Sophie Seymour

[Kimperkins500]

I’ve heard lots of good things about her and after literally spending thousands for my mare I feel like sending her away would be the final thing to someone who could help work through troubles!

Is she really good as people say? I wouldn’t say my horse is dangerous, just troubled and I as an owner owe it to her to ensure I’ve done all I can and she won’t ever be sold on. If she becomes a companion to live her days out with me then that’s fine too.

 

[ihatework]

She has obviously got a good social media and a lot of supporters. I think fundamentally her heart is most definitely in the right place and she is on the horses side. You could do loads worse. Whilst she isn’t unskilled by any stretch I do think she is quite young and naive and still has quite a lot to learn technically

 

[Kimperkins500]

She has obviously got a good social media and a lot of supporters. I think fundamentally her heart is most definitely in the right place and she is on the horses side. You could do loads worse. Whilst she isn’t unskilled by any stretch I do think she is quite young and naive and still has quite a lot to learn technically

It’s so difficult, I was burnt badly but an “Iberian” specialist and now I just need the help, she would never cope to be moved on permanently it’s took a long long time to get through injury and trust issues

 

[Kimperkins500]

Would you happen to know of anyone! I’m based in Essex but would of course travel

 

[Michen]

I became a little unconvinced by her when she puts horses (with I think good intentions) in situations where they aren’t always set up for success. Ie her Connie going team chasing with very little prep/experience- I think it hadn’t even been xc schooling or something, so he stopped to look at most of the fences and had to be Re presented each time. I don’t really get that sort of school of thought personally, I’d rather a horse didn’t “need” to stop like that.

Depends what you want I guess.

Just an example but I agree with IHW.

 

[RachelFerd]

From everything I've seen I'd be very keen to contact Connie Colfox if I had a horse with significant issues.

 

[ihatework]

From everything I've seen I'd be very keen to contact Connie Colfox if I had a horse with significant issues.

I’d agree. Very expensive but if you have a real problem horse and the £ she would be far more skilled

 

[stangs]

I only know her from her Instagram and there were several posts that didn't quite sit right with me. 'Course, social media's just a snapshot but I think it's always telling what people choose to post.

What exactly are you looking for, OP - a behaviourist or a trainer just to work with ridden issues?

 

[Kimperkins500]

Without sounding Braggy (because I’m not!) money isn’t an issue. I just don’t want to give up on my horse whom I adore to pieces.

 

[Kimperkins500]

Ridden, behaviour is impeccable otherwise

 

[SEL]

Whereabouts are you OP? Some of these remedial trainers are more sensitive than others!

 

[LadyGascoyne]

What are the specific issues? Depending on what she needs help with, the recommendations could be very different.

 

[Kimperkins500]

Whereabouts are you OP? Some of these remedial trainers are more sensitive than others!

I’m based in Essex

 

[Kimperkins500]

What are the specific issues? Depending on what she needs help with, the recommendations could be very different.

Very evasive to go forward, will spin and jump up only knee length not rear the full way. Vet checks, teeth, back etc all good. SI treated - Bute tested too

 

[ihatework]

She might not be a bad shout for that then - I think the only time I’d consider her is to get an independent opinion on whether the horse needed sweetening up under saddle (which she can do) or whether you need to dig a bit deeper at the vets (which she will also advise if the horse not improving enough)

 

[LadyGascoyne]

Very evasive to go forward, will spin and jump up only knee length not rear the full way. Vet checks, teeth, back etc all good. SI treated - Bute tested too

I really do sympathise, it’s awful when they are unhappy. No different on bute?

 

[I'm Dun]

Very evasive to go forward, will spin and jump up only knee length not rear the full way. Vet checks, teeth, back etc all good. SI treated - Bute tested too

Have you tested for PSSM? Sadly in iberians its more likely to be type 2 and its far more common than most people think.

 

[Sossigpoker]

I became a little unconvinced by her when she puts horses (with I think good intentions) in situations where they aren’t always set up for success. Ie her Connie going team chasing with very little prep/experience- I think it hadn’t even been xc schooling or something, so he stopped to look at most of the fences and had to be Re presented each time. I don’t really get that sort of school of thought personally, I’d rather a horse didn’t “need” to stop like that.

Depends what you want I guess.

Just an example but I agree with IHW.

She took that Connie there for experience and she allowed him to look at everything first,.there was no "need " to re-present. This Connie was going to be PTS for being dangerous and now he's living his best life!
We have several mutual friends and I know she is as kind and lovely and capable as she appears on social media.
I know she has a waiting list but if I had a problem horse, I'd definitely get on that list.

 

[Michen]

She took that Connie there for experience and she allowed him to look at everything first,.there was no "need " to re-present. This Connie was going to be PTS for being dangerous and now he's living his best life!
We have several mutual friends and I know she is as kind and lovely and capable as she appears on social media.
I know she has a waiting list but if I had a problem horse, I'd definitely get on that list.

I totally get that and agree she does seem very kind. My point is more that personally I’d rather a horse was always in the situation where it “could” jump, aka was built up slowly and may have the odd stop but would mostly jump what was asked because it had had the schooling/experience necessary to complete the task.

Just a preferred method is all. I would rather have a horse whose natural instinct was to go, because it had never really been given much of a question where it needed to stop.

 

[shortstuff99]

You say Iberian, is she a spanish horse? Was she imported from Spain?

 

[Sossigpoker]

I totally get that and agree she does seem very kind. My point is more that personally I’d rather a horse was always in the situation where it “could” jump, aka was built up slowly and may have the odd stop but would mostly jump what was asked because it had had the schooling/experience necessary to complete the task.

Just a preferred method is all. I would rather have a horse whose natural instinct was to go, because it had never really been given much of a question where it needed to stop.

That Connie was already jumping like a stag with great enthusiasm- it's probably his favourite thing to do!

 

[Michen]

That Connie was already jumping like a stag with great enthusiasm- it's probably his favourite thing to do!

Until it went team chasing and needed to stop at every fence. Sorry, it’s not a criticism, I just would prefer to not put a horse in a situation where it needs to stop because I want it to go! It’s more a reflection of my own riding which needs a horse who takes me in however much they are doubting the fence.

 

[Bellaboo18]

I totally get that and agree she does seem very kind. My point is more that personally I’d rather a horse was always in the situation where it “could” jump, aka was built up slowly and may have the odd stop but would mostly jump what was asked because it had had the schooling/experience necessary to complete the task.

Just a preferred method is all. I would rather have a horse whose natural instinct was to go, because it had never really been given much of a question where it needed to stop.

I must admit I unfollowed her for a similar reason.
I'm sure she's a kind person but I'd watched a couple of clips that I found uncomfortable. I thought the horses looked quite overwhelmed. Just a difference in preferred training technique though

 

[ihatework]

That Connie was already jumping like a stag with great enthusiasm- it's probably his favourite thing to do!

A horse that is overwhelmed enough to have to stop and look at a number of fences, especially in an adrenaline fuelled situation like that, has huge holes in its training that I would rather fill first. Now the holes aren’t her fault, she has taken on damaged goods, but the slightly gung Ho approach would make me cautious about the horse or situation when I might consider her appropriate.

 

[Sossigpoker]

How on earth do you teach a horse to go XC if you never do it ? Every horse has a first time. That horse gained so much confidence from that event! Sophie knows what she's doing and won't ask a horse to do something it's not capable of.
It's very rare to find a rider/trainer who really listens to the horse and doesn't force it to follow the mould of "this is how it's always been done ".

 

[Michen]

How on earth do you teach a horse to go XC if you never do it ? Every horse has a first time. That horse gained so much confidence from that event! Sophie knows what she's doing and won't ask a horse to do something it's not capable of.
It's very rare to find a rider/trainer who really listens to the horse and doesn't force it to follow the mould of "this is how it's always been done ".

You take it quietly schooling and never ask more than it’s capable of saying yes to. She DID ask that horse to do something it’s not capable of- because the horse said no!

It’s not an unreasonable thing to say that training method for me and others would mot be what we’d want for our horses. For plenty it would be fine. If I had a problem horse I’d not hesitate to send it to her, but would I send her a young horse to educate in jumping? No, because I’d want the horse set up to jump first time every time.

Not sure why you are getting so defensive as it’s simply a difference in preferred methods.

 

[ihatework]

How on earth do you teach a horse to go XC if you never do it ? Every horse has a first time. That horse gained so much confidence from that event! Sophie knows what she's doing and won't ask a horse to do something it's not capable of.
It's very rare to find a rider/trainer who really listens to the horse and doesn't force it to follow the mould of "this is how it's always been done ".

It’s called homework and training.
Mine come out to their first Xc competition and know how to answer the questions.

 

[ester]

I was more confused by her saying Tom hadn't been XC schooling when there was a video of it on the 17th January but hey ho. ?

 

[Patterdale]

I don’t like threads like this. Like her or not, she’s a real person and an unsolicited named thread in which she’s pulled to bits publicly isn’t very nice. For anyone, that is.

 

[ihatework]

I do kind of agree Patterdale.
I don’t think she has been pulled to bits, but certainly critiqued. Ultimately though, if you use SM to the extent she does I’m afraid you kind of open yourself up to it. I don’t think anything especially unkind has been said.