What Our Clients Say:
"ANNIE"
I have a six year old mare that is still learning. I am only 12 so I am still learning too. Karen helped me gain more confidence in riding and to trust my horse. She also taught us neck reining and softness at the bit. She also taught my horse leg pressure and now I can have her do a figure-8 by using leg pressure only! My horse can side-pass, pivot, and back . I'm especially glad that I learned a good way to discipline my horse if I need to. I have used this technique and it worked great! We raise cattle and I wanted a horse that could help with the cows so Karen took her out on her cows and taught her how to push the cows. She now loves cows and thinks that is her job! Karen always focuses on safety while riding. I learned how to sit so that you don't fall off. Karen makes riding really fun!
Tanya Homan
FROM THE OWNERS MOTHER:
Tanya and I are so glad I stumbled onto Karen's web-site. Tanya and Annie have learned so much at Karen's place. Every lesson was filled with her knowledge of proper saddling, groundwork, reining, leg pressure, leadership, safety, and respect for the horse. Every week we saw lots of progress. Tanya also learned about conformation and how to read the language of the horse. She taught Tanya how to check for proper saddle fit when purchasing a new saddle. She hauled horses for us and did a great job, always focusing on safety. My favorite thing about Karen is that she firmly believes in giving horses a good foundation beginning with lots of groundwork. I also love how she can establish leadership, yet she is very respectful to the horse. Karen is an excellent resource.
Rose Homan
Tanya Homan
FROM THE OWNERS MOTHER:
Tanya and I are so glad I stumbled onto Karen's web-site. Tanya and Annie have learned so much at Karen's place. Every lesson was filled with her knowledge of proper saddling, groundwork, reining, leg pressure, leadership, safety, and respect for the horse. Every week we saw lots of progress. Tanya also learned about conformation and how to read the language of the horse. She taught Tanya how to check for proper saddle fit when purchasing a new saddle. She hauled horses for us and did a great job, always focusing on safety. My favorite thing about Karen is that she firmly believes in giving horses a good foundation beginning with lots of groundwork. I also love how she can establish leadership, yet she is very respectful to the horse. Karen is an excellent resource.
Rose Homan
From a Students Mother:
"Karen, I just wanted to thank you so much for such an awesome evening yesterday!!! We were all so proud of ourselves and so tickled with you and your horses. You are a GREAT teacher! Julie now believes she can accomplish her desire to be a good rider! Trust me that is a huge credit to you! Once again; Karen thank you!"
Kathy Garner
Kathy Garner
"Honey"
When I decided to start "Honey" back under saddle, I knew it was going to take a very special type of trainer. Norfleets Hunny Bar had been started as a two year old, ridden a year then brooded out. Shes a big, shy, sweetheart of a mare who had very limited exposure to life outside the pasture.
I did not want her gentle, willing and trusting temperament soured in any way. This ment it would take gentle patients and an understanding of how a horse thinks. Karen turned out to be perfect!
Karen took the time to talk to me at length about my horses personality, history and experience. She also took the time to get to know me, the relationship I have with my horse and what my expectations and goals for her were.
As a result, Honey has become a working , thinking equine partner. I continue to board a show mare with her and have a ranch gelding starting under her.
Karens facilities are kept well maintained, clean and comfortable. I definately recommend Karen Franklin.
-Susan Brougham ([email protected])
UPDATE ON "HONEY" April 2016
Hi,
I have Norfleet's Honey Bar. Who you trained. I have to say, as a fellow trainer, and I do have a college degree in Equine Science, I can say you did an amazing job with this mare! When I bought her she had a year off and I just needed to refresh her, but she has a wonderful stop, roll and pivot. Her walk, trot and lope are phenomenal and she is very attentive. You did a+ work.
Shari Wallace-Buckley
I did not want her gentle, willing and trusting temperament soured in any way. This ment it would take gentle patients and an understanding of how a horse thinks. Karen turned out to be perfect!
Karen took the time to talk to me at length about my horses personality, history and experience. She also took the time to get to know me, the relationship I have with my horse and what my expectations and goals for her were.
As a result, Honey has become a working , thinking equine partner. I continue to board a show mare with her and have a ranch gelding starting under her.
Karens facilities are kept well maintained, clean and comfortable. I definately recommend Karen Franklin.
-Susan Brougham ([email protected])
UPDATE ON "HONEY" April 2016
Hi,
I have Norfleet's Honey Bar. Who you trained. I have to say, as a fellow trainer, and I do have a college degree in Equine Science, I can say you did an amazing job with this mare! When I bought her she had a year off and I just needed to refresh her, but she has a wonderful stop, roll and pivot. Her walk, trot and lope are phenomenal and she is very attentive. You did a+ work.
Shari Wallace-Buckley
Velcro
Hello! My name is Anette Brooner and I took two horses to Karen Franklin for training and bad habits. I thought maybe I was getting too old to ride but wanted to ride so bad so I also took riding lessons with Karen to learn how to handle my horse after training. I needed a “special” horse as I have a number of health issues and Karen helped me find Velcro. I can’t say enough times how grateful I am to her and for all her help and knowledge. She taught my horse all kinds of things and showed me how to work with him and he is now a wonderful trail horse who takes good care of me on the trails. He is respectful and confident and responds to all the commands she taught the both of us. Karen is a “horse whisperer” in my opinion. I highly recommend her to anyone who is a beginner all the way to very experienced, there is always something new she can teach you. She is wonderful with horses and knows what she is doing when it comes to training. She is one-of-a-kind and a very wonderful person.
Anette Brooner
Anette Brooner
Dancer
This is my horse Dancer and I love him to death. When I first got him
he was very hard to get under control and I was not experienced. He
would not let me put in his bit and would take off with me and just out
of control. He went to Karen’s house for 2 months for training and came
back a totally different horse! He takes his bit so easily now and
handles great…I love riding him. Karen gave me riding lessons and she
sure knows a lot about horses. She showed me everything I needed to do
to be able to handle him and now we are a perfect fit with each other! I
would recommend Karen for anyone needing their horse trained or a horse
with bad habits and she gives great riding lessons. I think she is the
greatest.
Becky Brooner
Becky Brooner
** UPDATE: Dancer is now competing in barrels! He and his owner recently took 3rd at their first competition together in Lebanon! Dancers barrel training under Karen continues.
Im Worth The Pesos
"Cruiser" has been in boarding and pleasure training with Karen for a year now, and Im very impressed with the care and training shes received. Cruiser has been kept in tip top shape, not only physically, but mentally as well.
Karen suggested "riding outside the box" to improve Cruisers confidence and mental conditioning, so in the off season we started some easy trail riding...WOW what a difference! Cruiser loves it, and goes easily back into the ring a much happer, better performing pleasure horse.
Karen really knows how to "think like a horse!"
Karen suggested "riding outside the box" to improve Cruisers confidence and mental conditioning, so in the off season we started some easy trail riding...WOW what a difference! Cruiser loves it, and goes easily back into the ring a much happer, better performing pleasure horse.
Karen really knows how to "think like a horse!"
Zoom Zoom
My 17 year old is a partially non verbal autistic. A yearling filly gave her the confidence to begin speaking. When she lost her horse after 4 years, I wasnt sure we would ever get her to connect with another, or to find a trainer who could understand and was willing to accept the challenge of training one specifically for her, but Karen accepted the challenge. She very carefully evaluated our prospect and once she found her temperament, attitude, personality and aptitude acceptable she began a process of not only training "Zoom" to work for a rider, but to take care of a rider with special needs. Karen got to know my daughter, learned about her needs, watched her interact with her lesson horses and specially designed a training program for this horse and rider team. I was impressed with all the possiable situations that Karen thought of to expose this young horse to and how she encouraged her to think, not just react. She even thought of "bonding" Zoom to my favorite riding gelding, so that should Zoom need direction or reassurance, and her rider be unable to give it, Zoom would automatically look for my gelding to guide her.
I feel Karen takes her job very seriously. She doesnt want to just put a horse with a rider and collect her fees, nor does she want to turn out "cookie cutter" horses, where they stop, go, turn, back, lead, load, thats good enough. She really works hard to teach the horse and the rider how to work together to achieve the riders goals and the horses potential.
I feel Karen takes her job very seriously. She doesnt want to just put a horse with a rider and collect her fees, nor does she want to turn out "cookie cutter" horses, where they stop, go, turn, back, lead, load, thats good enough. She really works hard to teach the horse and the rider how to work together to achieve the riders goals and the horses potential.