I have seen countless young horses ruined by trainers and owners who's goal is to get an end result in a short time. They resort to training devices and forcing the horse to do a job. I chose Anita of Odyssey Training Center to start my two-year old filly driving because I felt completely confident in Anita's training technique. I have never seen such patience and perseverance. My filly came home strong in her back, gladly taking the bit and prepared to easily go on to riding. The transition to saddle work could not have been more smooth. I sincerely wish more horse owners would invest in having a trainer like Anita start their young horses. She builds a wonderful foundation so that they can go on to be successful in their discipline, whatever it may be.
Sincerely,
Deb Zarish, DVM and "Oakwyn Ado Annie"

When we decided to train our pony to drive a cart, we knew we needed help, as neither our pony nor we had any experience with the discipline. We asked around, and found Odyssey Training Center on the web. We met Anita Alden and Denise Ruffing, and toured the facility. They were friendly and informative, and the horses of differing sizes and breeds seemed happy and well cared for. My daughters both attended Carriage Driving 101 and 102. They learned lots, and were further inspired to drive.

The girls took lessons with Denise using Odyssey schooling horses to learn the basics. My then 10 year old daughter (Cecilia) was given specific exercises to do with her 15 year old Shetland pony (Cheyenne -whom she loves dearly, but has seriously outgrown for riding!). Denise and Anita stressed consistency, working little by little to build the pony’s confidence. We trailered the pony in periodically, and worked with him at our home farm. Denise helped us order a small cart (Meadowbrook) for him to pull, along with a harness. It is absolutely beautiful, and goes extremely well with our little pony. When the time came to put the pony to the cart with Denise and Anita at Odyssey, the pony was quite accepting. Cecilia has now shown Cheyenne at schooling shows, and plans to show more this summer. We had absolutely no fireworks, no trouble, and no stress through the process.

The people we have met along the way have been helpful, and friendly. It is truly a sport with wide appeal – young and old, women and men, novices like us, and seasoned veterans.

Many thanks to Denise, who worked with us the most, and to Anita for valuable assistance. They are truly good people, skilled at their discipline, wonderful trainers who care. I highly recommend Odyssey Training Center to anyone interested in the sport of driving, and I would recommend the sport of driving to almost anyone. We have had a lot of fun with driving, and plan to continue.

Sincerely,

Kathy Lundberg
Scio Church Stables

I am a student of Anita's. You can see my pony "Sampson" and my Warmblood "Color" on her website under Students. I have received nothing but the BEST from Anita and Denise. The best education as far as harness fitting, cart fitting, what types of carts and harness are suitable for the horses I have, training with my horses, clothes, showing, SAFETY, etc. She is an all around excellent instructor/trainer. Please give her a call and at least go to her farm and see them drive the horses she has in training. Once you go...you will be hooked.

Best,

Christy
Galloway Farms

I can't say enough about Anita Alden and the staff of Odyssey Training Stable. Please visit them. They are very supportive, encouraging, and welcome everyone with open arms.

Since I have had horses in training with Anita for at least twenty years, I guess I do know her very well. Anita most certainly knows what she is doing. I have seen her with every kind of horse in every kind of situation and she is never at a loss. She never gets mad, never is frustrated, knows what to do. Also, she is honest to a fault and does more than she promises.

What she is NOT, is a trainer who hustles a horse through the basics and sends it home. She is not at all interested in doing 90-day wonders. She is interested in training the horse...which in some cases doesn't take very long, and in some cases is a matter of years of persistence. I have seen her harness-train all kinds of horses from enormous draft horse stallions to miniature horses. She is patient, fair, and effective. I have tremendous respect for her both as a trainer and as a person. Which horses have not done well with Anita? Horses with physical problems. Horses with soundness issues, anything which would make it uncomfortable for the horse to be in "school". Her loyalty is to the horse. She loves them all and sooner or later, they love her, too. She has no interest in helping anyone fulfill their show ambitions at the expense of a horse's misery.

Which horses do especially well with Anita? Hmm...The first horse I put with her was the sort of horse that lives in legend as the worst horse anyone ever loved. It was a trainer-killer, had put 6 trainers in a row into the hospital and had been booted out of stable after stable. Before Anita, the last trainer told me he would only hitch Dobber 1)if I had an ambulance on stand-by, 2) if he used a double set of reins and 3)ran behind the buggy. Dobber nearly killed that fellow. That horse had been with trainers who had trained World Champions...they put him on the trailer and said "Get him out of here." This horse was extreamely intelligent, but also dangerous. Anita made him into a star. Sontree Honey Dob never came close to hurting her; on the contrary, he followed her off the lead with his nose on her shoulder. She never got mad at him. She loved that horse. She turned him into such a loyal, reliable driving horse, that a monkey could have driven him. We had school kids out to the barn and every little tyke got a chance to drive Dobber who was especially careful with them. On the other hand he was showy and flashy and won endless show ribbons.

From that dramatic beginning, I have had horses with Anita so long that she really seems like part of our family. The last horse she trained for me was a real challenge. I bought an 11 year old stallion who had been pasture breeding mares for 9 years. Prior to that he had only been halter trained and went to the Nationals where he was reserve to the World Champion. When I bought Sentry's Willpower, I did so at my daughter's insistence, reluctantly, he was just so beautiful and flashy...but... He was completely uneducated, a raw recruit, scared the daylights out of me, on his hind legs screaming at least half the time, jumping around, terrifying. After a while, though, he, too, was a sweetheart who would have literally gone over Niagara Falls if Anita wanted him to, just a fabulous harness horse.

The whole thing is about FUN, so don't get yourself into a stress situation. One well-trained harness horse can make a lot of fun for your whole family. Fall is here and I can attest that nothing is more fun than to hitch up the horse on a brisk fall Saturday and go for a carriage ride down the road and over the fields, through the woods and eventually back home.

Joanna Jenkins
Fraser, MI
Owner: Sontree Honey Dob and Sentry's Willpower

Hoorah, the MHDVA Blue Ribbon Carriage Show was once again a big success.

I would like to thank Anita Alden and Denise Ruffing of Odyssey Training Stable for their continued support and making our show one of your students yearly show venues. Your support has been and will always be appreciated.

Thanks,
Michelle T. Ridley
Michigan Horse Drawn Vehicle Association Horse Show Coordinator
www.MHDVA.org

I have heard nothing but good about Anita Alden. Saw her students drive at the Great Lakes Carriage show near Corunna in July. All looked very nice, happy horses, and smiling faces.

I have been a student of Anita’s for two years now, and have always received nothing but the best. She has taught me alot about Carriage Driving, the proper fit of the cart and harness, driving skills, and Safety. She has given my pony and I confidence in and out of the show ring. I would highly recommend Anita of Odyssey Training Center, with her knowledge and kind personality she is a Top Trainer.

Sincerely,

Dawn Johnson Gusty Meadows Farm

It was a few years ago when I was first introduced to Odyssey training center, I have a good friend who lives in Illinois, she was looking for a trainer for her young horses and had heard good things about Odyssey, so I was sent to “check things out”. I was impressed, and her horses came, I spent a lot of time watching and videoing the training. Anita is very skilled, but it’s her groundedness with the horse that adds the giftedness to her skills. It has been remarkable to watch, there kindness and patience when working with the horse, Anita and Denise work in unison, something you would need to witness, as it’s hard to have all the words. I can say that they are passionate in there work, they don’t skip steps, and they strive to provide a safe driving horse.

I have been taking lessons and telling Anita and Denise that down the road I would be looking for a “made” horse that I would feel safe with and am able to drive down the road, not a fancy horse, just safe! I will be the first person to admit that things come when you least expect, and down the road came on November 8th. Today I’m not watching them train somebody else’s horse, she is mine and she is wonderful and she is being trained by the best.

The piece that I would most like to share in my testimonial is that I have an older horse, he’s 33 now and has been retired for several years, but I trusted him, I felt safe with him. I’m in my 50’s now and have this amazing 6-year-old mare, not the “made horse” but more then I had dared to dream. The flipside is I don’t bounce like I used to, and I’m dealing with fears of getting hurt. I trust these women with a bigger picture, they are training my horse to drive and teaching me to trust her, they help me get on her as I also want to ride, they stay with me while I walk around the arena, they tell me to breath… I’m so grateful for the guidance and patience.

Diana Brumfield
South Lyon, Michigan

Two and a half years ago I took an introductory course at Odyssey Training Stables. And ever since I won the door prize, that first day, and took my complimentary carriage driving lesson with Anita, I was in heaven! I couldn't get enough of carriage driving and even went to the premier show of them all last year:Walnut Hill in New York. There, I felt in my element, took tons of photos, tried on lots of fancy hats, laughed, giggled and jumped up and down as carriage-after-carriage entered the ring and delighted crowds for four days straight. Now, with about 25 lessons under my belt, I'm no expert and still rely on the steady and supremely knowledgeable guidance of Anita, but the pleasure, exhilaration and total happiness I feel is more joy than I can express! I still can't think of anything more fun, pleasurable, and life-affirming than my much valued and always delightful driving lessons with Anita, Denise, Jim, Katie, Mark, Diane and host of guest speakers, driving shows, friends and family (furry family included) that I've had the consummate pleasure of meeting over the past few years! Nothing has enhanced my life as much as my encounters with Odyssey Training Stables. May we drive off into the sunset forever!

Tally ho,

Phyllis Perry

I found Odyssey Training on the Internet. Although I had owned a horse in the past, I had absolutely no driving experience. When I went to visit Anita and Denise to talk about learning to drive, I was impressed from the very beginning with the amount of friendly, informed attention I received. I decided start taking driving lessons, and began shopping for my own driving horse. Every step of the way I received constant support and invaluable professional advice as I considered different horses, and Anita accompanied me to Ohio to evaluate the Morgan mare that I eventually purchased. Now “Rave” and I are now working towards our first show together sometime this summer! Anita has a countenance when dealing with both horses and people that always makes me feel comfortable and confident, and both ladies have been wonderful to work with.

They are my kind of horsewomen!

Lisa Johnson

I highly recommend Anita, I trust her completely with my horse. She is the most ethical trainer I have ever worked with, and she is just delightful.

A very happy client,
JC