Marijke de Jong's ST Academy
Mastery Student Reviews
They Did It. So Can You.
Hear from Mastery Students from who made their dream with their horse come true!
Reviews From Mastery Students With Baroque Horses
"The Mastery Program has made it possible for me to connect with my horse in the way that I have always wanted to do. Before I started my ST journey I was doing dressage for 40 years, and al the time somewhere in me felt, that it wasn't completely right. Now everything that I do with my horse makes so much sense. I love the way ST respects the intelligence of the horse and the allover wish to ask the horse to "play" with us, not demand. I can feel both me and my horse change and grow during our journey, both in body, spirit, and mind and that I take this change with me in all other things that I do in life, which is really interesting! Also I love all the pictures and little sayings that we use in ST like: "Fall in love with the process", "2mm", "can't pull on the grass to make it grow faster" and "chase one rabbit at the time" It makes such nice pictures in my head, and they make so much sense."
Hanne Friberg | Chalottelund, Denmark
Bucefalo xxxv, PRE, gelding, 9 yo
The Mastery Program has made a huge difference in my daily horse training life. It has taught me to be more aware of myself which resulted in a safe, horse friendly relationship with my horse - in fact, the relationship I've always been looking for. The main changes through this first year in the Mastery Program have been within me. These changes have made it easier for my horse to understand what I mean and get motivated to work together. Overall, joining the Mastery Program is one of the best things I've ever done."
Marleen Saarloos |Vittsjö, Sweden
Caja, Frisian, mare, 9 yo
"I have learned so much about the importance of the 2 mm! At first, the Mastery Program gives me the basic information. When I repeat it, I discover many new insights. And when I repeat it again, I see the importance of those 2 mm that makes the big difference! It is all in there in the same program. You just have to repeat the STuff to see all the details."
Susanne Hansen | Læsø, Denmark
Maestoso Alea (Amadeus) and Rava, Lippizaners
"The Mastery Program is the best investment that I have ever made for myself and my horses. I have been passionate about horses all my life and was fairly successful in show jumping and 3-day eventing. However, I always felt the need to keep improving my knowledge of horse training and continued to research and learn as much as I could about the correct ways to train horses so that they were well prepared mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually to be equal and willing partners in my quest to be a better horse owner and trainer.
When I stumbled across the launch of the very first Mastery Program in 2013, I knew immediately that this is what I had been searching for, for all these years and jumped on board right away and have never looked back.
In no way is this a quick fix, instant gratification program. It is a program supporting our own self-mastery in order to create better horse trainers and people. The knowledge, tools and constant support for our CANI is there for life
For me, the best feedback and accolades come from my horses and to see them so happy, fit and well and willing to work with me as we dive into all the pillars in Grade 2.
ST has improved our lives completely."
Kim Alford | Durban, KZN, South Africa
Show Girl, Lusitano x Boerperd, mare, 9 yo
"The Mastery Program is a Priceless Gift, to me and to my horse. The questions that I am asking myself now inspire me to really dig deep, to search and observe. It really amazes me how deep the Mastery Program is; I'm not sure there is a bottom to it.
My horse Lucy, is a highly emotional and often explosive, after I got her as a three year old I sometimes wondered if I could ever obtain the ability to work with her, but learning through the modules and paying attention to the 2mm changes, within both of us, is proving to be a fantastic journey.
The Mastery Program has opened doors to my mind, with so many little successes in Lucy's strength, her flexibility, how she has learned how to learn, I have to really up my game. My life is now lived without limits, but I am certainly not saying it is easy, but it is invigorating.
The Mastery Program is fine-tuning my awareness, it is giving life to horses that were being tossed out because of competition injury or human agendas.
The posture changes my horse has made through Straightness Training, and the posture changes I have made are quite dramatic.
The emotional changes we both are working on and depth of feeling I am searching for every day are awesome.
The communication skills I am growing, while I work with my horse will help so many horses in time.
For me at this moment in my journey of the Mastery Program, it is not about the exercises, the reaching of Touchstone passes, or completing a module, as I never seem to complete a module, no matter how many times I can read and watch the videos, I write the same notes each time, but often they will have a different meaning for me today.
My horse now has the feeling that the work we do together is, for her, with her, and not to her, she plays in the paddock with an elegance and not the stiffness she had as the nearly 4 yr old I purchased, the postural and conformational issues will soon be lost to the eyes of others.
I thank the internet for bringing Marijke and the Mastery Program to the underside of the world, and for showing me the way to see."
Lynley Bolt | Masterton, New Zealand
Lucia de Kai (Lucy), PRE, mare, 5 yo
From A Nervous To A Reliable Horse
Sophie Robson from Scotland has two little children and three horses - the Portuguese mare Poco (8), and the Andalusians Merlie (9) and Riah (10). By working on the mental, emotional and spiritual well-being of her horses, she gained 100% trust and a great connection:
Sophie: "I really wanted to put across that in my opinion the spiritual, emotional & mental state of the horse (& the trainer) is so important before you being to look at the physical. The enjoyment from seeing horses react to training in an uplifting way is incredible!"
"Straightness Training Has Been A Life-Saver For Us"
Saska Struik from Calgary, Canada, has two PRE geldings: the 11 yo Don banderin, and the 10 yo Echo. Banderin showed very pushy, spooky and dominant behavior, and the bottle-fed horse Echo used to bite and attack. ST has been a live-saver for all of them, and here's Saskia's STory:
Saskia: "I encourage anyone who is looking to improve their bond with and understanding of their horse and his or her behaviour & needs better to try ST as it truly a program that would benefit anyone, regardless of what your goals are for you and your horses. You can participate fully in the program if you wish but you can also opt to use the library & evaluation program as ‘just’ a resource and learning tool to work and understand your horse and yourself, your actions and reactions better as well."
From a Sway-Back to a Full 17 Hands
Patsy Devine is a professional and a Mastery Student from South Africa, and has a Friesian 14 yo gelding, called Legolas.
Legolas survived a catastrophic injury, which severed most of the intercostals along his midline, and as time passed in his healing, he developed a spectacular sway-back, so they started on a journey of Straightness Training.
Thanks to Patsy's dedication to making a positive difference for her horse, Legolas is now moving far more engaged, lifting his back to a full 17 hands.
Patsy: "ST is as much a Human discipline as it is a Horse Discipline. I really, really, really am grateful to this program. The equestrian world would be a better place if every person strived even just to accomplish Grade 1 in the ST Academy. Anyone can do it....and I repeat my first comment: If you cannot do it, all the more reason you should."
This Program Has Helped Riders Just Like You
"A totally wonderful, most holistic system of training I have come across – The personal growth training section is so helpful - as how can I expect my horse to work with me - if I am not the best person I can be? The horse physiology and psychology theory has helped me more clearly understand why my horses react in certain situations. I have also discovered that I really enjoy that the ridden work is only a small part of the whole experience. In following the program, I know that I will end up with horses that are evenly balanced, light, responsive, AND the relationship between my horses and myself has never been better! Personally, I have become more patient and more willing to strive for tiny changes (including revisiting earlier lessons) that lead to a big improvement later on. I am also getting physically fitter too!! My horse/partner - Gitana has become much more relaxed and receptive, and even more beautiful, as her musculature evens out and develops. Awesome!"
Kat Herrington | Dargle Valley, Kwazulu Natal, South Africa
"Straightness training was a journey not only to be a better trainer, but I also came in a new world of horsemanship. My Friesian horse does communicate to me, and we have the greatest friendship I always was dreaming about! I see and also feel horses with much more knowledge. I have homework for the next couple years with so many different things to train and never get bored! I'm so grateful to Marijke's knowledge what she does share with us:)"
Marlies Bauman | Pretoria, South Africa
"When I saw the 4 free videos on ST I just knew this was the journey I was looking for - from dreams to goals!"
