I have been fortunate enough to have been a student of Zaneta’s since November 2017 - from Straightness Training (ST) through to Mustang Maddy and +R training. My partner is an OTTB, named Canti. At the time, I had just bought him – he had just turned four and had been off the track for a few months. I chose him because of his sweet nature. I could tell that he would try his heart out for me - if I could find the right way to train him. At the same time, he was very unbalanced, even for an OTTB. He was unable to bring his hind legs near his centre of mass and walked like a cowboy behind. So how to address his physical imbalances without ruining his wonderful nature? Particularly bearing in mind that I am not the most talented rider and that I had not ridden in approximately 17 years.

Enter Zaneta and ST. My eyes were opened (wide) to a whole new way of working with horses, very different to the conventional methods of training and riding that I had learned in my previous horsey life. I was an instant convert and I have not looked back. Now that my eyes have been opened, it would be unthinkable for me to return to conventional training and riding methods. In the first year (already), my boy’s natural asymmetry improved immensely. He went from walking like a cowboy behind to being able to do all his lateral movements at walk, on the ground, and in riding. And without detracting from his sweet nature at all. We are still working on establishing the classical dressage exercises. With more lightness and softness, in the other gaits and at liberty. In addition, we now have a powerful (and fun) new tool kit, in the form of +R training methods, which Zaneta also introduced us to after she found Mustang Maddy towards the end of last year.

Zaneta is an expert in the following: reading horses’ thresholds and body language, ethical and effective -R training methods (pressure release), ethical, effective, and choice-based +R training methods, training at liberty, the classical dressage exercises and principles, and healthy biomechanics. She is also an excellent teacher – able to break concepts and exercises down for both horse and human in a way that builds the self-confidence of both. And I can honestly say that I have loved every second of every lesson. I say a prayer of gratitude on a regular basis that our paths crossed, and I cannot recommend her highly enough.