
SUCCESS STORIES
In 2009, I ran out of money to have my horse in training and was forced to take him home! But with Jane Savoie’s help, I was able to apply her step by step approach to improve so much! Now I am totally confident and training green broke horses, and have been very successful in the show ring. THANKS JANE!!!!
But, I HAVE to tell you my experience of Jane is her exuberant drive to help you learn the arcane art of dressage. She lifts me up and spurs me on. She is passionate, almost scary in the breadth and depth of her knowledge, and she adds in psychology to weave it all together. She is just darned FUN… and my experience is through her books, Happy Horse instruction and her online Mentorship program.
Firstly, she developed her “Happy Horse” instruction set, using the 3 ways people learn–visual, auditory and performance. She teaches with such precision that you CAN and WILL get it. Then she developed her online Mentorship program, and rounded it all out with a program for improving your position.
Who would have thought that the web could be used to help you really learn how to ride horses!! Sure, you think of written articles, but Jane uses audio, images and video. It is amazing how effective it all is.
Mostly, though, I am so touched that her personal connection, her personality and drive to share her knowledge comes across–no matter what the medium. Yes, she is a Dressage Queen, but the nicest and most competent one you could ever have the great good fortune to know.
My mother, who also has horses, but she does her own thing with them, and keeps them at her house, so I don’t always see her ride. Well, my mom has been so flustered with one of her horses. She was almost ready to give up on this mare. The mare always wanted to be in, as you call it “bolt posture.”
Now, from someone else, my mother was told to go to a sharper bit. Talking to her I told her I did not think that was going to solve the problem. I told her I had a GREAT exercise for that mare, that I had learned from Dressage Mentors, and from Train with Jane.
Well, my mom would kind of ignore me when I started to tell her. I think she thought I was crazy that I could solve this mare’s problem from a video lesson! So, I went to her house yesterday, to find my mom riding her mare in a western curb bit. The horse was all sweated up, was starting to rear, and bolt, even threw in a few bucks.
I was so scared that my mom or the horse, or even BOTH were going to get hurt! I said, Mom, STOP what you are doing! Let her walk and calm down! I am going and getting a smooth snaffle bit, and I want you to try the exercise.
My mom snapped back at me, “she WILL not drop her neck in a bit like that, she needs more!”
I calmly said, Mom, what do have to lose. Please lets just try. My mom said, “If you think it’s that easy, YOU get on her and try.”
So I did. I got her rhythm down first, and then started some suppling, and, NO LIE, by the second lap around the ring her neck was down, and she was chewing the reins out of my hands!
It was like she was just melting in my hands! I said, mom this mare is so light in this bit! PLEASE don’t use sharp bit on her.
My mom could not believe it! She then let me help her, and all went well, for my mom and the horse! (-: For the record I am NOT a trainer, nor an instructor, not even a real gutsy rider! But you, Jane, have armed me with such knowledge and confidence. I could tell by what I have learned from you that the horse was NOT being bad or dangerous. She needs to be guided. I can’t believe at times how much I am learning from you and I really have just begun! Thank you so much. You are the BEST!!!
I took my horse to the beach where the waves crash in like thunder. We had only been through creeks and to lakes in quiet places so this was all new and she had more reaction than I’ve seen in a long time! So we did a lot of your “Advance and Retreat”. I focused on our day being about play and having fun as I pictured racing through the waves with joy. Eventually we were having a ball! Thank you for helping me so much with my confidence, leadership, and remembering to have fun!
We got my dear, trustworthy, Andalusian mare Lumina out for Beth to ride. I quickly could tell Beth had ridden before, but also realized she was confusing my horse.
I used to teach riding (twenty years ago) and immediately recognized that my young friend needed a little refresher. I asked permission to put her on the lunge line so she could work on her position and not have to worry about where Lumina was going. She agreed.
In moments I heard Jane’s buzz words from her “Program Your Position” DVDs coming out of my mouth while I coached my new student to help correct her position. It was like magic! From a head down, heels up, collapsed right ribcage, stiff armed novice position, to near perfect balance, head up, lovely erect dressage position, took about three minutes! Lumina relaxed, and so did Beth. It was beautiful! Jane’s buzz words flowed out of me like I was a seasoned pro, and my student’s improvement was IMMEDIATE!
I am SO impressed with this program, and how easy it is to help a rider correct position. From there, anything is possible!
I hope all of you, especially trainers, will check out this program. It is well worth the small price of the DVDs to learn this method of communication with students, and yourself. Jane and her partner, Ruth Hogan-Poulsen, really have created a valuable tool!
While I would love to spend more time visually on the site – mostly, I use the audio portion of Mentor. I listen to it at work, while I do desk tasks. Lots of things I take notes on, but I find so much coming back when I ride!
I have been riding for close to 15 years and haven’t had much success. We both struggle with basic things that others seem to breeze through. I signed up for Dressage Mentor and in 3 months, I have the horse that I have been trying to get for the past 15 years.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for giving riders like myself the chance to be the rider my horse deserves.
“The best thing about Dressage Mentor is that it is there for you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with personal coaching from Jane. Each month new audios, videos and articles deconstruct everyday, real life issues faced by all riders, and provide multiple, easy to use, step by step solutions. My horses are happier and they are performing more confidently and consistently thanks to the information and skills I have learned through using Dressage Mentor.
I think that the online coaching system is very effective because I can take Jane’s suggestions, and try them out the next day. It makes me really THINK through things and become a somewhat of a problem solver on my own. Anything I can’t think through, I ‘Ask Jane’.
Jane gives me homework, and it is my pleasure to do it. Sometimes I can hardly wait until the next morning to ride and try out her suggestions. In summary, Jane has saved me from selling the most incredible horse of a lifetime, Hindrik. Riding him is my favorite activity. It’s been a lot of hard work but also the most rewarding journey of my life and it’s not over yet!
Along with the solid dressage information and discussions that make my riding and relationships with my horses better, I am developing positive self talk and thinking through Jane’s motivational mentoring that goes along with everything she teaches. Jane is great at helping me overcome problems, whether they be the physical training and riding or the mental, emotional stuff of relationships with horses.
I don’t get regular lessons because I live in a more remote area in the mountains of Idaho. Jane keeps me going on a daily basis online. She offers critiques through videos and photos and also answers questions that are emailed to her. She posts audios and videos and articles that give great information too. And, contacting other members through the forum sparks discussions and brings up questions and solutions that all fit together. Jane is a wonderful teacher, and I understand the whole of dressage so much better than I ever have before.
I also love the motivational side of things that blend so well with the dressage training. Thanks again for the brilliant work and website.
OMG! He turned into a different horse! Suddenly for the first time I felt his weight truly shift back. I felt him come up through the withers, his front end lightened, and he took responsibility for everything. I truly think he was enjoying it and rather proud of himself!
Jane, this is truly awesome–a real case of doing basic exercises to improve other work–not just doing work for its own sake. I can’t thank you enough. Yet again you have helped my horse and me even though you are thousands of miles away.
I am in the process of rehab with my horse due to a shoulder injury and can only walk him at this time. What a great time to have received this program – what did you say Jane, it takes two weeks to create a habit? I definitely have that! Great program!
And, my horse is so much more supple now! With a more supple horse, everything is easier. We were struggling with third level. Now we are fine-tuning third level!
I really like the instructor I work with. Jane’s lectures really compliment what my instructor teaches. I realize that I comprehend much more about the how and why when listening to a lecture. When I ride, there is so much multi-tasking that sometimes I miss important details. Jane’s lectures are helping fill in the holes.