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I inherited our daughter’s show horse when she went off to college. Still boarded at Back Forte, he
came with many buttons from years of extensive training and showing. However, I had no idea how to
work those buttons.
This challenge and the fact that I’d lost all confidence in riding as a 50+ adult, left me with a yearning
to ride again but with a terrible dread of getting back on a horse.
I had observed Rachel Koehler’s training techniques during our time at Back Forte and liked her
sensitive, straight-forward approach. Her critique for students was easy to digest. Her interaction with
the horses didn’t allow them to get away with negative behavior yet she rewarded their ‘try’ to
improve. In fact, for both rider and horse she used praise as a positive tool. She never became
frustrated with either and one could see how both rider and horse took efforts to please her.
Last year at this time, I asked Rachel if she would take me on as one of her students, help me face
my fears and teach me how to ride so that I might be able to someday ride in a horse show, a goal I’d
had since I was a child.
I’ll never forget Rachel and my first lesson. It was spent outside the stall looking in at the horse that
now was mine! That’s how afraid I was to start this journey. We spent the lesson talking about my
horses personality and my goals. Rachel was so understanding about my fears. Instead of feeling silly,
she validated my concerns yet assured me I could do this. The next week I started riding.
For months I only rode at a walk and trot. I was terrified to lope but Rachel was patient with me. She
never pushed me to the point of making me uncomfortable or made me feel inferior about my fear.
Every lesson was a positive experience. So it was no surprise that when I did decide to lope I was comfortable with the decision and there was no drama.
I can’t believe a year has flown by since I stood outside my horses stall! Today I’m a 50+ confident
rider who has learned to utilize all my horses show buttons, ride all his gaits and indeed, I have taken
him to a show and enjoyed every minute of it!
I'll always be grateful to Rachel for giving me the education on how to show a horse and the confidence
to enjoy riding. I look forward to my future as one of Rachel’s students.
Sincerely,
Sheri Stewart
www.50plushorses.blogspot.com
Dear Stacy and Joe,
I have been at the Back Forte for a year now. My horse has been very happy with her large stalls and generous
turnout. Your barn staff is wonderful to her and to us.
However, I'm writing this letter to let you know how pleased we are with your newest trainer, Teresa Leahy.
Teresa has been training my mare Mojito for dressage as well as getting her ready for my 13 year old daughter
to compete on her in the hunter ring. I was so happy to meet Teresa last November when she started and
appreciative of the fact that she feels dressage is so important to training the hunter/jumper horse and rider.
My daughter Amanda has really improved her hunt seat equitation under Teresa's instruction and we were so
pleased that she did so well at her first hunter schooling show with Teresa at Goldcreek.
I have taken dressage lessons every week and I was able to enter my first dressage shows as an adult with
confidence and my horse and I performed very well.
Teresa has taught Mo her flying changes so that my daughter can ride her around on a hunter course but I can
also ride her in a first or second dressage level test where the changes are not yet required. Teresa's lessons are
intense but she is fun, full of encouragement and praise and we laugh a lot. She has inspired my daughter and me
to aspire for a higher level of riding and horsemanship.
Teresa learned her craft from some of the best trainers in the area. We are lucky she moved back to the
Northwest. I hope that her business continues to grow and that equestrians will take advantage of the Back Forte
facility as well as treat themselves and their horses to lessons and training with Teresa.
Sincerely,
Sandy Graf
We moved our horse to The Back 40 almost two years ago and it has been such a great experience for us. Joe,
Stacy and their staff have been so accommodating to our needs and the care the horses receive is outstanding. You
will find a great group of boarders at this facility and a relaxed and helpful atmosphere. The stalls and grounds are
kept neat and clean and the knowledge available through the trainers and other boarders certainly puts your mind at
ease when you are out of town. I have 11 and 13 year old girls who take lessons with Rachel Kohler. We have been
with Rachel for 5 years now and my girls have really learned a lot. She has taught them from the ground up and they
are becoming very skilled riders. Besides their riding lessons she has taught them how to handle their horses on the
ground. She patiently took us to schooling shows until we learned the ropes and follows the kids 4-H progress and
accomplishments. She makes their passion for riding fun as well as teaching them the responsibilities of horse
ownership. The Back 40 and Rachel Koehler come highly recommended by us!
Ailene, Katy and Kendall Armstrong
I kept my horse at Back 40 for over 2 years and was very happy with the quality of care, the facilities, and the nice
group of boarders. There is a nice mixture of adult and child riders as well as different types and levels of riding.
The owners run the place with a calm professional attitude, and somehow there is little or no gossip and drama such
as I have seen at some stables in the past. The barn manager and workers are all friendly and reliable and I like the
fact that the manager lives on site. The boarders are really a nice group of people, most of whom visit their horses a
lot so we become a kind of community.
I moved my horse there from a smaller facility (out of this area). When a friend who knew my horse before saw Riley
again after 6 months at Back 40, she said he had a whole different look; happier expression in the eyes, more
muscle-tone and shinier coat, etc. I think it was the combination of the huge stalls, huge pastures, excellent quality
hay, and having an on-site trainer. In extreme weather, like most places in western Washington, they have to cut
down on turnout time to save the grass (that's how they have real grass rather than just bark and dirt) but at least the
stall is big, the horses can see each other through the grilles, and the barn is well lit and ventilated.
Another reason Riley's looks had improved was the muscle tone and balance he developed through more consistent
dressage instruction under Lily Wilson. Now that I was able to get weekly lessons, I've been correcting old bad
habits (both mine and my horse's). Some previous instructors had told me I should give up on him for his cranky
"attitude" (partly caused by my own tensions); with Lily we've been able to unravel some of these issues to the point
that we HAVE FUN, RIDE SAFE, and he LOOKS GOOD. We even made it to a few schooling shows and one A
rated show, which is a new thing for me.
At Back 40, it was a thrill to finally get to experience lengthened trots and canters in the HUGE indoor arena.
(And the footing in there is superior to most) There's an even bigger outdoor arena which drains quite well for this
climate. Then if I want to hack around outside, there's a lot of acreage (mostly open fields with spectacular views
of Mt. Rainier and the foothills.)
Even the lighting inside the barns and arenas is superior. You can really see what you are doing if you have to ride
in the evening as I often do.
I'm mostly learning dressage but I've gotten to also take advantage of other instructors there from time to time to
vary my training work. I very much enjoyed recent lessons with new trainer Theresa Leahy and I think Rachel
Koehler looks like a very diverse instructor too who treats horse and rider with great kindness. There have also been
great clinics to join or audit.
The Back 40 Equestrian Center has been an excellent place for me and my horse. -Susan Payne
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