Dear Gary,
You are definitely a miracle maker. Anyone that can take a 57 year old woman with no horse experience( other than riding at B'day parties at age 7) and a four year old paint (who was picked up by animal control because she had been starved and beaten and left in a field to die) to communicate, trust each other, and learn to ride - this person has special powers. The joy I felt when my horse J.O. saw you reminded me of a child seeing their beloved coach or teacher. Her ears perked up and her responses were that of an eager student wanting to please.
The mare I sent to Gary was not a nice horse. I thought I would have to get rid of her. She broke halters and lead ropes and tore down a round pen. I couldn’t catch her for a year without cornering her. She would sprint off like a deer and kick and bite when caught. I couldn’t pick up her feet. She couldn’t be handled even when sedated. I am 100% amazed with her now.
I want to thank Gary for the wonderful work he has put into my Friesian Hendrik. I met him in Florida and seen him work with a little horse that had absolutely no trust in human kind. Watching him get this horse to trust him and connect with him was magic. I have seen Natural horseman ship at this level and expertise only one other place. The Parelli Ranch where I spend 6 weeks for 3 courses before I got Henrik. I could not get a connection with my horse and had a lot of trouble with getting him to accept the bit. He wouldn't flex and didn't care for people. I have had several Trainers and no luck. The answer I got from them was. Sell Him!! Gary not just rides but looks at the whole horse to find the trouble spots.
I began my study of Natural Horsemanship eight years ago and had the great luck to become acquainted with Gary Itzstein during this time.
From the moment I first saw Gary with a horse, I knew I was in the presence of something very special. A person that possessed a rare and beautiful gift. It was not only apparent to me, but instantly recognizable to each horse he came into contact with.
Gary's lifetime of experience, coupled with great sensitivity and even greater timing, comes together in a seamless, seemingly effortless dance with his equine partner. No matter how young or untrained, the horse can immediately understand that now he is safe and he is with a human that speaks his language, the language of Equus.
My name is Pamela May Cameron. I have known Gary Itzstein for over ten years. I have been a Grand Prix Dressage trainer and rider in Indiana and Kentucky for twenty years. Over the years when I was located in Indiana, when I had a horse I didn’t want to deal with or couldn’t figure out I called on Gary. As a professional I set up several clinics for Gary with top performance Dressage and Three Day Event horses and their owners and he always turned out a more compatible team.