Testimonials

Won't you Please take a moment to send me an e-mail to let myself and others know how I helped you with your horse. Is there anything I could do differently to make your experience better? I would love to add your thoughts here on this page, and I appreciate your time so much!

Your comments help me to gain new clients and keep a full schedule along with the ability to do what I love, helping horses and the that love them!

I can't stay up here forever, waiting for you to send my your thoughts.

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Thank you - Cathie Hatrick-Anderson

Cathie and Ruger perform at the
Second Company Governor's Horse Guard

My horse had a very scary and unfortunate experience the first time she was loaded on a trailer and has been understandably difficult ever since.  And further, she is a very alert, take charge kind of horse and while not pushy on the ground, she really did not truly ‘lead’. 

After an injury requiring me to ship my mare for surgery I found myself tossing and turning at night with anxiety over how I was going to get this injured horse safely on a trailer.  At the recommendation of my vet, I contacted Cathie and arranged a training session.

Her approach was confident and methodical rooted in a deep understanding of how horses communicate and respond.  She started with ground work establishing that the horse needs to respect our space and attend to our aids.  She is calm, clear and direct and soon the horse moves as directed, attentive, yielding to pressure, with ease. 

Only then does she introduce the trailer.  At this point with a reluctant loader, she works to gain their trust by asking them to come forward towards or on the trailer and then after a moment, backing them up before asking them to come forward again applying pressure tactfully but firmly. She repeats this patiently, over and over and in an astonishingly short amount of time, the horse walks quietly on the trailer.

Each step of the way – from the ground work through loading, she worked with me as well.  I am afraid I was a less apt student then my horse and required more support form Cathie when it came to the actual shipping for surgery but Cathie generously acknowledged the emotional aspect of our situation and made me feel much better!

I cannot recommend her enough.  When my horse is recovered from her surgery, I am going to make the ground work and trailer loading a regular part of our routine.  I am planning on loading her up and going to visit Cathie for some additional training! Anne Hutchins 2/23/23

Cathie is well known in New England as the goto trainer for troubled horses. Difficult trailer loading? Cathie can fix that.  Buddy or barn sour? Cathie has the solution. As an owner of two horses and a small boarding barn, I was drawn to Cathie because of her reputation and commitment to bitless, barefoot, and natural horsemanship techniques. She has more of an old-school Western style than the more common New England dressage crowd. My wife and I enjoy our regular lessons with Cathie and her ground safety class is a requirement for all of our new barn workers. Keith Soucy Jan. 2023

“I met Cathie as an older adult with no prior horse experience.  We have focused on safety on the ground, herd behavior and leadership, and clear communication between horse and human on foot and under saddle.  She has been a patient teacher for this older green rider and I have grown a great deal through her instruction.  Cathie is down to earth and funny, which helps tremendously in any learning situation.  She meets each learner where they are at and does not issue a cookie-cutter approach to lessons.” Janice S. Jan 2023

Cathie came to help me with my mare who I was having trailer loading challenges with. Her approach is incredibly comprehensive. First she spends time closing the training gaps on the ground - yielding to pressure, moving the shoulders / hind end, backing up, etc. Not only does she make sure the horse understands the cues, she makes sure the owner is confident doing the same work so everyone is speaking the same 'language'.

I brought my horse Jayce To Cathie Hatrick Anderson the owner trainer at Bobcat Farm. My horse who always stood at the mounting block decided he didn't want to anymore. I called Bobcat Farm and brought him there the next week. Cathie worked with Jayce and I for about 2 hours. She taught me what to do to get him to stand at the block. I learned so much in that time and so did he. I left there with complete confidence that I would be successful. I would highly recommend Bobcat Farm. Cathie gives it her all to make sure you know what to do. She deals with many issues with horses and does it well.Debbie Odonnell Nov 18th 2022

I have a 6 year old rescue pony who is basically a good boy, but recently he started to panic and refused to load in the trailer.  I thought he was herd bound and didn’t want to leave the farm.  My trainer advised me to call Cathie and she came out to my farm and in one session she taught Arlo (and me) how to self load, stand quietly and back out slowly.  Cathie’s timing is impeccable and the way she can read a horse is truly amazing.  We also took Arlo on a walk down my driveway and across the street to the apple orchard (by himself) - he was brave, quiet, respectful and truly looked to Cathie as the head of the herd (the 3 of us).  I am looking forward to having her out again (or me travel there) to work with my crazy TB mare Torrie.

“I am so blessed”. I heard that song and it rang so true on the way home from working with Cathie Hatrick-Anderson last week with Ivy. We worked on ground skills to be ready for backing her. Wonderful lesson refreshing old skills and learning new ones.Terry Brennan June 1st 20201

I love that Cathie combines horsemanship along with my daughters lessons. That is such an important base. Her horses are gentle, kind and perfect for all levels. My daughter needed some confidence and is gaining that with Cathie’s approach. Lesson time is fully used and packed with lots of great information and tools! Nice quiet, welcoming farm. Feb 24th 2020

Cathie has helped me so much with my young horse. I started working with Cathi only weeks after I brought my 5 month old weakling (Ivy) home. She helped to give Ivy some basic manners first and then taught me how to handle her. I had no young horse experience and Ivy is a bit of a feisty girl. Without Cathi’s help at the beginning we definitely would have gone down a bad path. I also had Cathi come out to work with my non-horsey boyfriend and his handling of Ivy, which was a great success as well. I would highly recommend Cathie! Terry Brennan Feb 28th 2020

Cathi is amazing! and I am so excited to see the progress on my mini, we needed help with ground work and now learning to drive. I would highly recommend her for help with your horse.Toni Hadad March 27th 2020

I have been working with Cathie for a little over two years. In that time I have learned so many invaluable horsemanship and riding techniques. From basic horsemanship to new skills that I have never even heard or thought I was capable of doing.  When I came to her I was starting on my second year of cowboy mounted shooting and she really helped me improve on my strengths and made me feel really confident in myself and my abilities. I also started to branch out and try new things like team penning and sorting both of which are out of my comfort zone but Cathie made it easier for me to do. Being an agricultural high school student Cathie has provided me with not only the use of her horses but has given me educational knowledge for projects in school. Cathie and her husband Bob are always so welcoming and kind-hearted when I'm around. I would recommend Cathie to anyone from the bottom of my heart. Thank you Cathie~ Ashley

My horse was so bad I’ve used 3 trainers with no success but Cathie from Bobcat Farm is a miracle worker. One lesson and my horse self loads everytime. Mary Kathryn Kent,  (From a facebook post 2/2/2022)

With the help of my friends it was recommended I Call Cathie, and get a second opinion before selling the horse, I’m so glad I did.

Cathie took the time to speak with me about my fears and concerns.  She then carefully evaluated the horse tested its temperament and knowledge.  Instead of talking me into or out of the horse she did one better she SHOWED me hands on with ground work first and then in saddle. She showed me that this horse was kind, willing and was looking for direction, no buck, no attitude just a nice pleasant horse.  Cathie was able to in one night erase so many of my fears it was amazing.

No one can match Cathie’s trailer loading skills. When I was having trouble getting the horse in the trailer Cathie had her and I trained in minutes- where it took me hours to coax her in.  She now thanks to the help of Cathie, self-loads and we travel everywhere.

Mounted Shooting is again a specialty of Cathie’s, she carefully broke my horse to gun fire and as it turned out the horse was a natural. Cathie is always there to offer pointers and encouragement when we see each other at Mounted Shooting meets.

I will be forever grateful for her kindness, patience and understanding of my fears. I almost let fear and one person’s opinion keep me from a great equine partner.  

Thank you Cathie. Jean Cassella 7/13/19

Cathie came out and worked wonders with my mare who was terrified of trailering, her last loading took over 4 hours and her previous owner was convinced she was in a trailer accident as she never witnessed a horse have so much trouble getting on. After 1 1/2 hours  of ground work with the trailer simulator, Cathie was able to load my mare in about two minutes. I was so happy to see her so relaxed and settled inside. Cathie was kind enough to work with my other mare who she suspected might have some issues loading, she never had problems before, but low and behold, Cathie was right and I ws grateful she split her time and worked her magic with the two of them. Thanks so much Cathie. Shawna 5/24/2019

Cathie is incredibly talented with speaking the language of horses. She helped me with trailering issues with one horse and barn sour issues with another horse. She makes sure that you can achieve your goals independently and is extremely encouraging and supportive if you have any questions following her training sessions. I would trust her with my horses in any situation that I'm confronted with in the future.  Jane Wood Gately 1/11/19

 Cathie has been my go-to person for help with ground work for sales horses in my program as well as boarders horses to ensure the safety and education of our barn staff. From problem loaders, to reactive rearing, to stallion-like tendencies, she has helped with them all. Cathie is a true horsewoman who understands the emotions of each horse she works with and educates them in a safe and fair environment. Will always recommend! Leigh Casaceli 9/24/2018

 I was really impressed with my mare's progress in our two hour trailer loading session. My difficult loader was able to go for her first ride in my 2 horse trailer yesterday, without panicking about the butt bar! Sarah Dowers 8/17/2018

 My horse had major trailering issues. I spent countless hours watching videos by experts on trailer training and I also worked with professionals, but I had no luck getting my horse on a trailer and not quickly backing off the trailer until Cathie Hatrick Anderson worked with my horse and me. Cathie's approach is very straightforward and no nonsense. I would highly recommend Cathie to anyone who is having trailer issues with their horse. Her method was the only one that worked. I couldn't have done it without her!  Stephanie R Charlip 4/25/18

I can't say enough about Cathie Hatrick-Anderson! First of all I had totally lost my confidence with horses after a horse related injury and was about to give up whe I found Cathie. We started with hours of ground work with her two horses to help me regain my confidence. Cathie is very calm and explains everything with patience. When I was ready I moved onto riding and slowly I am back to dealing with riding my own horses with confidence and actually finding joy in riding again. This is all because of Cathie and her great training. Cathie helped me find and choose my Quarter Horse Lacey. Before I decided to buy her Cathie and I went to where she was boarded. She did ground work with her first (which was amazing to watch) and then she rode her, and finally I did. I've had Lacey for two years now and she's once of the best horses I've ever owned. Cathie helped me find my perfect match! If your looking for a new horse take Cathie with you, she'll help find you a great match also! Can't thank you enough Cath!! Laurie Paradis 2/14/18

 If I could give Cathie 10stars, I would. I've had many horse trainers, Cathie by far is the best!! I had Cathie come out to my home because both of my horses refused to get on a trailer. Cathie made me realize it wasn't my horses with issues w/trailering but me. She was very patient w/me and did not leave until she felt confident I could get my horses on the trailer myself. Watching Cathie work with my horses was amazing. I wish Cathie lived closer to me because I would trailer to her more often for training and lessons. I have recommended Cathie to several of my horse friends. You will not be disappointed. 2018 Betta

There's a lot of debate about who is the greatest.  Jordan or Lebron? Beethoven or Mozart? Renoir or Monet? Brady or Manning? When it comes to problem loaders, there is no debate. Cathie Hatrick-Anderson is, quite simply, the best. Thank you! Lisa Diagle 10/27/2017

This is my third horse I have had Cathie come out to help me with. My first horse had issues with lack of respect, my second with trailer loading and my newest horse was just green in general and I wanted to make sure we started off our partnership on the right foot. Cathie is amazing. She works with the owner/handler to understand the horse's perspective and to work with the horse in a "horse-speak' way so the horse understands clearly what you are asking. I recommend Cathie to everyone - not just for problems but to help build relationships in a new way with their horses. Cathie is like precious gold and I am so lucky to have her in the area to utilize her expertise. Mary Melloni 10/19/17

  When I was searching for horsemanship clinics in New England, I was so happy to have found Cathie Hatrick-Anderson and only 27 miles from my home in Foxboro! In just 3 lessons, I've already learned so much from her. She is wonderful to work with, very patient and kind. I look forward to learning from her long term. She is one of the few riding instructors who also teaches ground work which is so important and I absolutely love it! She's a wealth of knowledge when it comes to everything horses. I don't own my own horse but work with Cathie's horses which are very well trained and behaved- I feel so safe riding them. I hope t own a horse some day but want to learn everything I can firts from a true pro like Cathie Hatrick-Anderson. Bethany CondonFoxboro MA9/12/17

 Cathie has helped me with my new rescue horse Po. As a timid rider, and unsure of what Po knows, Cathie was able to help me assess what he knows, as well as understand more about saddle and bitless bridle fit. Her interactions with horses are intuitive, yet she’s able to break down what she does for those of us who are in an earlier stage of learning. I’d recommend her to anyone who wants some assistance in getting to know a new horse. Gianna Cassetta 8/21/17

 Thank you for all your help with the trailer training with Mosey. Just one 2 hour session, and she was (self) loading and standing quietly on the trailer. I may have eventually gotten there but with a lot more stress, probably a few scrapes and a lengthy fight. I've had horses my whole life, but I like to get these things done efficiently and with someone who has a trained hand. You knew exactly when to release and when not to - when to put on pressure and when to back off. That timing and expert "feel" makes all the difference in the world in getting the job done. Then you taught me what to do. My daughter and I self-loaded her on our last trip to the show. She got a little upset seeing the trailer but we did what we all learned and she was loaded in under 10 minutes (safely) for both the ride there and back. I know it will only get better, and everything she learned that day is now the foundation for moving forward. I would encourage anyone with horses with trailer problems to just get the help. Save the stress on your horse. It is a very good investment, as trailering can be dangerous for both people and horses. Jen Mitchell June 17th 2019

" So impressed with Cathies horsemanship and professionalism. She not only taught my 2 year old stud colt some much needed manners, she also gave us the tools and techniques we need to continue the process. This is the second colt she helped us with and we wouldn't hesitate to have her out again! Cathie is the epitome of a horse woman." Thank you- Sarah Freudenthal 5/5 /17

 I am so happy that I found Cathie! She is so patient and kind. She makes riding lessons interesting and fun! So different from riding in an indoor ring. Her horsemanship skills are awesome and I have been searching for someone to teach me these skills as I believe they are so important. Thank you Cathie! Diane Friend Nov 7th 2017

 "I appreciate Cathie’s compassion and respect for horses, and her knowledge of horse behavior. It is rare to find someone who can be equally responsive to the needs of the horse and the rider, and make both feel confident. I have learned so much from her already but I know there is so much more I will learn as I continue to work with her." Gianna Cassetta 9/20/2016

I spent considerable time searching for an instructor in not only western riding but horsemanship lessons. Believe me when I say Cathie and Bobcat farms is your best bet. If you're serious about learning to be a solid confident western rider and want to really learn what your horse is thinking and more importantly why your horse does the things it does then you have got to take a visit and check out Bobcat farms. Cathie is the real deal. That's right folks an authentic cowgirl right here in MA. With Cathie I learn more in one lesson than I have spending 100's if not 1000's of dollars elsewhere. She wants you to understand why and how things work rather than shouting instructions at you like "back straight, Hands forward" that you get most everywhere else. You leave each lesson truly understanding more about you and your horse.
Now when it comes to training horses again there is nobody better. You can buy countless books and DVDs on the subject but hands on one to one working with Cathie and your horse is invaluable. She is if anything of the sort actually existed "a horse whisperer" I have personally sat and watched her work with challenging and unruly horses and within minutes she has them following her around like puppy dogs. It's truly remarkable and a sight to see.
To sum up this review if you're serious about horses and your riding and want to learn from the most knowledgable and highly respected horse trainer's in the area who for the record is one of the nicest, kindest most welcoming person I have ever come across in my life, call now and book something. You will not be disappointed you did. You can then send me a thank you for the referral hahaha  Adam Fox Aug 30th 2016

I did two training sessions at my farm with Cathie to work on trailer loading with my dressage mare and also a private clinic at her farm to work on horsemanship and body positioning on the ground with her well trained horses.

Cathie is passionate about helping people understand horses and how to train them.  She is patient and kind as she instructs.  She demonstrates, gives examples, and answers questions until you get it and are ready to move on.  My mare now loads on my trailer several times a week  without issue. For me having ridden horses for 50 years, it was a life changing experience, altering the way I interact and position myself with horses.  My mare and I have really bonded since the training experience as she seems to have a new respect for me and truly wants to please me when I work with her in the dressage arena and on the ground. We now have a connection where I feel as though if I asked her to walk on water, she’d give it a try.  

From Cathie I learned the importance of being patient, consistent, fair, and most of all how to communicate with my mare so she could understand what was expected of her.  I now have a mare who is an active willing partner. This is so important  in dressage to produce quality work.  After my sessions with Cathie, I ended up with a horse that performed on the ground and undersaddle better than ever!  The experience with Cathie was amazing and changed my whole relationship with my mare for the better.  I highly recommend working with Cathie no matter what discipline of riding you do.  Jayne Hall Kenyon - Harvard,MA 7/24/2016

My mare is 22 y.o., I had not loaded her on a trailer for about 12 years, and the last time was not a positive experience, so I had Cathie come to my farm to help me.  Cathie is truly a horse whisperer!  Within a half an hour, she had my mare loading, unloading and even self loading.  It was a great experience for both me and my horse.  Cathie gave me the tools to now do it myself.  As I found out, the problems owners have with loading are usually not the horse,  but with the signals we give our horse.  I moved my mare to a new barn yesterday, and she loaded as if she had done it every day of her life. She walked right on without any hesitation and just stood there.  When we got to the new barn, she backed out just as nicely.

 The reason I know Cathie is a horse whisperer is that after we were through with our training and Cathie went out of the ring, my mare went galloping over to her as if to thank her.  My mare does not do that for anyone but me.  Cathie is a special person with horses and I highly recommend her for anyone who has a horse with issues, or a horse owner with issues. Thank you so much Cathie. Mary Robins 7/21/2016

 I can’t thank Cathie enough.  I was having problems with my horse pulling away from me on lead rope especially when trying to load her on trailer or just around property when moving her away from her favorite herd members. I had seen Cathie show a friend of mine loading techniques last year so decided to have her work with me.  In just 2 hours Cathie stopped these behaviors and taught me how to feel more confident and take control ofmy girl.  My horse is great on trail but it was just back to basics of ground work, simulator trailer, loading & unloading in actual trailer.  Her whole attitude changed after Cathie worked with us last week.  My friend and I actually split the day with Cathie.  Even though we had to pay for her to drive 1&1/2 hours each way for our training it was well worth it.  Wish she lived closer.   Thanks, Nancy Marrier 4/19/2016

Cathie recently helped me with my 14 y/o Percheron mare and her not so stellar trailer loading behaviors.  The last time I tried taking her anywhere it took me 3 hours, 5 people, and lots of bribery to get her on the trailer.  She would plant her feet and refuse to move or try to run & drag you with her.  I came to realize she would always win that battle.  I heard about Cathie through word of mouth, and decided enough was enough, I needed help.  In 2 short hours, I was absolutely amazed by my horse's progress.  We started with leading techniques, moving to the simulation trailer, then the real thing.  Cathie was patient and kind with re-training both me and my horse, we learned together.  She has the amazing insight into 'horse psychology'.   Bianca looked for me to be her leader.  Cathie taught me how to be her leader again.  By the end of our session, my horse was loading with ease.  Cathie even had her self-load a few times, something she has never done before.  I thought this was all too good to be true, however it all is true!  About a week later, I got the trailer out.  My horse got right on for me, no fuss.  For the first time, I was able to load her by myself.  I am so amazed and happy with what Cathie helped us accomplish together.  I cannot thank her enough!  Anybody with trailer loading issues, call Cathie!  Thank you again!  Kyle & Bianca 2/27/2016

Cathie has an uncanny insight into horse behavior and is able to interpret the meaning behind their body language.  She really does speak horse!  Our horses quickly learned what was expected of them, such as not overstepping safe boundaries when they would get too close.  What most struck us about Cathie's style was her compassion for the animal while setting firm and appropriate limits and how she got our horses to mirror her movements.  We learned about how to calm our horses.  For example, we kept the cross-ties too tight, so our horses couldn't put their heads down far enough to soothe themselves.  Once they felt more room to maneuver they were more cooperative while getting tacked.  Using Cathie's techniques, our 17 year-old daughter developed a better understanding of horse psychology and more success interacting with our horses. Ellen, Ron, and Aliza Schachter

  Thank you very much for your help with Titans trailering issues.  While he would load most of the time, there was the occasional time he would take a long time to load.  I was amazed how quickly you were able to discern the problem (which had nothing to do with the trailer) and work with me to gain his respect and trust.  You methodically worked with us from ground work, trailer simulator, to actual trailer.  In the end of two short hours you had him self loading with confidence!  Thank you again so much for you help!  I would highly recommend you to anyone dealing with behavioral or trailering issues! Marcy Silver 1/4/2016

I started my horse ownership late in life. I rode as a kid or I should say moseyed under the saddle but now I have been blessed with the ability to have acquired two great horses. I love them but after my big purchase all I knew was the bare basics and I knew nothing about how to work them, ride them and how to really enjoy horse ownership. I found it very hard to find a trainer since I am older and didn’t want to show or compete I just needed someone who could help me learn. I did hire two different trainers; the first one was (at least I felt) to heavy handed and was more concerned about how the tack looked than teaching and the second trainer I encountered was a screamer and quite frankly that just doesn’t work for me and my horses weren’t liking it either. Thank goodness I was referred to Cathie. What’s great about Cathie is she already knew I didn’t know anything but she didn’t berate me she just showed me how to correct it. She has the patience of a saint she doesn’t yell or scream she’s just makes sure she’s the one in control and shows you how to do the same. She’s started me with ground work then onto riding. She really has a way of making it look easy but then she breaks it down to a human level so you too can speak horse. I cannot thank her enough for the knowledge she has bestowed upon me. 12/14/15 Karla Doyle

I sought Cathie out in order to “improve my horse skills.” I was seeking to do an apprenticeship in order to meet the Mass requirements in order to test to become a certified Horse Instructor in the State of MA. I gave it some thought as to who I would like to shadow for my apprenticeship and Cathie, whom I had seen videos of and briefly chatted via phone, seemed like the perfect pick. Being that I was born and raised in Texas I wanted to find someone who knew Western riding well enough, but that would be versatile enough to also give me a balanced overview. I phoned Cathie and she was very pleasant and helpful on the phone and agreed to allow me to shadow her. For the next several months I would accompany her at her barn and to other training sessions around Massachusetts and even into Connecticut. Time after time, Cathie stepped in and kindly and gently helped owners and their horses rebuild their relationships. She worked with a wide variety of horses, from a cantankerous Quarter Horse that had grown a chip on his shoulder to a frightened Pony ready to strike out at any human, at the completion of each session there could always be found two things: owner satisfaction and happy horse; check, check. I sat in on lesson after lesson, from half pint kiddos to grandmothers, the same care and attention was given each person. In some lessons Cathie’s personal horses were used and in others horses were trucked in or we would meet them at their barns. It was an awesome experience and I can definitely say that I learned so much in what seemed like such a short time, since time flies when you are having fun. Cathie is a great teacher to both horse and human and I am blessed to have had the opportunity to stand for a while in her shadow. Thanks Cathie! Maritza Kelley 10/29/2015

HI Cathie I have been meaning to write to you about the visit we had with my Thoroughbred, Bailey. I still go back and think about the immediate change I saw in him that day, and how it moved me. I kept telling everyone I knew how I wish I had met you sooner! I rescued Bailey 6 years ago and spent the first few years with him rehabbing. He had endured the best but also the worst the horse world had to offer. The week came that I needed to have him moved to his forever retirement home and for three days we tried. Close to ten hours each day. We tried literally everything in the book. I had until Saturday to move him and my time was running out. Desperate I turned to the horse community where I was given Cathie’s number. I must have sounded like a wreck when I called her as she made time to come out the very next day and I had my doubts; I think anyone would if you spent 30 hours with zero luck. Cathie came out and we spent about an hour working with the trailer simulator and groundwork before even looking at the trailer. It was clear I was not the leader and it makes sense why he wouldn’t follow me into a scary dragon cave (horse trailer). In a very short time I was able to handle Bailey with clear communication and I could see his demeanor change as Cathie showed him what she wanted of him. I’ve never seen him so quickly able to trust a person the way he did with her. I was terrified when she handed me the lead and asked me to copy what she had done, but sure enough it was working. It was so surreal to see natural horsemanship at work with my own horse. I mean you see the videos and hear the stories but seeing it with your own horse was moving. When we approached the trailer he had his moments. Cathie repeated the same lessons we had learned in the first hour. It took Bailey maybe ten minutes to step into the trailer. No fuss, no fear, and simply complete trust in Cathie. I still didn’t think he’d load for me but sure enough he did. I have never felt so connected with my horse than I did in the hour and a half Cathie worked with us. I will admit when we closed the ramp I bawled like a little girl out of sheer happiness, relief, and being able to watch my fearful horse seem confident in his own right. He would never even eat hay in the trailer and when we got to our destination almost an entire bale was gone. I will never hesitate to call Cathie for help again and I plan on giving her name to anybody I know who needs help. Other than Bailey making it to his forever home and conquering his trailer phobia we were both changed that day. I am forever grateful!!! Save yourself the stress and CALL CATHIE!! I hope to come out to your farm for some lessons soon. Thank You Cathie!!!! 2015 Kayla Brielle Croteau

Update: To update you Bailey is doing wonderful at his new home in VT. He's been in the trailer since with no problems. I've tried to keep up with what I learned with my two mares (QH and mini). I still get goose bumps thinking about the day you came out. 8/24/2015

I brought my paint gelding Ben to see you a couple months ago about our issues with picking up his hind feet after a traumatic experience with a farrier. I can't thank you enough for giving me my horse back! When I brought Ben back home, he was still a bit nervous in the barn on the crossties where the 'incident' happened, but with patience and incorporating work in other areas like in his paddock, he has returned about 95% to his former calm, relaxed self. My farrier (not the one who beat him!) has been out twice since we saw you and he is dubbing you the 'witch doctor', in a good way! The most recent time he was out, he was able to give Ben a true, proper trim of his hind feet, for the first time in the nearly 2 years he has been working with us. Ben was better than the few times we had him tranquilized for trimming. I can now lift up all four feet again, pick them out, do whatever I need to do. He still has momentary relapses from time to time, but quickly gets over it. I'm beyond thrilled with the work that you did and have recommended you to every horse person I know. My only regret? Not coming out to see you sooner! Thank you, a million times Kim Stevenson 8/18/2015

On June 24th Cathie came to our barn to help us with our new molly mule. She (my molly) ended up kicking my farrier and I was afraid that she needed to be returned to New York. However, in two short hours, Cathie was able to work with her and then with us together so that she would respect me as a leader. Today, I have been able to pass the information along to my 10-year old daughter and now she can control her. My molly is not perfect, but now we have the tools to keep working with her to make a better future. What a World of Difference and Peace of Mind for a Mom! Thank you. Brenda Prachniak

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Face booking Cathie was one of the best calls for assistance I've ever made. At 10:00 p.m. I never expected a reply until the next day or two, but within minutes and a few messages back and forth, I was lucky enough to get an appointment with her for the next day and what a learning experience it was. We started the session by looking at my trailer and equipment needed to work my horse. She made some suggestions and recommendations for specific safety items I may want to use. Briefly she worked Connor in his stall to see his reactions to various requests she made of him. Then she asked me to lead him around 2 obstacles in the paddock to the right. This I knew to be a trick experiment, but it showed her my weaknesses which she immediately addressed, first with Connor and then with me working Connor. She showed me countermoves to his moves to avoid my requests. In the beginning I was asking the questions to Connor in a manner that was confusing to him, resulting in something I didn't want. She explained and showed me how to "speak" to my horse in language he understood and it was just amazing how my horse now understood what I wished of him. You could see the lights going on in his head and his willingness to do it right. Once we were working as a team, we moved on to a staged set of a "simulated trailer". That came pretty easy to Connor and we quickly moved on to the real trailer. After a couple of attempts to load him, Cathie saw his issues to avoid loading, corrected the problem and had him loading and unloading in no time, explaining the entire procedure step by step, what his different refusals meant and the correction to unlock each problem. Then the final step was Cathie having me repeat what she did until I got it right and was able to load and unload Connor. It was so amazing how easy she made the process seem and how she was able to pass along that knowledge to me for the same success. She broke everything down into little steps making the lesson for Connor and me simple and a matter of common sense. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Cathie to anyone having issues with their horse and would highly suggest attending or auditing any clinic where she was the presenter. Thank you Cathie so much for making it possible for Connor and I to enjoy this past weekend camping and I look forward to your return to work your magic on my neighbor's horse. Wendy Wolfe Cardarelli 8/11/2-15

I am writing this review because I want to let others know how happy I am with the progress my horses have made since Cathie has been working with them. I first contacted Cathie just over a year ago. I contacted her via email asking if she could work with my Appaloosa mare. Cathie was quick to respond and very willing to help.My mare is 10 years old and has had little training. I have worked with her myself, and well, she developed bad habits. She is a grouch to put it mildly and as I’ve gotten older, I’ve become more scared. Ireally wanted to help her develop into a horse that I was comfortable with.Cathie has done such a great job working with her. My mare has certainly tested Cathie and pushed the limits on what is acceptable.  Cathie’s patience, direct manner of teaching and her ability to time corrections when needed, has resulted in my horse becoming a lot more willing to learn. She is more relaxed when working. She is trying when asked to do something new and not balking or becoming “pissy”. Cathie always rewards her for trying and this is extremely important.I also want to say that since meeting Cathie, we have not used a bit at all. My mare did not have issues with being bitted.  All her training and riding has been done in a rope halter or the bitless bridle. She has responded extremely well to this. I’m looking into getting my own bitless bridle.It hasn’t been easy for Cathie, I presented her with a challenge and she has done nothing but impress me.  I am very fortunate to have found Cathie and have her working with my horses. Caryn Brainard 7/16/2015

 I have been looking for a long time to find a horseback riding facility where I would be able to take lessons on natural trails. Not only did I find that at Bobcat Farm, but also with a very talented and excellent riding instructor named Cathie Hatrick-Anderson. You will feel absolutely safe and yet also learn a tremendous amount about horsemanship. Finally Cathie is also incredibly patient - which is a wonderful bonus. I now gladly travel each week to Bobcat Farm to learn more about horses and to improve my riding as an adult learner. It works! I might repeat myself but this place is absolutely wonderful. Her lessons are filled with useful information and are very reasonably priced. It might sound exaggerated, I have no idea why anybody would go to another place to pay more money and get less riding instructions. This is the real deal. Annette Busch 6/17/2015

Cathie recently came to teach my new horse to load onto the trailer. He had walked on 3 or 4 times with me leading him but one day he refused and nothing I did worked. He didn't lead well, always lagged behind so Cathie started with teaching him to lunge, to back, to step forward, and to lead correctly. She then used a simulated trailer to practice and then on to the trailer. He knew what her cues meant and did what was asked. In 2 hrs. he was self-loading! Since then I have loaded him at home and at the trails without an issue. Thank you, Cathie! Pam Johnson

A note from Cathie: he was self loading the first time he was asked, the entire session was 2 hours and we work many things at the simulator so the time at the trailer is minimal.

Hi Cathie. just wanted to send you this since you were an important part of the girls beginning. Both girls have amazing ground manners. Both were started under saddle last year with no issues.  This year we switched to bitless and both Lilli and Lucy are doing great!  the owner of a stable down the road from me is seriously thinking about trading her quarter horses for Fjords. she was so impressed with their ground manors and personalities. Both girls ground tie and also stand quiet when tied or mounted.  just wanted to send you a picture and say thanks for the help when they were babies.  I now have two Fjords that I'm very proud of. . The pictures top Lilli transition to bitless. Bottom Lucy bitless! Terie Davenport 6/6/15

A note from Cathie. I love feedback like this, I had worked with these two home raised girls when they were a handful,  and them to load them on there move out of state, so good to hear they got back on track, and are doing well!

 I see you've got loads of great testimonials, Cathie, but I just wanted to add mine to your list!  The trailer loading training you did with my horse, Zander, and me was so enormously helpful!  I like the relaxed manner you have with horses, and your matter-of-fact, clear directions were beneficial for me.  Once you patiently and persistently showed Zander that his new-found issue with trailers was not going to be accepted,  I was amazed at how agreeable he suddenly became with loading when it was my turn to load him.  Now, i just hope I can remember all the body language and other techniques you showed me when we are trailering on our own!  Glad you have that selection of videos on your website which I can refer to for little refresher classes, that will be very helpful.Many thanks for your excellent work with the both of us -- Mary McNerney 5/18/2015

Hi Cathie, I would first like to start off with an apology for not writing this sooner. As you know, I have had Windy for ​10 years. I bought her when she was 4 yrs old. I started Windy under saddle and did all of her training. Windy is very smart and opinionated, which I love. Unfortunately, through the years I have let Windy get away with a lot of behavior that I should not have. She is great for the farrier, vet and self loaded on "her" trailer. When I no longer "her" trailer, she REFUSED to load on another. Now I had a real problem. After years of making excuses for Windy and not being the Alpha and leader as I should have with Windy, she was not going to budge on this area of trailer loading on a different trailer. I needed to do something, so I called Cathie. This was not an easy call for me. I had done everything myself and to ask someone for help was very hard to do. "NO ONE" touches my horse or even rides her! But, I will say this, there is no one else I would ever let put a hand on my horse for any type of training other than Cathie! I needed help, Windy had my number and she was not going to cooperate. Cathie came over and did a few exercises with Windy and had her on the trailer in no time. Cathie also showed me good techniques to use, and they have worked. I have "NOT" had a problem with getting Windy on the trailer since Cathie was here. I gave an over view of Windy and myself, not to brag, but to explain the situation and relationship Windy and I have had. And the fact that Cathie is the "only" person I would trust to handle my Windy:) As I know, you get the wrong person to teach a horse something, resulting in bad experiences and it takes forever to change that. I knew that Cathie was the right person. Cathie, I can't thank you enough. You are amazing and do great work! Thank you, Kim Dias May 14th 2015

Cathie, you are a genius, When my 1800 lb (Draft horse)  Kelley  cornered my Haflingers & pulverized them with her back feet, I prayed for a miracle & called Cathie. In just a few short minutes you had them grooming each other Even in the conrners. Do you have magic in that wand!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you. Valeri Fagan and Kevin. ( I actually used a bull whip, for part of this training, and a halter and lead rope for Kelley,  The bullwhip was not to hit her, just to make a loud noise if she started to charge. The lead rope attached to the halter is what she would step on, and correct heself with perfect timing!) May13th 2015 Valerie Fagan

Dear Cathie – THANK YOU for helping me with my horse who all of sudden decided he didn’t want to get into a horse trailer.  I never had any issues with him loading but after this awful winter, he decided he didn’t want to leave the farm. 

I had originally planned on hiring you in late Spring to help me with my pony who had a minor accident in a horse trailer and has anxiety staying in a horse trailer but ended up having to hire you for my horse instead. You were highly recommended to me by many members of Equinesite.  I went to your website and watched every YouTube video you had on problem loaders.  I was very impressed with your training techniques.  I had been looking for someone who does Natural Horsemanship for a long time.  My prayers were answered when I found you.

You made me realize that it wasn’t a loading issue with my horse but a leading issue with me.  I learned so much from you in two hours and how important it is to do the groundwork first and using the trailer simulator.  I was amazed that you had my horse self-loading within an hour.   Not only did you get me to load my horse onto the trailer, but you also got me to load my pony (without doing any groundwork first) onto the trailer too.

You were so patient but firm with my horses.  You made sure my trailer was safe and gave me some good pointers on what to do and not to do.  You did not leave me until you were confident that I could load my horse onto the trailer myself.  You taught me to be patient and relax when loading my horse.  

The next day my horse was acting up again and would not get on the trailer.  I thought about what you taught me in the training session the day before and took a deep breath and exhaled.  Within 10 minutes my horse walked into the trailer.  He was testing me.  Now he loads without hesitation.

You have a gift Cathie.  I plan to recommend you to all my horsey friends.  I also plan to take some more Natural Horsemanship lessons from you in the future.  Please keep me on your e-mail list of notifications of any upcoming clinics/events you may have this year. You have made me a better horsewoman and I can’t thank you enough.

Sincerely, Liz Lagattolla May 4th 2015

Thank you Liz, I just wanted to clarify, that the hour was spent away from the trailer was at the simulator, once we approached the trailer he walked right on. Then we took  our time to self load in a few minutes, and then I work with the horse and owner - Cathie

I cannot say enough wonderful things about Cathie! I called her out of sheer desperation and hope that she could help me get my horse back. She was able to work miracles with my horse who had become so out of control and dangerous. She was firm but never over the top or “broke him”. She was very matter of fact with him and within minutes his entire demeanor and defensiveness changed to the inquisitive, trusting attitude that he used to have. She made sure I understood everything she did and watched as I practiced each concept. It was amazing to see how exhausted my energizer -bunny horse was after our session, and we had barely asked him to do anything other than use his brain! Cathie gave me great tools to use when I need them and since her visit, he has been a perfect gentlemen. I knew we had success when my mom, who is terrified of horses, said she felt comfortable handling him! I look forward to working with Cathie more in the future both on the ground and under saddle. I highly recommend Cathie to all, whether you are having a problem you need help with or just to learn genuine horsemanship. Becky Miller 4/23/2015

Hi Cathie I wanted to take a minute and drop a line to tell you how much I appreciate the help you have given to Diva and I. First you took the time from your day at the Equine Affair to help me turn around what started out a disappointing day to one of the most awesome experiences I could ever have with my horse. You patience in working with Diva was exceptional.
The lesson at your farm was a fantastic day Diva was so relaxed and thoroughly into learning and when she got stuck you got her over it.  The water was awesome bareback with a halter it was an awesome day for me and my special horse
You are a true horse person and I would recommend you highly to anyone that wants to learn to Enjoy their horse even more Chris Feri  3/3 2015

Dear Cathie, I'm taking this snow bound opportunity to share my gratitude for your training help with my two dressage horses.  Truth be told, when I called this fall, I was so angry and frustrated I did not think there was anything that would help me. Desperation is a powerful motivator for change and learning, and that was the mood when you stepped on the scene.  My oldenburg has shown PSG, but his periodic spooks made me so angry with him it got in the way of all our training.  My naturally gifted lusitano and I managed to score well at 3rd level, but his hysterical reaction to cues was undermining our training, too.  Logically, the common factor was me, and I was FURIOUS that for all my study, practice and care, my horses were telling me I wasn't good enough.

Who ya gonna call?  (Ghostbusters)  Colt starting, problem horse professional, gun toting (in case I needed to be put out of my misery), spook proofing Cathie Hatrick Anderson.  Because my problem was not performing FEI dressage movements; my problem was that my horses stopped listening to my cues.  I won't bore anyone with the details of unraveling this tangle of emotion or the exercises to get 100% of the horse's mind on the job.

What I would like to share with the readers of your testimonial page:  Keep it simple, get observable results and always do your homework.  Cathie is uniquely effective because every training session will include all of these components.  She expects to help her students over the roughest patches by teaching them to handle the bad times exactly as she would:  Safely, confidently and with compassion for horses and their people. Many Thanks, Lee Metzger 2/15/15

It's hard for me to put into words how grateful I am to have found Cathie.  More than anything else, I wanted to know horses--how they think, communicate, feel, play, work, listen, and learn.  There are a million riding teachers, but probably a handful who truly KNOW horses.   At the "Natural Horsemanship" farm I was at prior to meeting Cathie,  I longed to bond with the horse I rode.  But that can only be achieved through ground work, which there wasn't much of.  With Cathie, i look forward to lunging as much as riding, and I can't wait to be ready for liberty work on the ground!!!  One day, I'd like to learn mounted shooting!!  Lastly, Cathie is warm, direct, and just simply an awesome, cool person!--Jane Harte 2/6/2015

  I bought Stetson from a sales barn and they billed him as a go anywhere/anyone can ride type of horse.  He seemed to be all that they said when I tried him out.  I got him home and determined he was a former barrel racer with far more go than whoa and a mind of his own.  If I was doing something he wanted to do then we were golden but if he felt like doing something else then I was in for a ride.  Stetson loves the trail as promised but he has to be lead horse or he bucks, rears and generally has a giant tantrum.  I found Cathie's website online and her motto &quote "I won't break your horse…l'llgentle him" sold me. She came out to us and worked horse magic!  In 2 hours the horse that walked on my feet shoved me aside and walked all over me was keeping a respectful distance, not pulling on the lead rope and could even change directions lunging! Cathie was firm, but true to her word did not break my horse, she used only the pressure needed to make a change.  She even had me riding him around in just a rope halter! I've been contemplating sending Stetson for training but I was afraid of how he would be treated being as stubborn as he is and how he'd really be when he came back.  Having worked with Cathie I know she will treat him well and he's not going to end up with psychological issues from harsh training methods.  He's scheduled for training soon and I'm very confident this will be money well spent and he's going to come home respectful and ready to work. Leslie Grotti 1/28/15

I would highly recommend Cathie's riding & horsemanship lessons to anyone.  She has an air of confidence & intuitiveness with horses that allows the student to learn new skills & make gains quickly- no matter what level.  Cathie works hard to make every lesson interesting & fun. Riding with Cathie at Bobcat farm is the highlight of my week! Kim Linstead 11/10/2014

I'm so glad I found Cathie. When I decided to start riding again, I found out about Natural Horsemanship, and found Cathie's site on the web. Her Horsemanship teaching has helped me understand what horses care about, and how to communicate with them. We've done leading, lunging, driving, and bareback riding. The bitless bridle is great. Now I'm learning to ride, and it's a big help to know how horses are trained, and how they can, unfortunately, be "de-trained" by unskillful riding. Riding her sensitive and responsive horses is a treat. I hope my riding improves enough so that I can be a training rider, rather than a de-training one. I drive an hour each way to my lessons, and it's well worth it. Laurie O., Arlington MA  9/22/2014

Thank you so much for coming out to help me with my mare on such short notice.  We spent over three hours last Monday trying to get her on the trailer.  I had a feeling that I was bringing anxiety to the situation, and her being a sensitive thoroughbred mare, she was definitely picking up on what I was feeling.  I had heard such positive reviews or your training methods that I knew you could figure out what was preventing her from getting on the trailer.  The minute you asked me to lead her around and make some left- and right- hand turns, it was obvious that I had become lax in my role as her leader.  She zoned right in on your energy and your authoritative demeanor.  I was not surprised at all that she was on your trailer shortly after you presented her to it.  I genuinely appreciate the extra mile you went in making sure she arrived at her new destination safe and sound.  If there is anyone out there “on the fence” about whether to use Cathie, let me tell you it was the best decision I’ve made in a long time!  Thanks again, Jessica Ratner. 9/2/2014

  Cathie  I wanted to thank you for your help with Bear. We couldn't have gottten as far as we did had I not met you last fall and taken horsemanship lessons from you. That gave us our foundation. Being a rescue horse Bear has some special challenges with trust. Having you come out to the farm twice in July and August 2014  has been the best money I have spent on him. The additional ground work exercises has helped both of us tremendously with our confidence and paternership. When the time comes.I will have you out to help finalize the touches on my second horse. I couldn't have done this without you. You have so much information and experience and I am fortunate to have your services. Christy Wandover 8-9-2014

"Cathie is brilliant. She worked with my mare who would fall apart when nervous and she was remarkably inprived in an hour after working with Cathie shows incredible patience and knowledge and it's fascinating to watch her work. I would highly recommend her!" Susan Duggan

Cathie completely changed my horses attitude in one lesson. We are trying to transform him from a cart racing horse into a riding horse. Lunging him has been a problem since he's used to galloping on the race track, but before I knew it, Cathie stopped his galloping habit and had him walking, stopping, backing up, etc. I couldn't believe the amount of respect he gave her when she was working with him! She sure knows what she is doing, and I highly recommend her. Danielle Schiloski 7/24/2014

Cathie has done amazing work with my two rescued miniature horses! She has taught them ground manners and gently, but firmly, explained to them what behaviors will and won’t work  for them as we become a team. She has gotten us through “fear of the whip” with ground driving training and has also shown me how to safely manage the occasional “tantrum.” My horses are now much better citizens, and we LOVE to go to the state park! Cathie as transformed what was once a scary, dangerous  “event” for all (especially for me as a total novice horse owner trying to manage my “larger”, stronger and spooky minis),  to a relaxing, joyful experience. They hop right on and of the trailer, and walk happily through the park, easily greeting children, adults, dogs and even bikes speeding past them! They go to the water, and one of them even swims! My friend, also a non-horse person, can now easily walk one of the minis and is confident in her role as leader, as am I, after having both taken lessons from Cathie! Things are going so well, that I now have bought a cart...that will be Cathie’s next challenge, as both minis have had some pretty significant negative driving experiences, but we are in good hands, and I am confident with the right time and patience that we will someday safely drive! I would NOT have thought this until meeting Cathie and watching her with my little steeds! And....yes, of course....ALWAYS BITLESS! Thank you, Cathie! You are amazing! MJ Ryan 7/21/2014

I have been horseback riding for seventeen years and in that time I have had over a dozen riding instructors. And none of them have been as knowledgeable as Cathie Hatick-Anderson.  I have been learning about natural horsemanship since I adopted my horse Jamie four years ago at a rescue, that also offered horsemanship lessons as well. 

Hi Cathie,

I wanted to send you a note about our trailer training session with my horse Tyler.  What a breath of fresh air you are to us.  As you know, over the past 7 months I spent thousands of dollars and a lot of time with another trainer who actually worsened our trailer loading.  Toward the end of our time together, she had resorted to beating him to get him to load.  My horse has been with me since he was 3 years old, and is very smart, loving and gentle.  I've never had to really discipline him as he is usually always eager to please.  When she told me to whip him so hard the whip might break over his back, I knew I had made a terrible mistake, despite other people's recommendations to use her. 

I learned a lot and I have brought along 26 babies but had one that was above average difficult and your techniques were really helpful and I think they mesh well with the overall approach with dressage training. Karen Grande 6/5/2014

Imagine my utter surprise when Cathie came to work with Gaspar. Gaspar being a 17.2 Spanish Norm and all of 1400lbs and immediately Cathie let Gaspar know who's boss. To watch his brain work with Cathie and our rider Noah was amazing to say the least. I set my self far away to keep my nervous energy away and Gaspar was wonderful getting on & off the trailer with such ease and confidence. Cathie brought out Gaspar's ability to learn and learn he did! If anyone would question the value of the time it is well worth it. I look forward to having Cathie come out and work with our smart boy to have him and his people gain more confidence as the summer goes along. Thank you Cathie for showing me that trailering CAN be a very positive and good experience for the horse and their people! Best Regards! Martha Burns.  6/3/14

 I Just wanted to send you a note to say that Drummer had his annual physical and floating and he was magnificent!  I've been working with him rewarding him for every step of the way using a syringe and apple sauce to get him use to taking it.  I even used an old dewormer syringe that was the same size as the dermosedan syringe.  It only took me maybe five minutes this morning to administer the sedative and he didn't even flinch.  (I dipped the end in applesauce to mask any smell) The vet didn't have to give him anymore sedative and she was amazed at how well everything went. She was even able to use the power rasp on him. I want to thank you for all your help in working around Drummer's fear issues.  This year has been the best year yet Drummer is even walking, turning and stopping with me around the small paddock without using a lead line.  I never thought he'd do that.  He's come such a long way in just this past year. Thanks again Rich & Pam Templeton 6/2/14

I highly recommend Cathie Hatrick Anderson of Bobcat Farm.  As a farrier I believe Cathie has the best skills to teach a horse to stand respectfully for me to complete my work to insure safety of farrier horse and owner.  I have worked not only on horses with hoof handling issues, but she has worked on 2 of my own personal horses.  I have hired her in the past for a problem loader and she opened my world up to how important it is to have clear leadership on the ground before a horse can trust to be loaded into a trailer.  My current horse is a rescue with an unknown past who has hoof handling issues.  I was able to get some good work on him myself, but after bringing him to one of Cathie's clinics I am able to ground tie him and handle his feet for trimming and shoeing.  Every time I run across a horse who can not stand still for being worked on, or the owner does not know what corrections to make, I suggest Cathie from the start.  Cathie had made my job easier with some very difficult horses and I am forever thankful and look forward to working with Cathie in the future!  My next goal with my own horse is to ride him in a Dr. Cook's Bitless bridle.  He has a very sensitive mouth and I think if anyone can successfully transition him from a traditional bridle it will be Cathie.  My horse is very sensitive but he loves how Cathie is clear, direct and sets him up for success right off the bat which is very important to me.  Thank you Cathie, Teddy and I will be seeing you this summer for sure ! Beth Lewis  Equibalance FarrierServices, 1/14/2014

I just want to say and let every know how grateful I am for Cathie coming out to help me with Baylee.   I rescued Baylee from Camelot on 12/13/2012 at 6 mos old and had no idea of the challenges that lay ahead in teaching a baby. Also, I had just gotten back into horses after 25 years, and only had experience with older trained horses.  Once Baylee was healthy she came into her own ( not in a good way) and was challenging me at every turn.

She would not walk out of the barn to the turnout area without pushing and pulling. She had kicked a person and came close to getting me as well.  Baylee would pull you over and run into you while walking. Baylee was becoming out of control. I thought " What did I do?".  I was so angry with myself and I was becoming afraid of Baylee. I had to do something and the first thought was to give her to someone more experienced but so many horse out there need homes.  It brings tears to my eyes now just remembering how I felt.  Then,  I heard about Cathie and thought there may be hope if I can get Baylee help.  I heard only wonderful things about Cathie and hoped she would take on Baylee, when she agreed to work with Baylee I was so happy.The first time Cathie came out Baylee was very difficult and when the session was over she was lifting her feet, walking and just listening/ responding to requests.WOW I was amazed and delighted.

 It was great to go work with Cathie's horse at Bobcat Farm  so I could work on my body position. Also,  attend sessions to see other horses and owners working on problems that come.  I realized that I needed to learn even more than Baylee. Right now Baylee and I are learning together and we are Lunging which is just a huge step for both of us. Baylee is growing and is now 19 months stay tune, with Cathie's help and guidance we are going to make it..Forever grateful, Regina

Cathie was a huge help to me with my difficult loader. I’ve had horses more than 40 yrs but not a lot of experience with training difficult ones and this one had me beat. He’s an older gelding that I had just sold to an older couple and I wanted to be sure that their new relationship went well without problems. I had trouble for years with him being inconsistent, nervous, sometimes dangerous about loading and riding in a trailer. Sometimes he would get right on. Other times I would try for hours with no success. He was always edgy and somewhat nervous about riding in the trailer as well. I was using all kinds of methods suggested by others but they weren’t working. With Cathie’s clear, calm use of the trailer simulator, she had him understanding in no time that he could do this easily. All he had to do is follow her directions. Within an hour and a half she had him calmly loading, unloading and riding without refusals or nervousness. What a relief!!

He feels better and calmer about it and it’s so much less stressful for everyone. Her methods are quick, clear and easy to understand for both me and my horse. She made sure I understood how to apply the same methods for continued success. The bonus is I’m able to take the things I learned with me to use with other horses and other situations. WELL worth the money spent!  Kathy James 1/11/2014

 “Cathie Hatrick-Anderson is one of the most professional trainers I have ever met. She has worked with my two horses on respect issues, training to drive a cart, trailering and other issues and she has impressed me with her techniques.  She is respectful not only with me, but with my horses and they respect her. I have watched her work with them and have been amazed at how my horses respond to her and then to me after the training sessions.  Cathie has helped me to be a better horse owner.  I have so much fun with my horses now.  They have changed for the better because of her and I have as well”. Cynthia Wagner 1/6/2014

Hi Cathie,sorry I haven't taken a moment sooner to say what a pleasure it was to have you come out to work with Panda, my 3 1/2 year old gypsy. Although I felt he is basically coming along pretty well, I also felt that he had some behaviors on the ground that were starting to become worriesome. He was naughty in the cross ties, altough he was pretty much making a liar out of me while you were there, and his increasingly thretening snarky faces bottom turning at me while eating his hay in the field while I tried to work around him intuitively seemed to be something that was going to become a very bad scene without some behavior modification! I recognized that I, not he, was the problem and as a young horse under my care it is MY responsibility to be sure he becomes a "responsible citizen". Your effective, direct, and no-nonsense approach was refreshing and helpful to both me AND my horse! I feel like I have some tools to work on these issues now and I will practice what you have taught me to correct his behavior. Already my leading him into the paddock has shown a bit of improvement. I like horses that have a personality and sometimes the ones with the personality also have an opinion! I hope to be able to take your horsemanship course and also have you comeout again for guidence as we improve our handling skills ( and Panda becomes the gentleman he is meant to be!) I would recommend you to anyone who has ANY specific issue with their horse that they would like to improve or correct, I cannot say enough about how well you comminicate what you are doing to the horse and teach us humans to work together with greater understanding!!

A friend recommended Cathie to me after several weeks of failed attempts to get my horse to load calmly and easily into my new trailer. Since I regularly head out to shows alone, I needed to be confident that I could load my horse all on my own reliably and safely. One session with Cathie completely transformed both how I load my horse and also, my horses entire attitude about loading

Thanks to Cathie, now my horse “auto loads” so I can easily load him on my own without any fuss or anxiety. Not only did she help me with the problem I requested her service for, the trailer loading issue, but she went above and beyond also coaching me on how to instill good ground and handling manners in my horse. Additionally, she educated me on various safety precautions for safe trailering and made several recommendations for me to consider.

I would wholeheartedly recommend Cathie to anyone experiencing trailer loading issues with their horse. She will work with you and your horse in a respectful, kind but firm manner to get the results you are looking for. She is a genius! Fiona Veazey

Thanks to Cathie Hatrick-Anderson I am able to handle my pushy mare Lacy. Not only did she show me ground work but how to load and unload Lacy. Cathie you totally saved my relationship with my girl. I also feel confident when other people walk her to and from the barn. I can load her by myself and take her to the beach. Was not even possible beofre Cathie's teachings. Kim Probencher

Cathie worked patiently and slowly with Halifax and determined that he was extremely bright and sensitive but a “baby” who just needed someone to trust and show him the ropes. Cathie accomplished in a few sessions what other trainers had failed to do over months. She is firm yet kind and is always wanting to bring out the best in the horse. Don’t let the Western gear and laid back attitude fool you, Cathie is all business when it comes to horses. She is uniquely qualified and determined to find the right solution for the rider and the horse, no matter what your discipline of riding (western, reining, dressage, eventing, etc.) I had invested a great deal of money in the purchase of my “next dressage star” and while some people were writing him off, Cathie never did. She gave me back not only a different horse but the tools to keep him and me heading in the right direction. Also I know that if I ever have a problem in the future I have a resource that will be there for me and my horse. There are a small number people of integrity and genuineness in the horse business but I feel lucky to have met one of the few. Thank you Cathie (and Bob) Lori and Halifax

Cathie has such an amazing way with horses and explaining her methods as she puts them to action. Every step is broken down so even the newbies understand the whats and whys to her methods. Our horse had major issues when he came to my mother in-laws. He was very frightful to pretty much everything. Cathie took her time with him each week and she gained his trust and respect. Cathie gave me the right tools so I could practice on my own time and each week showed great improvement. He now  lunges, turns to the right, picks up his feet without issue and is getting use to carrying a rider, and so much more!!! I highly recommend her to anyone with horses. There is not one person out there that could not benefit from her experience and training techniques!!! Natural horsemanship is the way to go!!! Daron Minor 11/6 13

I had the good fortune to bring my horse to 2 clinics with Cathie. The first clinic I brought along my own brush & branches to show Cathie the fear my horse was dealing with. By the end of that day he was confidently walking and standing on top of the branches! Away I went with some new tools, set up a few of my own obstacles at home and continued to build upon the foundation that Cathie helped establish. Two weeks later we attended our second clinic where we continued with ground work and then moved to under saddle work – when I bought this horse just over a year ago, I had transitioned him from a shank bit used by his previous owners to a D-ring snaffle with a lozenge which he just leaned into. Cathie replaced my bridle with a Dr. Cook Bitless Bridle™ and after a few minutes of work I was amazed at how much softer and responsive my horse was in the bridle and in his body. I am a massage therapist for both humans and horses and I was amazed to see the usual muscle tension he holds in his ribs melt away and soften as the work progressed. He was so relaxed and responsive once I was back in the saddle that I had the confidence to pick up the canter. Upon arriving home, I placed an order for The Bitless Bridle and am anxiously awaiting its arrival! Thank you Cathie for helping both me and my horse, I am looking forward to our next lesson. Bettyann Cernese. 9/24/13

Cathie is simply awesome!! My new horse was inconsistent with trailer loading, to the point that we missed our last trail ride. I called Cathie, she came out to my barn, did some ground work, used the trailer simulator, and had my horse self loading & unloading in no time at all. She is such a great teacher. Everything she does makes sense and works so well; I could just see the transformation happening at each stage & step of the way. It was actually fun!... and so satisfying to be able to follow her instructions and have the same results. Following up a private session by attending one of her clinics simply reiterated how methodical she is. What she did with me and my horse, she repeated with two other horses with the same results: they were self-loading and unloading, with their owners! She can solve anything that's brought her way, from de-spooking and calming nervous horses, to solving horse shoeing issues. She speaks the horses' language, and they get it. Couldn't be happier & would highly recommend her to anyone. Can't wait to see what Cathie works on at her next training clinic! Stina MacDougall 8/21/13

 Meeting Cathie Hatrick-Anderson has made such an amazing difference in my relationship with my new horse, Waylon. We started having issues after only a couple weeks so I contacted Cathie, who had come highly recommended from everyone I asked. Waylon had been raised using natural horsemanship but I had no background so Cathie suggested I take a horsemanship lesson at her farm with her horse. In an hour I gained so much confidence and learned to read the horse, use my body language, basic groundwork, leading, lunging, etc. Invaluable information that I took home and was able to successfully apply to handling my horse.

Cathie came to us our next session and what a learning experience that was! Most horses " join- up" in 20 min. But Waylon took 1.5 hrs! And this was during downpours with a thunderstorm going on! Since that session he now comes to me in the paddock and knows I am Alfa mare, his leader. It has made an amazing change in our partnership, not only in the paddock but out on the trails too.
Last week Waylon and I traveled to Bobcat Farm and had another invaluable training session, including our initial experience using the bit less bridle. We practiced all we had learned previously and Cathie helped us fine tune our skills. (Mostly mine since Waylon now knows what is expected!) Since we trail ride and Cathie has a wooden bridge, I requested we see how he would do with it. Cathie showed me when to back off if he was trying so he'd know that was all we expected. And then, because he wasn't forced, he did it!
Waylon is fussy with a bit so I wanted to try riding with a rope halter or bitless bridle. We did both and it was Amazing! He was so relaxed and responsive almost immediately.
I can't thank Cathie enough for helping me with the transition with my new horse. Understanding how and when to apply pressure, and when to release it, is so extremely important. Cathie teaches with such common sense, and it's the best way. Thank you, Cathie!    Pam Johnson  8/12/13

In May 2013 I reached out to Cathie for help with some respect issues with my daughter's horse. Cathie was able to come out within the week, and was very easy to work with. She was very patient, explained everything and made sure my daughter could demonstrate the skills herself before she left. It was not that we had a bad horse - he just needed to have clear and consistent direction. One of the issues corrected was grazing - he loves grass! It was hard to keep him from grazing whenever he wanted - tugging and pulling were not effective. Cathie had him listening to a simple cue in under ten minutes. My daughter was able to use it with other horses in the barn as well. Cathie is honest, direct and uses common sense. I will not hesitate to call her again for help! Tracey Dacko

Dear Cathie, This is slightly overdue, but has the benefit of being time tested. I'd like to share my experience with you and "The Pony". Please share with others who would like to know more about your methods.

In early 2013, a long brewing problem exploded. I have a 13 hand gelding pony who came to me as an adoptee 5 years ago, with a tough guy attitude and a deceptively cute look. I stuck him in pasture with others and handled him infrequently. He was known as a pain in the rear and too pushy...and then it got worse. Or we noticed it did. In January, a helper I had on the farm told me that he charged at her in pasture. I brought him in to the barn and realized I had a big problem. Rearing, Striking, Biting, Mule Kicking, Cow Kicking. The vets and Farriers who know the pony said they really felt it was best to put him down - never seen anything meaner and perhaps he was brain damaged. I think they may have also been saying that they didn't think I had the right approach to deal with him. I've had horses for 40 years, but this little guy terrified me.
Cathie came 3 times and worked with him. I and my helpers watched agog as her "boss mare" approach reached him and he began to respond in a way that showed he respected her and was comfortable doing so. His defiance changed to respect for her, and for those who use her postural and attitudinal communication methods. This was in February of 2013. It is some 8 weeks later now and I can report HUGE progress. He is not easy and I am imperfect in my approach. But he respects my personal space, can be approached, haltered and led without drama and has not acted aggressively toward anyone since her 2nd session. This is dramatic improvement and I am committed to seeing this through -- but not on my own. This is as much an education for me as it is for him, but I really look forward to getting the pony to each next step of comfort and respect. I actually believe it's possible -- thank you, Cathie! Allison Allen CT 4/27/2013

As someone who recently started working in the equine industry, I sought Cathie’s expertise to learn about horsemanship and understand more about the horses themselves. In the round ring, Cathie taught me about lunging around an obstacle course, join ups, and liberty work. While working in the paddock, I am learning the polite ways and different techniques Cathie uses to catch horses for turn ins and turn outs. As a teacher Cathie, takes her time and is patient when she teaches a new skill. She has taught me how to handle different horses in different situations on their good days and bad days. I am always learning how to safely handle calm as well as unruly horses. Most importantly, I am learning the respect and connection between the horse and the handler. I am becoming more confident and successfully applying what I am learning from Cathie in the workplace. Thank you Cathie! Julius Chiumenti

We can't thank Cathie enough for helping us with our 4 year old Ella. After bringing her home from the original owner she started to show signs of troubling behavior; breaking off cross-ties, dominant behavior walking on lead, and most frightening of all trying to kick us when we asked her to do something she didn't like. And because she is a quick mover & spinner we were now fearful of her hurting us or the children around her. We considered giving her back because we didn't feel we had the tools to manage her. Cathie came to our barn and within 5 minutes had Ella behaving remarkable better. She spent 2 hours with us walking through each of the issues we had been having with Ella. Cathie had an answer for every problem. Most importantly Cathie gave all of us the confidence to manage a horse we were somewhat fearful of and helped us believe that most problem horses are capable of being rehabilitated.We are so thankful Cathie! Leah & John Ridpath 3/18/13

I just wanted to thank Cathie for her expertise in trailer loading. I have a hot sensitive mare and she has been self loading for years with a bit of trailer loading issues here and there but I have mostly been able to work her thru them on my own or with the help of a competent friend. I thought my loading issues were behind me, in March I decided to practice loading to get to an indoor to ride, Indy self loaded great I but up the but bar she then decided to throw her self backwards into the but bar breaking it and scaring herself. Two hours later I finely got her to stand on the ramp quietly I was really going to need some help! Cathie's trailer simulator is a fantastic idea! The idea of working thru issues away from the trailer and away from a potentially dangerous situation works wonders and it also lets he handler learn and make mistakes with out the pressure of the trailer. Needless to say Indy did load by the end of the session, and I have been successfully loading her my self and before I go to the trailer I practice with the trailer simulator to make sure that there is always a positive connection to loading. Thanks Cathie for a wonderful idea! Lisa Terrell 4/11/1

Cathie came out to help me with my very dominant 4 year old rescue horse. I have owned and ridden horses for 16 years and I have even backed a couple but none of them were ever so strong willed as William. In the two months I have had him he has managed to completely crush my confidence around horses He has been with me for two months and in that time it has felt like all we have done is slide backwards - to the point where I was struggling to even lead him. I also rarely worked with him for more than 30 minutes at a time because he would begin to shut down and get frustrated. Cathie worked with him for 2 hours and made such incredible progress with him! I had never been able to even turn him to the right and she had him leading and turning on a loopy lead rope and by the time she left we even had him going on the lunge a bit. I felt like we made so much progress just one visit and now I can't wait to see how William and my relationship begins to finally develop under her guidance. 3-19-2013 Melissa Andreassi

Last fall I realized I needed help. Dakota was a sweet mare until you put a halter on her. She would rear, was pushy and just disrespectful. My farrier wouldn't even return my calls. I was to the point of just giving up and not using her. One morning I got in my car and drove to Bobcat Farm. I 'd been looking at Cathie's website for months but was still hesitant. I needed to "check" Cathie out. I wanted to see her with her own horses and to see exactly what she did. I didn't want someone overly aggressive or who would beat my horse. After 1 hr with her I knew she was the person Dakota and I needed. It was the best decision I could have made.

Fall of 2012 The best horse trainer I have ever Used! You ever notice that the last thing you try should have been your first. That was no different when it came to using Cathie. I had tried all kinds of trainers and all kinds of methods and all kinds of equipment that just weren’t working.

I owned a 7 year old Quarter Horse. Most of the time he was a love bug but when he wanted to, he could be very dominate and pushy. He would give me the hardest time getting into the trailer and when I rode him he would be fine until he was done and when he was done he’d go into a tailspin until you got off. Not what I considered fun. I was at my wits end and ready to give up until I met Cathie and she taught me what I was doing wrong and what I needed to do to be a better horsewomen and leader.

My first scheduled appointment was supposed to be at her place but my horse refused to load into the trailer. Without any problems or complaints Cathie came to me instead. She worked with me and my horse for over two hours until he was loading and unloading with confidence and easy. We had our next lessons at her place in her large round pen going over ground work, building trust and respect. She worked with both me and my horse teaching us together to work as a team.

The best thing I can say about Cathie is that she has the most amazing patience both with people and horses. She’ll take however long you need to feel comfortable and confident about what she is teaching, never making you feel guilty or dumb. She is kind and caring and truly wants you to succeed. She has the amazing ability to train horses with respect and technique and without cruel devices or punishment. Our lessons were always fun and I always left with much more then I had expected. I always looked forward to learning and laughing with her.

After my lessons with Cathie my horse was amazing. He was self loading into his trailer. His dominance and scare tactics were gone. He became a wonderful horse and I gained so much insight into how to become a better horsewomen and horse owner then ever before.

I would highly recommend Cathie to anyone who has a horse. No matter what discipline you are or what kind of problem you have I am confident Cathie can help you and your horse have a better relationship. Tracy Longoria

A few years ago Cathie was a lifesaver. After a gymkhana Andi would not get back on the trailer. It was a very very stressful day and I ended up with heat exhaustion and was not thinking straight. Someone suggested a butt rope and Andi ended up swinging off the ramp and cut her leg quite badly. It was horrible she was spurting blood and I was covered in ice in the shade. After being stitched up and sedated she still would not load. Cathie came back to the barn and loaded her in 15 min with no drama or bratty antics from Andi. I so wish at that first problem that day I would have gotten her help right away. I learned a big lesson that day. Lourie MA 11-14-2013

Thanks so much for the wonderful Cowboy Mounted Shooting session with your horse Ruger. I practiced at home with my horse but had never shot live rounds until the session at your farm. Ruger was so great and did everything perfectly which allowed me to focus on my targets and your expert coaching. I had many great runs with Ruger and managed to hit most of my targets. Thanks so much for allowing me to learn this exciting sport on your fabulous horse Ruger. Diane C. 1-2-2013

“Cathie helped me with my horse Emma. She was patient and not only helped solve the problems I had with Emma but taught me how to deal with them as well. I have also used Cathie on colt starting with two of my youngsters. I wanted my youngsters to have the right start in life. She has been an invaluable source of information for me. She has been there every time I have needed her. She was fantastic when I had a problem loading my mare Emma and took all the time we needed to get over the hurdles we had. I would use Cathie again in a heart beat. I highly recommend Cathie.” January 31, 2012 Lynda Bloomberg

Cathie is a truly a great horse trainer. She is very effective with any and all behavior problems. She helped us with a very naughty colt who didn't respect humans. She showed us how to discipline him and win his respect and she taught us many little "tricks" for getting the job done. We had problems bathing him with the hose-she fixed it: we had problems picking out his feet- she showed us how to solve that. He reared and acted up when being led- she showed us what to do. Cathie is well worth the money, I learned so much in a two hour session- as much as in 2 day seminars. Wendy Ractliff 11-16-2012

My horse, Smokin', & I started working with Cathie a month ago. Before she came to us Smokin' wouldn't stand to be mounted, had no brakes, and it got to the point that I was afraid to ride him on the trails. Even after the first lesson with Cathie, & the bitless bridle, Smokin' now stands while being mounted and has brakes!...Just last Sunday we went for an 1 1/2 hr trail ride ALONE & he was excellent! I even dismounted at one point during the ride, on the way home, and Smokin' stood still when I mounted up again! I'm looking forward to much more fun with my horse thanks to Cathie! Faith M Szczurko 11-11-2012

This year, I received my Certification in Equine Massage Therapy in Western Montana. Upon my return home, I sought Cathie's help to continue my horsemanship training. I have not been disappointed! Cathie has a very simple and unique style of teaching horsemanship. I've learned so much from her on how to safely and effectively work on a variety of horses. Cathie has been around horses all of her life, she brings to the table a strong passion and a desire to teach others. She is a confidence builder!

I travel for my lessons with Cathie 1 hour each way and it is worth it to me. I'd rather learn from someone who knows horses from stem to stern than to go a franchise and roll the dice.I would refer Cathie to anybody who really wants to learn horsemanship. I would also refer Cathie to anybody who is having behavior or training problems with their horses and needs help. I've watched her in action!
Cathie is the "Annie Sullivan" of horses!! Maureen Griffith-Whelan Revere, MA 10-29-2012

Cathie - you really know horses! You worked with my stubborn morgan on the ground, speaking his language, until he was a cooperative guy. Then you got him loading onto the trailer (which was a no-no in his book) without a fuss. You taught me how to get the same results and I am so thankful for that. You are the best! 10-19-2012 Sandy S North Oxford, MA

Thank you for helping us with our stubborn Appaloosa! He would not load onto the trailer- even after we tried for 4 hours. You came right over and said it would take less than 30 minutes to get him on the trailer. I was a bit skeptical, to say the least. But, you got him on the trailer and even helped us to be able to load him next time. Thank you so much, Cathie! Carol M. 10-19-2012

Thank you Cathie for the help with my two yearling Fjords. They are both leading beside me with respect now. We have been able to do so much more with them since their first lesson. I am looking forward to our next lesson. I can't wait Thanks again!!!!!! Terry Mendon MA 10-13-2012

I'm very pleased with Cathie's help in making my Icie Kyndill more respectful of me and better to ride. I've come home smiling after the last 3 trail rides & even took him in a parade where he was awesome. She also worked with me and my Standardbred, Max, using the bitless bridle. He's no longer bobbing his head when I ask him to slow down. He had started tossing his head so much that I was afraid he would trip when trotting or cantering and kill us both! It's great to enjoy my boys again. Thanks so much Cathie! Linda Pembroke, MA 10/11/2012

After being left alone for 1+ years, my mare became very aggressive on the ground - rearing, bucking, pushing through me, etc. Within 2 training sessions with Cathie, I am back riding her and she is awesome - obedient, quiet and a pleasure to ride. I couldn't be more pleased to have the horse I remembered back - THANK-YOU Cathie!!!! Joyce Upton, MA 9/30/2012

I just wanted to say thank you for all your help. You did what other riding instructions and trainers could not. I could not get Patch off the farm. It was kick kick kick and I was tired and gave up. I got the side pull bridle and reins you suggested.
The equipment you suggested is working perfectly. I do not know if it is the long reins that he is afraid of, but he is like a different horse. He is so much more forward now and one squeeze and he goes. wow, i did not realize equipment made that much of a difference and you saying about the cowboys that they don;t kick all day long, makes perfect sense. He is so much more fun to ride, no kicking. Its funny, when I bought him, (he did come from Iowa) he came with a snaffle bridle with the long reins that you suggested. I sent them back and wondered, who would ride with long reins like that???? Now after owning him for 5 years, I understand the theory. Squeeze once and slap !!
Love it !!! I have been riding him a lot more now and he is loosing weight. so, I just wanted to say thank you, problem solved !!!
Thanks again, just wanted you to know, good job !!! Mary Charlton MA 9-19-2012

Hello Cathie, I wanted to thank you again for coming out to help me with Phoenix who is now 8 months old. You are amazing at what you accomplished in this last training session.
She now respects my space and leads on a loose lead, with no pulling.
And to my surprise, you also put a "baby" saddle on her back and got her used to walking around with it and it was no big deal. I am eternally grateful for all your help. Having a foal at home was a challenge that I would never have been able to deal with without your help. You have helped me every step of the way. First, teaching her to accept a halter. Next, picking up her feet. And , now, leading quietly on a loose lead, respecting the human's space.And you are great at teaching me how to continue doing all these things by myself. Cant wait for the next training session! Best Regards, Althea- MA 9-18-2012

Very proud to say Cathie Hatrick-Anderson  has done all the saddling/first ride work with Antonia...at 2 yrs 4 mos we don't expect much more than this but what an awesome start I'm getting on my filly who has no fear of being ridden...so glad I did not attempt starting a filly on my own. Antonia is going to be my horse when I'm in my 50's and 60's (God willing) and I am confident I'm going to have a very trusty partner in her. Michelle Ziemba 9/1/2012

Cathie is a great teacher!!! She has made me feel so much more confident with my new 6-year-old quarter horse. After three lessons with Cathie, I am becoming the leader and partner my horse needs me to be. I am looking forward to more lessons (and fun!) as I continue to hone the groundwork and riding skills Cathie is teaching me. Thanks so much, Cathie! Lynne Miller - MA 8/20/2012

As a brand new horse owner the honeymoon with my quarter horse was over, he had started hauling me over to the grass when I went to lead him, refusing to stand still on the cross-ties - basically he had no respect for me (and after a couple of hours with Cathie I now know why that is). My riding instructor told me to contact Cathie and have her come out and work with Cody and I before his behavior with me got any worse. Cathie came out and worked with Cody and I for about 2 hours, she never made me feel stupid for not knowing something, she explained what she was doing and why she was doing it, had me perform and corrected me until I got it right, so that I could repeat it when she was no longer there. It was amazing to watch the change in my horse as the lesson went on. By the time we finished up, he was leading like a dream, and I had the skills to keep him leading like a dream. Cathie knows horses, knows horse behaviors and knows how to teach you what she knows; so you can keep your horse moving forward with you.  8-30-2012 Beth Higgins Wrentham, MA

Cathie came out to work with me for the first time this month. My new Haflinger mare was definitely the head of the roost in her last home and it showed. After just one session with Cathie she is 100% more respectful and way happier about not having to be the boss. The best part about Cathie(other than she made the whole experience fun) is that she trained me on how to keep working with her and make her better after Cathie left. Every day I see a much bigger change since working with Cindy-Lou on the ground using the methods Cathie showed me. We can't wait to have her out again! 9-27-2012 Andi Lynn Solari

Cathie has been my friend and neighbor for over twenty years. She’s an extremely gifted trainer and even more significantly, Cathie uses gentle and encouraging schooling methods with every horse she handles. I have never seen Cathie angry, frustrated or impatient with a horse or rider. Breaking and training horses is a gift that Cathie possesses and along with her years of experience she also produces immense confidence in horses. They love and trust her and Cathie’s very balanced seat is an added bonus to the comfort and self-assurance of a horse, no matter his or her age. 8-17-2012 Liz Benney, Tahuri Farm.

I have used Cathie three times with trouble loaders. She is very professional and reads the horses well. She treats each horse as an individual and she is very calm and patient. It is plain to see that the horses trust her and feel comfortable around her. The last time I hired Cathie I was in a panic because my 4 year old Arab gelding was boarded out at a barn and the so-called trainer there was abusive to him and he would not load. I called Cathie and she offered to drive the long distance that very night and load him for me. I told her that I thought that he was safe for the night and she offered to come the very next day and said that she would be at that barn by 9:00am. She was true to her word. Not only that, but had my scared horse calm and walking on the trailer within 30 minutes. He now loads for me every time. I cannot say enough about Cathie and her training and I have recommended her many, many times. Every person that I recommended her to that has used her, has been extremely happy with her and her training. 8-2-2012 Kathie Duggan- Duxbury, MA

Cathie -- Thanks for showing me how to say "yes, you will" when my horse says "no, I won't" in a way that works. I hitched up the trailer this afternoon and practiced everything I learned from you yesterday. Paly was his usual resistant self but simply using the methods you taught me yesterday, I had him getting on and off the trailer willingly.  7-26-2012 Lori Romano Fitchburg, MA

This is the second time Cathie has been to our farm, both times were a complete success. The first time was for my Yankee who bolted into his stall all the time. Cathie got the job done and he has never done it again.
This time we have a foal that's 3 1/2 months old. She was starting to get way out of hand and dangerous to be around.
Cathie came and after one lesson I was walking her to the paddock like a lady!
We had two lessons and never once was Cathie ever mean to that filly!! She has a great sense with horses, and has the knowledge and the common sense to get the job done. I'm having so much fun working with this baby because of the knowledge she gave me.
I appreciate having her around to call on, she has a love and dedication to horses! Thanks so very much Cathie! 7-16-2012  Sandie Kunkel Dudley, MA

Thank you so much for my lesson in trailer loading. I had gotten to the point that I would avoid going anywhere because loading my horses was such a chore. After working with Cathie today I feel like I can just load up and go. I have never looked forward to trailering my horses and now I can't wait to do it again! You have given me FREEDOM!!!!!   6-6-2012Robin Hebert - Groton, MA

Cathie did a wonderful job with my gelding last week! We worked on ground work exercises and standing at the mounting block! Also flexing in his bit less bridle! I learned a great deal in our one session and gained the confidence that I needed to continue working with him on my own! 6-1-2012 Sharon Aborn - CT

Cathie worked with myself and my horse, on Tuesday. My horse is fearful and reactive, which makes me a nervous rider. She started me with some groundwork training, and addressed some issues at the mounting block, (which I greatly contributed to). It was an eye opener for me. I am beginning horsemanship lessons with Cathie this Saturday, and am very much looking forward to them. Cathie has so much knowledge to share, and I am very grateful to her for helping me. Thanks, Cathie  5-31-21-2012 Barbara D Abington MA

Cathie helped me with my 3 year old filly. She is much more respectful since Cathie worked with her. Now I can get her in and out of her paddock without fear of her herd mate running me over when going through the gate. Cathie definitely speaks horse and the horses understand it when she is "talking"! Birgit Rocconella - CT 5-30-2012

5-17-2012

Cathie had taught me the right way to load a horse into a trailer. All of this time I've watched different people and some ways did not seem right and they weren't. My horse wanted nothing to do with the trailer but after Cathie teaching the right way to lead and the right techniques with the trailer i am more confident and so is my horse. Thank you Cathie!! Erica Sullivan

5-10-2012
I’ve had horses all my life but learned unexpected and valuable things from Cathie Anderson. She has wonderful gifts of perception and observation, a deep body of knowledge about horse behavior and a gentle spirit and common sense that enable her to reach out to the inner-horse and the inner-owner alike, both of whom can be confused, unschooled and frightened. She introduced my quarter horse gelding to a bitless bridle generating an almost instantaneous and palpable response – something that I would have considered marketing hype had I not witnessed it myself. In the wake of only a few visits he had come into his own in a variety of ways, including becoming much more demonstrative and attached to me. My other fellow is a good-natured and very smart draft cross who before coming to me had made his way in life by throwing his substantial weight around. It is a pleasure to handle him now. He pays attention, anticipates and does what is asked of him -- all on a loose line. And in the process he has become a much more trainable horse. Barbara- Dover MA

5-23-2012

We adopted a rescue horse named Drummer who was severely abused and headed to slaughter when our friends at a local rescue saved him. To say he has special needs is an understatement. We gradually earned his trust over much time and are able to groom him, hug him and walk him some but he still has big fear issues. He fears the Vet most of all. This is when we contacted Cathie, who was highly recommended by our Vet, to come and work with Drummer to help calm him some and help us to be able to get him vaccinated and have his teeth floated by our Vet. Cathie worked with Drummer twice and showed us ways to hook up with him, moving him around the paddock, and ways to administer the sedative under his tongue prior to our Vets visit. The morning of our Vets visit Drummer was difficult but I was able to do what Cathie had taught and it worked great. We were so relieved that Drummer is now taken care of for another year and what Cathie has taught us gives us more tools to use in helping this special guy to be less fearful of life. We hope to have Cathie work with Drummer again. Many thanks to you Cathie. Richard and Pam Templeton - Concord MA

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Cathie, thank you so much for working with my daughter, Emily! She learned so much about how to establish her control on the ground, and how give a correction in the saddle. We really appreciate all that you taught her (and me) and we can already see a difference. Thank you!! Kristen Hey 4-28-2012

Cathie did a great job with my boys teaching them basic manners, leading and teaching Rockie to load unload... he now does it with no one leading him....Thank you thank you thank you...if you want your horse to do it right then get Cathie to teach them the first time!!!!!! Erly Williams Upton MA 4-5-2012

4-1-2102

Cathie has been so helpful with our new horses over the years. I was totally clueless when I started with my first horse at the age of 40. She was a dominate Percheron 16.3 girl. I didn't know Cathie before I bought her or I wouldn't have gotten her for sure, but she helped me to handle her better & be safer around horse in general. I am grateful for all of her expertise. Michelle Murray Mendon MA

Cathie, Just want to thank you again for all your help and a wonderful clinic.We hope you will do more clinics for us. Thanks all of us from GoldenShoe Stable - Lisa Papplardo 1-21-2012

1-15-2012

Thank you, Cathie for helping me with my mare. The difference in her temperament is amazing, and everyone who knows her can't get over the difference in her behavior. For those of you thinking of using Cathie, I highly recommend her! She uses methods that horses understand and respect. She's a no nonsense, black and white trainer, but at the same time she is kind and patient to the horses she is training. Her methods work! After one session my Alpha mare was a completely different horse. Cathie is also very good at training the owner and anyone else who will handle your horse, so that the new behaviors learned continue. I will definitely have Cathie back out in the spring to do some additional training.
Audrey G.

12-12-2012

Cathie gave us a leading and loading lesson with our feisty pony. After showing us how to lead correctly, he could not wait to get in the trailer. You could tell he was confident with with us and himself. It was amazing to watch. Thank you for showing us how easy it can be when done the right way Pat and Trish Giglio Upton MA

12-7-2011

Cathie came to my farm on Nov 28 2011. I needed help with a cinchy mare. She gave me some great idea's. The mare quickly started to be way better. The mare responded so fast, she's been super to saddle. Thank you very much Cathie. I'm going to have Cathie back in the spring for another clinic. 12-6-2011 Stacy Ux All In Stride Farm Hollis NH

Hi Cathie --

When we were done with our trail ride he waited very patiently for his turn to go back in the trailer and entered without hesitation. We think your training method is great. You know how to get into his head and make him want to please. Makes for a happier horse and happier owners!! Don't change a thing. He also tried the bitless bridle with much success so far. He only wore it while in the paddock. Next time it'll be outside the paddock. Then we'll try it on Sheza. I think she'll be a challenge but worth the try. She tends to be fidgety with her bit sometimes.
Oh, and we got those "Clips' you demonstrated. Those are the greatest thing since sliced bread. We use two for the trailer and one in the barn. Works great!!
Thank you again for your hard work. It really paid off! Mark and Kathy Urolatis

Just wanted to update you on Gilhooley's progress. He's coming along beautifully. He looks forward to going for rides now. We took him (and Sheza) for a ride yesterday to someplace neither of them have been. He was perfect. The parking area was busy with traffic and noise and it didn't bother him in the least.  Mark and Kathy Urolatis

Thank you so much for your help with Justice. Your firm and gentle ways, along with helpful advice, have made such a difference in his behavior. He's a much happier and relaxed horse knowing what is expected out of him. The things you have taught me, in just a few training sessions, have been invaluable. I am now more confident handling different situations with him as they arise.  12-4-2011 Ron Pease

12-2-2011

We had Cathie come out to do sessions with 5 horses at our barn in Hanover last month. The horses ran the gamut from a 3 y.o. Dutch WB to a 15 y.o QH. We were all impressed with her techniques in dealing with our horses' "issues" - spookiness, moving off while mounting, general ground manners (or lack thereof), etc. We learned a lot, and we're going to have her come out again so we can continue the work we've begun.
Cathie is a great resource for horse owners in this part of New England. Deb Morgan Hingham MA

11-26-2011

Thank you so much Kathy for such an amazing clinic today! I learned so much and had a blast! I hope you come to Lisa's again soon!
Thank you again,
Your wonderful at what you do! Brooke Baldassari

11-23-2011 I wanted to thank Cathie for the excellent job in teaching my horse to trailer. My horse, normally very shy & spooky in regards to new experiences was able to self load confidently within 2 hours. We went for a ride around the block the next day, with a buddy of course and he did great! Sparky has made great strides, and is now able to add trailering to his resume! Thanks again for all your help. Rebecca Kustan Uxbridge MA

11-22-2011 My daughter Jessi really liked her horsemanship lesson with Cathie. Cathie took her time with her.it gave Jessi more confidence and she can't wait to go for her next lesson. who ever needs help with there horse or horsemanship lessons. Cathie Anderson is the person to call.
Thank you
Barbi and Jessi - Upton MA

11-18-2011

My horse and I had the opportunity to take a training lesson with Cathie this week.
I am so grateful to Cathie for showing me proper groundwork tools, and am looking forward to the next session. I saw a real difference in Cisco while working at some groundwork today. I'm also planning on taking some horsemanship lessons with Cathie, as there is so much more for me to learn.
Thank you Cathie! Barbara and Cisco Abington MA

10-11-2011

I can't describe in a short paragraph just how switching to the Dr. Cooks helped not only my psyche, but made me feel like I was communicating with my horse on a humane level again. As for my dearest four-legged friend, PeterPan, I am positive he agrees.

Some time ago I emerged from the comfortable slumber of Ignorance and realized the physical and mental effects of the bit on the general well-being of quite a few horses. We transitioned a number of horses, including Peter, to 'soft' hackamores, careful not to place them too low on the nose. I am sure a number of people might have their own idea's about this outcome but the main thing I noticed (among others) is that most of the horses calmed down considerably.

However, I still felt somewhat semi-detached from my horse. Being fond of the principles of schooling, I felt that the hackamore was still giving off an 'aggressive' tone and distracting Peter.
Needless to say, then I met Cathie! After absorbing all the information that she so willingly and enthusiastically shares. I realized how I had overlooked and underestimated simple fundamental principles of horsemanship! Methods that promote a trusting, loving friendship between human and horse. I also had the wonderful opportunity to meet Cathie's horses (absolute gems!) and shadow her on numerous meetings with problem horses or a cautious client that wants to go about introductions well-informed. Every time, the meetings were a success. Cathie, with generations of horse knowledge behind her, is one in a million.

After introducing PeterPan to Dr. Cook's bitless and with the tips I learned from Cathie. I have never been on a better page with my dearest old friend. Both on the ground and under saddle. Thank you, Cathie! Shannon Wilsnagh

9-27-2011

Violet and I have worked with Cathie Hatrick-Anderson through out this year exploring and achieving many task. Together we have accomplished team penning, successfully competed in versatility, and in the spring began driving. We continue to advance with Cowboy Mounted Shooting skills and are wrapping up a solid 2nd year. This is all a result of training with Cathie to guide us to develop respectful ground manners and rock solid brakes. I am blessed to ride with her. I am working at Violets full potential and truly enjoying every step. Thank you Cathie for all you have shown us. Helen Cheney - Grafton MA

9-26-12

Woohoo! We are loading and self-loading, just like Cathie promised. Cathie showed us just a very few cues that, amazingly, make all the difference in getting Fanny on the trailer without any drama at all. Cathie's approach is very straightforward, very clear, and it is a treat to see how she gets right to the heart of the problem, in seconds. My favorite Cathie quote was, "Keep the head in the trailer, and the ass will follow." Yes, it did. I feel so glad to be able to look forward to trailering to a bunch of activities this Fall, now that I don't feel so entirely helpless about getting Fanny on the trailer. Sharon A. Berlin MA

9-19-2011
"Working with Standardbred driving horses, the process of braking the juveniles to the cart and jogging them has become easier and safer since asking Cathie to help several years ago. The way she interacts with them, they just seem to relax and start trusting you so that the days of runaways and throwing tantrums and breaking carts and equipment are gone. She recently worked her magic on two colts and they are jogging every day and behaving well. I have also asked her to retrain horses to saddle that have retired from racing or never showed potential as race horses with excellent results. Thank you Cathie - Russ Lawson

9-8-2011
Cathie has been working with my 3 year old QH gelding Tee J gettinghim started under saddle. I have owned and cared for horses most of my life but had never been involved in training a youngster. I have learned so much which I have also been using on my trained horses as well.
Cathie knows her stuff and it is evident in the progress that Tee J has made and how easily it was done. Thank You Cathie for all yourhelp!Gina Letteri

9-5-2011

Thank you so much Cathie, for not only helping my horse but helping me as well. You really broke the training down into steps that I will be able to follow through with. I was impressed with your patience with both my horse and I and look forward to continuing both Amira and my education with you. Maureen Rozzero

8-3-2011

Cathie, when I realized my colt had outgrown me it became quit clear I need to get some professional help. Glad I called you! Sinatra was pushy, came in my space and had no respect for me. I was amazed at what you accomplished in a couple hours, you taught him to move out of my space , lead, back, he let you sit on him without a fuss. After all that you got him to load. As amazing as all this was to watch the best part was that you included me in the process. I was able work on your foundation and today Sinatra is under saddle and went to his first show. You are the best! Gene Martineau

7-25-2011

Cathie has worked with a rescue Clydesdale that we took a few years back and most recently with trailer loading my Iberian filly. I would highly recommend her services to anyone wanting to start a young horse off right and to anyone encountering behavior/training issues with their horse. It's so much better to have a problem solver such as Cathie available than to try to fix something you may not be approaching in the most effective way. Michelle Ziemba- North Smithfield RI

7-24-2011

We have been having Cathie come out to work with our 6 year old saddlebred who has never been ridden. The transformations we have seen in just 4 sessions so far are unbelievable. Cathie has taught our horse how to be led in hand without walking in our space, how to lunge, how to drive, working with fly spray and picking up feet, accepting a bit in the mouth, saddling up, and many other common everyday horse manners. I have even been able to mount my horse and walk around the ring with her. My favorite part about Cathie is that she is very direct and to the point in her training. No matter what the horse does, she never becomes flustered, and always has a planned reaction in her back pocket. She teaches by “acting like a dominant horse”, and earns respect quickly and gently, which is why her methods are so effective. Best of all, at the end of the session, you wind up having multiple exercises that you can practice between sessions. It has been a pleasure working with her and learning from her. Dave Bielunis -Douglas MA

7-12-2011

Having Cathie come out to work with our new 6 y/o untrained Saddlebred mare was absolutely the best decision we have ever made. Our mare, Roses, was super sweet, but really knew nothing when we bought her....except for how to say, "No way!" Within the first hour of work, Cathie had transformed Rose into soft gooey putty. Roses' refusals were gone, and she was willing to do just about anything Cathie asked. Needless to say every lesson has been great since, and Cathie even sat on her briefly in the second lesson! Can't wait for the next time Cathie comes out....we'll be riding soon! :) Christina Bielunis - Douglas MA

6-22-11

Cathie did what she says she is going to do. My horse would rear and not load onto my trailer after getting him home from the rescue ( he is an auction horse) which he did load and traveled over 500 miles from PA.
I had called a few trainers who could offer the service as Cathi but much closer to me. No call backs from any of them, I gave up hope, until I found Cathie who was willing to travel this far.
Within 2 hours he was loading onto the trailer like a pure gentleman and then self loading as well! She does an amazing job.
Wish more people were like Cathie- honest and punctual- oh and she returns every call back! Call her I prosmise you won't be look back! Heather C Salisbury MA

6-18-2011

There arent too many people who are walking in the gifts that God has given them! You can tell when someone is because they excel at what they are doing, because they were created to do it! Its who they are! Ive watched you working on numerous occassions and I would definately have to say you are doing what you were created to do! You make it look easy and natural...Sue Russell

6-17-2011

I called Cathie for my team of Percherons, She showed me how to work with them and I've got a better relationship with both of them since her visit. Thank you Cathie! Suzzane

6-14-11

My rescue, Gunner, was having behavioral problems in general - and was rearing. I could not worm him, pick up his feet, or get anywhere near his mouth. Considering the issues, I was too scared to ride him. I sent him to Cathie's, and within a month he was a different horse. He stands for fly spray, lets me pick up his feet, and most importantly - stopped rearing and doing a jig under saddle. Cathie was willing to help me with the worst possible situation - dangerous behavior paired with a too-nice inexperienced owner. I believe that I got just as much out of her training (if not more) than my horse did.

Not only that, but Cathie also took into consideration that my horse had some health issues. She always considered how he was feeling and tailored each lesson depending on how he was doing that particular day. I cant say enough good things about my experience. Cathie, you really went above and beyond what I expected out of you. Thanks so much... sincerely :) - Becky Gregory

6-12-2011

Cathie helped me with my Halfinger who used to load like a champ to a pony who refused to load which was of the sudden this happened. When she came over my house she taught me some great ground work and new skills. She didnt just teach my pony Belle how to load well but she also taught her how to self-load! Thanks Cathie.
Daria Wrentham MA

5-29-2011

I have an 18. 1 hand 10 yr old Hanoverian named Rex, that had my number when it came to loading on my trailer! I am his only owner and between the two of us, we were going nowhere fast. Since my horse lives with me in the warmer months, he and I needed to learn how to trailer off to our lessons as well as clinics and other fun events that I want to do with him. Cathie had come highly recommended by my dressage trainer and a number of my barn friends. They promised me that she would help us become partners in trailering. Our last experience had turned into a 1-½ hour nightmare. Though he eventually went on, but by the time we got to the barn, a lesson was the last thing either of us was mentally and physically up for, not to mention trailering back home! I was a mess and decided to call Cathie that night, explained my concerns. We set up an appointment for the following morning. I felt hope that I would get to my lesson. All I can say is that I have spent a butt load of money on my horse and this was some of the best money I ever spent on him! In Cathie’s two-hour training lesson for horse and handler, Rex learned manners, I learned how to be the alpha and we both learned how to respect one another. Off we went to our lesson and when it was over I loaded him on in one attempt.
I have found in my equestrian years that there are “horse people” and those who think they are “horse people”. To me, what separated the two are those who truly have and put first the love of the horse. Cathie is a true horsewoman who truly loves horses and those who love them back.
We are going on and off the trailer like seasoned travelers.
Thanks Cathie
Kate Seder

5-28-2011

Many thanks, Cathie, for all the help you've been. Your expertise in reading both the horse and owners issues is amazing. MarEllen.

5-23-2011 I had three goals in mind when I hired Cathie to work with me and my horse, Tonka. Not only is she an amazing trainer but her faith and zest of life impressed me as well.
We committed to four training sessions, and she gave us so much to work with to accomplish those goals. Her DVD is invaluable as a handy reference. Tonka received a present from me yesterday...his own Dr. Cook, western, leather, headstall...I decided he deserved the real thing. That's another great thing about Cathie..while she'll put the Dr. Cook on your horse to see how they go, if you happen to have a different style bitless (which I did), she works with you regardless, but once you know your horse can be ridden in a bitless bridle, why not get them the "Gold standard" of them all.
I am completely sold on Cathie and her methods. I could write much much more. She is truly a Horse Whisperer Susan Dee.