Natural Horsemanship and Colt Starting
Customer Reviews
October 2014
I took my horse to a natural horsemanship named David Laboucan in Grovedale. She had all her groundwork done and I was looking for someone to put saddle on (my mare had a saddle on previously) and train her to ride. I did not have huge expectations but had thought I would get my mare back and be able to saddle her up and ride her in my roundpen. I called David after two weeks to see how things are going and he told me he had not ridden her yet - he said he had just put a saddle on and she went crazy and he had no intention of getting on her back. He told me she was untrainable - but I had a friend he is not a trainer just a cowboy and he was able to ride her within 3 days and thinks perhaps David cinched her up to quickly and/or tightly causing her pain and she now associates the cinch with pain and needed a lot work as she was so head shy (thanks David). I had taken her to a round penning course the year before and she did well and learned quickly. She was easy to catch before going to David's - but after bringing her home from David's she was extremely head shy and cinchy to the point I could not put a saddle on her . My mare definitely had a little distrust of people before going to David's- but I had spent several months just doing little things with her and she was 100% calmer - but after bringing her back from David's I was back to square one. Fact of the matter is he charged me to do absolutely nothing and I have a friend (/Katie Campbell)who had same problems as me. Yes I admit I am a green rider and my mare is only 5 years old that is a whole different story as I bought her after having to put my previous old mare (Pascal) down and my heart was broken so I bought my new mare with my heart and not my head - but that is why my expectations were not high as mentioned. I only wanted to ride her in round pen until her and I received more training but this was a definite setback and disappointment.
October 2014
Ok, so I used to be a professional horse trainer for 32 yrs and can no longer train from to many injuries and advancing age.
And so my beef is with a trainer who lives in Grovedale, Alberta. My
folks sent a 5 year old gelding to him to be trained 3 months ago. The
horse was halter broke, you could trim his feet, brush him, catch him
easily, etc. They just got him home 2 days ago and the guy said he was
never on his back.
YA I worked with the palomino he had for 3 months this
morning. The horse knows very little, bucked like hell when I went to
saddle him, pulled multiple times while bucking, and was scared to death
of anything I tried to do with him...But!! When I was done after 80
min of working with him I was able to lunge him with the saddle on(after
he quit bucking, cause he got his ass smacked) and then I was able to
tie him and throw the saddle on and off both sides and then on the on
side while standing in the middle of the round pen..... But I gave him
lots of encouragement when he did things right, he got lots of good
boys, and rubbing and petting. He licked his lips constantly after I
would try something new...he was always looking to me for encouragement
as if to say is this right? Not once did he look mean or mad .. This
tells me he wants to learn, but has been scared to death by this so
called Natural Horsemanship trainer.
My folks had to pay for a
months training for this horse to be taught how to be scared. This
horses full sister is an AQHA Champion, and his full brother is an
awesome saddle horse, with points in multiple events. These horses are
very trainable and everyone loves them that ride this bloodline.
I am so Pissed at this man's lack of business ethics, and work ethics that I will prevent anyone from sending horses to him.
Contact Information
https://www.facebook.com/LaboucanNHandC/timeline
David Laboucan
780-897-5356
Grovedale, Alberta
this is david laboucan, i would just like to clarify a few things. admin please delete those posts . these are text messages from post number one and my self and you will find it very interesting . and if it isnt who i think it is then let this be a eye opener.
ReplyDeletemay 07-2013
How is charm doing?
Well she's very spooky and skittish easier to catch but she doesn't like it. But I do see a little progress
Ya she was like that when I first got her but seemed to calm down - does that mean it will prolly take more then 30 days and can I come out to see her thurs or fri afternoon?
Well when u texted me today I was just bringing her out to the round pen. She is doing pretty darn good with the ground work games. ( the round penning clincian and i do pretty much the same groundwork) I'm just about to through the saddle on her she's doing that good. Have you tried after the first time when she didn't like ?
No didn't try saddle just stuck with the ground work and round penning
That's her after she bucked her ass off. She has stopped bucking now saddle was no issue it was the tightening the saddle that got her
(i always tell my students when starting young horses saddleing and cinching "not to tight, but tight enough that the saddle doesnt slide under and cause a wreck)
Sweet and yes she always seems skittish with new stuff - awesome that didnt take long
It is going to be a while before I get on no way I am riding out her bucks lol
Haha don't blame u - that's awesome David :)
may 12 2013
It's ***** I had mentioned coming by sometime this week but had a family emergency - I know u mentioned u had clinic next weekend and that I could stop on and watch does that work or should I stop in during the week next week?
may 14 2013
Hi ***** sorry I have been busy. So I kept the last check you gave me just in case if I found that charm would take a lot more training and even then I cannot garentee that I could be riding her. It has been almost two weeks and it seems that I almost have to start from the Beggining each time. Each day is different with her. I have been doing a rope technique to get her used of the sinch tightening around her stomach and releasing when relaxed . It's not going very good. She is tense and looks like she will buck. Don't get me wrong I am sure she is trainable by someone who will ride her buck out. Unfortently that is not me. I could keep going but it's quite costly too for you. And even then she may not even be getting ridden by that time. I think if you were planning on keeping her yearling it would be best to get a head start on him or her now. so you could bring him or her out for the remainding time, Or I can give your check back if not. Up to you (which i did give the check back for the remainding to weeks)
Thanks
David Laboucan
Can u call me
Hey David I'm gonna come out to get charm later this evening - I haven't decided what I'm gonna do yet with her - not gonna worry about the yearling sassy as she is and will be easy to handle so I'll do some more ground work with her and book her with u for next spring? Thanks for being honest about charm it prooves to me u have great integrity
Your welcome. See you this evening
On our way
Hey David sorry got busy forgot to get back to u - decided not to buy horse right now gonna try few things with charm first - I'll talk to u before spring about my yearling sassy :)
For sure no problem look forward on next year thanks for the recommendation with ********
Ya for sure - will continue to recommend u to all my friends - your honesty is appreciated :)
i am glad the cowboy was able to ride her,
i also recieved a call from the round penning clinician thanking me for my honesty and that i gave the check back, and that she felt that the mare and the owner were not a good match and told her that the horse is to much for her.
and for post number two... i have nothing nice to say about you but you should be used to that as not alot of people do. i should of listened to everyone. that everyone told me to stay away from you. . you mention that he was head shy and that i made him scared to death, he was like that the moment he walked off the trailer. you know, i find it funny that your dad came to vist a week after training and went up to the pen where the palamino was and to his surpise the palamino walked up to the fence for a rub, your dad said and i quote "wow, he would have never of done this before" so dont act like he was the calm quite and easy horse to work with like you state in the post. . ., i have more thank you cards and job well done cards from past clients then the years of you being a professional trainer. speaking of that. what professional trainer lies and sells a 12 year old boy a mare who sometimes bucks when cinched or riding and not tell him or the family about it intell its too late? i believe that boy broke his femer, ribs and arm all on the same side and was hospitalized for months.... very professional. incase you forgot that 12 year old boy was me. anything to make a dollar i guess.
ReplyDeletei am sure your past trainers would love to her all the nasty things you said about them as well, and how they ruined that horse.
people, dont believe everything you hear or read, thier is always to sides to every story.... ill let you be the judge