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Trainer: Mary Anne Sedlacek
I have been training horses since I was 16. It seems I always had a
natural ability to ride and to relate to horses. Abused or mishandled
horses seemed to fall in my lap, in which case, I did everything I could
to try and "save" them. A good friend of the family acknowledge my
"talent" and recommended me to an AQHA trainer in the area. My
parents couldn't afford professional trainers, so it was arranged for
me to live with the trainer's parents while under his tutelage. I worked
in the barn and the fields to "pay" my and my horses way. The AQHA
trainer is now a renowned AQHA judge and is highly respected in the
industry (names withheld for privacy). I still use many techniques
learned from this training when finishing horses for Western
Pleasure.
This "work for training" exchange seemed to work well and continued
the next summer with a top cutting trainer. Here I not only exercised
and help train young cutting horses, but his wife introduced me to
English riding. This was a great summer and I learned a lot about
training cutting horses.
As time went on, and I started training my own horses, I developed
my own techniques, adapted what was learned from other trainers
into my own program, and ended up winning many youth top awards
and high point all-arounds. By 18 I was coaching children in the
show pen and being asked to train outside horses.
Life changes took me away from horses for about 10 years. As fate
would have it, I discovered them again in my early thirties. It took
time, but after purchasing two horses for my daughter and I, my
passion uprooted and took off. It was only a matter of time before I
found myself training and showing again.
With the help of my wonderful husband, I have continued with my
passion. I was introduced to, what is now termed "natural
horsemanship", in 2003. Impressed with the concept, I quickly
identified with the methods...since I had developed some of my own
when I was young, based on the same principles.
As of January 2008, I have completed Level III of the Chris Cox
Horsemanship Program. I am using Invested Goodness as my clinic
horse. She is doing phenomenal. Chris referred to "Mickey" as "the
paint is...the best trained horse here..." at the Level II clinic. Mickey
did not attend Level I with me, so I had to rush and catch her up on
the foundation training used in Level I and then some. In three
months time I had the mare ready, and in fact ahead of the first few
days of the program.
Chris was an inspiration at the last clinic. He has not only taught me
great training techniques, but has helped me to re-discover my own
talents, and to help me toughen up and trust my own abilities. I
thought I had lost that instinct and my unique way with horses, but I
have not. In fact, it is back, bigger and better than ever.
Every day I'm amazed at the horses I work with and how easily they
understand what I'm asking them to do. Whether I'm working with a
weanling, a green two-year old, or a spoiled show horse...all relate to
the techniques used, which are gentle and easy to be understood.
At this time I'm not training outside horses or coaching. I'm wanting to
ride Mickey in Amateur for at least one more year. I think it is only a
matter of time before I start training and teaching full time. Teaching
not only horses, but people, are a great passion of mine and I hope
to be doing it soon.
I have been training horses since I was 16. It seems I always had a
natural ability to ride and to relate to horses. Abused or mishandled
horses seemed to fall in my lap, in which case, I did everything I could
to try and "save" them. A good friend of the family acknowledge my
"talent" and recommended me to an AQHA trainer in the area. My
parents couldn't afford professional trainers, so it was arranged for
me to live with the trainer's parents while under his tutelage. I worked
in the barn and the fields to "pay" my and my horses way. The AQHA
trainer is now a renowned AQHA judge and is highly respected in the
industry (names withheld for privacy). I still use many techniques
learned from this training when finishing horses for Western
Pleasure.
This "work for training" exchange seemed to work well and continued
the next summer with a top cutting trainer. Here I not only exercised
and help train young cutting horses, but his wife introduced me to
English riding. This was a great summer and I learned a lot about
training cutting horses.
As time went on, and I started training my own horses, I developed
my own techniques, adapted what was learned from other trainers
into my own program, and ended up winning many youth top awards
and high point all-arounds. By 18 I was coaching children in the
show pen and being asked to train outside horses.
Life changes took me away from horses for about 10 years. As fate
would have it, I discovered them again in my early thirties. It took
time, but after purchasing two horses for my daughter and I, my
passion uprooted and took off. It was only a matter of time before I
found myself training and showing again.
With the help of my wonderful husband, I have continued with my
passion. I was introduced to, what is now termed "natural
horsemanship", in 2003. Impressed with the concept, I quickly
identified with the methods...since I had developed some of my own
when I was young, based on the same principles.
As of January 2008, I have completed Level III of the Chris Cox
Horsemanship Program. I am using Invested Goodness as my clinic
horse. She is doing phenomenal. Chris referred to "Mickey" as "the
paint is...the best trained horse here..." at the Level II clinic. Mickey
did not attend Level I with me, so I had to rush and catch her up on
the foundation training used in Level I and then some. In three
months time I had the mare ready, and in fact ahead of the first few
days of the program.
Chris was an inspiration at the last clinic. He has not only taught me
great training techniques, but has helped me to re-discover my own
talents, and to help me toughen up and trust my own abilities. I
thought I had lost that instinct and my unique way with horses, but I
have not. In fact, it is back, bigger and better than ever.
Every day I'm amazed at the horses I work with and how easily they
understand what I'm asking them to do. Whether I'm working with a
weanling, a green two-year old, or a spoiled show horse...all relate to
the techniques used, which are gentle and easy to be understood.
At this time I'm not training outside horses or coaching. I'm wanting to
ride Mickey in Amateur for at least one more year. I think it is only a
matter of time before I start training and teaching full time. Teaching
not only horses, but people, are a great passion of mine and I hope
to be doing it soon.
Click on photos to enlarge.
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First Day-Horsemanship
Level II; Chris Cox Clinic.
Mary Anne is the first on the
left in blue jacket.
Level II; Chris Cox Clinic.
Mary Anne is the first on the
left in blue jacket.
Invested Goodness-second
horse; paint tobiano
horse; paint tobiano
Invested Goodness/Mary
Anne-vertical flexion; Cox
Outdoor Round Pen
Anne-vertical flexion; Cox
Outdoor Round Pen
Invested Goodness/Mary
Anne-pasture ride with
exercises. Not a great shot,
but "Mickey" was not behaving
and was being disciplined by
doing a one rein stop.
Anne-pasture ride with
exercises. Not a great shot,
but "Mickey" was not behaving
and was being disciplined by
doing a one rein stop.
Invested Goodness/Mary
Anne-pasture ride with
exercises. Shortly after above
photo. Love this photo, really
demonstrates Mickey's efforts
and control.
Anne-pasture ride with
exercises. Shortly after above
photo. Love this photo, really
demonstrates Mickey's efforts
and control.