“My horse, Boomie, has been in training with Sean for a little over a month, and I could not be more pleased. There are quite a few good riders in the dressage industry, especially here in Southern California, but Sean is one of the most correct, consistent, and patient riders I have ever seen. I am very pleased with Boomie’s work under saddle and my lessons are wonderful. Sean is rock-solid on fundamentals, both when riding and teaching. Our first month has been great. Boomie sometimes likes to get behind my leg, and Sean is teaching me how to encourage him to move forward with very light aids, applied at the right time. We are already improving! But Sean is a horse trainer, and that is much, much more than being a lovely rider. He knows how to, step by step and with endless patience, address the horse’s behavior and gradually shape it for the better, in hand and under saddle.
When we first got to Sean’s barn, Boomie would panic and bolt his stall door, endangering himself and whoever was handling him. I could not safely get him out or put him away, and I was very discouraged and afraid the horse would get hurt. Sean spent the time that Boomie needed each and every day teaching him how to go one step at a time and not panic going in or out. He did this with quiet firmness and consistent corrections. In a very short while, Boomie learned to listen to his handler and quietly walk in and of his stall with confidence.
I see the horse’s confidence growing in many other ways–he has learned to relax in a nice big turnout, and he hacks out quietly around the trails. My horse loves his routine here!I am very excited to be working with Sean and looking forward to becoming a better partner for my horse.”
-Diana Dunham-Scott
“If I could hire anyone to be my personal dressage trainer it would be Sean. I have had the pleasure of having Sean work with my Friesians – they won their classes and enjoyed their work. He is an amazing horseman and brings out the potential in any horse he works with. He is an elegant rider and is meticulously organized. Additionally, Sean is an honest and good man. You won’t find a better trainer/rider for your ponies and they will be in excellent, caring hands. As a veterinarian I knew I could be comfortable that my beloveds were under Sean’s watchful, knowing eye.”
– Sonya Swing, Camelot Friesians
“If my horses could talk they would say ‘Thank you Mom for getting us such a wonderful and gifted Dressage Trainer who has taken the time to understand each of us, to his commitment to train us every day and never lose a beat. He took us to the very top of our game and endowed us with skills that we will never forget.’ Thank you Sean!”
– Wendy Gray-Bizzaro, Owner, Gray Barron Ranch
“In the eight years that we have known Sean, he has shown himself to be the consummate professional. Thanks to his knowledge, patience, and efforts, we have had several winning show seasons with top scores at many regional shows. In addition, Sean is a natural horseman, demonstrating time and again that the horse’s welfare is always foremost in his mind.”
– Wanda Hage, Owner, Paradigm Sport Horse Farm
“I know Sean since I imported the wonderful stallion Rosenkoenig from Germany for my friends Wanda and Mark Hage, Los Lunas, NM [Paradigm Sporthorses].
I did not know whom to expect as Koenigs new rider and trainer. Within a few weeks we were at a point where I could relax about the future of this stallion and knew that Rosenkoenig will have a wonderful relationship with Sean.
Sean is a very sensitive rider, eager to follow his goals and dreams and made in the last years a huge progress in the way of working through weaknesses of the horses to get them strong and competitive. Diplomatic, with a lot of knowledge and ideas it is always a pleasure to discuss and work with him in a trainer-trainer relationship.
I definitely would give him my horse in training and care, he is reliable, takes responsibility for what he is doing (which is not always the case in our profession) and Sean convinces with an outstanding character.”
– Nicole Thuengen, Pferdewirtschaftsmeisterin FN
“It is my honor to share my experience of Sean Cunningham. I have been interested in dressage for years watching my wife as a competitor. When I retired from a career in Medicine and Army I decided to compete.
So at age 62 I had the good fortune to purchase a horse that was trained by Sean. My horse had a solid foundation and along with Sean taught me the basics of Dressage. We had success at Training and First Level and now competing at Second Level. I witnessed Sean earn multiple championships in New Mexico. He is the perfect rider, light gentle aids, always perfect equitation. The horses respond to his kindness and all the horses we had Sean train came back obedient, soft, engaged and enjoyed to train. I have absolutely no reservation to have Sean work with any horse. Sean also has a vast tool box to train riders as well. We miss him in New Mexico, he made us all better riders.”
John Collins, Brigadier General New Mexico Army National Guard, Retired; Owner, Cherry Tree Farm