615.379.1056

Supreme Court GI Bill Ruling

Supreme Court GI Bill Ruling

The majority of veterans attending college today with federal financial support use the Post-9/11 GI Bill program. This generous benefit passed in 2008 and awards eligible veterans 36 months of tuition payouts, housing stipends and other financial assistance. 

The Montgomery GI Bill program was the predecessor to that benefit, and is being phased out by the department. Although it offers far less money, it can still can provide several thousands of dollars annually to veterans for tuition costs if they paid into the program at the start of their military service. 

Currently, VA officials make students give up eligibility for the Montgomery GI Bill program when they register to begin using the Post-9/11 GI Bill. That means that once their education benefits from that program are exhausted, they cannot receive more tuition support from the other program. 

For veterans who have exhausted their Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits, the ruling could mean an additional 12 months of Montgomery GI Bill benefits to finish a degree program or start a new one, provided they served at least six years on active duty (three years each to qualify separately for the two programs). 

“We are pleased the Supreme Court has made it clear that when veterans serve their country and qualify for both GI Bill benefit programs, they have the right to those benefits. And we are particularly encouraged that the Supreme Court’s opinion is apparently not limited to situations where a veteran served separate periods of service with a gap in between.”

This decision should allow all veterans who served enough time to earn both the Montgomery GI Bill and the Post-9/11 GI Bill to be entitled to use both GI Bill benefits in any order, up to the 48-month cap, as long as the benefits are not used concurrently. This is in direct contrast to how the Department of Veterans Affairs has administered the programs. 

Lyons Legacy has supported our veterans for many years and continues to offer programs approved for the use of Veteran’s Education Benefits. We are forever grateful for your service and hope this ruling allows additional veterans to pursue the educational path of their choice.

Additional Resources

Certification Class – Student Insights

We are always looking for new ways to share information about our program with our followers!  This past week Josh opened up his zoom meeting to the public to share some feedback from the students about their experience thus far in the Certification Program. This conversation is taken from the transcript of that zoom meeting from May 8, 2024.

Josh:  Alright, great. OK, we’re going to try something different with the zoom meeting. We’re actually up here in Colorado teaching class, so we thought it would be fun to open the meeting to the public. We’re going to let each student talk to you guys, kind of tell you their experience about their first two weeks and their unbroken horses and their emotions and what they’re going through. So what we’re gonna do is pass the iPad around and allow you guys also to ask them any questions you’d like as they share their stories.  

Hi guys. My name is Teresa Speer. I come from Missouri. I came here because I didn’t have training in Colt Starting. I have my degree in equine science and I knew that I enjoyed starting colts having started several of them. My friend Alicia, who’s here with me, she convinced me to come, which didn’t take much. Well, I got here and I’ve had many, many light bulb moments. I didn’t think once to start a colt on the ground with a bridle. I always started them with a halter, and that’s how I did my ground training. Once we started in with the bridle and got them softened up, got them moving off, you know we’ve done numerous things already in two weeks. Our first ride today was just short of amazing, just to see how supple they were, how soft, how easy it was and there was no fight. We did a lot, I mean, a LOT of groundwork. I know I calculated up this last three days 25 miles in the deep sand that we’ve done with the driving and ground work. And let me tell you, Josh has worked us and had us work those horses! It has been amazing just to see the process. There’s been a lot of emotions through everyone. It’s fun to watch everyone’s different horses and how they react and how to fix those horses because your horse may not have the same reaction as everyone else’s. It’s pretty cool seeing the different technique for the different horses and how to fix it and having that opportunity because your horse may be one way, another horse may be totally different. So, it’s been pretty cool to watch that and see those different changes and to watch the progression of everything. How short of time they can come along really is just neat. Does anybody have any questions? 

Zoom Guest:  
What type of bit did you use? 

Teresa:  
I started with mine in an O ring snaffle. We all start with the snaffle. 

I’m Liam. I’m from southwest Montana. I am a horse trainer, cowboy, sometimes hand model to pay the bills when cowboying doesn’t work and I work for a nonprofit called Heroes and Horses. If you’re ever looking to donate to veteran organizations, call us, ask about us later and we’ll let you know. Anyway, I brought a totally unbroke Mustang down here that just got out of the Oregon herd last year and it’s been sitting in my back pasture. He lost his mind the first like 2 days and today he was perfect, soft with me riding on top of him. So let’s say the novel or not novel, but the new thing that I’m learning here as opposed to my typical way of doing things is a way of sustained, controlled emotions for the horse. Being able to raise those emotions and then drop them down quickly. Usually, I just blow them up and then jump on them afterwards and I say that’s good enough. The things we’re doing here of sustained manipulation of the horses emotions is definitely paying dividends. I mean that horse, I couldn’t touch it two weeks ago and we were riding it today. So big, big, big improvement, definitely a testament of the efficacy of the program. 

Hey, guys. I’m Alisha. It’s nice to see some of you again. I know I saw some of you guys at some of the clinics last year. I did Accreditation last fall and I took my 10 year old mare. One of the things coming back to Certification class was trying to decide what horses I was going to take with me. So I brought my mare back again that went through Accreditation. It’s been kind of cool to see how all the groundwork and the ground driving, working on a lot of head control from the ground and a lot of stuff that we do in the saddle, but seeing it applied to the broke horses as well has been really helpful. We have 10 students here and each student brought two horses. You could bring a broke and an unbroke or you could bring 2 broke horses. I brought that mare of mine and then my unbroke that I brought is a 2 year old filly. I hadn’t saddled her or anything before we came. She’s been a lot of fun, been learning, really the importance of forward motion in training her. The coolest part has just been being able to see the same methods that are working on that 2 year old unbroke horse working with the other mustang that’s unbroken and Teresa’s three-year old that’s unbroke. Then also seeing it with the season broke horses and watching them get better. So if you guys are thinking about coming and you’re thinking like you might not have the right horses, I promise you do – just bring them and come!

Hey, I’m Paul and I’m from Bayfield, CO. What everybody said is absolutely true. I want to talk about the other benefit of being here – that you get to talk horses with nine other people that do different things with horses than you do, and there’s a whole lot that comes from that. Everybody here is trying to work together and to learn from each other and it’s absolutely amazing. The group that we have, I don’t know if they’re all like this, Josh, but this group is pretty awesome. We all get along. We all respect each other. We all work together. We all help each other. It’s a pretty amazing time. It’s a good facility. The instruction is great! I brought two young, green horses and I am amazed at what my little mare has done since I’ve been here. I’m absolutely dumbfounded and I did it! I don’t know what I’m doing but you know, Josh likes to say do this, do that and next thing I know the horse is doing what I asked him to do. It absolutely works, it definitely works. It’s a good time and I’m looking forward to the next two weeks for sure. You guys got any questions? You guys can ask me anything because, I mean, I’ll tell you! 

Zoom Guest:  
How old is your horse? 

Paul: 
I have one that’s three and one that’s four. 

Zoom Guest:  
OK. And this is the first time that you’re breaking both of them? 

Paul:
No, they were both green broke, had 30 rides at 30 days on them, and then I let them out to winter pasture, didn’t touch them at all. Didn’t put a saddle on them and brought them here as rough as I could possibly bring them.  

Zoom Guest: 
And now they’re all tacked up and ready to go?  

Paul: 
They’re awesome. I mean, absolutely stellar just the things they can do. Remember, we’re being taught and so it’s not like we didn’t spend the last two weeks just working on our horses. We’re watching, we’re learning, we’re learning techniques and but for the amount of hours that we’ve spent with these guys, it’s absolutely amazing the progress that they’ve made. It’s beyond my wildest dreams, sincerely and I have a little pack string that I run and I’m just amazed at the things I’m going to go home and do with those with what I’ve learned. 

Well, I’m from Michigan and I came to better my horsemanship and to learn how to break a colt. It’s been super fun for sure! We’ve had our struggles, definitely, and it’s so worth it. I highly recommend it. One of my favorite parts is probably just watching the horses grow. It’s so cool that I’m like learning with them. I’ve had so many light bulb moments since I came here! The horses I have, I brought a broke horse and am leasing an unbroke horse. I didn’t even know the unbroke before I came, and I already know her probably as much as I do my broke. It’s really cool to do all the exercises and learn so much with them. I love it so definitely glad I came. Also, at 12 years old, I’m the youngest person that’s ever attended the Lyons Legacy program and it’s really fun because I feel very included with everything. I know everyone’s a lot older than me but I I definitely appreciate that I’m included in everything and I’m learning just as much as they are. The first ride today was really cool, I loved it! 

Hi, I’m Lori Nelson. I’m from North Dakota and I’m just going to talk about Ava a little bit. She’s been amazing and she’s keeping up with all of us, so we’re really proud of what she’s doing. I came just wanting to fill in a lot of holes in my horse training and have learned so much. Josh is an amazing teacher. He answers all of our questions, goes through everything! I’ve had so many light bulb moments with both of my horses I brought too. I think Liam was talking about the emotional control and that was a big light bulb! Like bringing your horse up and then letting them come back down and finding the softness through the the release. Sometimes we have to put a lot of pressure on the horses and that was really huge for me. I have just learned a lot and it’s an amazing group of people. It’s fun to see the work ethic and the professionalism that everybody and Josh has. So I’d highly recommend it if you ever get a chance! 

Hi everyone, my name is Katie. I’m also from North Dakota. I came here with Lori. It’s been like everyone said, the group of people we have is amazing and it’s fun to watch everybody go through the journey. If you feel like you’re kind of in a tough spot when you look around everyone’s there and everyone’s willing to help you out. I’m a therapeutic riding instructor and we’ve been wanting to long line our horses for a long time because there’s a lot better movement and impulsion from the hind end, which is the therapeutic part of horses. So, I’m excited! I know that wasn’t an objective of this course, but it’s an added bonus that we’re going to go home and work on that with all of our horses, and it’s really going to help our humans that we help too. 

My name is James. I’m originally from out west here, but I did a military tour and live in Kentucky now. So, I had the opportunity to be able to come here and learn from Josh and the Lyons Legacy. I’ve known about these guys for many, many, many years and what I’ve been so intrigued by was on the performance side. I’ve grown up around horses but in my profession, I got away from them. I’m really interested in the performance side and being able to develop myself, even though I’m getting a little older in age. This particular program, with the colt starting, Josh has definitely got an answer for every problem, especially with this number of students, there’s always something that arises and he always has a solution through his method, and it’s tried and true! We’ve got a diversified group of folks in experience levels and definitely in horse levels. I brought two not finished horses, but they’re green broke horses. It’s helped them doing going back to the basics and bringing them back up. It’s definitely something you should look into if you get the chance and I feel honored just to be able to work with these guys, Josh, his boy, Troy, and the rest of the Legacy family. 

My name is Justyn. I’m from Syracuse, NY, and I came out here just because I was desperate for an opportunity. I’ve been working in barn management for four years and was just dying to do something to take the next step. I came out here and it’s been like I’m already planning what I want to do when I get back home. I’ve learned so much. I’m so excited! The amount of doors that I feel like are going to be opened for me is just remarkable.  

I’m Chance and I’m from the east Eastern Shore of Maryland. I’ve learned a ton here about stealing rides and kind of making sure there’s no holes. In the training with horses and stuff I’ve learned about reading the horses emotions a lot better and handling my own to correct them. 

Some of the things that are amazing about the class, and every class is different, but everybody always has the same common denominator. They have a love for horses. They have a desire to build a business or take their horsemanship to another level. The greatest thing about that is when a group of people get together with the same common goal. It’s pretty hard not to get along! Everybody asks, is every group like this? No, not necessarily,  every group is special, unique. With a group that’s important because one bad chain can really disrupt the class and we don’t have that in this group. It’s just a great group of people. All are willing to help, everybody’s willing to work and the work ethic is unbelievable. 

Rapid Rhythm

“Rapid Rhythm” is a nice all around 20 years young Quarter Horse gelding. He stands 15 hands high.
 
Strengths – very athletic, strong, great lead changes, rates well to the barrels, good for high number header, quiet and solid on the roping dummy.
 
Weaknesses- likes his buddies, will get hot easily. NOT for a novice rider or child. Prefers men. He would be better with hock injections and maintenance. Doesn’t enjoy being stalled unless he can see other horses.
 
Rapid grew up on the race track. He is fast with a long stride. Rapid has been worked in poles and ponies horses well. He is the same horse with or without time off with great strong feet. Can be barefoot or shod and is an easy keeper. He will go all day, has been ridden in the mountains a lot. 
 
Located in Rifle Colorado. Contact Michele Lenard 970-309-8838 for more information or to purchase.

Unique Opportunity to Learn with John Lyons

If working with John Lyons is on your bucket list – 2024 is your year!  John is offering several opportunities to experience his conditioned response training system first hand.  

Two Week Intensive in North Carolina

It’s not a clinic with 10 riders over 4 days and greatly varied rider levels. It’s an in-depth, detailed course in effectively changing your concepts in traditional training.  Spend one on one time with possibly one of the best creative thinkers in training.  This course will only accept three qualified riders to participate. Upon completion, you will receive a certificate of completion in recognition of your accomplishment!

The course starts on January 5, 2024. The cost is $10,000. Stalls are included. Bedding, feed and cleaning are not included. The course will be conducted out of Michael Lyons Horsemanship facility in Randleman, NC. Cabins are available at an additional charge of $750 for the two weeks.

CALL John Lyons directly at 970-366-2856 to inquire. Two spots currently open! 

Did you know the following?

-40 different performance related benefits come from the hind quarters

-7 come from the shoulders

-3 come from the head, neck and mouth

-The head and neck are like a Christmas tree ornament; no wrong place to hang it but never use it for directional control, speed control, or to increase speed.
 
-Suppling or giving to the bit always takes out performance
 
-Softening of the mouth using the mouth is counterproductive and looses performance
 
-The mouth is never the part of the horse that is pulling on the bit.
 
-100% of every maneuver we do with the horse should involve the hindquarters first. Legs to control the hindquarters are ineffective 80% of the time. Therefore we just give up on using or involving the hind quarters
 
-99% plus riders use only the nose and mouth to guide and control their horse.
 
-The rider should be riding an 11” horse not a ten foot horse.
-The tail of the horse will teach the horse directional control 100% better and 50 times faster than the mouth
 
-The difference between aids. What controls direction what controls speed and what happens when we miss use or mix them up. What does what?
 
-99.9% of all riders can not effectively control the elevation of the horse’s head at any or all speeds. Nor the hind quarters or shoulders.
 
-What is the formula for increasing and improving performance?
 
-Overuse of our aids leads to more lack of control.
 
-We can greatly simplify our cue system while making it far more effective and teaching the horse much faster.
 
-Never ride an unbroke horse always ride a performance horse. Never warm up a horse.
 
-Goals are never distance
 
-Effectively eliminating working on negative behaviors while strengthening the bond and relationship with the horse.
 
-How can I get my horse to love being with me?

All of the above will be covered in-depth during the two week training program. Your investment in your learning will be repaid 1000 times over. This is not a clinic, it is an individual special course opening up a complete change in your training.

John Lyons Clinic Opportunities

Lyons Legacy Latest – August 2023 Newsletter

The month of August has proven to be a nice change of pace for the Lyons Legacy team after spending June and July on the road.  The Josh Lyons Accreditation class started their program on August 7th at the lovely Mesa County Fairgrounds in Grand Junction, Colorado.  They will spend 4 weeks working personally with Josh, ultimately joining the family of Lyons Legacy Trainers!  Students hail from Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Missouri, Montana, and Ohio.  They are a fantastic group and we are looking forward to resuming class on Monday, September 4th.

We’d like to give a special shout out to all our host facilities for 2023:

Upcoming 3-Day clinics: Click Here

Upcoming 3-Day clinics: Click Here

Train for success – with THE BEST!

Josh and Johnny are looking to take on a few new training horses as soon as September.  One space open with Josh, two open with Johnny.  Horses receive approximately 4 hours of training per day and tons of exposure! Call Kristen at 615-379-1056 for more information.

 

 

 

 

Still accepting riders and auditors for the October clinics in Festus, MO! Click the picture to register, auditors can sign up by clicking here.

 

 

Ready to pursue a career with horses?  Join us in 2024 to earn your certification!  We are excited to announce our Arizona programs will be held at a private facility in San Tan Valley, AZ.  We are still taking applications for these upcoming classes:

Remember, only our Colorado campus classes are eligible to receive Veterans Education Benefits. Classes are limited to just 10 students – don’t delay, enroll today!

APPLY NOW

 

Fall Clinics with John Lyons

If riding with John Lyons is on your bucket list – here is your chance!  John will be conducting several clinics this fall and they are limited to just 9 riders.  As always, auditors can also attend and learn from the sidelines.  Cost for riders is $900, cost for auditors is $45 per day.  Shoulder, hip and head control made easy – so you enjoy riding and are safer as well.  Clinics run from 9am until 5pm and have an hour and a half lunch break.  Day one of the clinics always starts with a rider meeting on foot before getting horses out to ride. These events will be shared on the Josh Lyons/Lyons Legacy Facebook page and are as follows:

September 14 – 17, 2023Woodloch Stable, Hugo MN
Call Bill and Ingvill Ramberg to reserve riding spot at 651-796-8179  

September 28 – October 1, 2023Hardy Farms, Howell MI
Jolene Deyoung 810-569-4640
 info@hardysfarm.com 

October 5 – 8, 2023 – Copper Rise Ranch, Springport IN
Call Mike & Melinda Garrish
765-524-1383 to reserve a riding spot. melindagerrish@gmail.com 

October 12 -15, 2023Cook Forest Camp Grounds, Clarion PA
To reserve riding spots call John Lyons at 970-366-2856
To reserve camping and stalls call Ray and Terrie Smith 814-226-5985  

October 19 – 22, 2023Birchtown Stables, Forest City, PA
Michelle
Eccles host and John & Josh Lyons certified Trainer.  570-267-5918. Email meccles1027@hotmail.com. CLINIC IS FULL. Observers welcome $45 per day – contact the host for more information.  

November 2 – 5, 2023 – Long Island, NY
Sonny Garguilo Host, & Friend 516-790-8367
CLINIC IS FULL. O
bservers welcome. $45 per day – contact the host for more information.  

November 9 – 12, 2023 – Long Island, NY
Sonny Garguilo Host, & Friend 516-790-8367
CLINIC IS FULL. Observers welcome. $45 per day – contact the host for more information.

November 16 – 19, 2023Rose Hill Ranch, Naples, NY
Jack Minteer Host 585-506-7740. Email. Rosehillranch1@gmail.com 

Mustangs and Show Horses with Alyssa Dietrich

Whether it’s training a wild mustang from California or teaching new skills to a thoroughbred fresh off a Maryland racetrack, Alyssa Dietrich has turned her childhood love of horses into a very grownup career. At 27, she has also worked as a full-time EMT, but training horses and teaching others to show and ride is her true calling. Thanks to the John & Josh Lyons certification program, she’s able to do that.

“The certification program taught technique, but also how to set up a business,” Alyssa said. “Learning to deal with people and a business is 100 times more complicated than training the horses! I was looking for a good solid program that also offered me a good foundation for a business. There are plenty of training programs but none of the others I found touched on the business aspect.”

Alyssa rents a facility in New Freedom, Pa., near the Maryland border. “I ride and compete mainly hunter/jumpers which was very different from my classmates who all rode western, but I admired the sensitivity and responsiveness of Josh’s reining horses; I wanted that for my own horses and the horses I train,” she said.

She’s used the techniques learned at the Josh Lyons clinic to “gentle” wild Mustangs from California. The U.S. government pays to capture and move the mustangs to trainers like Alyssa who train them for the use of reins and saddles. She actually took a mustang to the Josh Lyons clinic, a mustang that was ‘fresh off the range.’

Alyssa also works with horses that used to race but are moving into their next phase. Many move to owners interested in a show horse, mainly in the English or Hunter Jumper realm. To do that takes some work. “These horses are used to crowd noise and they are trained to go, go, go! They need to be retrained to relax, to learn they don’t have to be running, running, running. They need to learn that it’s ok to stop, to walk – oh, and don’t bite me!”

Alyssa said she grew up in Maryland where English and Hunter Jumpers dominate and she continues to train in those areas. She stresses the foundations of all disciplines are the same – even western and ranch riding. They just branch off into different technical areas.
“I’ve loved horses since before I could walk,” she said. “With the Lyons program, I was looking for a gentler approach and a more natural horsemanship than I grew up with.”

 

Alyssa hopes to continue her work with horses, her training and show work along with hosting clinics.  You can find more information on Facebook about Face Up Training & Colt Starting.

Straight Talk from Students – The Accreditation Program

Troy Chappell and April Scarbrough are classmates in Josh Lyons’ accreditation program. But that’s not all they have in common.

Both have had successful careers in the past – Troy as a farmer in North Dakota, April as an active duty Marine – and both now hope to start a new career training horses and helping others in the process.

“I’ve downsized and I figured I’d retire and do something I enjoy,” Troy said. “As a farmer I had horses and I’ve done tons and tons of trail riding but as I age I want to do more than just ride – I want to teach.”

Troy, 59, said he’s helped people in the past, privately, but never as a business. That’s what he wants to change with Lyons’ help.

“This program is just the best,” he said. “Josh makes you feel like family – there’s no pressure. He really helps you tune in to what you want to do.”

One technique that sticks with him is a technique that helps the horse – and rider – let go of unwanted stress. He describes taking the horse in slow, small circles and then slowly increasing speed and moving in bigger circles.

“It raises their emotions up and down … it helps to control the horse’s emotions,” he said. “There are tons of exercises to control parts of the horse’s body – it’s kind of complex, but we break it down and put it together.

“I’m just here to better myself,” Troy said. “A horse is never really finished, and as a horseman, you never stop learning – it’s kind of a lifelong thing.”

The accreditation program is a four-week, hands on course. Trainers learn to control every aspect of a horse’s performance. The program offers targeted training techniques aimed at training higher level horses and riders.

These students say the program is about the horse, but it’s about the trainer too. They say no horseman – or horse woman – is the same – you take what works for you and leave the rest.

April retired from the marines a over a year ago. At 43, she hopes to become an equine therapeutic riding instructor.

“I looked at the qualifications for an equine therapeutic riding instructor and I realized my riding was lacking,” she said. “My brother had horses and I rode as a little girl – trail rides and wagons. As an adult I tried barrel racing and also practiced dressage. But I knew I wanted to learn more.”

She knew early on the Lyons program was different.

“I’ve learned more in two weeks than I did in all the years before,” she said. “There are definitely differing skill levels, but there’s no judgement here. I’m the least experienced but it’s no big deal.”

April wants to team up with a non-profit to help treat women suffering from trauma, specifically military sexual trauma, which refers to experiences of sexual assault or sexual harassment that a Veteran experiences during military service.

“The VA has counseling and therapy but no specific activity to get them off the couch and out of their heads.”

She also pointed to the Lyons organizations use of the GI Bill® Benefits as another factor that drew her to the Lyons program.

These benefits help qualified veterans pay for college, graduate school or training programs.

“I’ve been very grateful for that,” she said.

Are You Bridling Your Horse Correctly?

In this Certification class we took a few minutes learning a simple way to properly  bridle the horse.

It is important to not hit their teeth with the bit or to force it into their mouth, especially when introducing the bridle. Take your time! Let them slowly spit the bit out when taking the bridle off.

Remember, most bad bridling habits come from rushing the process or hitting their teeth with the bit!

Adding A Pre-Cue To The Back-up

“Adding pre-cues to backing your horse off your seat.”

Here’s a peek into classroom time during one of our 5 Day Trainers Clinics.

Be sure to check out or 2021 schedule for our upcoming clinics near you!

https://www.joshlyons.com/events/

For those of you who prefer to stay at home to learn and train at your own pace, our step-by-step Online Training Courses and weekly Zoom meetings with Josh are absolutely perfect!

https://lyons-online.mykajabi.com/

The Outside Horse

You are always riding two horses: The inside horse and the outside horse.

“Everything on the left side of the horse’s mane is controlled by your left hand, left leg, left seat. Everything on the right side of the mane is controlled by right hand, right leg, right seat.”

Cueing Your Horse

 

We cue our horses to do the things we want them to do, (to go forward, to go left, to go right, to change gaits, to change direction, speed transitions, to back up, etc.) but cueing them out of it is just as IMPORTANT.

Give them the responsibility of doing what you asked, until you tell them to stop.

What we don’t want is to tell them to do something and hold them there, constantly helping them do their job. it’s easy to micromanage and over-cue. Give them a job, tell them to do it and KEEP DOING the job until you tell them to stop.