My name is Tracy Zadow and have been an active member on the Ultimate Horse Site's Message Board since November of 2004. I am known on the site as Galloop.

I am 33 years old and have been riding horses since I was 8. I grew up with two horses that I learned to ride on and went off to horsemanship camp at the age of 9 where I learned all about horses from head to hoof. My parents put me through that horsemanship camp two years in a row and I came out of it a very confident horseman.

From there we had moved and sold our horses but I still had friends who had horses and rode them whenever I could. The summer I turned 17, I got a job at a ranch that had pony rides and worked next to this old cowboy who taught me alot about the mind of a horse and how they think. Spent alot time at the ranch and learned how to drive a team of horses, jump bareback for improved balance, and the art of ground training. Of course, when you learn the art of ground training from an old cowboy, it's not the natural horsemanship way. It's not cruel but knowing the things I know now, it could've been better. The place ended up shutting down due to unpaid taxes.

There was a lull in the time I was in my early 20's and didn't get to ride hardly at all. Went on a few rented horse rides and that just increased my want to get back involved with the animals I loved so much. In my late 20's I ran across an old friend who had a horse that had major behavior issues from being abused and neglected. I told her I would help her out and train her horse to see what I could accomplish. Natural Horsemanship was what I wanted to apply to this horse but didn't know much about it. I read book after book. Watch video after video and applied a variety of techniques to this horse. Monty Roberts helped me remember the mind of a horse and how it works and I built upon that. This horse was highly scared of everything. She bucked like a bucking bronco and was very mentally unstable. She had a sweet disposition until you got on her back. I've never known a horse to piaff without training due to being scared to go forward. I applied one technique to this horse and when that didn't work I applied another until it did. I ended up coming up with a system that I created from different trainers and molded it to fit a majority of the horses I now train. She ended up becoming a real nice trail horse that ceased bucking and had confidence in her steps. She wasn't perfect and with the mental issues she faced and alot of desensitizing she was able to live within herself and thrive.

I ventured on to another horse and another horse...etc...all with behavior problems. Each horse taught me something new and I was able to gain the knowledge to go forward into a training career. The training system I had worked. The horses came out with great attitudes, behavior problems solved, and happier owners. I made the decision to get my own horse. I bought an Arabian named Key Largo and he was an unbroken 31/2 year old. A month later, I could saddle him up and trail ride him without a bit. I established the respect and bond that makes a person and their horse become one. I even gained huge knowledge of the horse message board on TUHS and asked tons of questions and got wonderful answers back. I took on more horses to train and with that came more knowledge. There have been alot of frustrating days and alot of happy days. Learning the art of Natural Horsemanship has been the best thing I ever did with the training of my horses and have learned that discipline is the key that brings it all together. Without discipline you can't train. Without discipline there is no respect and with no respect there is no friendship. No matter what methods you use for your horse, if the basis lacks discipline then there will be no answer.

I hope I can help you gain a better partnership with your horse. There is a solution and no horse is hopeless. The horse I mentioned above that had the major mental issues took nearly 8 months to get her head right again. There is no quick solution but you must take the time out for your horse as they learn on their own terms.

-Tracy Zadow (Galloop)
naturalequines@yahoo.com