Testimonials
Norma
You have done absolute wonders with Mr. Gitano or G. My ride with you and Marge was wonderful. In a very short period of time you have given G and me the confidence to continue our riding experiences with calmness. His growth while under your guidance is like night and day. He used to be my Black Devil and now he has learned basic manners that we will continue to build upon. You will be seeing more of me. I love what you are doing for my horse and I've learned things I thought I knew and a lot of things I never thought I would know. Gitano has come a long way. You are the best!----- Norma
Kansas!
Heather and Honey
My Horse was 8 yrs old when Mackie and myself started her to ride. I wanted to
be involved with my horses training and Mackie was and is very willing to teach
you. My husband (Dale) his horse hadn't been rode in 2 yrs, he brought her to a
clinic that Mackie put on here in Kansas, Dale messed with her by flexing her
neck, some exercises that Mackie had taught
us and by the end of the clinic Dale was up on his horse riding her around the
arena. We have known Mackie for 5 years or so. Mackie is an EXCELLENT
trainer!!! Like I said I live in Kansas and sometimes I would get disgusted at
my horse, when she wouldn't do something I wanted her to do, so I would e-mail
or call Mackie and he would tell me what I needed to do. He would also tell me
to think about what I was trying to do, and that it might be me making the
mistake and not the horse, calm down and trying it again tomorrow. If Mackie
was back here in Kansas I would have him train another horse for
me.
We have a horse that was NOT
TRAINED by Mackie and he has thrown my husband off, doesn't stand still when
you mount him and when you put your leg over you better have hands on the
reins or he'll take off on you. WE REALLY WISH THAT MACKIE WAS BACK HERE TO
FIX HIS BAD HABITS AND MAKE HIM MORE ENJOYABLE TO RIDE!!!! ...........................Heather
True, oh so true!!! We hadn't rode our horses for 6 months and we did some ground exercises in the arena before we rode them and they acted like we had just rode them yesterday! It works, it really and truely works!!!!
Thanks Mackie your a GREAT Teacher!!!!
Heather.......Kansas
Thanks Mackie your a GREAT Teacher!!!!
Heather.......Kansas
Hey Mackie - I've been around horses and horse related activities all my life. I have only recently (over the past few years) been involved in your training style and would like to say that your training abilities are ranked right up there with the popular Cox, Anderson, Parelli and Cameron. Nice site!!!
Mark..... New Mexico
Mark..... New Mexico
Thanks Mackie
Hi Mackie and Kathy,
Just stopping by to say hi. Lil and I are doing very well. She’s taken a turn for the better since you worked on her. I’m still “doing the work” in the round pen. She loves it…likes to move her feet whether she’s free in the round pen or on the lead with me instructing her. Riding is good, too. I’m cantering her now and she is beginning to settle into it---ahhh, I’m pleased. She has such a huge stride it can be scary when she races around. She’s more attentive, less austere or removed. She pays attention to me and even is a bit cuddly—tho I don’t baby her---I make her mind and stay on course. It’s all good........Mackie did wonders with my unruly mare. It's been 2 yrs now and she has only improved. I guess the meat of the story is that Mackie taught ME how to be with her. He's a go-to.....
So good to see you for a short time today in the Mimbres, Mackie & Kathy. Watching you work with the horses in the round pen brought tears of joy to my eyes. Louise and Lilly
Just stopping by to say hi. Lil and I are doing very well. She’s taken a turn for the better since you worked on her. I’m still “doing the work” in the round pen. She loves it…likes to move her feet whether she’s free in the round pen or on the lead with me instructing her. Riding is good, too. I’m cantering her now and she is beginning to settle into it---ahhh, I’m pleased. She has such a huge stride it can be scary when she races around. She’s more attentive, less austere or removed. She pays attention to me and even is a bit cuddly—tho I don’t baby her---I make her mind and stay on course. It’s all good........Mackie did wonders with my unruly mare. It's been 2 yrs now and she has only improved. I guess the meat of the story is that Mackie taught ME how to be with her. He's a go-to.....
So good to see you for a short time today in the Mimbres, Mackie & Kathy. Watching you work with the horses in the round pen brought tears of joy to my eyes. Louise and Lilly
Deming New Mexico!
Diane and Lucy
Hey Mackie,
Thank you so much for coming and spending some time with me again. Thank you also for your write up on your blog. That was really special for me.
So-- After you left on Friday I worked Lucy some more then I saddled her up and did some sitting,flexing,etc. Then I got real brave and had her side passing down the rail a little bit while I was on her. Like you said Lucy knows stuff. She did really well. I was so impressed that I could get her to do it while I was on her. I just followed your directions and she did it.
I put Amor in the round pen next and she did much better. She is starting to really settle down and work. Or more than likely I am just communicating better.
Today I put Niña in first and had her side passing both directions. She did well but she will get better as I get better with the asking.
I tied Niña to the hitching rail and went and got Mack. I had only had him in the round pen for a little bit when again, I thought about what you said about lining them all up tied. I tied Mack and went out and got Lucy and Amor and tied them to the hitching rail and put Mack back in the round pen. I worked a lot more with him on the yielding the hindquarters and forequarters. I didn't think I knew what I was doing well enough yet to try it on him. I will keep practicing on Niña and Lucy for a while.
When I was done with Mack I tied him to the rail and put Lucy in. After I worked on the exercises with her for a while I was side passing her down the rail. She did so well going to the right. When I tried to do it going to the left I had her so confused she didn't know which end was up. I know it was me. I told her "time out". I did some more trust exercises and went back to things she know pretty well so that we could end on a good note.
I tied her back to the rail and put Amor in. She is doing so much better. I still think she is going to be a lot like Lucy. If I can manage to get my "poop in a group" and get better myself she will be amazing.
Diane
Thank you so much for coming and spending some time with me again. Thank you also for your write up on your blog. That was really special for me.
So-- After you left on Friday I worked Lucy some more then I saddled her up and did some sitting,flexing,etc. Then I got real brave and had her side passing down the rail a little bit while I was on her. Like you said Lucy knows stuff. She did really well. I was so impressed that I could get her to do it while I was on her. I just followed your directions and she did it.
I put Amor in the round pen next and she did much better. She is starting to really settle down and work. Or more than likely I am just communicating better.
Today I put Niña in first and had her side passing both directions. She did well but she will get better as I get better with the asking.
I tied Niña to the hitching rail and went and got Mack. I had only had him in the round pen for a little bit when again, I thought about what you said about lining them all up tied. I tied Mack and went out and got Lucy and Amor and tied them to the hitching rail and put Mack back in the round pen. I worked a lot more with him on the yielding the hindquarters and forequarters. I didn't think I knew what I was doing well enough yet to try it on him. I will keep practicing on Niña and Lucy for a while.
When I was done with Mack I tied him to the rail and put Lucy in. After I worked on the exercises with her for a while I was side passing her down the rail. She did so well going to the right. When I tried to do it going to the left I had her so confused she didn't know which end was up. I know it was me. I told her "time out". I did some more trust exercises and went back to things she know pretty well so that we could end on a good note.
I tied her back to the rail and put Amor in. She is doing so much better. I still think she is going to be a lot like Lucy. If I can manage to get my "poop in a group" and get better myself she will be amazing.
Diane
ANDREA
Mackie,
Thanks for your reply to my comment.
I read your blog everyday and I'm so looking forward to your clinic on the 6th.
My little mustang lady is doing really well on the ground work. Yesterday I wanted to work on something different and got out the little blue tarp; I figure she could walk over the little one since she walks over the big tarp…once she gets use to it. She also likes to pull the tarp out from under the metal wall between her and the hay. So I thought this will just be something different for the both of us, but she didn't want to walk over the little one and was getting frustrated as was I, so I changed from walking over it to touching her shoulders with it. When it got into my hand she was a little nervous but handled it much better, she never ran or pulled me around, she smelled it and within about 5 minutes stood and let me touch both shoulders and that is where I stopped for the day on that good note.
The trouble I have with her…or I should say with me…is she knows what I’m asking for as long as she can see me, but when I’m on her she really doesn’t know what I’m asking. She acts like…I’ve heard that clucking sound before, should I go??? And she will walk out very timidly. She will respond to the bit but will not walk on the rail. I must admit I am fearful and really don’t know if I’m doing things right from up on her. From what I have read on your blog she can feel that fear and lack of my self-confidence and will act accordingly. How do I become more self-confident? And show less fear.
Thank you for always writing your blog and being really easy to talk to, even with someone you have never met, I really appreciate it.
See you at the Clinic
Andrea
Thanks for your reply to my comment.
I read your blog everyday and I'm so looking forward to your clinic on the 6th.
My little mustang lady is doing really well on the ground work. Yesterday I wanted to work on something different and got out the little blue tarp; I figure she could walk over the little one since she walks over the big tarp…once she gets use to it. She also likes to pull the tarp out from under the metal wall between her and the hay. So I thought this will just be something different for the both of us, but she didn't want to walk over the little one and was getting frustrated as was I, so I changed from walking over it to touching her shoulders with it. When it got into my hand she was a little nervous but handled it much better, she never ran or pulled me around, she smelled it and within about 5 minutes stood and let me touch both shoulders and that is where I stopped for the day on that good note.
The trouble I have with her…or I should say with me…is she knows what I’m asking for as long as she can see me, but when I’m on her she really doesn’t know what I’m asking. She acts like…I’ve heard that clucking sound before, should I go??? And she will walk out very timidly. She will respond to the bit but will not walk on the rail. I must admit I am fearful and really don’t know if I’m doing things right from up on her. From what I have read on your blog she can feel that fear and lack of my self-confidence and will act accordingly. How do I become more self-confident? And show less fear.
Thank you for always writing your blog and being really easy to talk to, even with someone you have never met, I really appreciate it.
See you at the Clinic
Andrea
Cindi and Thunder!
Mackie is a skilled and patient teacher of horses. He is an equally skilled and patient teacher of horse owners. He analyzes and then teaches from the place where his student is and does so equipped with truth and integrity. If you have an opportunity to take advantage of his experience, DO IT!
