Testimonials

A few years ago we sent one of our 3yo Warmblood geldings to "Watkins Horse Handlers" to be started under saddle. Since receiving back a very confident and happy boy that was ready to educate further in his field of Dressage and take anywhere, we were very pleased to know where to send the next generation of youngsters. Since then we have had approx 6 horses started under saddle and they have all come back confident and happy. Very well mannered and respectful of their owner in all aspects of day to day on goings and exceptionally well exposed to all sorts of situations. Peace of mind, knowing you are sitting on a very fresh youngster that needs to see the world is priceless in the safety of the rider. We highly recommend "Watkins Horse Handlers" to anyone needing a youngster backed or any situation that may need addressing.
Brookdale Park Performance Horses.

" I found out about Watkins Horse Handlers through friends. After hearing about their experience I knew that this was the place that I wanted to send my rising 4yr old Arab, Tyger, to be broken in. Dealing with young horses was new for me but Rachel and Fred explained everything that was going on in detail and really made me feel part of the process and help me understand what exactly Fred was asking of Tyger, and why! Watching Fred work with Tyger was an absolute pleasure and the time, love and dedication they gave him was as if he was their own. I felt very reassured that my baby boy was in safe, experienced hands and that has shone through in Tygers attitude to work. I also feel I have constant support if ever a situation or question arose that I needed help with. Thanx again Rachel and Fred, I would never hesitate to recommend Watkins to anybody who loves and cares for their equine friends!"

When it comes to horse training, Fred is in a class of his own. I have seen Fred work with some of the most complicated horses and turn them into a light, willing and cooperative partner.
I love Fred's humble approach and you can see horses not only bond with him instantly, but respect him and his methods.
Fred has a special talent and I think if horses could vote, they would vote Fred as Prime Minister.
Fred and Rach are simply the best and I can't recommend them highly enough.
Sue Ruessmann

I have sent 3 of my horses to Fred.
The first one was started in a little over 3 weeks and my first bush ride on him was the 10km ride to my home with Fred on Roy, the lead horse at the time, Larry didn't bat an eye at anything all the way home, (and never really did thereafter) unlike Roy who was sure the goats were out to kill him ...
My second horse went there for re mouthing as I had never really used a bit with him, he was very soft, light and responsive when I picked him up and I was very happy, doesn't take long to tune him up on the odd occasion I do ride him bitted...
My latest is my yearling who is very paddock buddy orientated but Fred has given me techniques to get her to remain focused on me when I need her to, at the moment that isn't often because of her age but she will be going back at a 2yo for a bit more work then will go back as a 3yo to be finished, I know what I will be getting as the end result of all this and it will be a calm confident little filly that I will enjoy for many years to come...
I and wouldn't hesitate to send any of my other horses there, I highly recommend Fred and Rachel to anyone I know who has a horse that needs starting or fixing...
Anne Airey

We cannot thank Fred and Rachel from Watkins Horse Handlers enough! Our naughty pinto is now a pleasure to own and ride.
We watched Fred work many horses while our horse was there and he is a truly amazing horseman. But don’t just take Our word for it; watch the horses that are in his care, they will tell you by the look on their faces as he walks past or the expression on their face as he works them.
We could not and would not recommend any other horse breaker other than Fred Watkins from Watkins Horse Handlers. We booked our horse in with them over a year in advance just to make sure!

Sincerely
Kylie and Caroline

Dear Fred and Rachel
Just wanted to say a huge thank you for the effort you put into starting my 3yo Warmblood Fisher King. I was really anxious about sending him away to be started, he is a once in a life time horse for me and I was so worried about something bad happening to him. As soon as I dropped him off and saw Fred working with another horse I knew I needn’t have worried. The facilities were well designed and safe, and Fred has such a quiet manner with the horses. Unfortunately I couldn’t make it out to watch Fred working with my horse very often, but Rachel was super efficient in sending out photo updates each day. When I eventually did get to ride out I was so impressed with how confident and forward my horse was. A good start really does make the difference between being able to move forward with the horses training once you get it home, or having a serious accident and getting hurt. The safety factor was paramount to me, and after 4 weeks with Fred I felt more than confident that my horse and I would be fine to carry on our training at home. I couldn’t be happier with the result, and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Fred to anyone for either starting or re-training.

Kind Regards,
Melanie Nixon

Two and a half years ago I bought myself a little (not so little) present. He has been my pride and joy, when it came time to break him in I asked some friends for breaking recommendations. A few whose judgement I really trust recommended Fred Watkins. I was very apprehensive sending my lovely warmblood gelding off on his own, he has the capacity to be a little nervous of new people. I shouldn't have worried; Fred and Rachel treated him as their own and gave me almost daily updates! It really put my mind at ease; I knew Merlin was receiving excellent care. I went up at the end of Merlin's breaking period and enjoyed three training sessions with Fred and Merlin. It was really enlightening. It gave me confidence to take him home and turn him into my horse. Fred’s techniques have worked marvellously on Merlin and he has returned home a well adjusted, easy-going riding horse. He is light to ride, willing in his work and safe to ride pretty much anywhere. What more could you ask from a breaker?
Thea Rintoul

"I had my Arab X "Joe" started with Watkins in 2009. Fred and Rachel were brilliant to deal with and very responsive to mine and Joe's needs.
When he proved to have an issue with his ears they were immediately onto it, arranging for a vet visit to ensure there was no physical issues before dealing with it as a behavioural problem. The e-mails and phone calls I received on a regular basis were incredibly reassuring as this was the first time I had sent a horse away for starting and Joe was "my baby"...!
Joe came home calm, forward and reliable. He impressed my riding instructor with knowing how to leg yield, has an amazingly well trained one rein stop and excellent brakes! He could be turned out for a spell when he was having a growth spurt and come back in safe and reliable after a break. I can honestly say I have not had a scary moment on him in the last 2 years, because although he does get fizzy I know the basics are so well embedded, he never gets out of control.
Joe has now done his first two 40km endurance rides. He does get competitive out on track and the step by step instructions I got on dealing with any attempts to jog have been very helpful, nipping it in the bud straight away! He has also attended our local agricultural show and handled it all with complete calm, including the amazing exploding horse next to him.
I am so confident in the brakes, steering and above all ATTITUDE that Fred installed that my 7 year old daughter rides Joe in the round yard.
I have had no hesitation recommending Watkins to others who have asked about horse starting. We are expecting a foal next year and I know exactly where he or she will be going when the time comes!"
Cheers
Anna Erickson

I can't begin to describe how grateful I am that I met Fred and Rachel Watkins several years ago and had the opportunity to have my ASH gelding, Copper, started by Fred earlier this year. I'm not sure how things would have turned out had Copper gone to a different trainer. I purchased Copper from the Eastern States after spending a long time looking for a well bred ASH. While Copper has a superb temperament it became immediately apparent that he had an extremely strong self-preservation instinct and a deep seated fear and mistrust of people. It took me several months to gain his trust before I sent him to Fred to be started. I was really worried about how Copper would cope especially as I had just managed to build some confidence in him but I trusted Fred. I knew that Fred always puts the horse first and if there was a problem he would be honest with me. It is rare these days to find a horseman who is not ruled by an ego but a genuine desire to help horses. This is evidenced by how often Fred picks up pain or soundness problems in horses and resolves these before going any further with a horse's training.
At one stage Fred spent several days just gaining Copper's trust without putting any pressure on him to try and break through his fear. This made an enormous difference and gave Copper the confidence he needed.

Copper was a challenging horse to start and Fred and Rachel made it very clear to me that I had to be dedicated with my time and patience if I wanted Copper to succeed once he was handed over to me. I took on board all of Fred's advice and we haven't looked back since. While we still have a way to go until Copper is a 'normal' confident horse, we have come a long way. The start that Fred gave Copper, especially his super soft mouth and lateral flexion that enables us to do one rein stops, gave me the confidence I needed to bring Copper along in his training. And Fred always makes the time to answer my questions which has also given me confidence, knowing I can always go back and get help from Fred should we need it. I am very lucky to have a horse like Copper who has taught me so much about myself and my horsemanship and Fred Watkins who made it possible for us to succeed.

Fred and Rachel have done an excellent job with all the ponies and horses we have sent for training. These have ranged from young horses being broken in - stallions, geldings and mares - experienced horses having a quick assessment and youngsters needing specific help with handling. We were kept informed at all stages of the training process through telephone calls and photographs and were welcomed to watch and be part of training sessions. We feel safe on horses that Fred has started for us and appreciate; in particular, the time and energy spent ensuring that we understand the training methods so that we can maintain the training process when the horse returns home. Some of our young horses and ponies have gone on to successful careers with new owners all of whom have been confident riding green youngsters started by Fred. Both Fred and Rachel have been generous with their time supporting us with the horses and we will continue to send our youngsters to Watkins Horse Handlers.
Powderbark Connemara Stud.

Fred literally saved Lana. Having been assessed as a "failed breaker"
by John O'Leary, John recommended that I sent her to Watkins Horse Handlers.

Right from the start, Rach was wonderful; fully explaining every step and filling me with confidence. Lana had learnt to fear people above her, which made it very difficult for her to be a riding horse, but Fred gained her trust very quickly and Lana didn't look back.

I was riding her within 10 days of being at Watkins; incredible considering her history and being told of the very real prospect that she may never come good by a high profile trainer. The bond between Lana and Fred was amazing to watch (I felt mean taking her home haha).

I cannot recommend Watkins highly enough. Fred's horsemanship skills, honesty and humbleness make him a horses' saint and Rach is fantastic at providing you with detailed emails and photos when you are unable to be there. A very professional, highly skilled and honest horse training facility!
Alison Grierson.

You know when you have a gut instinct that the Warmblood you have might be a bit too much to start on your own? Well, Donny (Donnerhall/Weltmeyer/TB) has this cheeky streak that I thought, hmmm, some professional, gentle help would really give me more confidence to start his Grand Prix career properly. So when I came up to Bakers Hill to watch Fred train and get the feel of his work, I just knew Donny would excel with Fred in this environment. Somewhere he could be a ‘real horse’… so important.
I LOVE the fact that the horses are able to watch the next training session from their room, like you say Rach, Horse TV whereby they observe and learn while they’re not being handled which is something I think confirms thinking on another level. And I like that Fred gets the horses out to ride in the open as soon as possible with Roy, the super dependable lead horse – he provides such a good safety net. So when I went up to ride Don for the first time, I was really impressed to be able to trot and canter him out on the hills in the open country which for me was the boost I needed to continue his positive training at home. And he was really happy and impressed with himself too.
Fred showed me easy, sensible techniques to keep us both safe and solid at home. Donny is more respectful, easy going and happy in his own skin from the start he had with Watkins Horse Handlers and I would recommend everyone ‘start once, start well’ with Fred and give yourself and your horse the best beginning and sound foundation. My next horse coming to Fred will by my Depardieu foal due November ’08, so keep some time aside for me Fred, we’re coming back!
Cheers! And thanks for being the quietest, gentlest, fairest leader for my horses – they appreciate you and I do too - wouldn’t use anyone else! Keep the honesty!
Love from Pip Easton, Donny and Grace :o))

Testimonial of SOQ MY ONLY TOMCAT (Pilgrim) and Colbolt. I sent my 18 month old palomino quarter horse gelding (pilgrim) to Fred as I had heard so many good outcomes of horses going to him, never a bad one and this horse sport can be very harsh at times to even our best horseman (horsewomen). Pilgrim was too young for a full break in but he needed some serous work on the ground as I had given him SSS (spoilt show horse syndrome) and his temperament was becoming dangerous, testing me every time I was with him. Fred did a wonderful job with my boy. I was contacted by email all the time on his progress as well as photo updates. As for Cobalt my pony he was booked in for 4 weeks but was sent home in the third week as Fred had done all he could do with the pony and he was broken in. Colbolt is now a leasing to a young rider . Fred always treats his horses individually So many breakers book your horses in for a standard 6 weeks and you end up having to pay for more work than is sometimes done. Overall I find Fred and Rachel very honest and kind and when Pilgrim or any of my other future horses need work I know who I will be sending him too. Happy horsing J

" Thanks Fred and Rachel for all of your work on Ky. He was no doubt a challenge given his start to life. Not living in WA but residing in Sydney myself, it was a comfort to know that Ky was in good hands and it was great to see his progress when I visited W.A. Thanks again and all the best with your Business in Perth, Arron Hinks."

'Fred and Rachel took the greatest care to make sure my mare was happy and looked after the way I wanted her to be, and then, wow, what a change in her! Fred did a wonderful job teaching her the things he did, and an even better job being able to give me the tools to carry on with so I can continue working on her. She is a pleasure to ride now and I am looking forward to competing on her soon. Thanks guys, you are the best!' Melody

Fred and Rachel did a fantastic job with my horses and have always been available to provide support and advice whenever I have needed it. They completed the work on my horse very quickly and totally understood what I had wanted to achieve, Fred is an amazing horseman and has a brilliant way with horses, his methods have cemented some great foundations in my horse that I was then able to carry on with myself. I will most definitely be using Watkins services again!

We have nothing but admiration for the way Watkins Horse Handlers handled our foal, who, due to a fractured pelvis, had been confined at the Vets for many months. Fred would not even start her training until he felt she was 100% and when she was ready, he was so kind with her. She came back home a lovely horse with beautiful manners. We have recommended them to all our friends and should the situation arise, would not hesitate to use them again

After meeting Fred and watching him work at the John O'Leary
Horseproblems Clinic in 2007 I approached Fred to assist me with doing
the initial leg rope and hobble work with my horse that had a tying up
problem. Fred spent about an hour working with Bond putting hobbles
and leg ropes on and then did some tie up work on the pole in the round
yard. Since then I have followed up consolidating the work with
hobbles and now have solved the problems. Fred was very gentle but firm
and was very kind to the horse. I would be happy to recommend him as a horse
breaker and educator.
Cheers
Jacky

To whom it may concern,
I recently had the pleasure of meeting Fred and Rachel, when they agreed at very short notice to accept my warm blood filly for some farrier retraining and anything else that cropped up.
They were extremely accommodating, extremely professional, and above all, did a superb job on my filly. I was present for most of the work that was done with her, and at no time was she stressed or unhappy. I also got to learn some new things, which have really helped.
I cannot recommend them highly enough to anyone, and have certainly told all my horsey friends about the wonderful job they have done.
All my future horse handling will be done exclusively by Fred and Rachel as I believe there is simply no one who can match them.
Your sincerely
Karla Stroud

I breed thoroughbred racehorses and have always been particularly choosy about who breaks my horses in. In my view education is vital to the way in which a horse approaches its work and will affect its outlook for the rest of its life. I also like to bear in mind that not all horses, however well bred and fed are cut out for the racetrack so I want to ensure that the basic education they receive will fit them for another career should they prove unsuccessful on the track. Fred Watkins has been breaking in my horses since he established himself in Bakers Hill and I have been very pleased with the results. I am always confident that Fred and Rachel will do their very best with each horse and they all return looking happy and contented, in excellent condition and the better for their experience there. Each horse is treated as an individual and I am also very pleased with the regular feedback I receive about progress and would be happy to recommend them to anyone. Mary Scott Namerik Thoroughbreds Serpentine.

A quick note to say a very special thanks to Fred for all his wonderful work and patience that he spent on my boy Murphy. When I got him Fred discovered he has experienced some horrific things with a previous owner, but with Fred’s love and help Murphy came through with flying colours. This little boy has got the most amazing personality and love for me and is keen to try anything with me now, whereas before he was petrified.
I would not hesitate to recommend Fred for his kind, gentle ways with the horses to anybody, and a big thanks to Rachel who makes you feel so welcome, and keeps you up to date with the progress either verbally, photos or DVD.
You guys are the best, and I hope to have another little one to bring to you next year. See you then, if not before.
Regards Leureen

"Fred and Rachel were great to deal with and most importantly, Juggeraut was fantastic to ride when I got him back. Even after my 7 year break from riding, I feel confident riding him and we both really enjoy the experience. I was very impressed by how forward he is and how light he was with rein and leg aids which is particularly important as Juggernaut is 18hh and a huge mover."

My experience with having my QH gelding, Stewie, started by Watkins Horse Handlers, was fantastic. Rachel and Fred are lovely, friendly people. It was super to be invited to watch Fred work with my horse. Fred is an incredibly talented and kind horseman with a thorough method to his horse starting. I am totally happy with the job he did of starting my horse and I would recommend him to anyone. Cathryn & Stu.

I bought Earaheedie Giselle (Ellie) on a whim, a poor orphaned foal that came down from the bush with a bunch of wild horses. Everyone fell in love with her but it was clear from the start that she had "special needs" (maybe froma trauma in her young life) and could be unpredictable when stressed. I knew I would need someone with plenty of patience and understanding to start this horse or we could end up in trouble. Fred and Rachel cared deeply for Ellie and gave her all the time she needed, they contacted me regularly to let me know her progress and were honest and upfront about any concerns. I now have a lovely sound riding horse and know that Imade the right decision in getting Fred to start her.

Just a quick note to say thanks to rachel and fred for doing such a wonderful breaking in job of my wayward 3 yr old standbred gelding to be ridden and re educated in the cart. as he had got a way with bolting in the jog cart and wasnt going to make it to the race track. after a few weeks with fred he came home a much nicer chappy and will with time as he matures become a race horse in the near future.also as he has been broken to saddle jesse will make a wonderful riding horse when he finishes his racing career and this is thanks to freds skill with him. once again fred turned a feral into a gentleman.thanks rach and fred who are the nicest of people to deal with and he came home in wonderful condition.didnt miss home at all. thanks again from jesse max and jan liddelow stoneville.


Fred has broken in two of our horses, both very different personalities. The filly was very precocious. Fred was very patient with her gaining her confidence and transmitting his educational techniques to her. She has responded so well and Fred can now even crack a whip on her. Rachel, Fred's wife kept us up to date with their progress which was fantastic. We had so much confidence in the whole combination of Fred and Rachel. The horses maintain a fresh mindset by Fred rotating them around their establishment. Fred is a true horseman who works with their individual personalities. We have no hesitation in recommending Watkins Horse Handlers to anyone who who wants their horses educated. We know when they go to the trainers they will be a pleasure to handle and ride.
Norman Dennis and Jane Webb Ware