Meet Method Ambassador Rachel Johnk
Rachel was born and raised in Spain, in a small region that is nestled in the Pyrenees Mountain range. Her parents are missionaries, and the family lived on an old farm that came with three Arabian horses. The horses weren’t trained, but they captivated Rachel who was born loving everything to do with horses.
“My parents had no knowledge of horses, so I was left on my own, and over the years, I got bit, kicked and run over,” Rachel says. “When I was around 10, my cousins from the States sent over Clinton’s first training videos.”
Rachel remembers watching them on her little DVD player and trying to fashion a halter out of old rope and make her own training stick to work with the horses. Being a young child, her efforts didn’t get her too far, and her feelings of frustration quickly returned.
A few years later, when a family friend, who later became Rachel’s mother-in-law, came to visit, Rachel finally got her chance to work with the horses. “She was there for two weeks and used a little of the Method as well as other training programs and it worked enough to get the horses rideable,” Rachel says. “I fell in love with training at that point and rode every day from then on.”
Before long, Rachel wasn’t just riding her Arabians but also working with any horse she could get her hands on. Eventually, she married her husband and moved to South Carolina, where they started a family of their own. All the while, Rachel continued to work with horses and dabbled with the Method.
She got serious about her horsemanship in 2017 after attending a tour in Clemson and then participating in a clinic with Professional Clinician Jeff Davis. “The clinic was such a great experience as far as expanding my knowledge and showing me how much more I had to learn. It was so detailed, and I improved so much,” Rachel says.
As she finessed her skills, she started training horses and teaching a few lessons. She continued to take yearly clinics with Professional Clinician Jeff Davis and never missed an opportunity to add to her knowledge. Attending the Academy and joining the Downunder Horsemanship team was a dream of a lifetime.
“I eat, sleep and breathe the Method. Any free time I have, I’m adding to my knowledge,” Rachel says. “Being able to help people with their horses is a dream come true. I didn’t grow up on the back of a horse, and I remember the feelings of intimidation and fear and then the excitement of figuring it out. Now, I get to show other people how the Method can build their confidence and help them train their horses.”
Rachel is based in Iva, South Carolina, where she trains horses for the public and teaches private lessons and clinics that focus on the Fundamentals level of the Method. Learn all about Rachel on her website and contact her directly at 864-438-6868 or [email protected].
