My intrigue for horses started at age 8 when a neighbor moved in behind us and rode her horse down the hill to introduce herself. I was immediately captivated and wanted to know everything I could about horses. After lots of begging to my parents, we struck a deal with my neighbor where my sister and I would help do chores in exchange for riding lessons. I took to it immediately and started spending all of my free time riding and working with any horse she would let me. In my 8th grade year I saved enough to buy my own horse—an unstarted 2-year-old for the hefty sum of $400—and so began my training journey.

After high school, I took a hiatus from horses and worked odd jobs, but couldn’t kick the horse bug. So, in 2016, my husband and I made the move to Texas with the goal of getting back into horses. I sought out any opportunity I could to work with them, which lead to a job working on a small farm that raised Warmbloods, a role at Graff Ranch managing broodmares and foals, and a job at a cattle feedlot. At the cattle feedlot, I was exposed to the working ranch horse and was immediately hooked. There is no greater feeling than accomplishing a hard job with a good horse, and my mind was suddenly opened to the possibilities that a great partnership with a horse could bring.

From then on, I became interested not just in riding, but the actual training and development of horses, and wanted to know more. I became a student with England’s Versatile Horsemanship, which led to the adoption of my Mustang, Adaira—a Tip Mustang trained by Aaron & Riva England. With their mentorship, I was also able to develop Adaira into a riding horse, and began apprenticing for them and honing my skills as a colt-starter. I additionally assisted in the management of their training facility, and worked extensively with their line of training horses.

Wanting to continue my education, I made the move to Wisconsin where I took an internship with Ryan Rose, which later became a job as an Assistant Trainer for a year. This was a huge turning point for me in my career, as I got exposed to a huge variety of horses from all disciplines, as well as some great horseman and horsewomen in the industry. This also afforded me the opportunity to grow and explore horsemanship through all of the different modalities—I was able to start colts, work with problem horses, ride finished horses, assist at clinics, lesson with some of the greats ,and dabble in competing. I learned the value of “meeting the horse where they’re at” creating a “connection” to your idea, and being willing to adapt in every situation—versus just going through the motions with a horse and expecting them to all fit into the same mold.

I believe horsemanship is an infinite journey where we are continously in pursuit of that perfect balance with our equine partners. This kind of harmony all begins with a quality foundation, which is why I find colt-starting & foundation training so rewarding and valuable. Knowing that this development can set a horse up for a bright & successful future—regardless of discipline—inspires me to get better every day.