Testimonials

Testimonials

Like Kerry said, I must like a challenge. Once again I pulled on to the JJ Ranch with another Thoroughbred. Bred to race, too tall for polo, and never been out of the arena. What was I thinking?! Other than blue ribbons in the Eventer world? I had sold my beloved Rebel that Kerry had helped me bond with 2 years prior, and purchased a 4 y/o TB gelding named Lex. Potential like none other, but one small problem. He spooked. At everything! I already had one concussion from him, and was well onto the 2nd if we didn't get help. The horse had no confidence, and neither did I. I just didn't know it at the time. I had even bet my friend that we wouldn't make it out of the round-pen before lunch. Needless to say, I lost. Within the ﬁrst hour of climbing up onto my 16+ hand chicken, I was waving my arms, swinging a rope over his head and loping around the pen ﬂipping my lead rope back and forth over his head. Next thing I was out in the open, with no fence to make us feel safe. Can we say nervous? Understatement. We kept busy, disengaging the hips, trotting random circles, and even worked up to the lope in very short order. After that it was building the bond, and remembering to breathe even when both Lex and I were getting ready to spook.

The afternoon presented even more challenges. Remember the bred to race part? Except for Lex hated to have another horse moving around him at speed. Usually ended up in a 15 foot side pass in one leap. So back to the round-pen but with one change. I was on the outside while another horse was moving in the middle. Trot and lope both directions until the light bulb turned on in his head.

It didn't matter what else was going on. He was with me. For the ﬁrst time in 2 months. I remembered why I thought he was special. So once again Kerry, Thank you. For everything. You have been a wonderful inspiration, with horses and with life. I'll try to make

sure the next challenge is quite so tall. And the key to confidence is “OXYGEN”.

Natalie Petz, Wichita, KS

Hi Misty and Kerry,

I know you both are busy, but I wanted to give you a Cutter update. Cutter was caught up in a barb wire fence this Tuesday. I was doing chores andfound him in the morning, from the damage he was probably stuck most of the night. Dr. H is concerned about joint damage in his hind leg. The leg was fully extended and caught in the top wire, my pony was supporting Cutter by standing horizontal in front of his chest and letting Cutter's head drape across his back. I have never seen anything like it, the pony was sweaty from supporting Cutter. We had to wait a day to be able to move Cutter to the vets, now we are waiting for the swelling to go down enough for an x-ray to do any good,he maybe going to K-State. Best case scenario is it is all soft tissue damage (his leg is twice the size of normal and looks like hamburger) and he will be recovering for a couple of months-I am not thinking about worst case. Dr. H was able to do everything with a local pain blocker, even irrigated and stitched a wound above his eye and Cutter kept his head down.

I guess I just wanted to say thank you again for your help. I know that going out to your

place and practicing what I learned at home has made a huge difference in my relationship with

my horse. When I needed him to be a willing partner the most in an emergency situation, he

complied. I have to admit that your term "practical horsemanship" used to leave me thinking it

should be called something different, because well it sounded practical-no ring to it, I am now a

fan of the name. The "practical" part of the horsemanship came through, I was by myself when I

cut him out of the fence- he gave to pressure and did not fight the fence or me, he followed me

without a halter when he could barely stand and was in terrible pain because I asked, he trailered

unquestionably when there was no room for error, and he is accepting treatment to his leg as

needed. He is a willing partner when I need him to corporate as calmly and quietly as he can.

This is a horse that I could not ﬂy spray 8 months ago, he wasn't "bad", he just did not have to

listen to me, nor did he trust that I knew best. My husband and son joke that they know he is my

favorite blond, of course he is my third favorite blond. I don't think God minds if you pray for

animals, they are his creatures, so for now I will be praying.

Susan Eberly

Eberly Farm Inc

Wichita, KS 67235

Hi Kerry,

Just wanted to be sure you know how much I appreciated your work out here in Santa Ynez. I am applying everything I learned to the best of my ability every day & my horse is showing it, less effort more results every day. People are noticing it.

Thank You, Devon

PS- may be the best money I've spent on myself, for sure on my horse.

Kerry.

Clint Ferguson here - I was at the clinic the other evening in Kerrville, Tx. If you remember me. I'm the one with Medina Children's Home, retired King Ranch. Anyhow, I told you that I have a roping horse (owned for 10 years) out of Mr. San Peppy, Dry Doc, Leonard Milligan & Silver Hatchet who is so tense whenever not roping that he's just miserable to ride. He'd belonged to one of the cattle managers who let everyone and their cousin rope off him at age 2 1/2. Well, I tried what you did in your demonstration about letting him just go and figure out that it 'aint' so fun doing it his way. He's smart and it didn't take long for him to come back to me. Amazing, after all this time and something so simple. I did it in the arena instead of the round pen. He's real honest so I just let him have the reins, do his thing, and trusted it would work. He lowered his head and relaxed. What a wonderful day! Thanks for sharing your experience. It made a difference with an incredible horse.

God Bless,

Clint

Hi Kerry--it was great to see you again. I have seen several colt starting's by various natural horsemanship clinicians, but never one with the finesse and concern for the horse that you showed tonight at the HOW event in Richmond. No showmanship, just good horsemanship. I was very impressed. You will never know how much that clinic in Brenham when I rode with you last year meant to me. I am 65 years old and I thought my riding days might be over, but you gave me my confidence back. I am back in the saddle and having fun again, thanks to you. Good luck to you and Misti with the new baby and have a safe trip home................Kathy

Note from one of Kerry's students to another of Kerry's students!

Nancy,

Nice to hear from you and I'm excited for you to make it out to Kerry's'. You will benefit if you practice your lessons. Ha! I have used the insight and information that Kerry shared. I believe that I read very deeply into his lectures and stories. I have always ate up horse stuff from others that are further down the road than I. I am trying to make it a priority to read and update myself with clinicians that I can learn from. I am am so blessed to have two inside arenas within a mile of each way from me. I can continue the education process fairly easy. Mrs. Nancy would you please communicate to Mr. Kuhn's how grateful I am that he took the risk to tell me the truth about some things that I was very blind to. I came away bruised and a little less prideful. That was exactly what I needed. Even the things that he wasn't just dead direct about. I prayed and contemplate the ideas and insights deeply. My horses and relationships are exploding with positive influence. I am grateful and blessed to have attended the clinic.

Nancy-would you also let Mr. Kuhns' know that Gabrial won first at first Trail Challenge competition this weekend. There were definitely more seasoned and better broke horses than him, but all of the lessons and homework showed when the points were tallied up. Thanks again and hopeful to see you and Tonka soon.

Tracy

Nancy and her horse, Tonka, at the JJ Ranch.

Natalie and Lex at the JJ Ranch

Susan and Cutter at the JJ Ranch

I took a colt that only had about 10 "rides" on him to a three day clinic with Kerry. By "rides" I mean get on, walk a few steps and then a few circles on a lead line and get off. The next few "rides" was me getting on and asking him to move at a walk, back and guide in a halter and lead with no one attached to us on the ground. These were all in a 55 or 65 foot round pen for like 5 minutes. We trotted the last ride of the year a bit in the big arena. But again, mainly just walked and guided and spent about 20 minutes just letting Murphy pack me around. Really he only had a lot of groundwork and round pen work.

I am a green rider and I am not being modest. Murphy was obviously a green horse. Both of us gained a ton of confidence at the clinic. Did I mention I have MS and my balance is questionable at times. I never did much at a trot and never loped a horse on purpose really, but once for a minute before the clinic. I am an RN, I guess it put some fear into me about being hurt. Plus, I never rode as a kid, I am 36, have 4 kids depending on me...scared to lope. Well, I learned to lope on my daughter's older horse, Trigger, I brought and Kerry used his lunch break for that purpose. Not a pretty lope, but I bounced thru it enough to where I found my seat for several strides at a time. Kerry had the perfect trick to keep me in position on the horse without pulling on the horse's mouth. He had me place my hand on Trigger's hip, putting my hand back on the horse's hip I didn't lean forward...I still do it that way now at times when trying to find my seat!

I got enough confidence in that one session verses the previous 2 years of sitting on Murphy that I even went as far as to lope on my green Murphy whom had only loped with a rider on about two occasions. Those were both by Kerry saying he'd lope the "lil rascal" so he'd know what a horse's job really is! Before the clinic I had just planned on never teaching my green horse to lope with me or anyone else and just have a trail horse, but I got a lil jealous watching my kids and hubby lope and decided that was my goal...and depending on how the MS may progress, I figured I'd better let Kerry teach me to lope now just in case fear isn't the only obstacle I may have to overcome.

I didn't leave the clinic loping like a superstar...but I had enough info and confidence in knowing what to do that I can go out and practice in a confident safe manner and may actually be competitive at the lil showdeos this summer!!! I also learned that as green as my horse was as far as any real rides goes...he was a really good horse and felt that it was confirmed by Kerry at the clinic when I asked Murphy to squeeze along the wall and stay out of my space..he respected me and did the best out of all the horses...Kerry commented on how my horse didn't race thru scared between me and the tight space but did go at whatever speed I asked and he was so close to the wall his saddle stirrups scraped the wall as he passed thru. Also, the groundwork transferred to the saddle once Kerry helped me understand how to be a rider and a leader, not just a person sitting up there. I can get my Murphy to trot almost every time by just starting to post and he is getting good at taking off at a lope from a walk with my subtle cues of pushing my seat in the seat!

I am still bragging about the "Kerry Kuhn Clinic" I took Murphy to back last May and about the confidence I gained at your clinic! The confidence really came to bloom after putting into practice all of the seeds of wisdom you planted at the arena in those three days! "

Alice Mangan

Alice and Murphy putting their practice to work at a Horse Whisper Event parking cars!

Alice and Murphy at the three day clinic. Murphy is learning to respect Alice's space and squeeze quietly through a tight space.

stiff north wind is an understatement it was gusting upwards of 50 mph. Kerry told me the night before that he had the perfect place to go if the wind was blowing like they predicted so we headed off to his arena which was nestled in the bottom of some hills with cover on all sides. It felt like the Bahamas when we got there. We worked the rest of the morning and some of the afternoon building on what we did the day before. Kerry showed me how and what I needed to do to truly get my horse soft. Later that afternoon we got my 2 year old and a couple 2 year olds that Kerry has and headed back for some real fun. Let me define fun for you. We turned the 3 colts loose in the pen and Kerry was working them from the back of his horse while I was trying to get mounted. My mare had never seen so much excitement yet so she wasn't cooperating with me. Kerry kept the horses away long enough for me to get mounted and he handed me his stick and string and told me that she wanted to run with the other horses so go chase them. It didn't take her long to figure out that the other horses meant a lot of work and that maybe being with me wasn't such a bad idea. I'll have to admit when we first cut them loose and total chaos broke out I thought Kerry had lost his mind. But there was a method to his madness we helped my horse with her main problem (herd bound) and we got the colts ready to saddle at the same time. Me and Kerry joked about that experience on the ride back to his place. He said I looked like the ball inside a pinball machine while I was trying to get on my horse, but let me tell you it was a ton of fun after I got mounted and was chasing them colts.

So to summarize and make a long story short I would highly recommend Kerry Kuhn to horsemen and horsewomen of all skill levels. If you are looking for some fun and an education at the same time load your horse or horses and head to the JJ ranch. You won't be disappointed.

Zach Zoglmann

Conway Springs, KS

I met Kerry about nine years ago, in fact I bought a two year old colt from him. I hadn't seen or talked to Kerry since then. It wasn't until I bought an unbroken 10 year old mare and her 6 month old colt that I figured out that I needed some help. I have had these horses for almost two years now and I was really stuck in a spot with the mare that I was not happy with and now it was time to start the colt. So I remembered Kerry Kuhn and I googled his name and sure enough he had a web site so I contacted him and we arranged an afternoon at my place. I thought an afternoon would be enough to get me on my way and it probably would have been, but after spending 4 hours with Kerry I realized that he has so much more to offer and I have so much more to learn. So I immediately scheduled a couple days at the JJ Ranch. My first day at the Ranch was a beautiful afternoon with temps in the mid 50's. We spent the afternoon working on the mare and my horsemanship out on the beautiful 3000 acres of land. Kerry showed me how to use the terrain for training aids. For example a thorn bush makes a pretty good obstacle to use to start getting your horse to bend around your leg. If you don't believe me try to get your horse to walk though one. After a good nights rest in Kerry's cabin we awoke the next morning to lower temps and a

I first met Kerry at a “Best of America by Horseback Ride” where he gave a demo on Practical Horsemanship. One of my friends was having an issue with her horse, so she enlisted Kerry’s help during a private session. In just one short hour, Kerry made a huge impression on both the horse and us four women. That is where my journey with Kerry began. Since that initial encounter, I have done 3 separate clinics with Kerry. As a retired educator, I like to refer to him as a “teacher’s teacher”. He not only knows both his equine and human pupils, he is also keenly aware of their particular strengths and weaknesses. Kerry is so good at reaching every participant and like any great instructor, he is a super combination of patience, firmness and kindness interjected with humor. I also found that like all talented teachers, he has eyes in back of his head! Just when my foot got hung up momentarily in a stirrup while dismounting and Kerry’s back was turned to me, I heard him loudly and clearly tell me to set keep my feet further back in my stirrups!

The two separate 3-day clinics Kerry did for our small group here in IL were great, but the ultimate experience was the week some of us spent at the JJ Ranch. Kerry set each day’s agenda and pace according to our abilities and how we progressed through any challenges that cropped up along the way. He was the epitome of patience when we either lacked the confidence or the ability to perform a skill. During the first couple of days at the ranch when Kerry asked for a volunteer to demonstrate what he was trying to teach, I found that I was in fear that he’d call on me to be first. By the end of the week, I was competing with my fellow riders to be first. That’s the kind of confidence Kerry instilled in us. I’m taking the advice Kerry gave me at the closing of the last clinic: Cindi, move out of 3rd grade. And I plan to with Kerry as my teacher. 4th grade, here I come!

Cindi in IL

Cindi and Quiz at the JJ Ranch.

“Kerry Kuhn is one of the most skilled horseman and talented teacher out there today.” And you can quote me on that because those words came from my mouth and my heart. It isn’t always easy for good horsemen to be good teachers and vice versa, but the whole package is there in Kerry Kuhn. He has the ability to see things from the horses’ perspective and translate the horses’ needs into specific actions for the rider. He breaks his training (of riders and horses) down into small steps that are so easy to master. Those same small steps make such good sense and, when added all up, make that happy, successful working relationship we all desire to have with our horses.

The atmosphere of learning is always positive. Kerry always encourages, never belittles or intimidates. He empowers you to accomplish whatever you set for your goals. You are tired, mentally and physically, from a day spent with Kerry. But, oh my, what a wonderful kind of tired that is! I have been to clinics with Kerry many times and have learned so much. I could not be where I am today with my horse if it weren’t for Kerry.

I learned to ride and became a horse owner in my 40’s. Anyone who has done that can attest to the fear/apprehension that sometimes overcomes us. When I got my horse, I went right into team-penning. Thankfully, I had relatives help me learn to ride and to team-pen. From what I did, you can see that I went from ‘kindergarten’ with a horse right to ‘junior in high school’. What Kerry has done for me is fill in all those missing ‘grades’. Kerry gave me the tools to be a confident leader for my horse, to ride instead of being a rider. What a difference it has made.

I have recommended Kerry to many, many people. All (yes, all) have come back to me with high praises for Kerry and what he did for them. I think their many success stories speak even stronger of Kerry’s talents than my one testimonial.

Nancy Purkey

Valley Center, Ks

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Hi Kerry!

I just wanted to let you know that Shady and I got 3rd out of 25 at the Extreme Cowhrose Arena Race, and Shady was incredible! I got TONS of comments and compliments about her, so wanted to say thank you. I was most proud that we nailed the two back up mauevers (back around two cones in a figure 8, and back straight through two poles, turn 180 and back through again) and the sidepass over poles in an L shape! We continue to keep working on making BOTH of us better!

I hope that you get something worked out to come back up this way sometime soon...I would love to attend another clinic!

Take care of yourself and your family! Happy Thanksgiving!

Chelsea & Shady :)