DVD

I purchased the Horses Just Wanna Have Fun video, not knowing what I was going to see. After watching it and laughing at some of the bloopers, It made sense. I could not only desensitize my horse, but we could play and communicate all at the same time. I printed the building instructions, and headed out for menards. The shopping list was simple, and so were the building instructions. After just one hour I had built all the pvc frames for the games. Now came the fun part of making the carwash and the squeeze play. I had to get creative, it was very early spring and no one had pool noodles in the store or diving rings. I found that foam pipe insulators worked just as well. The rings were substituted for plastic tubing and a few connectors. After every thing was decorated with some very colorful tape my toys came alive. I then loaded up all the toys and took them to the nearby riding stable, where i volunteer. I donated the toys to them, and they are played with by everyone there. The cost was small for the hours of enjoyment you will communicating with your horse. The plans are easy to follow, so why not build them and get creative.

LeAnne Moehle ( United States )

DVD

Just one more note of thanks. With my building confidence at an all time high (due to my success with the other toys) on Saturday morning I purchased the material for the bridge/tetter totter. I had it finished up by 2 PM and had my husband help me drag it into the pasture. He was very impressed with my handy work. The best and most rewarding part of the day was when I finished playing with Chief online and removed his halter he went back to the bridge (totally on his own) and crossed it again (see pictures). He really loves the bridge and I love the fact that I have provided (with your instruction) a playground for him that motivates and excites him during our play sessions. THANK YOU!

The only thing left for us is the pedestal. If I can get my husband to make the cuts for me I am certain I can put it together relatively easily. Our playground is definately going to be the envy of all our horsey neighbors.

You guys really are GREAT!
Keep up the great work and keep those ideas coming.

Misty ( United States )

DVD

Hi Dawn, Just thought you might like to see my cob loving his 'HJW2HF' pedestal! I train lots of 'difficult and problem' horses and play with lots of toys. Yea, people think I am mad but where do they learn thier fine balance from or how to get their hind quarters underneath them? Pedistal all the way! Makes them more 'stable' in the moving trailer too. I used to work at a yard in Scotland so there were lots of old whiskey casks around so they were great for training foreleg pedestals. I once was asked to use the mounting block by a posh instructor to get on my horse so I put the pony on the mounting block! She was not amused! But I was!!

I enclose a 'whisky' pic and two of my cob using a pedestal done from the designs on the CD I bought from you. He loves his pedestal and I find him on it when I come into the field!

Hope it is of interest, Best wishes,

Anthony Francis-Jones ( UK )

DVD

Thanks Dawn and Cindy for the awesome dvd you made on horse playgrounds. I received my dvd Sat and have watched it several times getting great ideas for our confidence course we are building for our therapeutic riding sessions we give for special needs kids and kids in foster care-God has blessed us with this ministry and used the horses for bringing much hope,joy and healing! Our program is called "Hope and Joy on Horseback" and we have a very basic confidence course(barrels, poles, bridge etc) but wanting new ideas to build confidence in both our horses and riders!! Your ideas are awesome and the manual great - I loved watching all of you and how REAL all of you are. Praise God for people like you willing to share your ideas to help folk like us out here!

God Bless

Patsy Bliss ( United States )

Equipment

WOW Guys! I GOTTA GET ME ONE OF THESE!
Just wanted to know that there is someone out here in the horse world that ALWAYS enjoys your newsletters and is absolutely BLOWN away by your toys, products and creativity!

While I don't need to "pre-order" a Saddle Sidekick, since I hardly ride during the Northeast US winter, I will definitely be looking to get one of these in the spring for my rolly-polly Fjord pony whose saddle rolls like crazy. I always chuckle when we are out riding because we always add a breastplate as well as a crupper to hold the treeless saddle in place now and someone always holds the opposite stirrup during the mounting process. Seeing this truly ingenious product just shows me that I need to expand my imagination to figure out what other horse body parts I can use to strap that saddle on even more securely.

Thanks!

Shelley Walker ( West Springfield, MA, US )

DVD

Sat down tonight to watch your video. Kudos to you & your gang. I've been involved in Natural Horsemanship since '97 & am working in a therapuetic riding center as an instructor. We use Equine Facilitated Psychotherapy for kids with emotional, behavioral & abuse problems. Your message about reading your horse is one I at times have a hard time with others at work. My horses are my partners while others consider them tools. Your plans are great & I look forward to constructing them. Thank you, yours & your horse partners for making this informative video.
Hugs & nickers,

Kathie Stear & ( United States )

DVD

Well, I got the DVD in the mail today. Talk about fast turnaround!!! WOW!!

All I can say is that I love it!! Every little thing about it is great!! I'm so glad you left in the bloopers at the end! I love watching you guys playing and having fun with your horses all the while getting better communication with them! And the 3 year old paint.....well, better you than me!

Thank you so much for the fun and laughter! I took it out to the barn and let a couple of others watch. They are starting on their journey's of natural horsemanship and loved the ideas too! We will be having a workday at the barn this Saturday and making some new toys for us to play with!

Again, thank you for the ideas and "how to". I have so little imatination that it is scary! This helps me think out of the box! I will be using some of the toys with my 'special students' (I teach handicapped riding as well).

Thank you for such a nice product.

Betsy McGee Rice ( United States )

Playground Toys

I stumbled across your website looking for interesting things to do with my horse. I am just begining Parelli Level 2, playing the 7 games with an obstacle.....a piece of poo doesn't work too good for me. Your website is awesome and your ideas are ingenious! Have you shared this site with the Parelli's? If not I think that you need to! Good Job.

Carrie Swadling ( United States )

DVD

GREAT DVD all the way through! Loved the bloopers and it was a GREAT idea to include them! Loved the mini jumping the jump...LOL. I was laughing so hard hubby thought something was wrong with me.....LOL

Tami ( Vermontville, Michigan )

DVD

I just got my DVD in the mail today and I just love it! I can't wait to start building! I especially appreciate the emphasis on natural horsemanship and respect for the horse. One of my frustrations with our 7 games is that I'm not very imaginative, this will certainly change now!

Thanks again for the fantastic resource.

Laurie Wittenberg ( WI )

DVD

Aloha,
This is Chris from the Big Island of Hawaii. We have your DVD which is great and I loved getting your newsletter too. Thanks for enhanching our imaginations with our horses. We just had our friends and 3 Star PNH instructor Marc Rea & his wife Mary stay with us here for clinic and privates. Had the most incredible play/lesson at liberty for me and my 3 kids and our horses. Totally launched us into another playing field and our horses were sooooo happy I could feel them smiling, yippee!!!! Thanks for keeping us motivated.

Christina Bowden ( Hawaii )

DVD

Thank you so much for putting this DVD together. I have wanted to play with my horse for a long time but did not know how or how to build anything. Anyway, I have just ordered your DVD with PayPal and made a payment. Are you planning to make any more of these types of DVDs? Would you put me on your mailing list? Thank you so very much again - all the best.

Kerry Campbell ( The Woodlands, TX )

Playground Toys

I just received my DVD yesterday & all I have to say over & over again is OH MYLANTA!!!!!!!! I am so impressed with the ideas, content & making of the DVD. The directions appear to be VERY clear & easy to follow. I love how the parts lists for each toy were made to print out on one page. I cannot WAIT to get started!!!! I have a 13 month old paint gelding that I have been doing Parelli/Clinton w/since Thanksgiving. We were getting sooooo bored doing the same old things day in & day out. He is becoming dull & I am running out of ideas to try to prevent that from happening. I was beginning to feel like I was "letting him down" as his leader. I can totally understand that after our obstacle course is built how each & every day will bring a new & interesting challenge/experience for us, maybe the wind is blowing more or less than yesterday, or the sun is casting a different shadow, or the course is rearranged. The possibilities are ENDLESS!!!!! Thank you, so much, from the bottom of our hearts.

PS.. I am emailing your website to the rest of my "horsey" friends so they too can be enlightened

Janna & Rio ( )