Tracy Courtney
My 18 year old Percheron and I recently started working with Tracy. I wanted to take my skills to another level and Tracy has been teaching me how to read and interpret my horse's emotions through observing all the ways she tries to communicate. We are interacting with her being as a whole, letting mistakes happen so she can learn and rewarding often so that our trust and bond can grow. The day after our first session, she trotted over to me from the other side of the pasture with a spring in her step. Although she never ran away from me, she would never look up from her grazing or ever think about coming to me. This happened again the following day! I loved the fact that it was her idea and not mine. After each session, I feel like I'm getting closer to having an emotionally balanced horse and a trusting partner. I can't wait to see what the future holds!
Laura & Marley
Laura & Marley
I reached out to Tracy for help with my rescued mare after having problems with herd-bound behaviours. She would panic & become unsafe to herself & others, when taken away from her horse companions or whenever she would be the last one out of the barn. Tracy showed us how to interact with one another to build the kind of connection that will help my mare understand she can find safety with me, just as she can with them. After just one session, there was a marked improvement & I could see a light at the end of the tunnel. Tracy's "horse-side manner" is fantastic. Her methods are superior because they pave the way for lasting partnership & leadership without the need for dominance. This leads to a much safer & trusting relationship for both horse & guardian.
Marina & Athena
Marina & Athena
Baxter is the most charismatic horse I've ever met, which on occasion can be problematic. He has a tendency to have his own ideas on how life should be run and suffers from bouts of anxiety. I was grateful when given Tracy's name and to learn that she only practices holistic methods. From the moment I spoke with Tracy on the phone, I knew this was going to be the best fit for Baxter and I was right. I just didn't realize at the time how much I would benefit from this learning experience as well. Her gentle manor mixed with her detailed guidance on how to deal with situations as they arose truly made for a relaxing experience for both of us. Tracy has a natural calming way about her that really helped bring both of us closer together and feel good about what we were learning. We ended the day with a much better understanding of each other and I am happy to say, a much calmer horse and owner. I would encourage every horse person to work with Tracy. You will not only enjoy it immensely, you will also learn more than you can ever realize!
Barbara & Baxter
Barbara & Baxter
I had the recent pleasure to meet and watch Tracy work with our most challenging case ever, recently. For months, I have fostered her and have not been able to get anywhere near or touch her. She is very dominant and the closest thing we've ever had to a true wild horse. She could not be released into the wild or sent anywhere else. We asked Tracy to do a single session with her because we have been unable to make any progress. For 3 hours, Tracy patiently worked with Delilah and a group of our fosters to demonstrate techniques that would allow Delilah to move forward in her rehab. I'm happy to say that after only that one session, Delilah has improved dramatically and is demonstrating affectionate behaviour and a willingness to want to be with us. She still has a long way to go but the techniques Tracy left us with have worked and have saved us many months in her rehab process. Most importantly, Delilah is happy to be with us and interact with us of her own free choice. I highly recommend Tracy to anyone who is dealing with a difficult horse.
Jack & Delilah
Jack & Delilah
I have spent my entire life around horses and many years training horses for other people. I didn't think twice about an off-the-track thoroughbred with behavioural problems that was offered to me for free, but nothing could have prepared me for how much Ranger and Tracy were about to change my whole life. Ranger was the Tazmanian Devil and had all of the worst problems I've ever seen rolled into one horse. After speaking with other horse professionals, they all decided Ranger was a lost cause and needed to be euthanized for fear that he was going to kill somebody. He charged, kicked, bit, struck, trampled, bucked, didn't hesitate to plow over or through any kind of obstacle and it took two people to lead him anywhere. I'm so grateful we found Tracy right before there was no coming back from my decision. Because of the safety concerns, Tracy spent the first couple of sessions with Ranger, while she patiently explained every step and why she was doing things. I saw immediate changes in Ranger. It was amazing! When it was time to turn the lead rope over to me, Tracy guided me through the process of building trust and respect and showed me how Ranger was constantly communicating with me to let me know how he felt. I quickly learned to understand how and when I was causing frustration and anger through Ranger's feedback. Ranger is such a quiet and happy horse that I can take anywhere and do anything with now. I have completely changed the way I look at horses and how I work with them. What Tracy teaches can't be found anywhere else. I recommend Tracy to everyone I meet.
Betsy & Ranger
Betsy & Ranger
I run a children's riding academy and called Tracy to teach one of her child safety and control workshops out of curiosity. I was a little skeptical when she insisted that the first workshop had to be done from the ground and not the saddle. Against (what I thought was) my better judgement, I decided to schedule a demo workshop. Now I understand why it's so important to start the process from the ground first and move to the saddle later. I was so impressed by what was taught, that I have since scheduled multiple longer workshops for different groups of children. I liked that Tracy can read the children and horses and can change things up to make sure everyone is involved and happy and safety is always her number one concern. I learned quite a bit from watching her teach the children. Don't hesitate to give Tracy a call because you won't be disappointed.
Beth
Beth
I have an amazing Trakehner that I imported from Germany. He is a wonderful horse and I had no real complaints other than his extreme fear of water. I frequently host different horse trainers and gold medal athletes at my facility from all over the world. After having all of them try and fail to help my horse overcome his fear, I am grateful that I came across Tracy's contact information. We spent a single one hour session together, where Tracy worked with my horse while explaining what she was doing. I couldn't believe that at the end of that hour, my horse was walking into the stream of his own choice and spent quite a bit of time splashing and playing in the water. I would have bet anyone that my horse never would have done that. Tracy made a believer out of me!
Margaret
Margaret
"In recognizing our limited way of thinking, new possibilities emerge in our lives" - Tracy Courtney
Fearless
Fearless
Parameters
Connection
Parameters
Connection
Ground Rules 1 & 2
Communication/Problem Solving
Ground Rules 1 & 2
Communication/Problem Solving
Physical Hypersensitivity
Feel
Physical Hypersensitivity
Feel
PIE
Listen
PIE
Listen
PID
Hear
PID
Hear
Variate
Understand
Variate
Understand
Parameters (Saddle)
Mental Connection
Parameters (Saddle)
Mental Connection
Ground Rules (Saddle)
Physical Connection
Ground Rules (Saddle)
Physical Connection
Ground Rules 2 (Saddle)
Problem Solving
Ground Rules 2 (Saddle)
Problem Solving
Lunging Alternatives
Lunging Alternatives
Round Penning
Round Penning
Puzzles & Games
Puzzles & Games
Obstacles & Water
Obstacles & Water
Trail Riding
Trail Riding
Trailer Loading
Trailer Loading
Barn Etiquette
Barn Etiquette
Farrier Etiquette
Farrier Etiquette
Vet Etiquette
Vet Etiquette
Child Safety & Control
Ground
Child Safety & Control
Ground
Child Safety & Control
Saddle
Child Safety & Control
Saddle
Wild Horses
Wild Horses
Problem Solving
Ground
Problem Solving
Ground
Problem Solving
Saddle
Problem Solving
Saddle
Starting Horses
Before the First Ride
Before the First Ride
The First Ride
The First Ride
After the First Ride
After the First Ride