Offering 3-Day Clinics
from AZ to Libby, MT in September 2002, and he has been
working with horses and training from the same location since. They own
21 acres that borders USFS property, and are only about 3 miles from the
Cabinet Wilderness by trails. His SO, Deanna, owns a mobile
tack business called Horse N Around Tack, and travels to Expos, barrel
races, and rodeos, plus online sales. When the typical NW MT
weather prohibits the horse training, Phil stays busy with packing and
guiding in ID and MT during hunting season, and is a substitute teacher
with the Libby Schools system.
Phil believes in starting a horse so that they are “light”, with
a good handle and firm foundation, so they are ready to go on to
whatever direction the owner is interested in – whether it be roping,
cutting, barrels, reining, etc – or a safe trail horse. He uses
Clinton Anderson methods primarily to develop his own style of training,
first gaining respect and good movement on the ground before moving to
under saddle work. The horses have a firm round pen and then
arena base before they are moved to the trails if the owner wishes for
them to have that experience. With the location of their property,
it is excellent exposure to everything – they have 100’s of miles of
trails and old logging roads right from their property.
Wildlife is abundant, so horses get to see elk, moose, and bear, along
with the usual deer and turkeys. The trails range from easy to
very rugged, with access up to the mountain lakes. A horse is able
to get some great advanced trail experience also!
Phil
was born and raised in New Zeeland, and moved to the United States in
1974, and became a US citizen in 1985.
His initial start in serious riding was endurance horse racing
while living in Nevada and Texas. He also worked for Esparanza
Ranch in Arizona, a large cutting horse ranch that stood the NCHA
champion stallion Color Me Smart. Phil and his significant
other moved
