Kinship With Horses 

Horses...Horses...Horses... I wanted one my whole life.  At the age of 41
my dream came true.  Nevada Wind "Windy" a kind, underweight, supposedly
green broke, 4 year old, mustang-thoroughbred-appaloosa mix was now
part of my life.  What was I to do?!?!? I didn't know the first thing
about training a horse.!  I was told, "green + green = black and blue".
Oh no!

Fast forward to January 2010 to Horse- Power Acres.  I now have 3 horses in my life.  Windy,the most educated, has been trail ridden and is willing to help the others learn.  Raven, a 19 year old off the track Standardbred, needs
Windy to allow us to approach her at saddle height without feeling
threatened.  Gwyn a PMU baby, at the age of 12, has just begun her
adventure of being ridden.  The first time Gwyn had someone sit on her
back brought tears to my eyes.  Her only response was to reposition
herself to adjust to the weight of the rider.

How did I get this far?  Not by myself!

Gail Pearles helped us with her positive can-do attitude, tireless
repetition of instruction/tasks as I needed them, humor, intelligence,
and kindness.  Gail has the ability to relate to and communicate with
both the horse and the person.  She can adjust her training to guide them
toward their goal(s).  She is able to see when the horse "gets it" and
the person doesn't and make changes to invoke success. Gail can instruct
the learners so when she isn't present they are still able to achieve the
same results as they did during the lesson.  Gail easily points out small
successes and progress.  She sees trouble areas and addresses them to
promote positive results.  It often seems as though she can take the
horse's perspective and help the person understand better how to
communicate to the horse what is wanted. Gail's training is not
traditional, but eclectic and successful.  Sometimes when someone watches
they don't understand how she achieves the expected results...it looks
like magic.  Communication with horses in their own language!
I look forward to continuing my progress and improving my ability to
communicate with my horses.

Gail - Thank you for being a part of our lives!

 

Judy Luensman and "the Girls" at Horse-Power Acres:  Nevada Wind "Windy", Lady gwendolyn "Gwyn", nancy's Tuscarora "Raven"

“I have loved having Gail involved in my horse journey over the past 7 years… from the first lessons she gave me on Dixie, to making my first introduction to Parelli Natural Horsemanship, to squiring my mother and I all over Arizona with our horses, to being a major part of the Golden Stride Walker Ranch and our annual circuses, to filming and helping me pass my Parelli Levels, to supporting my journey as a One-Star Parelli Instructor, my horses and I all appreciate Gail completely.” 

Lori Northrup - Golden Stride Walker Ranch

"After a serious back injury and thus not riding for over five years, I was gifted a pair of ‘fully trained to ride and drive’ full sister molly mules!  My dream came true, I wanted ‘the girls’ since they were two, they are now 13 and 14.   I soon discovered that my fear of further injuring my back left me with little confidence in safely handling them.

Gail helped my daughter learn to ride; I enjoyed her gentle nature and love of people and horses, so I decided to have her work with me!  After the first session I knew I made the right decision,   I saw my mules respond to Gail in a way I wanted- they wanted and truly enjoyed being with her.   After working with Gail and learning how to respectfully communicate, I am well on my way to having a wonderful relationship with ‘the girls’!"

 

Mary Beth Trenchard

  

Hey Gail,
 
Just wanted to tell you how happy I was last night!  I am so glad you came around and am so glad that you are sharing with us!  I really can't believe I rode my own very first horse with my very first saddle!!  I could watch you all night..you have such a gift and I am glad you are sharing that with our horses.  I really don't know how I even knew about Leslie's clinic..but I just knew after that you were the one that could help with my mustang. 
 
Thanks so much to Judy for taking all those pictures for me.  Please thank her.  I always have the camera and really appreciate when I get some good photos of my horse!!  Wish I would have gotten off of my dream world and taken a picture of you two..next time.  So glad to know to more March babies!!  Thanks so much for your dedication and patience.
 
Let me know if the pics turned out..the email people did some modifications & I am totally lost on sending pics now!!
 

Kelly

I have a new mare.  It took me a while to decide to get another horse.  I was devastated by the progressive disease that my best friend and trail partner, Sophie, has been suffering.  Despite overcoming insulin resistant triggered laminitis over the winter and getting her back in shape, her heaves have ravaged her body and her spirit in the hot and humid weather this summer.   She has all she can do to breathe.  I am grateful that I had one wonderful ride with her early this summer.  It may well prove to be our last.  So finding another horse to ride and forming a relationship has been a bit of a mixed blessing.  Not wanting to betray my faithful Sophie, but also realizing that I cannot ask her to go out with me, I have been blessed once again with a wonderful mare. Molly lives hear now.

 Molly is a wonderful large girl with a heart to match her size!  She is a belgian/halflinger cross who is sweet and wonderful through and through.  She is willing and has a great sense of humor.   She is interactive and mischievious.  She is a big clown at times and a devoted confidant other times.  I can tell her about Sophie and she surely understands, even when the conversation includes tears.  

 Molly is easy to spend time with - and as we are getting to know each other and forming that special bond, Gail enters the picture.   Gail understands the dynamics of how Molly came to live hear and she has helped us start the journey together.  Without Gail, it would be easy to become distracted and to lose my way - but she keeps me smiling and focused and moving in good directions.  Just as she shows the beauty of the "release" to horses, she has shown me the "release" that has helped me move forward and love this mare without feeling guilty.  Gail probably doesn't even know how she has "released" me from the burdens I was facing - but she has.   She is a true friend.  Without our time together seeming like a "training session", she has led us to work on some good things and to find ways to enjoy it all the while. 

I like to ride alone.   It is uplifting and spiritual and private.  If I ride with others, I am very selective.  Afterall, I ride to share company with a horse, not other people for the most part.  But there are a handful of people with whom I truly love to ride.  Gail has quickly become one of them.  I can never thank her enough for what she has done and continues to do. 

 

Tracey

 

Just a quick note to share a couple of thoughts -

First of all, I want to let you know that your time spent here in Ohio has meant
the world to me. Your clear thoughts and visuals still resound in my thoughts.
Every time I ride I think of legs \"like scarfs\", sitting straight \"like the
arena beams\" yet opening my legs (...like scarfs...) to allow the movement. I
can't wait until you come back in just a couple of weeks to continue this
journey!

I just got home from a trail ride where I was blessed to experience and feel a
lope for the first time ever with Marsala! I swear she then said to me \"I knew
I could do it, and I knew you could too!\" Wow! I honor her so much!

Take care, see you soon, and thanks again!

Joanne Marino, Ohio