, I have realised how well known and how very highly respected Melanie is by equestrian owners of all disciplines and from wide areas, not just locally.

After a long conversation on the telephone where she outlined her strategy, she left me to think about, with no pressure to bring the to horse to her. After a few days, I contacted Melanie again and arranged to take my horse to her stables for rehabilitation where she actively encouraged me to visit and watch the progress that she was making with the horse. Nothing was hidden and all of my questions were answered completely and honestly.

My horse spent six weeks with Melanie, and in that time the change in him was remarkable. She has restored his confidence considerably; he was much more responsive in his general handling. Despite all Melanie’s efforts with my horse, my confidence was so badly shattered that I was only able to ride him with her walking beside me, which was not a long-term solution.

After another heart-to-heart talk with Melanie, it was decided that the best option would be to sell the horse and for me to try and regain my confidence by going to a good riding school in riding in an enclosed, secure space. She showed the horse to respective buyers for me and even transported him several miles free of charge, to another person who had showed interest in purchasing him. After a couple of weeks he was sold and I was sorry to see him go.

I am still in contact with Melanie and I cannot thank her enough for everything that she did to try and put my horse and myself back together again. The fact that I did not have the confidence to ride my horse again is no reflection on Melanie at all. Whenever she was there I was able to ride him, but unfortunately without her there to bolster my confidence, my courage failed me completely.

I was very lucky the day I picked Melanie out of the phonebook. She is such an honest and open person and a great friend to have who certainly knows her stuff has far as horses are concerned. During the time my horse was with Melanie, I saw her training/retraining various types and temperaments of horses and she was never anything else than calm, effective and professional in her handling of these animals.

Melanie is incredibly adaptable and can provide a session for the two people who turn up one week to the twelve who decide to come the week after. Everyone who comes along gets something out of the session and Melanie provides feedback to everyone afterwards about what they have achieved and what they can do to carry on the work at home.

Anyone who knows Melanie will know that she has a unique sense of humour and this comes over frequently as she tries to get us to understand exactly what she wants us to do. She is renowned for prancing around the school trying to demonstrate what the horse should be doing (you really have to see it, it’s hilarious). Even the horses have been seen to roll their eyes in exasperation!

What do we value most about Melanie? It is her undying faith that one day one of us will get it right, her belief that every one of us has potential to achieve a balance between our own expectations and a happy horse. Her enthusiasm, endless encouragement and the way she knows each horse intimately, what it can do, what it can’t do and (especially in the case of my horse Norman) when the horse is leading the rider up the garden path! It is her ability to have you constantly stretching your expectations as a rider, without leaving you feeling like you will never get there, and ultimately her genuine pride when you achieve your goals whether that be staying on right through the whole lesson, competing at your first novice test or jumping the whole course clear!

Jackie Ingham
Club Secretary

Melanie paid Joe a visit and concluded that many of his problems stemmed from remembered pain from his past. Melanie worked with Joe to overcome his psychological problems and fears and excellent progress was made, his usual friendly, willing character returned and he happily accepted being ridden and we began to plan when he could come home. Unfortunately out of the blue his behaviour became extremely unpredictable and dangerous which led us to believe he has suffering from a brain tumour. Ultimately after many discussions with both Melanie and my vet I had the difficult decision made to have him put to sleep.

Despite the sad ending in relation to Joe the knowledge I gained from Melanie has proved invaluable. I learnt so much from her, she has a vast understanding of how a horse’s mind works and how they react to situations.

I now have a new mare and have put the knowledge I gained from Melanie to good use with Moonlight. She’s a big girl and knows how to use her weight and size against me. By using the techniques that Melanie taught me, Moonlight’s behaviour on the ground is now as good as her ridden behaviour is.

Melanie – I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, many many thanks.

I rode quite competitively as a youngster and we as a family, come from a very equestrian background. Due to other commitments, I had to stop riding until recently. I then saw an advert for Sophie. She was 5 and at this stage, unbroken and described as a little sharp!

When I saw Sophie she had been brought in recently, having lived wild around the Bradford Airport area. She was definitely very sharp. She had a head collar on that was cutting into her face and she had scars on her neck and feet. We later discovered that she had been caught up in barbed wire as a 2 year old (Melanie took the time to track down the breeder to try and identify what had caused the physical and mental issues the horse suffered from). The sensible person would have walked away, however I saw a horse that I liked and although she was thoroughly DANGEROUS, I bought her.

When I got her home I soon realised that I had made a terrible mistake. I did not have the facilities, time or the experience to deal with this horse. I have broken horses before and ridden dangerous horses but this was a different league. The thing with Sophie was that it was ‘fear-based behaviour’ so a harsh approach would have been wrong. She was so explosive and powerful, I knew that I needed help.

By chance, I happened upon Melanie. She has given me a fabulous horse and given Sophie the ability to live a normal, fulfilled and hopefully, a successful life.

The techniques that Melanie used were different. The principal is that horses are herding animals and that the herd is lead by the matriarch. If a member of the herd is misbehaving it is dealt with in a certain way by the matriarch. It is the study of this behaviour that underpins a lot of Melanie’s work. Coming from a traditional background I viewed any other techniques as “Natural Horsemanship” and to some extent dismissed it.

The difference when comparing Melanie to others is the way that she cures the problem and more importantly trains the owner so the work can continue back at home. I was embarrassed by the situation I found myself in. Melanie and her team never looked down on me or made me feel stupid as a lot do. The yard is not state of the art, but it is professional, friendly and puts the horses before the economics. Melanie’s yard is probably the cleanest and best run that I have ever seen.

My only expectation was to have a horse that I could sit on. My expectations were exceeded by 100%. I had a calm, level headed and respectful horse. It was like the mad chip in her brain had been removed. I ride this horse down very busy main roads with trucks travelling at 50mph driving towards me. She has the biggest jump I have had the pleasure to sit on and we could not be happier.

All of this has been achieved without beating her up. It is also surprisingly affordable. What you can’t put a price on is the chance Sophie has had and the life she can now lead. I have no doubt that she would have ended up being shot if it had not been for Melanie and the thorough work she and her team put in.

All I can say is a big thank you to Melanie and her team for an amazing job.
Mike.

About 6 years ago I got my own horse – a 16.2” 11 year old thoroughbred gelding who had been in racing all of his life. He was beautiful, with stunning paces and an affectionate nature on the ground. He was also incredibly sharp, spooky as hell, prone to panic and haunted by his past. Mel and her team of experts at Skidby re-trained First Light and with their help and Melanie’s expert advice, training and enthusiasm, First Light turned into a happy, well balanced, forward going horse who used to babysit the young or problem horses. I could take him to the riding club and to local dressage competitions. He even learned to jump sensibly!! I learnt more than I would ever have believed possible from owning an ex-racehorse but it could have gone horribly wrong without the support and expert tuition I received from Melanie.

Unfortunately First Light got a serious bout of colic in September 2008 and had to be put down. To the end Melanie and her team were there, helping and offering me invaluable advice. It is a constant source of comfort to me to think what a fabulous life First Light had after his racing career and much of that is due to the expert re-training he received. Many ex racehorses do not get this opportunity.

The last straw was a late night journey home from Riding Club (made no difference whether he was leaving or going home) when I was left alone with him refusing to load in a dark lorry park, in the rain, polos and carrots long gone…

Melanie told me that the fix was a session with the rope halter. I had seen her flexible approach using natural horsemanship methods work well with many other problems, and she thought he would respond quickly, being a rather precious and sensitive type of chap. And he did – within half an hour he was loading – up the exit ramp as well – over and over without any hesitation. The key message was “there is no ramp” – not Matrix jargon, but a real statement to hold onto. And it’s true – he is either in the trailer, or out of it. The opportunity for hesitation has gone because now I expect him to load and my body language, subliminal messages, call it what you will, all tell him there is no ramp and therefore no problem.

We haven’t had a problem since, and I can’t explain (except of course to all those others who have been in that dark, lonely lorry park, or worse still been surounded by well-meaning people who want to beat the horse in with sticks…) how much simpler and easier it is to travel. He loads himself, leaving me to stay outside and just close the ramp behind him. Without any kind of force, stress or agression, Melanie has quickly, effectively and permanently taken one of my the biggest worries out of travelling to competitions – now all I need to do is get myself ready on time!

Very basic things such as – standing still whilst you get on, walking (instead of constantly jogging) and stabling him (was very stressed out when inside) all needed to be addressed in a non-aggressive manner, Ash had undoubtedly been subjected to some brutal treatment in the past!
Thankfully, I got in contact with Melanie and she supplied the exact style of re-training that my horse deserved.

Ash and his anxieties were addressed in such a simple (when you know how) and pain-free manner, that it was a real pleasure to witness my horse’s transformation!
My only regret being….that I didn’t ring Melanie first!

Jennie Hardwick

Nearly 10 years ago Melanie Watson enabled me to pick up where I left off with my riding… after a 20 year break!! She carefully and skilfully nurtured me back to a position where I felt able to compete on my very own horse. She then ‘found’ me my beloved ‘horse of a lifetime’ – JJ.

Melanie’s patience and good humour whilst I bonded with JJ will be forever remembered.
Since this time Melanie has remained a close friend to both me and my family, with her talent as a highly skilled all-round horse trainer and rider becoming more widely known as the years go by.

I am writing to thank you and Karle for helping me with Rosie.

I was having trouble getting on Rosie and asked you for help. You told me that after your training she would be so relaxed that she would stand still resting a leg while you got on. You also said that I would be able to hack her along the road and if I could come along each day I would learn such a lot. I thought WOW, but could it really be that good? But Melanie, you were true to your word.

I thought that I would just be watching, but from the first morning you got me involved with grooming and tacking up. Every strap and hook had been put on correctly. I had a particular problem with the boots and no matter how many times I put them on the wrong way, you or Karle always had time to show and explain and you never made me feel stupid! You took me by surprise when you asked me to lunge and long rein Rosie, especially when I went on the road with her. You were constantly reinforcing my bond with Rosie and building my confidence with her. Each day learning to do something different and a little harder. If Rosie had a small problem it was that she could be a little impatient at times. As her mother is impatient, I assumed it was a family trait. You explained to me that it is just as important that a horse learns to relax as it is to go forward. You spent a lot of time with Rosie just standing still scratching her bottom and I shall never forget long reining Rosie in Skidby at a road junction with men digging up the road behind her with a loud pneumatic drill (which Karle had asked the men to keep on!) She just stood there in an open rein while I scratched her bottom. Buses and cars were going past in front of her, WOW!

It was fascinating watching you and Karle back Rosie the American way, teaching her to move away from pressure and feel comfortable when she was near you. Yes, she did rest a leg when you finally decided she was ready for Karle to sit a stride.
When I rode her I was impressed how responsive she was to my voice and leg, how she would turn if you tapped her shoulder and stop when I gently pulled the neck rein. Not to mention the fact that she was totally unflappable out on the road whether it was young boys on skateboards or motorbike riders speeding past.

Thank you Melanie, you have given me hope that I will be able to ride and enjoy my home-bred horse.
Next year when she is ready to re-back as a four year old I won’t be wasting any time having anxious moments I will bring her straight to you.

Thank you

Gill Furman, Laxton, East Yorkshire.

Ref: Annual General Meeting Thursday 20.06.08

Everyone who attended the meeting thoroughly enjoyed your stimulating presentation and thank you so much for being our guest speaker. Members were still talking about your enthusiasm long after you left.

We learnt a little about your world and hopefully you found out some interesting facts about us.

Thank you once again

Yours Sincerely

Mrs. M Clarke
General Manager