I am writing a letter of recommendation for Nicole Brickner, riding instructor. I was introduced to Nicole at my boarding facility about two years ago. I had been riding my current horse for over 6 years. We had a good relationship but something was missing from our connection. I began taking lessons from Nicole and everything began to “click”. Nicole has a very intuitive feeling for what the horse needs and how to convey it to the rider. She is patient and encouraging. I believe that through her experience and instruction l have become a better equestrian. Nicole was available to give me solid and informative advice on the purchase of another additional younger horse to further my riding endeavors. Having Nicole to guide me and encourage me, I am grateful for the opportunity to lessen with her. I enjoy the schooling and practice sessions and consider it fulfilling and a great sense of accomplishment for me and for my horses. I would highly recommend Nicole Brickner.
Our daughter McKenah had been riding horses for about a year and a half, we soon realized that just riding horses wasn’t going to be enough for her. She was eager to be at the barn for chores, grooming, really any excuse she could come up with. We were referred to Nicole for a few lessons. Soon this turned into a weekly trip to the barn for one-on-one lessons with Nicole. Over the last 8 months, our daughter has had a lesson literally every week. I cannot begin to explain the positive impact Nicole has had on our daughter. Nicole has not only given her riding lessons, she has taught McKenah how to really ride and how to care for the animals she loves so much. The most amazing change has been to our daughter’s personality. She has grown from a shy 12-year-old to a confident 13-year-old horse back rider, all under Nicole’s guidance and support.
We didn’t know much about horses, let alone barns, tack, or horse shows. However, we were welcomed immediately into NBHT and had so many kind and informative people to talk to. They welcomed us with open arms and made us feel that we have always been a part of the group. We refer to them as our 2nd family – our “barn family”.
Thank you, Nicole, for your willingness to support, help, listen and answer all of our ridiculous questions!
Nicole has been a part of lives for 6 years … it seems that she has been with us forever and the ride has been amazing! Nicole started working with my daughter, Haley and her quarter horse Dyzni, in 2013, and the transformation of horse and rider was immediately overwhelming. Nicole’s continual guidance and ever watchful eye over the years has been instrumental for Haley to become a very accomplished horsewoman. Nicole has given Haley so much more than the skills to become more than passionate about this sport – she has given her life lessons that have carried over into other aspects of her life.
Several years ago Nicole helped us through the emotional roller coaster of finding a loving home for our OTTB. This was a very emotional time for Haley and myself. Nicole was there to support and help us sort out the details. Now that Haley is in college, I have the opportunity to work with Nicole and Dyzni. I honestly look forward to my lessons – I think some of my favorite lessons have been when Dyzni is not the most corporative…Nicole talks me through what I need to do and we work through it and move on. This is a real confidence builder for me. (Dyzni knows that I am inexperienced and she will test me; however, I know that she will take care of me.)
I now understand the exhilaration of smooth canter!
Haley and I have both attended Nicole’s clinics and they are not only very informative but fun! She is an excellent instructor. Nicole has recently expanded her business and opened her own boarding stable; we naturally moved Dyzni. Nicole cares for each horse as if it was her own and it shows! She is observant of their physical well-being; she has alerted us when Dyzni has had any slight physical change and if necessary we were able to get vet care quickly.
When winter weather is severe and it is not in the best interest for the horses to go outside – the horses are turned out in their respective groups in the arena for exercise. This past summer when we experienced severe heat and humidity; she and her staff took extra care with all the horses…I know that it was very time consuming; however, Nicole thought nothing of it … it is what she does. Nicole and her staff will bring Dyzni in for the farrier if I am not able to be present. One of my favorite things, that Nicole does for the horses and I know Dyzni appreciates it….at the final night check the horses get a flake of hay. Nicole has created a warm and caring “barn family” for all of us.
These are just a few things that set this stable above stables that we have been at in the past. If you are beginning your journey into the horse world or if you simply want to improve your skills and relationship with your horse, I highly recommend that you contact Nicole!
My horse and I have been working with Nicole for about 10 years. Zoe is a well-bred, sweet and talented mare, but my first
Believe it or not, the first thing we had to do was to teach this mare to walk. Gotta start at the beginning, right? Zoe has a cute little jog and she thought it was much nicer than walking. We laugh about it now, but at the time, when I was getting discouraged, Nicole kept me going. Together, we brought this horse from pasture rest to multiple wins, awards, and high points in nearly every discipline.
Nicole has taught me much about horses and horsemanship, and I know that I wouldn’t have come this far without her teaching and guidance. I learn something new with every lesson and I am inspired to be the best I can be, to dream big and to work hard. I’ve learned how to be happy with my horse’s effort, even when others don’t see it. How to know when enough is enough, to recognize and reward every effort, and to be satisfied with steps in the right direction.
As my horse ages, I’m spending more time with her on the trails and less time in the show arena. Last summer, Nicole held a clinic on desensitization that I attended, and I came away from that with some good strategies for maneuvering trail obstacles that I used the very next week.
Whatever type of riding you prefer, Nicole can help you and your horse become a successful team.
I have a 14-year-old gelding that I worked with that I considered him green broke. Life changes happened to me and the dream of finishing my horse myself was no longer a option, but the fear of sending him to a trainer and doing him right and myself held me back. Nicole Brickner was recommended to me by a farrier and said she was great. My husband and I met with Nicole, she talked with us, told us what my horse needed before coming to her stable and what care and training he would receive. We left there confident that Nicole was “the one”. I’ve had Chance 12 years and my husband and I were the only ones who cared for him. That was the hardest part for me not being in control of his care. I texted Nicole, she texted me back, called me, gave me updates on Chance, I asked if we could see him in training and were welcomed to come. I was amazed after 4 days at NB Horse Training how much Chance had excelled and was so calm. I left there that day with a load of worry and constant thinking of him off my mind and shoulders.
Great care, very knowledgeable in horse behavior, responds to my messages or questions as soon as she can. Greatest decision to send Chance and wished I’d have found her years ago!
.
I’ve been working with Nicole for about 3 years now. I reached out to her when my young mare was becoming too much for me to handle with my experience level, Nicole has been a life-saver since day one. From groundwork and basic manners for both horse and handler, to finishing a horse for showing, she does it all!
One of my biggest personal obstacles has been my fear issues that developed as an adult. Nicole has been consistent, encouraging, and a mentor through all of my ups and downs. She can read a horse and handler and call it like it is – she knows how to handle any situation you throw at her!
When my horse was in full-time training, she was worked 5 days a week and I was welcome to watch sessions and take lessons as part of the training. I continue to keep my mare in part-time training and enjoy weekly lessons to keep both of us on track!
If you need advice, suggestions, or someone to literally take the reins for you, Nicole does it all, and she does it better than anyone else in the business.
What do you get when you combine an amazingly talented horse trainer and riding instructor with someone who is passionate about providing every horse with the best care possible? You get Nicole Brickner of NB Horse Training at Stoneybridge Stables in Neenah, WI. I cannot speak highly enough of Nicole and what she does for her human clients and the horses in her care! Nicole has been my trainer for 10+ years, and she has taken me from a 45-year-old beginner to a horse owner who shows her horse very successfully in English and Western disciplines. I have been very fortunate to have Nicole as my first and only trainer. My horse and I could not be in better hands.
Working with Nicole Brickner has been a GREAT experience for my girls. We began working with Nicole in September of 2017 because my daughter’s horse, Scooby, would not pick up the right lead when asked to lope. He also liked to argue with Amanda on any loping or cantering exercises in general.
After Nicole began working with Scooby, she told us that he was a smart horse who liked to argue when asked to work. For a couple of months, things were going great… nice rides and lessons and Scooby was performing well at horse shows. Then, during one Saturday afternoon lesson…. Boom! Scooby threw a tantrum and started bucking and rearing, not wanting to comply with Amanda’s cues. Where did this behavior come from? Scooby always had good ground manners and followed Amanda around like a puppy. Many lessons were focused on learning how to get through Scooby’s temper tantrums and there were a fair amount of tears from Amanda. I’m sure that most kids would want to walk away from this horse and buy a new one. Selling Scooby was not an option for Amanda since she loved him so much and did not want to give up on him. With Nicole’s help, Amanda dug her heals in and learned to ride and discipline and redirect Scooby in the manner he needed without being heavy-handed or using harsh bits or tack. Nicole’s patience, understanding, and caring for horses helped Amanda become a determined and confident rider and they are now an unbelievable team.
My husband and I were looking for a horse for our other daughter, Annie. After looking on Craigslist and Facebook for a well-mannered, well-broke horse, we saw that Nicole had a cute Buckskin Paint for sale named Dash. She told us that when she bought Dash, the little mare was very underweight, had bad teeth and was in need of hoof trimming. Nicole had brought her back to proper care and invested some training into her and she was now an amazing little mare. After Annie rode Dash for the first time, she fell in love. In March of 2018 we purchased Dash from Nicole. Over this past year, Annie and Dash have become an awesome duo with the help of Nicole’s training. Annie has become a confident horseperson and rider.
Whether it’s a horse with a behavioral problem or a horse that needs a good forever home, Nicole’s main concern is the well-being of the horse. Her work ethic is amazing and she gains the respect of the youth she trains.
For eight years now my daughter (now 13) and I have been under the care of NB Horse Training, LLC (
Through Nicole not only did I get to watch my daughter’s ability in confidence grow, but so did her work ethic. Nicole was able to get her through some tough times when my daughter became overly timid of her amazing Quarter Horse. Nicole’s skills in pleasure training and showmanship not only exude themselves through the horse but the handler as well. Nicole not only has an understanding of each horse individually but she is able to communicate the needs of each particular horse with its rider.
I recently purchased my daughter her second horse, an OTTB, which raced for 5 years and then sat in
Nicole’s attention to detail always puts our horses needs first, whether it be a night check/barn close flake of hay every night, to giving us an option for Sunday stall cleaning, (something which most other barns do not offer). The stalls are always well cleaned and maintained, the arenas are constantly groomed and even the pastures get mucked on a daily basis so that especially in summer the bugs are less problematic to the horses. She even keeps a constant supply of bottled water in the lounge refrigerator so that if you need to wet your whistle, it’s available.
Nicole’s attentiveness to the horses leaves no bump or scratch overlooked and we are always notified. Even on cold or rainy days when the horses can’t go out, their care comes first. Rather than leave them in their stalls and clean around them, she takes the time to turn them out into the arena with their pasture mates to make sure
Nicole has made such an impact on our family that we even moved 18 miles and changed school districts closer to the barn just to be able to be there more and enjoy all the things Nicole offers to us! Did I mention that she is also the coach for WIHA! She puts on fantastic clinics and is always available to help out with the local 4-H clubs. Nicole thanks are never enough for the amazing hours and selfless time you put into your barn and clients. We wouldn’t be where we are without you and wouldn’t want it any other way!!!
Nine years ago, when my daughter Chloe was ten, she started riding lessons with Nicole. About 5 years later, Nicole helped us find her dream horse, Fletcher. Since then, Nicole has been invaluable in building their relationship and improving Chloe’s riding abilities. More importantly, she has been a true mentor by setting realistic goals for Chloe and Fletcher, celebrating with them when they successfully achieve them and knowing what to say when disappointments occur.
Nicole is meticulous in her care for her horses. She does this without regard to how much more work it creates for her. For Nicole, this means constantly evaluating the weather. In
Our journey of horse ownership has been incredibly rewarding and has
Nicole leads by example and has shown my daughter the true meaning of determination and an exceptional work ethic. She is an incredible coach and mentor and has been a major part of molding my daughter into a confident and responsible young adult. Nicole leads through challenges with integrity. She encourages goals and shares in successes. Nicole truly has a remarkable gift of making decisions that are always in the best interest of both horse and rider.