Client Testimonials
Hi Ken and Nancy:
We are a couple of sixty somethings who have been riding off and on for most of our lives. As we have gotten older we have gotten a little less confident of our abilities. We decided to spend a week with Ken after seeing an ad in the publication 'Cowboys and Indians'.
Our experience was unbelievable! Ken is a real horse whisperer and it was amazing to watch him handle his horses. We would generally spend our mornings doing pen work - learning how to get the horses to respond to our hand and voice commands while working them on a lead. Then we would practice with them in the ring while in the saddle. In the afternoons we would take leisurely trail rides in the spectacular Montana wilderness.
We gained a wealth of knowledge from Ken who is a masterful teacher and a gentle and jolly soul and we were ready to sign up for another week at the end of our stay! His wife, Nancy, is a charming woman in her own right and a real pro in the kitchen whipping up masterful lunches. We adored both of them and cannot recommend this experience more highly!
The setting is magical, the teaching superb, the accommodations comfortable - we can't imagine that anyone wouldn't benefit from a week with both Nancy and Ken!"
Dyke Messler and Rickey Celentano
Rockport, Maine
WITH OUR GRATEFUL THANKS AND VERY BEST WISHES FOR THE HOLIDAYS TO YOU BOTH! HAVE A BLAST IN HAWAII!!!
Addendum:
Dear Ken and Nancy,
Just thought I would add my little bit to use or not. Can be called the addendum and edited as you see fit:
I felt the need to add my words as we both cannot say enough about our wonderful week with Ken and Nancy. I have been a lover of horses since I was a young girl, riding on and off for over 50 years and, until the last several of those, feeling a sense of joy every time I saddle up and head out on the trail. And then I hit 60 and something happened and it seemed as though riding became much more of a fearful experience. I hated feeling that way. And then I saw the ad for Lucky2 Ranch and was hooked. I spoke with Ken on the phone and just had a feeling that what he offered might be a beginning to changing that fear. And that WAS my experience. I am not totally "cured", but am well on my way to re-discovering the joy I once felt. We are going back next summer for another "fix" of that wonderful couple and their lovely horses and all that they offer.
Rickey Celentano
Hi Ken,
Wow, there is so much to say about you and the Equimersion Program that it may be hard to put it in just a few sentences! The Equimersion program teaches the art of communication between human and equine which goes so much further than just that. Ken came to visit our organization, Mid America Horse Rescue (MAHR) in Millstadt, IL after an upheaval in staffing occured just a few days prior to his arrival. Needless to say we were mostly in a reactive mode looking for a current employee or possibly a new employee that would step up in a leadership role at the facility. Ken's arrival could not have had better timing. We claim him to be "horse whisperer" as well as a "people whisperer". He took a tense situation and in just a day's time had people communicating with each other again, animals communicating with humans, folks we did not think would want to step up to a leadership role finding themselves wanting to lead. Horses that had come into the rescue facility all found themselves being taught communication skills and their level of skill as far as riding was assessed by Ken and the staff as well. Every horse had the opportunity to work with Ken and our staff for 3 very full and emotional days. Ken changed the course of our program by his presence, kindess and magical touch. If you are looking to find a way to enhance your skills with horses via communication, groundwork, riding, etc. don't miss out on this great experience with Ken Jones and the Equimersion program! We count Ken as part of our family now. We look forward to his return in December as a consultant with MAHR. Also, Ken will be appearing in April, 2009 with his wonderful Equimersion program at our facility at Diamond J Stables located at 8743 LePere School Road in Millstadt, IL (20 minutes from downtown St. Louis, MO). We look forward to seeing you all here!
With a grateful heart,
Margo Sutter, President
Mid America Horse Rescue (MAHR)
Fults, IL
Hi Ken and Nancy,
"There is a young cowboy, he lives on the range…" were the words we heard sung that evening as we sat on the big, new porch, looking west past the corral and the horses and the Flathead Valley to the Salish Mountain range beyond. Deep greens and blues…", indeed.
The week we spent at the ranch was a week of action, education, conversation, challenge, music, fun, and friendship. Our understanding of horses and our horsemanship skills began there. Thankfully, Ken is an unfailingly patient and encouraging teacher.
Be sure to request an evening of music. We will not forget out time spent with Ken and Nancy at Lucky 2 Ranch.
- Lee & Greg
Three months ago, we spent a week going through Ken’s Equimersion program. I had grown up 30+ years ago showing saddlebreds; my husband had ridden quarter horses but not much. Before we arrived, I wondered if Ken could offer each of us enough to make the time and money involved worth spending. I can say now unequivocally that – even after the initial glow of that very fun trip has long worn off – it was worth the investment in every way.
What Ken gave us was a synthesis of the best teachings of the many fine natural horsemanship instructors around the country. And he brought it to us with a one-on-one focus on our needs, interests and concerns. Instead of investing in many weekends participating in large clinics of people, we got all of Ken’s attention and the benefit of his many years of experience working with leaders and pioneers in the field.
As a result, my husband quickly moved from anxieties about riding to confidence and sheer joy; my own riding went to a whole new level of subtlety and understanding. But we learned so much more than riding. Ken said, “Give your horse a reason to want to be with you.” and that really sums up his teaching. We learned, in short, how to get a horse to trust and respect us as the leader and to want to do our bidding with the most gentle of cues. We learned how to create a relationship that is satisfying and enjoyable to both the horse and his person. What a thrill!
We learned groundwork. We did a whole series of fun, creative exercises on horseback to improve our understanding and skills. We herded cattle. We went on gorgeous trail rides. We learned grooming, selecting equipment and tacking up. We learned what to consider in selecting horses for our particular interests and how to evaluate potential purchases. We learned safety. We learned what it would take to keep horses on our property and/or how to evaluate boarding situations. We had fine meals, played with the dogs, heard Ken sing a few of his cowboy tunes, explored his saddle-making shop, and enjoyed Ken and Nancy’s hospitality very much.
We came home and searched intensively for a local instructor who would measure up to the high standards for instruction that Ken had set. Recently we finally found one and we hope to acquire our own horses next year. And we won’t make the costly mistakes we would have made without Ken’s sage guidance.
I came back with pages of notes from our week with Ken and enough information to recoup our Equimersion investment threefold at least! So, I say to anyone considering this program, go! Do it! You will be so glad that you did.
Jane Rhodes and Rand Brimhall
Ken’s passion for horses, his calm yet powerful energy with along his
Enthusiasm for teaching
Natural horsemanship is the complete package!
Juggling a variety of fun, exciting and challenging activities, Ken provides a tailor made perfect horse day.
Only need to ask and Ken’s knowledge, experience, and expertise provide the answers clearly and concisely.
Not only did I improve with my riding, but my confidence developed as well!
Easily said, Ken brought me to a new level of “knowing” and understanding horses.
Simply…….. THE BEST- - AN EXPERIENCE THAT SHOULD NOT BE MISSED!
Sincerely said with immense gratitude- Kate Kraft, Lethbridge,AB
Equimersion, simply put, was the best thing we have ever done for ourselves and, more importantly, for our horses! We thought we had a pretty good handle on all things horse-related, but we were wrong.
Ken's limitless knowledge, experience and innate understanding of horse behavior, coupled with his outstanding communication style, provided us with a program tailor-made to our needs. Each day brought new learning, insights and "aha" moments ~ invaluable lessons for the rest of our lives.
From basic groundwork fundamentals to critical safety tips, from truly understanding our responsibility for our horses' behavior ("Play with your horse. Work on yourself.") to trips to the tack store to stock our trailer - the week was second-to-none.
We strongly recommend Equimersion to anyone who:
- has ever thought about owning a horse
- currently owns horses and wants to get more comfortable with them, exploring the nuances of communicating with horses
- has any fears or questions about horses
OR just wants to have a wonderful, fun adventure in a gorgeous setting!
Equimersion will arguably be the most important investment you will ever make.
Diane and Jeff Koznick
Las Vegas, Nevada
I was extremely fortunate to work with Ken Jones in preparation for our CBS-TV series "Riders In The Sky" a few years back, and found it to be an unforgettable experience. Ken is a patient and kind man with an exceptional knowledge of animal psychology and love of horses. I learned more in a week with him than I could have in six months or six years, and he has been a fine friend ever since. The fun we had on horseback in the Colorado hills are some of my best memories to this day, and the lessons he was so gifted in teaching have stayed with me as well. Ken's love and knowledge are deep, and he is a remarkable teacher, coach, communicator, and friend.
Ranger Doug
Riders In The Sky
We have vacationed at The Home Ranch for many years. The highlight was meeting and getting to know Ken. Over the years I took all of his horsemanship classes. I began as a cautious, concerned and apprehensive beginner and through Ken's classes, over several years at the ranch, I was able to learn to ride and feel confident with horses. In addition to becoming confident and competent, I learned so much from Ken about horses, the environment and also about myself. This was an added benefit that was not expected but is a huge bonus. Ken's low key approach, patience, understanding and positive attitude have made riding and horses a part of our lives. If you are interested in getting into horses, Ken can give you a solid foundation to make riding safe and fun at the same time as teaching you much more!
Jonathan Klein
Seattle, Washington
In my job as an equine surgeon, I get the opportunity to work with horses that have limited manners. It can be incredibly frustrating for me as well as the owners when we are not able to work with their horses to find out what is wrong. Fortunately, I have been able to work with Ken Jones doing natural horsemanship clinics. Ken has really revolutionized how I work with difficult horses. Now in a matter of minutes, we are able to do many of not all of the diagnostic tests such as local blocks, blood draws, and flexion tests with very positive results. The owners are often amazed at what we are able to accomplish.
Dean Hendrickson, DVM MS Professor of Surgery, Large Animal, Chief of Staff Colorado State University
"Freedom", the one word I came up with to sum up the time I spent with Ken at Lucky 2 Ranch. Ken was a patient and kind teacher. I learned so much from his teaching in such a short time, but what he helped me find again, that was buried somewhere, was my confidence, and the reason why I am doing all this with horses, my passion for them! The time I spent at the ranch re-kindled the spark in me for my love for horses. Our motto I will never forget, “Loping is Fun!"
Both Ken and Nancy are wonderful people and their passion for what they are doing with Lucky 2 is quite evident, from the conversation to the great lunches! Thank you for sharing your talents!
Say hello to Shilo!
Paula Smith
Colorado Springs, CO
Ken and Nancy provide an ideal environment in which to learn and have fun. The atmosphere is professional and yet informal, and Ken has a unique ability to sense the rider's experience, comfort level, and desired pace of learning, and to tailor his teaching to what the rider needs. It is such a privilege to experience such personalized, one-on-one training, and I would highly recommend this wonderful opportunity to anyone who wants to learn about horses and riding at any level. Ken's knowledge of horses is extraordinary, and it's touching to see the respect between him and his herd.
In addition, the setting in the stunning Flathead Valley is both calming and inspirational. I'm so grateful to have had the opportunity to learn from such a master and to spend time with Ken and Nancy, and I can't wait to go back!! Thank you so much for all your kindness.
Rachel T.
Casa Grande, Arizona
