Common Sense Horse Training

Michelle traveled from Byhalia, MS wher her ranch is located to Pickens, MS where my ranch is located, picked up both mares and trailered them back to her ranch for the ONE month long training session.  (This is the only + for Michelle, as my work schedule is extremely hectic, and the convienence of having her pick up and deliver ($1.50 per mile) the horses was a HUGE plus.  A negative coggins report & health certificate accompanied both horses. Both horses were in VERY good health, freshly trimmed by a certified farrier, were sound and without injury. Both horses were halter broke, tied, lounged, and were generally easy to handle, very trusting, and gentle.

On the day Michelle picked up my horses, she was late.  She was scheduled to arrive @ 10:00 am, but did not show up until 3 pm in the afternoon.  (This should have been my FIRST warning, but horse people are generally on a "different time line" than the rest of the world, so I didn't thing too much about it).  I tried to call her several times that evening to make certain that they had made it safely back to her place.  I got voice mail over and over, around 10 pm, she finally let me know that they had arrived safely. 

I did not check on the "girls" for about a week.  I really thought that it would take a good week before I would get a satisfying progress report, and I didn't want to be a pest.  When I did call, Ishe never answered her phone.  I left many voicemails that always went unanswered.  I began sending email, she finally answered an email on November 7th.........three weeks after she had my horses, FIRST communication.

To make a VERY long story short, she kept my mares for over 10 weeks(six weeks longer than orginally agreed).........and yes, she charged DEARLY.  When my horses got home, they were ungroomed & filthy, Jill had lost over 200 pounds, she was so skinny, I wasn't sure she could even support the wieght of a saddle. Jill also had a HUGE gash in her left hind leg between her hock and ankle and her right hind leg was swollen to a quarter of the normal size.  Dolly was obviously under wieght as well, but did not have her hip bones protruding like Jill. Dolly also had blisters in both corners of her mouth from rough hands and too small of a bit.  I was absolutely IRRATE.  I stood in disbelief and absolute horror and shame for the cruelty I had PAID someone to put my beloved horses through.  It took every bit of my strength not to whoop the absolute snot out of that woman.
 
To add insult to injury, there was absolutley no refinement to either horses' training.  Neither knew more than how to "plow reign".  Jill is still confused as how to move out when asked to walk forward.  In addition, my once loving Jill, is now hard to catch, and very distrustfull of people.  After ten weeks of training, both horses should move out at a canter from a standstill, neck reign, and be able to perform flying lead changes.  I will say, if you want a horse that knows how to "back up"...........Michelle Gilles is the woman.

Michelle is a fraud, and misrepresents herself on her website as an outstanding horsewoman, studying under some of the industries very reputalble names, such as Clinton Anderson.  I am certain that if she did train under the greats she claims to have studied under, they would  NOT endorse her performance as a trainer or her lack of professionalism and character as a reliable horsewoman.

I will forever seek out all ways to tell EVERYONE of my horror story and the mistreatment of my horses by this woman until her name is CLEARLY MUD throughout the equine industry.