To learn more about Jackie's training methods,

please click here: Case Studies

Thank goodness for Jackie Decker and Mystic Ranch

I am a horse owner who had many horses and couldn’t enjoy riding any of them.  I had dreams of pleasure riding with my three young daughters.  Well, I kept getting horses but wasn’t doing any riding because of a variety of problems.  In addition, my daughters’ ponies were stubborn and one was very intimidating, so my daughters didn’t want to ride either.  So much for my dreams.

When I met Jackie and heard her talk about Natural Horsemanship and developing a partnership with your horse, I was intrigued.  I brought one horse to her to start with and now we have sent all six of our horses and ponies to Jackie for training.  To say I was impressed with the change in my relationships with my horses is an under statement.  My daughters and I have also enjoyed taking lessons with her to improve our riding skills and our understanding of our animals.

Our horses/ponies had a variety of personalities and it has been fascinating to watch them all respond to Jackie and her training methods.  Each of our horses had a different issue for us to work through and with Jackie’s guidance we were able to solve the problems we had been dealing with.

My daughters and I all tend to be somewhat retiring and it took Jackie to teach us how to respond to our dominant mare and gelding.  They were really ruling the roost at our place.  We were a little leery of even being in the same pasture with them.  Now my seven-year-old twins are able to handle them without difficulty using the skills and confidence they have gained from Jackie.  I still find a dominating horse a challenge to work with but the rewards have been many.  My gelding was just looking for a good leader and when I was finally able to be that for him it was amazing to see the change in his attitude.  Now I can appreciate all his wonderful qualities since he’s not pushing me around. 

Another mare came to us with a background in gaming and she was always ready to go.  She found it impossible to walk on a loose rein and any tension in your body translated to her as “go faster.”  “Whoa” was not really in her vocabulary.  I was starting to think that we would have to find her a new home but then she spent her month with Jackie.  Just recently I rode her wearing her halter and lead line tied off in reins on a day ride with a large group of horses and she was relaxed and on a loose rein the whole day.  Finally, both she and I could relax and enjoy a ride.

I also had two young Rocky Mountain Horses that had been in training with someone else most of the time that I owned them but they still seemed to be flighty and afraid of everything.  They weren’t gaiting either.  Jackie was able to show me how to build their confidence (and mine!) and to let them learn new things in a safe manner.  Watching them ride out alone and do Jackie’s obstacle course successfully made me so proud of them.  They both are the sweethearts of our horse family and a pleasure to ride.  My ten-year-old daughter is looking to move up to the mare since she feels she has outgrown her pony and I think it will be a good match.  Oh, and as a bonus, Jackie also has the gelding gaiting beautifully.

The two ponies had the typical problems of many ponies ridden by small children.  Not much respect for the rider and trouble with steering, going, stopping and just general bad manners.  My children needed to be taught how to treat a pony correctly and become riders and not just passengers.  I have to say that the kids and the ponies are doing great.  I am so proud to see what good riders they have become and the confidence

they have with their little mares.  They love their riding lessons.

I cannot say enough good things about Jackie and her training methods.  I was really ready to just get out of owning horses.  I was becoming concerning that I or my children could get hurt and I was tired of spending lots of money and not having any pleasure in riding.  I realize now that you cannot buy the perfect horse.  You need to develop a relationship based on learning what the horse needs from you as the rider. They really will do anything for you when you develop that trust and respect. We always loved our animals but now we love riding them too. 

Thank you Jackie!

Tracy Samples

Ashland, Oregon

November, 2008

Photos from Mystic Paradise

Hi Jackie, well I finally got the CD with lots of photos in the mail to you….I just love all the photos but I must say that the picture of Erin on Mystic in front of your house is an awesome picture of Mystic and Erin and one of the photos of Mystic and Erin jumping over the logs is outstanding!!!  Then there are the pictures of Prince when he is getting scratched and what he does with his lips, well, it is classic and too funny...What a personality Prince has...I just love him.  Prince licked me like a dog would lick a person…Unbelievable.  Then there is Mocha the silly carrot eating dog!!  What a sweetheart he is... And the photos of all the other horses are absolutely beautiful...  Your place is truly a sanctuary!  What a blessing for Erin and I to have met you and yours!!!! 

The way you have taught Erin to be with horses is top of the line.  It is like you and your horse are one.  Then your horses become one with your student or their student (I mean your horses' student).  I have never been around horses ever in my whole life, but now I feel the magic and the inner spirit that people talk about in horses.  It is a healing, good thing.  And maybe it is just your horses…or maybe it is because of you—their MOM, FRIEND and TRAINER! 

Thank you and your whole household for welcoming us with open arms.  We cannot wait to see you and yours again.

Kelly & Erin Borroughs

Antioch, California

July 30, 2008

A Natural Horsemanship Vacation with Jackie and Mystic

I had horses as a child and reached the point in my life when I really wanted horses in my life again. Having seen Monty Roberts, I also realized that I wanted to partner with my horse in a natural way.  I wanted a gaited horse and had been looking at different Paso Fino ranches and came across the web site for Mystic Ranch.  I read some of the testimonials and stories on their web site.   There was something about Mystic Ranch that drew me.  Jackie told me that she based her teaching on Parelli and Dennis Reis.  Reading up on it, I found that "Parelli allows horse lovers to achieve: success without force, partnership without dominance, teamwork without fear, willingness without intimidation, and harmony without coercion."  That sounded very promising.

I stopped by for a visit as I went from California to our home in Washington. Jackie Decker (owner/trainer at Mystic Ranch) demonstrated her partnership with her horses to us that morning. Several times, I was so overwrought by emotion that I had to force back tears. She showed us how she works with the horse through very subtle motions. She lightly touched Suena on the nose and Suena moved her right foreleg back, then another touch on a slightly different place, and Suena moved her left foreleg back.  Then, Jackie held up her index fingers and moved them slightly, and Suena moved to the right, leg crossing over leg. If Jackie's cues were too strong, Suena shook her head as if to say "you don't need to shout!" With Jackie interpreting, I was soon able to see a lot of the emotions going through Suena's mind. Jackie wanted me to feel what it is like to ride a Paso Fino, so she brought Mystic to the round pen and showed me how to find my balance point on a bridle-less Mystic wearing only a bareback pad.  Having explained how it was my energy and focus that moved the horse, I sat perfectly still and with the slightest forward motion and thought: "move forward" and Mystic started walking! Then I said "trot" and Mystic did. I was amazed!  By the time I left for home, I knew I wanted to come back for a five day clinic with Jackie and a month later back we came.

Thinking about my experience at Mystic Ranch, the thing that strikes me the most is that Jackie teaches without criticism.  She is very positive and made me feel good about the learning process.   Jackie has all of the Parelli and Dennis Reis natural horsemanship materials and if we weren’t playing with the horses, she had me watch their videos and read their workbooks describing the tasks that we would cover in our sessions.  Watching in advance gave me a good idea of what we would be doing and that the tasks were possible and I picked up even more when I reviewed the tapes after our sessions.  Jackie printed off the tasks we would be doing, introduced each task in one session, and had me evaluate when I felt I understood that task or if it needed more review in a follow up session.  These checklists gave me a clear roadmap of what we were covering and the progress that I was making.

I had ridden bareback as a child so I was OK with riding bareback but riding without a bridle made me apprehensive.  My initial tension made it difficult for Mystic to feel when I wanted him to stop.  As I started to relax and trust him, I found Mystic to be a wonderful teacher.  While he could be confused by my tension or incorrect cues, he tried so hard for me that he made me want to do the right thing for him.  When I got my focus, energy and body language working, riding him became effortless. 

Jackie also introduced the different horsenalities and showed me how deal with each horsenality with a positive attitude.  It was fascinating.  Assertiveness and persistence in the face of dominance, approach and retreat when the horse became unconfident, keeping those busy feet busy when the horse became impulsive.  As I worked through issues as they arose, I came to understand these strategies and believe that they would work.  I didn’t have to be frustrated, critical or afraid and I could provide the leadership that the horse needed from me.   I really began to understand the horse’s perspective.  

Jackie is a wonderful teacher.  She explains things so thoroughly that I went into each exercise knowing what I was supposed to do.  By starting out without a bridle, reins or stirrups, she allowed me to focus on my seat, balance and energy, minimizing the number of things I had to coordinate and think about at once.  I expected criticism when I got things wrong, but Jackie focused and commented on the smallest progress which made me keep going and wanting to do more.  If something went wrong, Jackie asked me to relax and sigh, re-center myself and Mystic and try again, with better results. 

Spending five days at Mystic Ranch was wonderful.  Jackie and Ron made us feel so welcome, the horses were so friendly, the guest room was comfortable, the meals were excellent and the ranch beautiful.  Perhaps the best part was being with real horses again – horses that are curious, affectionate and who try to please you.  How I have missed them over the last 28 years.  I need them back in my life.  Trail rides on riding stable horses just don’t do it.  I want my own horse, my own partner, a horse that thinks and wants to be with me.  This evening when we finished our session, Mystic didn’t want to leave me to re-join his herd in the pasture grazing.  He kept asking me to stay and scratch his itchy spots long after the last carrot was gone.  The fact that he didn’t leave the fence until after I left him told me that he enjoyed me and our session as much as I had.  I can’t tell you how good that made me feel.

Another thing that made this week at Mystic Ranch so special was how incredibly supportive my husband Douglas has been during this week.  Horses are my passion, not his, but he videoed every session I had so I could have a permanent record of my week, walking all over the ranch and down the road to do so, remembered to bring water for me when I was thirsty and watched all the Dennis Reis videos to support me as I learned about natural horsemanship.  He was awesome.

Given all that, having Jackie as my teacher is still number one.  Without her, I wouldn’t have had this incredible experience.   Thank you.

Connie DeMers and Mystic

Tokeland, Washington

June 2008

Jackie, Mystic and I got together about 1 1/2 yrs ago. Jackie wanted Mystic to be introduced to and expand his education with some "French" Classical Dressage exercises. These exercises are meant to straighten, strengthen, and supple horses. We realized our methods "complimented" the two areas of horsemanship: Natural Horsemanship and Classical Dressage. During Jackie's dressage sessions with me, I noticed and appreciated how Jackie and Mystic worked together as a team. Her calm, patient and confident manner came through in their partnership.

So when I purchased my "once in a lifetime horse", a 5 year old PRE Andalusian Gelding named Emiliano, I asked Jackie to help me. I wanted my relationship with my horse to be based on the same love, respect and harmony that she has with Mystic. It was astonishing what a change just a few of Jackie’s lessons with Emiliano have made. Things that had been issues simply stopped being an issue. Catching him in the pasture, taking off his fly mask, keeping him out of my space, having him stand quietly when I want to chat or mount him, being able to ride him without a bit, having him change gaits off of her seat and energy – all with Emiliano being quiet, curious – no, even fascinated by the leadership that Jackie shows him. Between lessons with Jackie, I continue to work with Emiliano and we are already developing the same partnership relationship that Jackie and Mystic have. Without that relationship foundation, I wouldn’t want to go on with my love of Classical Dressage because I want my horse and I to want the same things. All horse/rider combinations need to have that sense of camaraderie.

I recommend that anyone interested in achieving harmony with their horse, no matter what type of training they do, consider working with Jackie. I know it's been, and will continue to be, part of the foundation in the training of my horse. I'm very grateful and blessed to have Jackie share her love and knowledge of horses with Emiliano and me. Tally Ho!

Connie Francis & Emiliano
Medford, Oregon
June 2008

Saddle training at Mystic Ranch
 
I brought my 4 year old Percheron QH cross mare, Baby, to Jackie for saddle training after I had a fall and lost a lot confidence in myself.  Getting up on that very large, green horse was just more than I could handle even though Baby is a sweet horse and not wild or mean in any way.

The first thing I noted was the way Jackie spoke of her own horses with love and an understanding of each horse’s individual nature.  This impressed me as I was looking for a trainer that would treat my horse as a unique individual and work with her nature, not use force or intimidation just to get the job done.

I found just what I needed at Mystic Ranch.  Jackie not only did a wonderful job of training Baby under saddle but also helped me to regain my confidence, encouraging but never pushing too hard. She allowed me to do as much or as little as I felt safe doing at each lesson.  Another thing that I truly appreciated was Jackie’s frequent email updates on Baby’s progress. Even though I was usually able to visit a couple of times a week it was great to get those updates and pictures of my Baby girl and see the progress she was making.

This was a very positive experience for my horse and myself. We always felt welcome to visit at any time and take Baby out for a stroll and a graze on the playground. Jackie made accommodations for Baby’s large size by allowing her to live in the outdoor arena and even gave her a nice little mare to live with so she wasn’t lonely.

Baby has been home just 5 days and we have numerous hours of play and 2 official rides under our belts.  I am very grateful that Jackie took the time to teach Baby to parallel park next to the fence so that I can mount and that she taught her to stand still for mounting. These are huge confidence builders for me as I have a hip problem that makes mounting and dismounting difficult.   Baby is now rock solid on the parking and standing for mounting and I couldn’t be happier!  To learn more about Jackie's training experience with Baby, please click here:  Case Studies.
 
Sheral Du Bry and Baby

Medford, Oregon

May 2008

PART 2:  PREPARING FOR PARELLI LEVEL 2 ASSESSMENT

It was 11 months ago Jackie and Ron started us on the path of natural horsemanship. During the past months I have created a relationship with my horse, Teddy that I didn't think would happen for years. When Jackie introduced us to natural horsemanship she told us that it would take time to develop our skills but once we had, they would work on most every horse. How right she was. My wife's horse is an opposite personality from mine but the same techniques work equally well for both. Slow and easy is the key we were told and how right that is. Some things come sooner than others but with time and persistence your relationship builds and new tasks come more easily.

I am currently finishing up my Level 2 Parelli assessment. Our ground work was doing fine, but I needed help with my riding so I came down for a five day clinic with Jackie.  With her many years of experience Jackie was able to see just where we were stuck and how to get us back on track. She helped us over the hump, strengthening our relationship, and taking us to a higher level of riding skill.  Now as Teddy and I progress we are also able to enjoy each others company, whether it is in the round pen learning a new task or on a relaxing trail ride to decompress.

I can now say I have an equine partner!

Thanks to Jackie's guidance and experience the path is now wide and smooth!

Your grateful students,

Bill & Teddy

La Center, WA

September 2007

P.S. We have been working in the round pen on our riding and I think with any luck we will video the last level 2 task on Sunday. We also started to move a little faster on our sideways and Ted really likes it.

Learning to Be a Leader for Dutch

Dutch is my 5 year old  Palomino quarter horse gelding and, if I do say so myself, the most beautiful pony in the world.  He is my first horse and although I adore him, I didn’t know a lot about how to handle him.  I knew that he would mug me for treats and was pushy, but I didn’t know how to get him to be more respectful without hurting our relationship. 

Watching the change in Dutch’s manners when Jackie worked with him was an eye opener.  He clearly liked her, yet when he tried to push on her or get into her space, she was quick to correct him.  With a gesture she would ask him to do something and he responded lightly and respectfully.  Then she would praise and scratch his itchy spots and he would lower his head in pleasure.  Love came after respect, not in lieu of respect.

Jackie gave me a series of ground exercises to do with Dutch so I could learn where to apply pressure and when to release it to get the same light responses from him.  I found it somewhat frustrating that my pony obviously knew this language better than I did.  One of the many wonderful things about Dutch, however, is that he doesn’t lose patience with me as I try to figure it out and I am getting better with each session. 

It took a long time before I felt confident enough to get on Dutch and my excitement clearly made him a bit nervous.  I worked on relaxing myself and Dutch relaxed right along with me.  The first time I had him going from a halt to a walk to a halt off of my body language made me grin.  I have all the time in the world to learn how to be a balanced and relaxed leader on my horse and Dutch is kind and calm enough to move at my pace.  Best of all, I know how to keep myself and Dutch safe as we continue to learn together. 

Jackie and natural horsemanship helped my wonderful horse become respectful and safe and deepened his trust in people.  I couldn’t have asked for a better start for my beloved Dutch.  On my side, I don’t think Jackie understood how much her lessons helped boost my confidence about being on Dutch.  She never pressed me to move at her or even Dutch’s pace.  Most people would have tried to push me too fast.  Jackie didn’t.  She let me take it at the pace I needed and told me that what was important was building our confidence together, staying calm and being clear and consistent with Dutch.  That formula I can follow.  While I have a lot to learn to catch up to my pony, Jackie has given me the tools and foundation I need to become the leader my pony needs.   It has been a great experience.  To learn more about Jackie's training experience with Dutch, please click here:  Case Studies.

Sheryl Hyde

September 2007

Mystic Ranch Does it All

Boarding, Training and Exercising Our Boys

I had decided to fulfill my life long dream of having my own horse, so at age 50, I bought Treasure.  He is a wonderful Peruvian Paso gelding very similar to a Paso Fino in nature and temperament.  After 2 years, my husband decided he liked my horse so much he needed one of his own, so we bought Magic, another Peruvian Paso gelding.

We had boarded the boys at 2 different ranches before we decided we all needed a change, so we started the long process of checking out different facilities.  We were looking for a new home for our boys when we came upon Mystic Paso Fino Ranch.  It was much farther than we wanted to go to board our boys, but we decided to go and meet Jackie and view the ranch. Not only did we fall in love with her ranch, but also with Jackie.  She was the kind of person we wanted to care for our boys.  Jackie spoils all the horses at the ranch. Carrots at night before bed.  Extra hay at night if it is very cold.  She treats all horses as if they were her own.

Jackie not only boards our boys, but also rides them a few times a week for us. This is a two fold win-win situation for us. She keeps the boys tuned up and they get more exercise.  When we are limited for time, we know that Jackie will make sure they are ridden and exercised, spoiled and loved.

Jackie has been instrumental in training Magic. He came to us as a young, spooky, right brained horse. With her patient and expert guidance, Magic is now much less right brained and is now using his "thinking side" when it comes to new and scary things.  John is now confident enough to ride him again after taking a very bad fall last year. Thanks to Jackie’s hard work, Magic is now a horse who will be part of our family for years to come. John is working well with him and will be taking riding lessons in the near future from Jackie.  To learn more about Jackie's training experience with Magic, please click here:  Case Studies.

My boy Treasure was pretty well trained, but on occasion he can be obstinate. Jackie has worked with him to help him change his mind on being a mischief maker.

We look forward to a very long and lasting relationship and friendship with the Deckers. We can't imagine ever looking for a new home for our boys again.

Thank you, Jackie, Ron & Jose for all you do.

Robin & John Mishler  

Treasure & Magic

Medford, Oregon

September 2007

Becoming a Leader for My Horse Blue

I came to Jackie Decker and Mystic Ranch because I fell in love with a horse named Blue. As a beginning horseback rider who had never owned a horse before, I knew that I needed to learn the basics of horsemanship as well as horseback riding before bringing him home.   While Blue lived at Mystic Ranch for a month of training, I came about twice a week for lessons with Jackie.

Each of my lessons with Jackie was stimulating and challenging. Sometimes they were uncomfortable as I struggled with my own weaknesses such as self-doubt, fear and lack of assertiveness.  My biggest challenge was, and continues to be, remaining calm when Blue does not respond to my cues. As a (dare I say it) middle-aged woman, it is hard to change patterns and traits this far along in life.  However, when I forged past the thoughts of “I can’t do this” or “I’m scared of …” and began to relax and trust Blue, amazing things started happening!  I was rewarded by Blue’s responsiveness to a subtle shift of my seat or tap of my leg and felt the indescribable happiness of being one with my horse.
   

In this day of little customer service and tight adherence to appointment times and length, it is a pleasure to say that Jackie always gave me 110% of her attention and never looked at her watch to see when the lesson time was up.  She really wanted me to understand what she was demonstrating and obviously loved teaching.  If I had difficulty comprehending a point, she patiently kept working with me until I understood it.  Jackie always made sure that the lesson ended on a positive note and provided both verbal and written feedback for me to review and think about.
   

At the end of my month of training with Jackie, I marvel at how much she has taught me about horses, horsemanship, riding and ultimately myself.  I am fully aware that I have much more to learn and now must practice what Jackie has shown me but I feel ready to take on this challenge.  I understand that Blue needs me to be a strong leader as well as his “seeing eye person.”  I can do this by using clear communication with Blue by way of my body and not with the reins.  I can keep Blue calm by remaining calm myself.
   

The greatest gift Jackie has given me is to teach me how to see beneath the fur and skin of the horse and find and feel the soul of my beloved horse Blue.  Thank you Jackie!!

To learn more about Jackie's training experience with Blue,

please click here: Case Studies

Nina Kiskadden and Blue

Jacksonville, Oregon

February, 2007

GAINING CONFIDENCE WITH PASOS AND NATURAL HORSEMANSHIP

I am a beginning rider, and I needed to build my confidence with horses.  The smooth gait of the Paso Fino made it easy on a newbie like me and Tori, the horse I ride during my lessons, is the sweetest, kindest equine partner.

If you want to learn “horse speak,” short of teaming up with Doctor Doolittle, Jackie is the best teacher.

Jackie’s full heart, technical insight, and gentle patience inspire both equine and me to be at our best.

Leigh Armor on Tori

Jacksonville, Oregon

January 2007

LEARNING NATURAL HORSEMANSHIP DURING OUR VACATION AT MYSTIC RANCH

The first impression one gets when arriving at Mystic Ranch is "welcome friends"! From the time you turn onto the road at the white fencing until the time you head home, Mystic Ranch is a truly peaceful place; very conducive to learning how to interact with your horse in a way both you AND the horse will understand.

In a very short amount of time Jackie is able to evaluate horse and rider and formulate a plan for instruction that is perfect for a novice such as myself, as well as a more seasoned rider. Mystic Ranch has every amenity you could want; clean, safe stables and pens, tack, food (for both horses and their people, YUM!), a round pen, trails, and horses that are already so beautifully trained you are able to get on one and feel what a correct response is.

Jackie and Ron also have an extensive library of horse and horsemanship books and DVDS that they encourage you to explore; a great way to discover what you would want to add to your own collection. No question is too simple or too complicated. Jackie knows her stuff, and she is one of the most passionate people I have met. One can tell that she truly does love what she has chosen to do; this comes through at every moment.

My reasons for seeking out Mystic Ranch were mostly about my ability to get my horse to slow down or stop when I wanted her to. It turns out I wasn't asking her for what I wanted correctly. I also needed to learn how to teach my horse to respect me as her herd leader. This is all so interesting once you start to learn about it, and very encouraging when results are obtained so quickly. After being at the ranch for a few hours, you will KNOW Jackie’s training methods work.

Also, it is a comfort to know that Jackie will accept you no matter where you are mentally on a given day. She is very intuitive and able to pick out amazingly quickly what is going through your mind. I had issues about being able to spend enough time with my horse once I left the magic of Mystic Ranch and returned to "the real world". Jackie was emphatic about reassuring me I do have enough time, because consistency and practice is more important with your horse than hours of time daily.

I recommend a visit to Jackie, Ron and all of the wonderful horses at Mystic Ranch for anyone who wants to be a better keeper of their equine partners!

Deanna Avery and Felicia

LaCenter, WA

October 2006

ON LEARNING NATURAL HORSEMANSHIP AT MYSTIC RANCH

Yeah, though we walk through the valley of equine knowledge,

We shall not fear.

For beside us stands Jackie and Ron so near.

With words of kindness, knowledge and expertise,

They guide, educate and coach us

On the language of the horse, called equine.

We learn that the beast of a 1000 pounds has a gentle soul, a keen eye

And reflexes that best any athlete known to man.

We are taught that he will do what is asked of him,

When he is asked as a partner and not as a slave

He will guide us himself to keep us from our grave.

He tells us in his own language

What he needs to do to accomplish his task.

But please; only speak in equine, he asks.

This is where Jackie and Ron take command.

They hold you by hand.

They hold you by eye

They teach you the gesture to catch the equine’s eye.

And when things go awry they stand patient and guide us.

So that we learn together, this equine and I.

So the two of us someday may ride to the sky,

To share a sunrise or a sunset;

This equine and I.

Here before us will be the best years yet!

Jackie and Ron, you are the Best!

Bill Avery and Teddy

LaCenter, WA

October 2006

REGAINING MY MARE AND MY CONFIDENCE AT MYSTIC RANCH

My two months at Mystic Paso Fino Ranch was a delightful time of interacting with Jackie and Ron and their herd of Paso Fino horses.  To be a horse at the Decker’s ranch is a treat.

I began my lessons with Jackie on her sweet Tori.  Tori taught me the invaluable lesson of taking responsibility among other important things, but this is the lesson that stands out for me.  We had a little incident in the round pen early on which left me in a terrorized state.  Tori got excited when Jackie and Mystic trotted down to the barn to get something and I flashed back to other horses getting upset, became terrorized, and my fear frightened Tori. With Jackie’s understanding and patience we worked through this incident leaving me with a clear understanding that it is not the horse’s responsibility to keep me safe, but my responsibility to make the horse feel safe.  So much for the “perfect bomb proof horse” that would take care of me I had searched for.  To keep my horse calm in a stressful situation, I needed to learn to stay calm myself.  I’m grateful for that little lesson, which also taught me a valuable life lesson, one to be used in interactions with horses, people, and life as well.

I also worked with Mystic, whom I immediately fell in love with and thought he would be my life long partner.  I was intimidated by him in the beginning, such a big beautiful guy, who moved at a good clip, but longed to ride him as well.  As I worked with Mystic I was so pleased that my fears disappeared and I was feeling in sync with him.  Jackie’s skilled techniques with training were apparent with him and working for me.

A month after beginning my training with Jackie I brought my Shashoni, whom I had resolved I would never ride again, to Jackie for training.  With Jackie’s understanding, patience, and experience in natural horsemanship and love for her work and my Shashoni, we were able to rekindle our partnership and understand each other.

Jackie’s knowledge and experience with horses, as well as her love of them and how she approaches the training and lessons make for a happy horse and owner, namely Shashoni and me.  Add to that, a whole lot of fun in the process!  After each lesson I would return home and have a type written, detailed summary of my lesson by email.  Oh yes, and pictures, too!  I have kept these for reference.  They have been very helpful and I continue to practice what I have learned, as I am once again in the saddle with my own horses.  

Georgia Todd

Jacksonville, Oregon

July 2006

OLLIE'S REHABILITATION

Through Natural Horsemanship at Mystic Ranch

Right before the holidays, our young gelding, Ollie, illustrated his lack of training in a very direct manner. I had waited for a car to pass before leading him across the road from the barn to the pasture to join his mother who was already grazing.  In his impatience, he became quite a handful.  He pulled away and landed a direct, double barreled kick first to my right knee, followed by a second kick to my left thigh.  I was not a happy camper.

While it might have been an isolated event, it made my husband and I really look at the problems that were on our plate and getting worse. Basically, we were both afraid of Ollie. He had some extremely bad habits, poor manners, and sometimes an outright scary attitude. We have had horses for a short seven years and we started out with an extremely well mannered, well trained mare, Delight. We added a companion to her, also a sweet, well mannered mare, named Sophie. Sophie was an off the race track Thoroughbred and had been trained for one thing, to race. But luckily she was also very well trained with ground manners. Her disposition is very sweet, but also a bit high strung. We decided to breed her to a Quarter horse, and Ollie came into our lives.

We had never raised a colt, and in retrospect, didn’t have the skills we needed for the task. Ollie learned what worked and what didn't with us. Early on he unfortunately learned that if a human had a bucket of grain in their hand, charging and looking intimidating would make them drop it. We worked on unlearning that for several months, but this set up a string of negative interactions that certainly weren't helping our overall relationship - and he never really unlearned it.

So when I found myself on the couch, with ice on my knee and thighs, it forced us to realize that we truly needed some help. Ollie needed a trainer. I knew that I wanted a Natural Horseman, so we looked for one in the area and found Jackie at Mystic Ranch. What a lucky find!

Because I was intimidated even loading Ollie in a trailer, I asked Jackie to please pick him up. Looking back, I can't believe how sour our relationship had become - how actually scared of Ollie I was. He was not quite two years old, and the bottom of the three horse herd, but obviously I was even lower in his pecking order.

My husband and I were actually relieved to see him go. Horse life took on a more mellow and relaxed tone, peaceful. Not that he was always obnoxious - it was almost always associated with grain and feeding time. He wasn't particularly well trained in general ground manners, but his overall attitude was pretty good until feeding time.

After Ollie had been with Jackie for a couple of weeks, I went down for a visit. I couldn't believe the difference.  He was already quite a different horse. Jackie could already lead him anywhere, pick up his feet, have him stand like a friendly horse and come into the stall and politely accept grain right from her hand. Normal things that I just hadn't realized were so abnormal for Ollie. She nicely asked me if I would like to work with him a bit - also simple things like leading and turning. I found my heart beating like old, and the intimidation flooding right back in - I attempted, but was not very good. My fear of him, based on our old relationship, was still front and center. So I would have some of my own relearning to do. Over the next couple of weeks, I went back to Jackie's once or twice - and was amazed at the transformation that was taking place so quickly.

I recognize the amount of work that this must have taken on Jackie's part, but she was energized by the challenge Ollie presented - and it was very encouraging to us that he had a nice horse inside that was frustrated by his own tactics that didn't make life easy or pleasant. She showed him the way, sorting through his behaviors - splitting them into those that are acceptable and those that are not. She trained him to lead like an angel, through thick and thin. She worked on his attitude at dinner time. I think that the largest strides were that she worked on the horse-human relationship that showed him that there right ways and wrong ways to behave and that life is great when we all get along. I knew that we were on the right track, although I personally wasn't quite up to the task to taking him back on myself.

In the meantime, at home, our Quarter horse seriously injured herself, leading us to send her in for surgery and a long recovery at the equine hospital. We decided that Ollie needed to abruptly drop his training and come home to keep his mother company. Jackie and Ron were extremely understanding, gracious, and caring about what was happening on our ranch with one down horse. We picked up Ollie at Mystic Ranch with his dam already in the trailer. He and his mother nickered to each other from afar, and we loaded him up for the ride home without a problem.

This is when the training would prove itself, or not. Could Ollie retain everything he learned at Jackie's, and remain the well mannered, nice horse that he had become? Or would we inadvertently put him right back to where he was before his stay at Mystic Ranch?

The next month was rather a blur, with daily trips to the equine hospital and a lot of attention and energy being placed on Delight. Ollie's walk across the road to the pasture resumed, and I remember realizing that I needed to calm down when leading him, that I needed to follow Jackie's example in order to get Ollie to behave as he did for her. I needed to still my heart. I needed to give him a chance. As a result, our trips across the road to the pasture relaxed and his overall demeanor improved with the lifting of his ears.

Now two months later, I realize that it is like day and night around here. The unexpected transformation is how comfortable we all are, how our relationship has changed so drastically. We don't fear him, although we do still respect his hind end. This is a big point - our fear was stopping us from training him and working on the relationship and that had denied him all human enjoyment. We always approached with a thought on whether he would try to kick, nip, or rear.

Ollie really is a nice horse. Jackie worked wonders on him to bring it out. She developed her relationship with him - showing him that humans can be just and a pleasure to be with. She showed him successful ways to interact with humans, and she taught us successful ways to interact with him. She patiently and expertly handled our wayward fellow and gave us back a respectful, happier young gelding.

Ollie is heading back to Mystic Ranch this month for what we call Part II. He and Jackie will resume where they left off, hopefully without too much of a set back from the absence. He's heading into training under saddle, and I truly look forward to watching his further transformation and relationship development under her kind, steady leadership.

Chris Irvine and Ollie

Eagle Point, Oregon

June 2006

LEARNING HORSEMANSHIP AT MYSTIC RANCH

Iris: 

Riding lessons are fun.  It’s fun working with Mystic.  Jackie is nice and I’ve learned a lot.  I can work Mystic at liberty, make him change gaits, direction and backup using my seat and can move his front and hind quarters and I can even ride him with just a string around his neck.  I’ve learned a lot and have had a lot of fun learning.

The Parents:

Our ten year old daughter Iris is in love with animals.  When she told my wife and I, both city slickers, that she wanted a horse we were ready with a big NO, but we didn’t want to squash her enthusiasm.  Then we found Jackie Decker and Mystic Ranch.  Mystic Ranch is in the beautiful foothills of the Cascade Mountains.   The facilities are top-notch and Jackie is an outstanding teacher.   As parents, our first concern was safety.  Safety is also Jackie’s first concern.  From her teaching method to the modern facilities, everything is done with horse and rider safety in mind.   Our daughter looks forward to each and every lesson.  Not only is she learning how to ride a horse, she is learning life lessons in the process.  Interacting with Jackie and the horses has increased her self confidence.  The lessons are a great intellectual and physical activity for her.   Jackie keeps us apprised of Iris’ progress and is always willing to share her extensive knowledge of horses.  Our whole family has gotten to know the horses.  When we visit Mystic Ranch it is like visiting friends. 

Iris on Mystic

Shady Cove, Oregon       

January 2006

From Sailing to Natural Horsemanship - Erik’s Story

I originally started riding horses to keep a girl friend company. For a confirmed sailor who loves to feel a boat come alive in his hand, and delights in communicating with nature’s wind, wave, and water, the idea of meandering around a trail or imposing my will on some beast of burden just didn’t “light my fire”.
 
How lucky for me that Jackie and Ron Decker were my guides into the equine world. The Deckers taught me to listen to the horses, speak their language and to love them for their patience and their willingness to bond and share themselves with me. I also learned (to my occasional dismay) that the horse is a barometer of my own emotions and turmoil. If I’m having a problem with my horse, I look to myself first. It’s a lesson I’ve taken with me back into the human world, and I’m a much better person…and now husband and parent…for it.
 
It was so much easier to learn all this on the Deckers’ Paso Finos. The Pasos’ smooth and trot free gaits allowed me to pay attention to what the horse was saying to me without worrying about falling off.
 
This paid off in dividends when I started riding Topsy. Though I was drawn to Topsy’s power, agility, and speed, she has a “temperamental” personality. To be fair, Topsy started out her life as a cow horse on a more traditionally oriented ranch, so she learned about natural horsemanship at age 5, not birth.  Through Jackie’s tutelage I remained a patient learner, and learned to simply love Topsy for who she is. It would take pages to relate the details…suffice to say the day that Topsy and I “clicked” is an indelible treasure in my memory. And now just hanging out "talking" with her is just as fun as riding her.
 
Erik Pedersen and Topsy
Aptos, California
September 2005

Jackie Decker and Natural Horsemanship at
Mystic Paso Fino Ranch

Jackie Decker is a superb teacher of horse communication skills. Her happy and well-mannered Paso Fino horses at Mystic Paso Fino Ranch are a strong testament to the power of natural horsemanship methods. We visited the ranch for a few days in August 2005. The first day, 8-year old Katie was very tense and hesitant on her first ride on Tori. Although we have our own horse that Katie rides at home, Tori was unfamiliar to Katie. Under Jackie’s patience guidance, Katie and Tori developed a relationship of mutual trust in less than 24 hours.

The evening after Katie’s first ride on Tori, Jackie invited Katie to help her do some training with her 2-year old Paso named Tessa. Katie sat on Tessa while Jackie instructed both Katie and Tessa in some basic moves using the natural horsemanship techniques of gentle leg pressure and releases shifting weight in the seat and carefully measured cues with the lead line. Katie followed Jackie’s instructions, and very soon she and Tessa were communicating beautifully. Together they backed up, moved both front and hind quarters in both directions, and even did some side-passing – something that Tessa had not done before. This was a huge boost to Katie’s confidence, and provided some valuable training for Tessa as well.

Katie was up at 6:30 the next morning to help Jackie feed all the horses. Armed with some new communication skills from her session with Tessa the previous evening, Katie was eager to try out what she had learned with Tori. After about 10-15 minutes on Tori, Katie was a totally different rider than she was the previous afternoon. She was relaxed and happy, and so was Tori.

Katie was feeling so confident that she asked Jackie if she could take Tori over the obstacle course at the ranch. The obstacle course is a series of small jumps, bridges, stairs, a teeter totter and other potentially spooky experiences for horses that Jackie uses to teach her horses confidence and trust. Katie first came to a single log that Jackie and Katie expected Tori to step over. Tori concluded that the log was too high, so she hopped over it instead. Katie lost her balance and ended up with her torso lying on Tori’s neck, but Tori immediately stopped to allow Katie to regain her balance. At first, Katie was scared, but within just a few minutes, she was elated that she had completed her first jump! Katie continued around the obstacle course on her own, guiding Tori up the stairs, across the bridge and under the flapping tarp with a perfect combination of gentleness and firmness.

Natural horsemanship is an incredibly effective method of communicating with horses, and Jackie teaches it to both humans and horses better than anyone else. Come see magic happen at Mystic Paso Fino Ranch!

Ginny, Katie & Lena Wahler
Palo Alto, California
August 2005

MY FIRST HORSE IS A PASO FINO

About five years ago I leased a Paso Fino mare named Venus from Jackie and Jackie started to teach me natural horsemanship. I had read books about it but actually doing it and seeing how well it worked was exciting to me. While I was leasing Venus, I watched Jackie start her young filly, Estrella. I was so impressed with how quickly Estrella learned natural horsemanship from Jackie and so attracted to Estrella’s smooth gaits, common sense, willingness to please and loving attitude that I asked to lease this young 3 year old. From the beginning, I loved the relationship that we started to build.

After leasing Estrella for a year and a half I took the plunge and bought her as my first horse. Our relationship has grown so much in the five years we have been together and I think the biggest change has been in me.

In learning to work with Estrella, I have learned to be more assertive in general, and less prone to anger and frustration. It’s such a pleasure knowing that I can trust Estrella and that she trusts me. She is a special part of my life.

Jan Banks and Estrella
Palo Alto, California
August 2005

THE MYSTIC RANCH EXPERIENCE

Colin: Mystic Ranch is a great place for even a novice horseperson like me to interact with these wonderful Paso Fino horses. Jackie is a very good teacher. Over a number of visits with her I have learned to ride and have now started to learn some more advanced horsemanship skills. I was able to complete all of the requirements for my Boy Scout Horsemanship merit badge in a week while visiting and I had a lot of fun doing it.

Robert: Mystic Paso Fino Ranch has been a wonderful place to reacquaint myself with horses and learn natural horsemanship skills after over thirty years without horses in my life. I rode extensively in my youth but lived without horses from the time I finished college until Jackie reintroduced me to riding on her Paso Finos at Mystic Ranch. It has been a great pleasure to learn the natural horsemanship approach for quickly building a relationship with a new horse and delightful to ride the smooth and well schooled Pasos at Mystic Ranch in the ring and over the wooded trails surrounding the ranch.

Donna: The surrounding country is beautiful and provides many opportunities for other activities such as white water rafting on the Rogue River, wine tasting at some terrific local vineyards, visiting Crater Lake and attending the Shakespeare Festival in nearby Ashland.

The Daunt Family
Pacific Grove, California
August 2005

THINGS WE LOVE ABOUT MYSTIC RANCH BOARDING

Jackie takes the time to learn individual needs and personality of every horse, and provides patient, expert, and loving care. She also takes the time to provide lots of extras for the horses’ physical and mental stimulation. My horses were kept busy with fun activities while I was away. They were turned out to graze and play on a gorgeous pasture every day, they were groomed, exercised in the round pen, and they were given lots of loving attention. They were never bored.

Horses at Jackie's are happy, not stressed. The warm, welcoming environment makes Mystic Ranch a pleasant place for people and horses. I love going there, it feels like home. There is no overcrowding at Mystic Ranch, no odors.

Light and airy stalls are deeply bedded with shavings, and cleaned twice daily. My horse likes to lie down and sleep for hours every day. I knew he would always have a soft, dry place for naps whenever he wanted. Another great thing is that Mystic Ranch has a unique paddock footing of pea gravel, sand and wood chips that assures no mud even in winter. Water troughs are scrubbed clean; water is always clear and fresh.

I know my horses enjoyed their stay at Mystic Ranch, and I had peace of mind knowing they would be cared for as I would care for them myself. We’ll be back!

Mary Ann Hathaway, Esencio and Rico
April 2005

Ms. Jackie, Jackie, Jackie

What an amazing life you have made. How blessed we are to have connected and how special you are to have invited us into your beautiful home. I have such respect for your love of animals and your special connection with horses. I am always on the look out for better ways of interacting with our co-inhabitants of our wonderful planet. You and Ron are so considerate of human and equine alike. It has been such an honor to share your sweet love for these Paso Finos.

Love and thanks,

Reine Adelaide and Mystic
Berkeley, California
February 2005

PS In my next life, I’m coming back as one of your horses!

Never too OLD to learn

AT MYSTIC RANCH

I was looking for a place to ride Paso Finos and found Mystic Ranch in the Paso Fino Directory. Ron and Jackie Decker explained that they rode mostly bareback and with hand tied rope halters and lead lines. Sounded intriguing so we made an appointment and I was so impressed with the focus of Jackie’s teaching.

She taught me how to relate with the horse in a firm but gentle way of saying “I am your leader and you can trust me” in the process called “join-up.” I had previous experience riding show Paso Finos with bits and I felt I was not experienced enough to be gentle with the horse’s mouth. But at Mystic Ranch I learned new ways of communicating with the horse through proper use of legs and hand, “asking” with pressure, released when the horse responds. I learned to be more assertive and sure of my movements and how to ask the horse in a way that the horse could understand. The combination of smooth, responsive Paso Finos and learning to communicate effectively has been extraordinarily rewarding. Jackie has a special gift for teaching how to communicate effectively and she’s lots of fun too.

It’s never too late to learn. Jackie’s Pasos provide a very gentle ride for a 70 year old horse loving woman. And yes, I’ve found out you can teach an old girl new tricks. Yee Haw!! Gaining an ability to ride with safety and confidence on a Paso Fino translates to gliding great fun! Ya’all come on over to Mystic Ranch and “join-up” with some special, smooth riding Paso Finos and learn horse speak from exuberant Jackie. Riding at Mystic Ranch is an adventure not to be missed!!

Hooray – Pasos and good communications!

Pat Adelaide and Venus
Greenbelt, Maryland

Jackie and Mystic Ranch

When I ride Tori, I’ve got to say,
I get a lot braver, and toward riding I sway

Jackie’s horses - one and all -
Move like silk and never fall.

Up in the hills, I love to stay,
With my family, you and the horses. Yay!

I can’t wait to see your finished home,
And with your horses we’ll further roam.

Greg Meyer Poem
Williston, Vermont
December 2004

Learning To Ride AND EARNING MY HORSEMANSHIP MERIT BADGE at Mystic Ranch

Mystic Ranch is a great place to learn to ride. The horses (especially Tori) are great. Joining up with her was awesome!! Paso Finos are so smooth and gentle that I preferred to ride them bareback, with just their halters and lead lines. Jackie really knows what she is doing with horses. She is a great instructor who knows both how to ride, and how to teach people to ride using natural horsemanship. Jackie helped me earn my Boy Scout Horsemanship Merit Badge while I was here. The riding trails are also great. You can go all over the hills along many different trails. There are trails leading all the way to Shady Cove. I really loved the Mystic Paso Fino Ranch experience with Jackie and Ron Decker and wanted to take Tori home with me.

Bryce Istvan (Age 13) and Tori
Issaquah, Washington
August 2004

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