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Cindy Smith and Zips QT
“Nick took a horse who never even got placed and was dangerous on the trail, to a horse who now wins a LOT and is safe as can be wherever we go.”
I was 58 years old when I got my horse Zips QT, affectionately known as Cutie. Cutie was a performance horse and had only ever been used in the show arena. Even so, when I showed her, in spite of having terrific conformation, we were never placed, always last, due to her inconsistency in her paces.
So, I joined a riding club, thinking maybe she’d exel as a trail horse. Oh no, she definitely wasn’t a trail horse either! She would kick and bite and charge to the front of the ride and be constantly agitated. Afraid I was going to get hurt, all my friends told me to sell her.
But, I knew that she wasn’t a bad mare, we just needed help. A lot of help! A friend recommended me to Nick and I didn’t know then how lucky I was.
Cutie was already a well trained horse, so I thought a month would be more than enough to ‘fix’ her. But it took 3 months for her and I to relax and improve and within 3 months, I had a good, safe trail horse who was also much improved in the show ring. After 3 months, Cutie came home. She was doing really well, but I knew we could do better! So, Cutie and I now regularly travel to Nick’s for regular lessons with Nick and now I have a horse who is safe as can be and is placed almost every time.
At first, I thought it would be expensive to send Cutie to the trainer, but Nick’s prices are very competitive and my vet told me that Nick is the ONLY trainer who he recommends.
Nick produced a horse who can now use her talent and is wonderful to ride, but what I also valued was the way in which he did it: he is very in tune with the horse and mindful of their needs, both physical and mental.
I have never seen a neater, cleaner place, no matter what time of day you go. Nick is quiet and gentle in his training yet he gets amazing results which last after your horse has come home.
Cindy Smith 69, Union MO
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Debbie Ralston 57, and Thunder and Sugar
Thunder and Sugar
“Nick is our freedom”
We have 2 horses on board with Nick, Thunder and Sugar.
We are extremely particular about who cares for our horses and were concerned about how clean and safe a boarding barn would be.
But, at Nick’s no matter when you go, the barn is always clean and neat, which we’re very impressed with.
We like to go to Florida for the winter and again would worry about Thunder and Sugar if we didn’t have 100% trust in Nick. We laugh and call Nick our ‘freedom’, because we’ve just bought a new RV and plan to go on trips…because of Nick we can leave with ease!
Debbie Ralston & Bill Parish
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Nick and Lil-Andrea
“The end result is a kind, well trained horse who trusts people and is a joy to own.
I bought Andrea as a yearling and took to a trainer to break. When she came home, the trainer said don’t ever bring her back, she has a bad attitude and actually advised me to get rid of her!
She originally was very nervous and didn’t want to do anything at all, everything was difficult with her.
Nick is extremely well versed in all disciplines and this versatility allowed him to find something that Andrea would actually do – and that thing was jumping. Through this chink in her armour, Nick was able to make progress and produce a fantastic all round horse. Nick is excellent at pinpointing a horse’s talent and where they will succeed. The results were way beyond my expectations.
Before she went to Nick for training, no one wanted to deal with her. Now we show a lot and have won many awards.
Nick never gets angry, he is always kind, gentle, quiet and easygoing. He has endless patience and works with the horse. The end result is a kind, well trained horse who trusts people and is a joy to own.
I went from a horse that no one wanted to ride to a champion…in the top 10 at the World in Texas, all because of Nick.
In fact, read on for Andrea’s extensive list of awards. All this with a horse who didn’t want to do anything at all until Nick started working with her:
Register Of Merit (ROM)s in:
- Aged Mares
- Hunter In Hand Mares
- Pre Green Hunter
- Sr Hunter Hack
- Sr Hunter Under Saddle
- Sr Western Pleasure
Non-pro ROMs in:
- Hunter In Hand Mares
- Hunter Under Saddle
Andrea has also been awarded:
- 2008 Appaloosa Champion Horse
- 2008 Year-end finalist (top ten) in Sr Hunter Hack
- 2010 Year-end finalist (top ten) in FPD Mares
- 2010 Year-end finalist (top ten) in Sr Hunter Hack
- 2010 Year-end reserve high point Pre Green Hunter
- 2011 Versatility champion horse
- Numerous regional rewards from Broken Arrow Club
Andrea also has points in Steer Daubing and has competed in Team Sorting.
Lynn Ormesher, Waterloo Il and Lil-Andrea
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Jon Bopp 72, and Brigadier’s Patriot
Honor
“Outstanding trainer for both the horse and the rider”
I bought Honor from the Amish. And he knew nothing! I mean nothing! Although he was halter broke, he had been stood in a field with no real handling and didn’t know how to do anything! He didn’t know about shots or grooming or the farrier, nothing!
Nick taught him everything. And he was Horse of the Year for St Louis Dressage society.
Early on, he bucked me off a couple of times, so I sent him to Nick. Honor has been a complete gentleman ever since and I trail ride him a lot now.
Without a doubt, Nick is an outstanding trainer for both the horse and the rider and I would recommend him for any discipline.
Nick also runs a very clean operation. He takes the time to make sure everything is correct. He rides the horses every day and oversees the shoeing as well.
Jon Bopp Attorney 72, Wildwood
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Duffy
“Nick will always be “our” trainer!”
Nick has trained 24 of our horses the past dozen years.
We like his gentle and consistent approach and there is no one we trust more to give a good foundation to a young horse.
Nick will always be “our” trainer!
