Testimonials
Rest in Peace our dear friend Dr. Bob Miller. Our sincere condolences go out to Debby and Laurel and Mark. What a difference this man made in the life of horses and people. What an honor to have had him as such a good friend.
Wendy Schofield DVM –
I spent a weekend riding in a clinic with Lester Buckley, who is a pretty interesting guy. He’s a legit cowboy by trade, but somehow wound up in Germany studying classical dressage, and now coaches multiple disciplines of riders, bringing dressage elements to all styles of riding. Sylvie was one of the only sport horse types in the clinic, but it was really fantastic to see all of the stock horses riders learning to incorporate a dressage foundation into their training. There was a wide range of horses and riders, and everyone took away some new skills. Lester was inordinately patient, quiet, and clear in his instruction. He was grounded, accessible, attentive, and polite. It was a nice change of pace for me and Sylvie; less pressure in some ways as far as the technical aspects of schooling, and more pressure to be patient and relaxed in a group of other riders. I really like mixing up our riding experiences to keep things fresh, and also evaluate and build confidence for both of us. Lester is a gem if you ever have a chance to ride with him. It also gave me pause to reflect on a clinic I rode in this summer with an upper-level dressage trainer, who told me ‘If I wanted a horse with good movement, I needed to spend more money.’ (Translation – your horse is a piece of shit). Technically that trainer wasn’t entirely wrong; lots of expensive big moving horses are winning USDF classes. But how about teaching riders and developing the horses they have to their fullest potential? It sure seemed like a pretty awful message, especially for an amateur rider with modest goals. That clinic was the antithesis of the one I just attended. Needless to say, I won’t be wasting money to ride with that particular trainer again, but for anyone out there that might be discouraged by that sort of rudeness or snobbery, just keep at it. Enjoy your horses. Enjoy your life. Find your tribe. Be open to learn, and quick to encourage and cheer on the others who are also trying. Don’t hesitate to seek help, ask questions, and try to celebrate your successes, no matter how small. Keep it classy. Be curious. Be kind.
“I hate rude behavior in a man. I won’t tolerate it.” Woodrow Call; Lonesome Dove
Endeavor Therapeutic Horsemanship
Lesters’ ability to communicate to his audience in a relatable way while engaging with the horses was remarkable.
The information he provided was invaluable to me in work with horses and Veterans.
Lester was so knowledgeable about all aspects of horsemanship. He is the horse whisperer for sure.
Lester really reminded me of the compassion required when working with horses. We all get a little lost with the “agenda” as he called it, and the knowledge he provided refreshed my mindset that these horses we work with are the most amazing animals ever, and respecting them as such is a valuable piece of the puzzle.
Lester captivated us with his respect for people and animals and not a day has gone by that one of us hasn’t asked, how would Lester do this?! So very grateful for his enthusiasm, his ability to clearly share his gifts but especially for his patience, grace and kindness to all our levels of experience. We will always remember the two days of learning with Lester and he’s helped us to appreciate our beautiful herd and each other even more.
Lester has developed such an intimate understanding of hoses that they only have to see him to know he knows them. It’s a humbling and inspiring experience to clinic with Lester Buckley. Humbling because horses I’ve worked with for years were immediately more drawn to him than me. Inspiring because he is adamant that he’s not doing anything I can’t do. Lester kept reminding us to give ourselves grace and to be kind to ourselves as we practice. I was surprised at how much I needed to hear that. I left the clinic more empowered and excited to work with horses than I’ve felt in a very long time.
Thank you, Lester. Working with you helped me slow down, focus on the horse that was in front of me, and recognize each opportunity to praise and connect with the horse. Your help has truly made a difference in the daily operations of our equine assisted services program and each of our personal journey with horses.
With Gratitude,
Emily, Tamlyn, Tara, Rony, Sarah Jane, Laurie, Melissa, Jenny, Courtney, Margaret, Lisa, Kate, Cowboy, Chili, Maple, Clifford, Koda, Abby, Goliath, Liza, Spud, Pelusa, Pearl, Stryker
Kate Oliver, CEO Stables
The thing about Lester is that he raises your awareness of the signals you are transmitting and how the signals may be conflicting with your intentions. He helps you find harmony with the horse through mutual respect and understanding—-and from the bonds that form can achieve tremendous things
Aramie Bloom – Louisville, KY
Ann Nuno
I have had the pleasure of riding with Lester on 3 separate occasions and look forward to continuing to learn from him at every opportunity available. The most recent clinic I attended consisted of multiple 2 hour small group sessions (2-4 horses/riders). One of the 2-hour sessions on the last day was of a group of 4 young horses, ages 2-3, who were not yet under saddle. I really enjoyed seeing Lester’s approach to working w/ these youngsters on the ground and how he helped the owners connect to their horses without the use of excessive force or pressure helping the horses to find softness in both their minds and bodies.
Lester is without a doubt one of the greatest horsemen I have ever had the pleasure of working with. He has an innate ability to meet horse and rider wherever they are at physically, mentally and emotionally regardless of discipline, riding, or training style. His abilities truly transcend any “style” of horsemanship. It does not matter if you come from a natural horsemanship or classical training background. Lester teaches “true horsemanship” and provides incredibly meaningful and relevant exercises to help horse and rider achieve harmony while setting the horse up for success and progression. His approach is full of grace and kindness for both horse and rider while always keeping the essence of the horse’s mind, body and spirit as the number one priority. I feel so fortunate to have the opportunity to learn from him.
Jack Brainard, Legendary Texas Horseman and Author
In the May 2011 Light Hands Horsemanship Clinic, Lester rode that young horse around and had him moving his feet and body in balance and brought him into collection ‘as pretty as you please’ and the little horse never even knew he was being trained.
Dr. Robert Miller, DVM and Equine Behavioralist
Lester Buckley is the most versatile horseman alive in the world today.
Leopoldo Palacios J. – FEI Official International Show Jumping Course Designer
Lester is a person with very natural abilities in handling and training horses. With the combination of his deep understanding of the nature and the spirit of the horse and his technical knowledge of dressage and show jumping, he can really improve our horses and riders – with lightness and sincere respect for the horse. For the discipline of jumping, which is my area of expertise, I think he is fantastic!
Sheila Varian, Arabian Horse Legend
Lester Buckley is one of the ‘great horsemen’ in my mind. If you don’t know him, meet him. If you haven’t ridden with him, ride with him, because he will set you on the most wonderful new road to training your horses in the most thoughtful and understandable manner. After you have spent time with Lester, you will say as we do here at Varian Arabians: Lester is magical in the different thoughts he brings to training. If you are serious about horses, training horses, and taking care of your horses, you will love Lester Buckley.
Editor’s Note: Sheila passed away on March 6, 2016. For more about this incredible woman’s life, please read more here.