What People are Saying
“For the past three years I’ve been on a roller coaster ride of trying to solve lameness issues with my horse. Christa has been a great advocate for seeing Dakota’s discomfort and helped us learn a different way to work together with positive reinforcement. Most of the past three years has been groundwork and rehabilitation exercises with a little riding. The positive reinforcement work has been a tremendous help in developing a connection and communication between Dakota and I to help what I’m asking to be more clear and enjoyable. This helped us progress with the rehab work. Christa also stepped in to cover days of the rehabilitation work when my job took me out of town… which is often. Christa is incredibly kind, soft, and non reactive so I knew my girl was in good hands. She also has a solid understanding of and teaches relaxation, correct body usage, and movement.”
—Dawn and Dakota
“In November 2021, Christa, my daughters, and I traveled to Orphan Acres in Viola, ID, to pick up Maya, our young Mustang/Quarter Horse. From that very first day, Christa shared her approach to working with horses—rooted in kindness, patience, and a deep respect for each horse’s individuality—which has guided us ever since.
Over the past three years, Christa has shared her horsemanship expertise, focusing on building trust, understanding, and a joyful connection, while always prioritizing Maya’s physical and emotional well-being. We started with small steps like targeting, standing on mats, and practicing head-lowering to encourage relaxation and confidence. Over time, we progressed to more advanced skills, from saddling and riding to healthcare and balanced movements. Christa’s calm and steady guidance, rooted in meeting each horse’s basic needs and using positive reinforcement, has helped Maya develop a strong sense of security and curiosity. Through this patient and respectful approach, Maya has become more engaged and confident with each new challenge.
One of the greatest gifts Christa has given me is the ability to truly understand and communicate with Maya. Whether we’re navigating new environments, building duration, or going on our first trail adventures together, Christa’s encouragement has made every step feel achievable. I am deeply grateful for her support and couldn’t recommend her enough to anyone looking to deepen their relationship with their horse while having fun and working in harmony.”
— Megan and Maya
“Several years ago, after retiring from my educator career, I bought a young, green pony and decided that I want to learn to ride again. It was an intimidating prospect at my age (70+) but happily, Christa Culbert came into our lives! Each week for over three years, she worked with Savannah and me, helping us to trust each other and build a relationship through positive reinforcement. We began our work during the winter, working in hand only. This gradually translated to arena work and trail rides. The emphasis was always on my pony’s comfort and engagement and my independence. We did practical things, like standing quietly for mounting, putting her head down for bridling and standing still during down time. We did poles and patterns to strengthen muscles and sometimes just played games and solved “puzzles” for fun. I will always appreciate Christa’s patience with this senior rider and her focus on a positive long term relationship between my pony and her rider. I look forward to many more years of riding Savannah because of my work with Christa.”
-Anne and Savvy
