Meet the 2020 Clinician Academy Students: Tanya Mickolio

Tanya Mickolio will be making her way from Minnesota to Texas at the end of this month to start her journey in the Clinician Academy. The dedicated horsewoman grew up helping her dad with his Percheron/Quarter Horses and has stayed passionate about learning horsemanship and refining her skills. Tanya shares why she believes in the Method and decided to enroll in the Academy.

Why do you believe in the Method?
That’s an easy one. I use it and it works. I was introduced to Clinton’s training 20 years ago by some horse friends. I was giving riding lessons at their barn for my college professor’s twin girls. They often asked me about training scenarios for their own horses and what I would do in certain situations. Eventually they said to me, “You know, you would really like this guy on RFD-TV.”

I was attending college at the time, and I didn’t have that channel, so they sent me home with his VHS roundpenning series. I was hooked! Clinton was the first trainer I’d come across that said it like I knew it was, meaning that he said and did a lot of the same things my dad taught me. But, Clinton explained it a lot better and brought it to a whole new level. I was pumped at the possibilities!

Clinton is the real deal and his honest humor makes him so fun to watch. I’ve paid attention to him ever since and have applied what I’ve learned, always having success with it. Having been around draft horse colts as a kid and helping my dad, I have a tremendous amount of respect for Clinton telling it like it is. Things really can get dangerous and go backwards fast if we don’t pay attention to the details.

What made you decide to attend the Academy?
It has been a dream of mine since I was 16 to apprentice under someone great. I am finally in a place in my life where it is possible. I knew if I didn’t do it, ultimately, it would be the biggest regret of my life. I cannot wait to be pushed and helped to improve my skills. So often we don’t see our own little bad habits that can make big differences in our outcomes, and there’s no one I respect more to tell me like it is.

I also love helping others succeed, to help them understand the horse and the “why” of things. To me, this is a dream come true. It’s like that saying: Where frustration ends, knowledge begins. I find it is true in every aspect of life.

We’re looking forward to welcoming Tanya to the ranch and helping her on her journey toward becoming a Method Ambassador! Learn more about the Clinician Academy on our website.