Anne M Johnson
Pilot Point, Texas 76258
940-365-3735
ajec@msn.com
Making it fun —
I began training with Anne Johnson because she was the only professional I had seen, in my many years of working with horses, who could provide this in a training session:
1. Quickly analyze the relationship between the horse and rider.
2. Establish realistic goals depending on the rider’s skill level and horse’s conformation.
3. Explain her methods in simple and easily understood terms.
4. Watches the horse or rider that might be “off” and prevents serious injuries.
5. Makes it fun! Anne was the first and only trainer I’ve ever seen who laughs and keeps the session light. Although, she teaches at the highest level of horsemanship — with winning results!
Susan Van Meerten
Rio Verde, Arizona
European dressage rider to Texas reiner!
My mare Wylie and I were not an easy pair for Anne. A green reining prospect, a rider with a long English riding background (I really didn’t know anything about reining in practice), and only nine months to get all possible information and knowledge before returning to Finland with Wylie. It was hard work for all of us.
But Anne, she was great. Her kind, but firm, guidance built us into a good team. Anne is very patient and, with her many years and wide experience, she really understood my problems. I can still almost hear her slogan, “Auli, ride like a Texan with western swing, not as an English rider!!”. She made us do hard exercises, but at the same time, we had fun.
When I was in Texas, I made notes from every one of our lessons. The notes, my “bible”, lists complete exercises and I’m using these daily. Anne gave me such a good base for me and my horse, we are still doing good and our target is still to participate in reining shows in Finland.
I’d like to thank Anne from my full heart. She is not only a high level professional trainer, she is also a loving, caring person. With competence to work with different people and horses and, at the same time, get people to achieve their goals.
Auli Kusma
Finland
Dear Anne,
I just wanted to let you know how thrilled we were with your clinic. Jessica and April have really been able to put things together and have been so successful. Before your clinic, things had really kind of fallen apart and Jessica was really struggling. You were able to speak to her in a way that she was able to understand and show her what she needed to do to get with her horse. (That isn’t always easy when you’re dealing with a 13 year old girl.)
The problems they were dealing with were terrible transitions and a lack of sitting and feeling the ride. You were able to get her to use her legs more and not to rely only on her hands. It was so amazing what you did with this girl and her horse in 2 hours. You took a beautiful horse and rider and made them nearly unbeatable.
Jessica went on the next month to the MN State 4-H horse show and won Showmanship, Western Pleasure, Western Horsemanship, she placed 2nd in English Pleasure and 4th in Trail. The following weekend she went to the Champ Show and, with over 60 horses in the 13 and under Western Pleasure, she placed 2nd. This year April (Vermillion Flower) received her ROM in Youth Performance.
Without your clinic, I really doubt Jessica and April would have had such wonderful results. This year Jessica has been riding April bridleless, just to show off of course, but it really does show how the techniques you were able to teach her can bring a horse and rider together.
We can not say enough about what you did for Jessica and April, if only we could get you to move back to Minnesota.
Thank you!
Cindy and Jessica Benson
Bagley, Minnesota
St. Paul Mounted Police
When I was in the process of establishing a new horse patrol unit, I called on Anne Johnson. She was a well known and widely respected equine consultant and world class judge with unmatched experience. I hired her to evaluate, test and train my mounted patrol officers and we could not have been more impressed with her work. She could spot the trouble, whether it was with the rider, horse or tack, and suggest the correct solution without wasting any time.
Sgt. Daniel Harshman
St. Paul Police Department
St. Paul, Minnesota
Re-schooling a race horse —
Re-schooling a race horse to dressage and eventing is challenging and interesting!
Anne Johnson has been instrumental by teaching constructive exercises and helping me find ways to get the best from my horse. Even though I’ve shown dressage and jumping in Finland, my own riding has improved significantly working with Anne. She’s helped me develop a stable and balanced seat.
I think she has just the right balance of being very precise and supportive. I’ve loved every single lesson.
Satu Petonen
Finland and Dallas, Texas
Winning at barrel racing —
I think that your clinics are great. They’ve really helped me improve my barrel racing.
We went from a horse that would just run wild and crazy every time he entered the arena to a horse that is now out-racing everyone! He even won the Open 1D at the NBHA barrel race. At the last show, we beat everyone of the WHOLE day by 2 seconds!
I know barrel horses aren’t really your main thing, but since you just know so much about horses, you were able to help me. I’ve improved so much each time I’ve gone to your clinics.
Kristina Delaney
Blackduck, Minnesota
A clinic, then championships —
After moving to Texas in 2004, I attended one of Anne’s clinics. I learned so much that day, I began private lessons with her.
When I was ready to move forward, Anne helped me find and purchase a lovely Arabian mare which I showed to a Regional Top Five Championship. Anne also helped me find my latest show horse, an Arabian gelding that I’ve shown in halter and hunter pleasure and now western. Her ability to judge a horse’s conformation and suitability for purpose is first rate!
Elizabeth Knizley
Paris, Texas
First show: Three classes, three firsts
Second show: Scottsdale Reserve Champion
My riding, prior to lessons with Anne, was limited to trail rides. Mostly, that included the simple act of throwing a leg over and hoping for the best.
In November 2008, I finally decided to show in Arabian Western Pleasure while my wife showed in various other classes. We purchased a western pleasure gelding and lessons began at home on a practice mare with Anne.
After just a month of lessons with Anne, I nervously entered my first class and won first out of 13. Hey, this showing stuff is kind of fun! I won the second class out of 11 entries and finally, the amateur championship. Ok, now I’m hooked.
Then, only two months later at the country’s largest Arabian show, I won the Scottsdale Limit Rider Reserve Championship.
I could not have ramped up this quickly without Anne. Yes, it seems hard at times. Yet our lessons are always fun. I have learned more horsemanship from Anne in three months than I had accumulated in more than 40 years of being around horses.