Violante(Nancy) has instructed myself and my lady Mistrss Kerij-e in classical riding for the past eight years. She is a sensible, but firm taskmistress. She is the first instructor that was able to put dressage and classical riding terms into words that we could understand and act upon. She is a passionate advocate for the relationship of horse and rider and considers herself successful when the two become communicating partners. In the time she has been in the SCA, she has trained at least three horses to the SCA games including HL Francesca's (current kingdom equestrian champion) Noelle, and Kerij-e's beloved and stalwart Gigi. She has been instrumental in helping me train two horses for the games, including one that was literally insane. I rode both Moon and Bourdain to win their respective Emprises of the Black Lion. Riding with her, you will be in good hands, but be prepared to work. Your servant, Viscount Rapheal the Rogue, KSCA, OL 

Issaquah, Washington

I first met Nancy O'Neill about six years ago when she came to give a clinic at the barn I boarded at on Vancouver Island. She didn't bat an eye at teaching a larger rider or a larger draft horse. She brought an infectious enthusiasm to her lessons, and I was sorry when she left. When I moved to the Fraser Valley, I began looking for Nancy. It took four years, but our paths crossed again. I began lessons with her and her beloved Bella, and soon I began regular lessons on my own horse. The progress my horse and I have made is unbelievable to me. Nancy has taken us much further than I ever thought we could go. And she is encouraging us to extend ourselves even more.

Mission, BC

Nancy has been my riding instructor for about a year now , I moved here from Alberta and was looking for a place to ride and came across Myra Canyon Ranch. I was not a very skilled rider at first when it comes to technique and Nancy taught me so many ways all the way down to properly sitting on a horse and using my abs and back rather then to rely on the stirrups for balance. She started me on a saddle pad, so I wouldn't rely on the saddle to keep me on the horse, I thought it was crazy but now when I'm riding and get in tricky situations I don't even think anymore about falling off because of those simple things with not using stirrups or a saddle I know what position I need to be in when anything happens . Nancy is such an amazing instructor and person to me. She has showed me how to really become connected with a horse. Now this year she's asked me to be a guide with her for the trail rides . I didn't think I could ever make it this far !

Kelowna, BC