Testimonials
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| Hi, Jack. Just wanted to let you know that Browse and I had a good little ride yesterday. I rode him bareback around the corral for about an hour. He did fantastic! Had a little trouble getting him to slide over to me to get on him. I tried a few times before I got the crop. Once I got the crop and tapped him, he came right over to me. One tap and he would step over, another tap and he would step over again. It was funny, when I went to stop him from a trot, he stopped immediately! Oh how I wish my mare would do that. I'm going to keep working with her. Browse is quite a comfortable riding horse. I felt totally at ease riding him bareback. He didn't seem to mind either. I also noticed that once you warm him up, he wants to go! It is quite fun. You have done a great job with him. I can't wait to show him off to my friends. Our visitors are in aw of him. He makes me very proud. Your training has been very rewarding for both Browse and myself. Thanks again, Susan |
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Jack, Hello!
Well, Zion and I are loving it out here. I really want to thank you
for all you did with his training. It is amazing having a horse who
is so responsive and has all the tools I need to teach him new tasks.
His training has defiantly been put to the test out here in Wyoming
herding cattle, crossing rivers, guiding pack horses up winding mountain
trails, and even dealing with ponying a difficult young horse. Also
I want to thank you for giving me more tools to use while working with
other horses. I attached a photo of Zion heading across a river and
packing up in the mountains. I hope you and Sherry are doing well.
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I just wanted to tell you about a presentation I attended last weekend. It was a "John Lyons Student Demo" put on by one of your students now going through his last leg of certification. It was put on by Jack Shank from Goshen Indiana. He did an excellent job of presenting what John Lyons was about. He was very professional from his advertising to his actual demonstration. You could tell he loved what he was doing. I can't wait until he is a certified(possibly a select)instructor. I know several of us that attended would like to be one of first in his clinic when he comes back to Indiana. Thanks for reading this. M Derr |
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I went to a clinic given by one of your studens, Jack Shank. Jack handled himself well. He was informative, funny and he took some of the mystery out of the way a horse thinks and about the training process. Thanks. R Frye |
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I am writing to commend you on the excellent way you have taught a student who is currently working on his last three weeks of your certification program, Jack Shank. While Jack was home the last three weeks he put on a John Lyons Student Demonstration. It was wonderful! Jacks presentation and mannerisms were very professional. He has a certian tone about him that people give respect to and desire to hear more of what he has to say. Jack was very knowledgeable about everything he demonstrated and what was discussed. He helped me more that I can describe to you. After the demo he personally came out to my barn to help me with my two year old paint gelding. I am so happy Jack has decided to go through your certification program and I wanted to let you know how well he represents your name as a riding instructor. Thank you for sharing what you have learned about horses to others. May God bless you. With Thanks |
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Dear John & Josh, We just wanted to give you feedback on one of your certified instructors who graduated in 2004 and is on his way to a very successful career in horse training. Jack Shank of Goshen, Indiana has been equipped with knowledge and skill through your program because you invested the time to share what you have learned over the years about horses. My husband and I are in our mid forties and starting to ride for a fun, shared activity together. Jack has helped me to confront my fear of leading in an encouraging manner instead of making fun of or ignoring the problem which is what two other trainers have done in the past. His straight forward method with down to earth attitude is a refreshing winning combination and should be considered a real asset to your name and your business. We have been in dire need of excellent trainers here in this area of the country. Many claim to be certified but are not, they lack skill with horses and people. Finally, we have found someone who knows what they are doing, really care about horses and can relate to humans/horses in a respectful manner. Thank you for your dedication through the hard lessons of creating the Perfect Horse. Thank you also for sharing your faith. Proverbs 3:5-6 says it all. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make you paths straight. I put finding a good trainer in HIS hands and HE directed us to Jack Shank. After dealing with different trainers, I now know why you are America's Most Trusted Horseman. Tony & Luanne Lozier, Warsaw,
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| John, I would like to send this e-mail to let you know about the experiences that I have had over the past year. I have been an avid John Lyons fan for years but until this past February it has been just observing. You started my filly in Birch Run in February of this year, if you remember she gave you a real challenge. The plan had been to get a picture of you on her and then put her on the internet for sale, we had sold all of her sisters from years past and had the same plan for Sky. We had decided not to breed and raise foals anymore and Sky was to be the last one, we sold our brood mares and as I got older I had been getting more and more apprehensive about riding due to a serious riding accident that occurred when I was 19 and took 3 years of my life to totally recover. When my husband came up to me and told me that our plans had changed and he was going to send Sky to a trainer for me I was petrified, I had flash backs of the last young horse I had started and the moments just before she flipped over on me. I was not a very willing participant in this plan, but my husband is a persuasive man and he had already met and talked to Jack Shank who was at the expo that weekend with you. Sky went to Jack the first of march and I went the following weekend, I watched him work his magic with her weekend after weekend. On Easter break I went to Indiana again to watch Jack ride, only this time I brought my saddle with me. Jack worked her and rode her and she did well, we changed saddles and again he got on her this time she was acting up a bit so Jack suggested we wait until tomorrow for me to ride I didn't argue. Jack and his wife invited me to stay with them for the night but I had made previous arrangements to stay with a friend that lived in the southern part of Michigan. I arrived the next morning and we saddled Sky again, Jack rode her for a few minutes and I got to ride Sky for the first time. I had been doing ground work with her all the weekends I been down there so I immediately disengaged and she was so responsive, she was calm and willing. I think I fell asleep that night with a smile on my face. Sky stayed with Jack for 90 days and we progressed together he gave me many tools to use with her and my confidence soared. I picked Sky up June 1st and brought her home, I rode daily in the round pen and the fields. On June 14th we loaded up and went to the State 4-h trail ride, that weekend I guided rides on a young horse that had never seen the woods before. She did a great job, she did get a little excited once or twice but I had the tools to calm her and put her to work and she and I were a good team for our first outing. I rode every chance I could for the rest of that month but in July due to other commitments I was unable to ride Sky, I didn't ride her again until the end of September. I pulled her out of the pasture, did our ground work and climbed on, the next day we loaded up and went up north to provide medical standby for the exceptional riders, ride-a-thon. I rode the trails with Sky and my husband did standby at camp. Sky was up when we started but I did my serpentines while waiting for the other riders and she calmed and went to work, we had a great ride. Two weeks later I took her to her first search and rescue training, we did a search and recovery. After finding our victim the doctor I ride with and I rode back to the ambulance to bring medical equipment to the recovery team, we loaded everything onto a Sked board which is a large plastic sled used to drag victims from the woods. We attached a long rope to the sled and I pulled it behind Sky through the woods to the rescue scene, she never made a bad step she acted like it was something she has done her entire life. The only thing she had ever pulled before was the tarp in the round pen, that afternoon she pulled large tree branches that were bumping into her and she did wonderfully. I can throw a lariat off her and do things I can't do with my 20 year old quarter gelding. Jack and his wife Sherry have become good friends with us and we are working together to set up clinics here in Michigan so that more people will be able to enjoy their horses safely and have the new found confidence that I have. I will never lose my love of horses and now thanks to Jack I have overcome a very disabling fear to enjoy them the way I used to. I know that accidents happen and I could still get hurt but I also know that I have the tools to be in control of the situation. I just wanted you to know what a wonderful Job Jack did with my horse and with me, I will forever be grateful for the things he has done and for the training you have developed. Thank you and God bless, Cricket Nelson bar_nfarm@chartermi.net cell-517-404-1004 |
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I very enthusiastically recommend
Jack Shank as a horse trainer. He has been a big part in turning
my nervous and sometimes disrespectful mare into a calm and willing
partner. I am an adult rider who is returning to horses after a
20 year break. This fall, I bought a beautiful Thoroughbred-cross
mare who herself had been on vacation for the past few years. Sissy
was testing me to see who was really in charge: She would balk while
being lead, dance around while I tried to saddle and groom her,
and pay attention to everything but me when I rode her. I was frustrated
but not certain as to how to fix things: I worried she wasn’t
the right horse for me. For her part, Sissy was looking for leadership
as she adjusted to a new home and I didn’t know how to provide
it. Jen Lindley |
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| February 24, 2006 Dear John, I am writing this letter to let you know how your training program and meeting Jack and Sherry Shank has changed my life with my horses. I have been around horses all my life. I was an avid rider and was developing a breeding program with my Arabian mare. I had a barn full of beautiful horses, a new home, barn and indoor riding arena. Life with my horses was wonderful. Then in July of 1996 everything changed. I fell off my horse dismounting and broke my back. I was very blessed as I recovered fully from my injury but my confidence in my riding ability was severely damaged. For over 10 years I rarely went riding but did continue my breeding program and had a wonderful time working with my foals. I continued to tell myself I would get back to riding soon but it never happened, mainly because I made no real effort to try. I even received tremendous support from many of my “horsie” friends, along with my husband but nothing seemed to work for me. I don’t want to add up the time and money I spent (and wasted) on training and lessons. Last year I made an agonizing decision. I decided that I would either stop wasting my horses and start riding again or I would do something I couldn’t imagine and sell them. I was still having this internal battle with myself when I met Jack and Sherry. I don’t think I will be able to express in words what meeting them and working with Jack has meant to me. Our farrier told us about “this John Lyons trainer” that wanted to do some clinics, gave us Cricket Nelson’s phone number and the rest is history. My husband is the one who made the contacts, pushed me to participate in the clinic and kept me from panicking and backing out. It is the best gift he could have ever given me. I am still learning and will be for some time yet. Your training techniques along with Jack’s teaching abilities have me riding again with confidence. In addition, I am having fun with my horses again! I am learning a completely new way of riding and connecting with my horse. Not to mention we have made so many new, wonderful friends. There is an additional bonus; my husband and I are working on this together. Jack is a great credit to your program and should be commended for his outstanding work. He has a sense of humor to go along with his serious side and makes learning both fun and useful. Jack also has a passion for his work that is obvious to anyone that works with him. I have thanked Jack and I want to thank you also for giving me back something I loved very much and thought I had lost. Sincerely, Linda Curtis |
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Morning Jack, I just can't say enough about how FANTASTIC Saturday was!! I really appreciate you taking the time to come down to work with us! I HAD A WONDERFUL DAY! Whether you were working with Scamper, Bo or anyone in between, I was able to learn something from everything you did. Now, I have a lot to get to work on. I really want to Thank You for helping me with some of the basic things that Storm and I are struggling with. Bridling him and touching his ears have been two things that we have been working on but never seem to get anywhere. Two very basic things that we should have had a long time ago. I really think now with consistent focus that we have the right direction to make those work, along with many other things. I don't want to make you read a book, but I just wanted to let you know how WONDERFUL the day was for me! THANKS AGAIN FOR EVERYTHING! Candice |
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Comments
from the Birchwood Farms Clinic |
I really
enjoyed the clinic, it was my first and I have already used the information
to improve my riding and my horse. |
| I learned a great deal. I found the instruction to be easy to understand and have great tools to work with. I feel much safer on my horse and much more connected to her. I would love to have Jack Shank return to continue learning from him. I feel that my confidence has improved greatly from Jack's clinic. I know that I can become a better "horseman" from what I learned in Jack's clinic. I have tools to use on the trail! Thanks! it was fun I still have a smile on my face. |
| If there are any more clinics in the future please let me know. I learned a lot!!!! |
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| I am telling you, I was so
happy when I got home (Tex was, too). We had a marvelous time, and I got
every penny's worth of my clinic fees. I came away with knowledge I didn't
have, I never felt talked down to and I appreciate Jack's skill as a trainer
and as a coach for me.
Well, I figured right then that I had just gotten my $300's worth right there...in the first 30 minutes we were there. What was to come with the rest of the clinic? I had a great time there and fully respect all of Jack's capability as a trainer and a coach. Terry, Jack was the greatest and treated us all well! Thanks for your vote of confidence in him (and the others who have met him or ridden with him in other clinics). I've been in other clinics before, but not with a JL cert, and that makes a HUGE amount of difference. I'm going out to try these on Gator tonight, and will post my results. GAtor's been doing pretty well, and I can't IMAGINE how much better he'll be after putting to him all that I have learned in just one weekend! For you folks in lower Michigan,
I'll try to come up there sometime. Jack is also doing another clinic
at Michelle's place (just a few miles south of the IN-MI border) in
April 2008. Look for jackshank.com....and look for more great pictures! Pam (setterlover) |
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