Sue Smolka

The horse of my dreams ended up in my barn through an odd set of coincidences. Immediately, I began transferring fears from past experiences onto this gem. Although horses have been a part of my life since early childhood, secretly, I was considering giving up horses altogether.

A friend invited me to the Fjords and Friends Festival and Robbie Potter clinic. After some hand-wringing, I decided I would go. Worst case, I would stand in the middle of the arena with a freaking out horse during the days and hang with horse people in the evenings.

On the first morning to settle my and my horse’s nerves, I got to the ring early. The day was turning out as I expected. My horse was beside himself with anxiety and so was I. Robbie walked up and asked if he could help. I agreed and help he did.

With the tools Robbie gave me, I could allow my horse to gain confidence in me, and in turn, I gained confidence in him. My horse and I participated fully in the clinic all 3 days; walking, trotting, and even cantering fear-free in an arena full of horses. But the good news doesn’t end there. At home, I am able to continue our journey.

Thank you Robbie for giving the joy of horses back to me!