Bec & Pumba
I would love to share my story how Shelley Appleton completely changed who i was as rider and horse owner . When we got my daughter’s horse he was good for the first 4 weeks but then little cracks started to appear when riding. He would get agitated at pony club and he wouldn't stand still. She couldn't get him to move away from the gate and the he started bucking her off. I had no idea what to do so I started to get lessons. Pumbas attitude never improved. One day the instructor put a lunge rope on his bit and he bucked my daughter off. The instructor got the rope and continuously banged it as hard as he could several times. I saw the whites in Pumba’s eyes, this hurt him a lot. Looking back now I could see the instructor had no idea what to do. I made the decision to take my daughter off this horse give her mine and I would ride Pumba.
Things did not improve and I was torn with a very difficult decision to either put this horse down or give this dangerous horse away.
While flicking through Facebook I kept coming across this person who kept offering advice on how to help your horse. So I took a deep breath and got the courage to message Shelley to see if she would take a dangerous bucking horse for retraining, it was my last hope. Shelley replied with a no she doesn't take horses for training but she helps us retrain them ourselves. My heart sank because I knew I was not good enough to do this. But we made a date and I went to Perth for some private lessons.
Dr. Shelley Appleton, Bec Cook and Pumba
From here we never looked back. Shelley took Pumba and started working him and talking to me. Shelley started explaining and showing me how, I started seeing and understanding. Shelley started to build my confidence and gave me tools to work with my horse. I learnt he was a nice horse he is just very sensitive and had no self confidence himself. Shelley taught me how to interpret his emotions and what he was saying. Shelley taught me how to work him through this. Shelley didn't only change Pumba on this day but she changed me and for that I am eternally grateful.
I now have a calm, confident energy around all horses because I understand them and now I have tools to help them. I have more understanding on what they are saying. I know they are not bad or want to be naughty they are just confused themselves.
Wagin Clinic with Dr. Shelley Appleton (Bec and Pumba)
Shelley taught me all of this and I believe that with out her Pumba may have been put down because he was labelled dangerous. And my other horses would maybe go down the same way.
Shelley didn't just help me with the one horse. What I have learnt from her and what she has shown me, has now helped with every horse I handle.
THANK YOU SHELLEY
Bec Cook
