| Michelle receiving her awards from Clay Harper and Sandy Carpenter-Rose after graduating from their apprenticeship program in 2005! |
| "Thank you for this wonderful experience...it has truly changed my life and made me appreciate simpler things so many (almost all) those around me seem NOT to share in my enthusiasm but find me to be fairly weird:)) Cibala and her training have given me a way to unwind and do something enjoyable and fun, eliminating any desire to think about anything else for that period of time...up until now, I couldn't find anything else that would. Michelle, you are a role-model in your right and what you accomplish at the rescue for the horses and for their new owners is really extraordinary and sensational. I only wish there were more people like you in the world and that I had more time opportunity to live closer so as to help and learn from you during this amazing accomplishment." Carey Moreschini |
| June 2006 My husband and I are boarding our horses, Thor and Athena, with Michelle at LPTC. There are many boarding facilities closer to our home in Colorado Springs, but the quality care we receive is much more important to us, especially since our horses are like children! Any time we have gone out to visit our kids, they are well taken care of and happy. Michelle’s special care comes from understanding their needs and it definitely reflects in their attitudes. Thor and Athena are 2-year-old draft crosses and quite playful, which can cause nicks and scratches at any given time. Michelle is always well aware of any scratches and ensures proper care. This gives us an incredible assurance during the week when we cannot be there. Michelle’s attention to their care and needs is why we never worry about our horses, not even during a storm. We know they are in the best care. We are also taking lessons. Michelle’s patience is immeasurable…and we mean with us!! Both my husband and I are starting our horses with Michelle, something we’ve never done before. What could be a stressful activity is actually quite fun and we look forward to each and every time we get in the car to head out to the ranch. Michelle is a gift for any horse lover who cannot keep their own horse at their home. We highly recommend boarding at LPTC and learning with Michelle. Lynn and Paul Cairney UPDATE May 2007: We received our military orders causing us to move out-of-state and to find another boarding stable. It’s amazing how you can come to take things for granted. I discovered this when I watched my horses getting loaded onto the trailering service that would take them to their new home. One of the men couldn’t get my filly to back into the trailer. The harder he tugged and shoved, the more she fought him. He began to hit her and with this I shot out of my seat and was making a fist as I raced toward him, when I was stopped and the other employee yelled for him to stop. I had to explain that she was panicking because she thought she was leaving her brother who hadn’t been loaded yet. I told him to just work with her, bring her brother closer. It was at that point I realized my horses had never been handled that horribly, not even close. Michelle always worked with our horses, not against them. Her natural horsemanship skills are enhanced by her calm and patient demeanor. Of course, she taught them manners and didn’t let them invade her space or misbehave, but never in a way that made me go into “mom” mode and want to start swinging!! Because groundwork is so important to Michelle, we are now reaping the many benefits. We’ve had to find new ground manners! At the first stable we tried, we had to take care of a lot more things on our own, even though we paid for “full care”. We were required to purchase our own hay bins and watering tubs, and if they needed cleaning, we had to do this on our own….even on “full care”! The grain was very plain and not very nutritious, we missed the high quality received at LPTC. If a storm hit, we went to check on things since we knew no one at the barn would. I can personally attest to Michelle’s tireless hours during the wonderful weather and horrible weather. I never had to worry about our horses during a storm. Michelle was always on top of it. Don’t miss out on the training and boarding opportunities at LPTC! We miss it! Lynn and Paul Cairney |
