MW Sporthorses
Home | Training Pages 1 | 2 | 3



Erin Hagen
We are really proud of Erin Hagan, after spending time with us here as a working student and becoming a wonderful friend, Erin went on the following Summer and worked with Dressage gold Medalist in the last Olympics, Ulla Salzgeber from Germany (Erin was there the same Summer that Ulla Salzgeber won the Olympics) and the Summer after that Erin worked as a "Bereiter" (horse trainer) at the Spanish Riding School in the part of the School where the young stallions get started under saddle in Piba, Austria.



Erin Hagen and her horse Titan from Campbell River spent part of their summer with us. It was most refreshing to be around such a positive person. Erin works way too hard. We had to threaten to fire her to get her to at least slow down. Erin brought her young horse Titan, a son of our stallion Tribuno II with her. The two of them have a really nice relationship and I know they will go a long ways together. You might run into them in Victoria, where Erin is starting her long study to becoming a Dentist. Good luck Erin and we are looking forward to having you back any time during your holidays!

This is Erin's write up about her Experience here:
THE EXPERIENCE OF A LIFETIME It was truly an honour and privilege to have been able to spend my summer with Marion Weisskopff. Not only did I have the opportunity to get to know an incredible person, but to learn from an extraordinary horsewoman. Marion Weisskopff is a true cowgirl. In the first week after my arrival, I had a hard time keeping track of all the information filling my head. The Weisskopff Method calls for a lot of accuracy in pressure and release and timing with the horse's legs.

Watching Marion work with a horse is like watching a dance; in the end, Marion is always the lead partner as the horse comes to respect the consistency of the steps. Through Marion, I learned that lightness in working with the horse is key. It's a wonderful feeling to feel my young horse, which I brought with me to Princeton, react to any pressure of the reins or my body quickly and respectably through her method. With Marion, the results are always the same. There is a considerable change in the horse she works with; a deep connection and understanding that grows and can only grow between a true horse whisperer and horse. Through the adventurous trailrides we took along the TransCanada trail, my confidence in the horse's capabilities grew tenfold. From a big, dark tunnel to a high trestle bridge and steep mountain declines that led to the wide, flowing river, the trail was never lacking in testing the trust between horse and rider. Young horses would come back to the ranch walking straight out, listening for Marion's instructions and eager to conquer any obstacle. What a beautiful thing it was to see a horse that was in the beginning fidgety and hesitant become totally intent on the trail and the rider on its back! The Weisskopff Method is a method that I will never stop practicing. I want to thank- you Marion for your patience, your kindness and your honesty.

This summer, I have come to experience that "Riding is a complicated joy. You learn something each time. It is never quite the same, and you never know it all." You can never stop learning when it comes to horses. When you have the amazing opportunity to be a working student for one of the greatest horsepeople ever, you come to realize the importance of this; of just listening and appreciating every wise word. (Erin Hagen)





Erin Horncastle from Campbell River on Vancouver Island has been our working Student for June /02 We became really attached to Erin in the short time that she was here and wished that she could have stayed longer.

This is what Erin wrote about her experience with us: Although I spent only one short month as a working student with Marion Weisskopff my experience with her was more then I could have ever expected. I had never seen another trainer or horse person in general get such results out of their horses. No matter the problem or issue that is thrown at her she handles it with patience and kindness. Giving the horse the chance to do the right thing, and apply the pressure only when necessary. The horse always seem to come around, and give her the respect she deserves.

I have learned so much from watching and listening to Marion, from how to load an unwilling horse into a trailer, to catching a horse that does not want to be caught, right to the basic steps in starting a young colt. Through all that I have observe that the most important thing seemed to be the timing and amount of pressure, and release of the pressure you put on the horse.

Some of my favourite times with Marion were spent up in the mountains surrounding her home. I will never forget my first few trail rides with her because I have never been so scared, fearing that my horse was going to dump me off the cliff or take me down with it. But I soon learned that horses can handle a lot more then I gave them credit for.

Thanks to Marion's adventurous rides my confidence in my riding ability grew greatly, giving me the chance to trust my horse and enjoy the rides. As I leave Marion's ranch with renewed confidence and knowledge I would like to thank her for her constant patience and the ever lasting knowledge that she has given me. (Erin Horncastle)

Jerri Smart This is what Jerri wrote about her stay with us:
There is an old Buddhist saying : I hear I forget, I see I remember, I do I understand
We'll one of my most important discoveries came while living for over two months as working student for Marion Weisskopff. Marion who has a diverse background in horsemanship, starting as a instructor at age 13, at her parents riding school, driving, operating selective logging business, cutting cattle, managing training facility , giving bareback bridleless demonstrations, clinics, and building her own homestead.

It was clear to me after meeting this cowgirl, as to who I had the most to learn from. With her daily guidance, and constant feedback, I was able to improve tremendously on my Feel, Timing, and understanding of horses. She gave me more than any book or video could have. Effective communication developed at a faster rate because my mistakes were being corrected in the moment, and I had the privilege of watching her ride with a great deal of Feel, and impeccable Timing. How did she become so effective with horses? Nothing accelerates the learning process quiet like EXPERIENCE. (Jerri Smart)