Testimonials
A
few testimonials from Steve's clients...
"Steve Houston has handled over twenty
horses for Shenley Station over the last twelve years. Every one of
these has become a useful part of our business, whether they be, hacks,
show jumpers, hunters, ranch, rope or barrel racing horses.
Our young horses return from a short stay with Steve, happy to be
with you, forward going with excellent basic handle. The broad foundation
Steve puts on these horses allows us to rapidly move them on in their
field with confidence as a thorough and sound base has been instilled
through his training methods.
Without compromise we have found Steve to be honest, forthright and
helpful to do business with as we would expect. We continue to enjoy
the fruits of this gifted horseman."
Rit
and Sara Fisher
Shenley
Station
Farlie, South Canterbury, New Zealand
"I
met Steve while giving a cross country clinic a few years back and
found that we had a similar desire that horses should go softly on
the bit in all their work, that might be on the “Flat”, in “Show Jumping”
and galloping over “Cross Country Fences“.
Steve
indicated at that time he wanted to learn a lot more about my system
of training especially in regards to the riding and the teaching of
the horse in jumping. And so we arranged for Steve to come to Longhouse
for an extended period and ride our horses, observe my training and
teaching and learn about “Gymnastic Jumping”, “Show Jumping” and “Cross
Country Jumping”.
Steve
spent his time here divided between learning about jumping horses
and demonstrating and conducting the breaking of local unbroken horses
and the correcting of other peoples horses who had developed a specific
problem such as bucking, bolting, trailer loading and not tying.
In
all his riding while jumping or while breaking Steve was thoughtful,
used very good judgment and rewarded the horse at opportune times.
He did not press a horse to try and learn too much in any one lesson
and as a result the horses all progressed in their acceptance of training
in a happy frame of mind. Steve has the kind of feel and sense of
timing, as to when to ask a horse to go out of the schooling arena
or to canter or any of the many special tasks a horse must learn.
He has a very thorough plan as to the ground work that must be learned
and submitted to before safe kind progress may take place without
frightening the green or spoiled horse. Steve is truly what we call
a “horseman”.
Robin
Hahn
USA
Note: Robin Hahn has been a horse trainer for close to sixty years,
has been a member of four Olympic teams, two Pan American teams, two
World Championships teams and also coached a Pan American team and
numerous Young rider teams.
"Having
spent my childhood with stock I have always been interested and open
to new ideas on stockmanship, particularly pertaining to horses. My
interest took me into starting youngstock and eventually to dressage
and showjumping competition.
I believed I had gained a reasonable repertoire of skills, that is,
until I met some real horsemen, one of them being Steve Houston.
The more I watched and learnt the more I realised how little I actually
knew, but what caused me to feel great excitement was when I realised
that starting horses the way Steve teaches is the basis of everything
required of our competition horses - respect, trust, forward thinking,
softness, bend, response to the leg and control of the hindquarters,
all of these clearly shown and easy for the horse and rider to comprehend.
This method provides a safe proven way for them to progress.
Steve presents his work as achievable steps to success and his extremely
approachable manner encourages students to feel they can ask questions
realising they are given the time and explanation they need to learn.
Steve's skill is very impressive yet he knows that he too will always
continue to expand his knowledge.
I highly recommend this manner of training horses and employ Steve
to work with all of my Warmbloods. We run 3 day training clinics at
our stud so that others may have the benefit of his expertise."
Sue
Fowler
Astek Stud Ltd
Canterbury, NZ
www.Astek.co.nz
"Steve
Houston has handled and broken in many horses for me. He has always
done an excellent job. The young ones are always easy to work with.
The newly broken in ones always continue to work well."
Helen
Ensor
"Tyntesfield"
RD6,
Blenheim,
New Zealand.
