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Beau Damon
I think Molly’s being open to coaching a barrel racer is a cool example of her strength in thinking out of the box to come up with innovative performance solutions. Her training has been great across the board including some areas I had been underinvesting such as core strengthening, collection and balance
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Leslee Massa
Molly’s most senior rider, both in age and years with her. Molly has helped me attain some goals with my riding that I never dreamed were possible. The first year with her, which was also my first full year in the show ring, I went from a shaky start to finishing with a win at 2nd level at the Cascade Championships. She continued to train me through 4th level with the same horse, which she had selected as a good match for me. My current horse was previously a hunter and she has helped me to bring him through 3rd level successfully. Along the way, I earned two All Breeds awards, one for Swedish Warmblood Registry and the other for Oldenburg Division GOV. Molly’s knowledge is never ending and she continues to amaze with how much she puts into the welfare of every horse in her barn. Being retired allows me to spend many hours at the barn and I can truly state that honesty and integrity are what keep me coming back for more.
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Josephine Robertson
Unlike most I started riding as an adult, buying myself lessons, borrowing rides, and half leasing horses. In 2014 I bought my first horse, a failed lesson pony who I dearly loved but who had her share of issues and difficulties.
I wish I’d found Molly sooner, we could have saved ourselves a lot of heartache and this newbie horse owner a lot of missteps. Molly is incredibly patient, teaching me not just what to do, but why. She has helped me see so much more potential in my horse and in my self than I thought possible.
Molly isn’t the sort of coach who tells you what you want to hear, she says what you need to hear.
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Robin Schofield
Horses have been my passion since growing up on a farm in eastern Washington. I have been a fan of the Morgan breed most of my adult life and currently own Fancy, a bay Morgan mare. After more than 20 years showing Hunter Pleasure rail classes, my focus turned to dressage. I have ridden with Molly Martin at Five C Farms for over three years. I have appreciated Molly’s vast knowledge of the dressage discipline and particularly appreciate the patience she has shown in working with both Fancy and me. I am a more mature rider and turned to dressage later in life, so Molly has had her hands full redirecting some habits not particularly complimentary to the dressage discipline. I look forward to moving on to Second level this year and am excited to progress under Molly’s tutelage.
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Sarah Jacob
I met Molly 28 years ago when I was first learning to ride huntseat with my Arab/Quarter horse in the local 4-H club. Even though I was not focused on dressage, she took me in and helped provide an excellent foundation of riding and horsemanship basics that continues to serve me well. Today, I’m expanding on those basics and training my own Hanoverian mare in dressage. We are headed out to show 2nd level this year and Molly has always been available to coach or even casually provide a keen eye as our adventure continues to evolve.
Molly’s depth of knowledge in dressage and horsemanship gives her a great eye and voice for seeing and delivering instructions in the moment. She is direct, praising when something is done correctly and clearly explains the how and why when something goes wrong. I know when I ride with Molly that I can trust that she has both my and my horse’s best interests at heart, that am going to learn something, and that her sole focus is on our success and progress.
It has been my pleasure to have known Molly for the last 28 years and I’m looking forward to the years to come!
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Jen Verharen
Molly Martin is not only an accomplished GP rider and dedicated trainer, but she also takes the time to mentor and support other riders. Molly helped make it possible for me to compete in a national championship by taking my horse in for training for a couple of weeks at no cost. She was unbelievably generous with her time and her experience- giving me a much needed boost when I needed it. We are lucky to have Molly in our region- I highly recommend her as a trainer and an instructor!
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Hannah Halpern
I worked with Molly for a very short period of time, but gained so much from her and her teaching methods. Molly worked with me and my mare Tang in 2010, both relative newbies to anything other than pleasure riding. Molly is wonderful at creating a judgment-free environment that allows for uninhibited learning and provided me with knowledge and skill that I still carry with me today. She also worked with Tang, helping us to develop her overall flexibility and physical health as well as improving our communication levels and her understanding of basic aids and queues. I would recommend Molly to anyone who is interested in furthering their own knowledge and skill, as well as developing a closer and more communicative relationship with their horse.
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Peter Rothschild
While I’d known Molly for many years, I didn’t take the opportunity to train with her until 2010. At that time, I, an Adult Amateur and my Arab-Warmblood cross were said to be “topped out” at second level. But Molly knew better. While maybe I was “topped out” my horse clearly was not – and she proved it.
Over the next five years, Molly carefully brought the two of us up the levels to Prix St. George/I-1. She believed in both of us and was willing and able to show us the path to the FEI levels. It was not easy and there were many times I really wondered if it would happen but she never lost faith and never let me lose faith either. She was demanding when she needed to be – she was very encouraging when I needed her to be. It was as close to a perfect fit as it could have been.
In addition to being the absolute right trainer and teacher for the two of us, she is also a great horsewoman. I never, never had to worry about my horse’s care or health which was very important since I was out of the country several times a year. In fact, she was more-often-than-not the one who found that something just wasn’t quite right – and she’d be correct every time.
Molly is also a great competitor and actively encourages her students to compete and then helps them do their best at the show. She was always there to help me get ready, to cheer me on and to graciously critique my ride so that the next one would be better.
Lastly, Molly and Rossi (her FEI horse) became our trail companions when we needed that break from work. Those trail rides were very special to me and whether they were just a relaxing ride or a schooling ride on a trail, she and Rossi just made it fun.
As I moved away from Woodinville in 2017, my time with Molly and Rossi has ended but not our relationship. I look forward to seeing them at the shows and look forward to her critique of my ride. While the formal trainer relationship may have ended, it has just entered a new phase. That’s just the kind of person she is.
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Jaimie Snyder
A series of stars aligned, ultimately leading me to Molly Martin. Molly helped me find the perfect horse to lease by the name of Campari Cool.
Over a 3-year time frame, Molly was instrumental in developing me from Training Level through Third Level. I have been fortunate to qualify for and participate in the Region 6 Dressage Championships every year. In 2017 I earned my bronze medal with the USDF, a Dover Medal, rode my first musical freestyle, and purchased my very own equine partner again. I am looking forward to pursuing my goals with Harvard and a continued partnership with Molly and my barn family.
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Keli Covin
I have been a student of Molly’s for 12 years now, ever since she moved to Five C Farms. She helped me obtain my bronze medal showing my horse Coins Fortune. She was also very helpful putting a lead change on my hunter Coins Pocket Change, aka Cheeky. She is by far the best trainer of any discipline I know at putting a clean lead change on a horse.
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Barbara Norwood
'Old knowledge.. explained in a way that makes it clearer, and easier to apply! ”
I have ridden for more than forty years. I have ridden with a lot of the instructors in the Seattle area during some of those years. Molly Martin is the one trainer/teacher in the area that I have found to always have new knowledge to impart both to me and to my horse. Sometimes it's very old knowledge, just explained or demonstrated in a new way that makes it clearer, and easier to grasp and apply.
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Wendy
Molly works with all breeds and all levels