RIDING EXPERIENCE

SANBORN WESTERN CAMPS, FLORISSANT, CO–2009-2011

Sanborn Western Camps is a summer camp for girls and boys ages 7 to 25, located among 6,000 acres on a working cattle ranch.  The equine program is rated among the 10 best summer camp riding programs in the United States.  As Head Wrangler, I worked year-round, worked project horses throughout the wintertime, and continued to ride these horses into the summer until they were ready for campers.  Below is a brief listing of my riding experience at Sanborn.

• Western Trail Guide
• Riding green broke horses; training Grade and Quarter Horses to be ready to carry campers & inexperienced riders
• Barrel Racing, Pole Bending inter-camp competitions
• Competent in round pen work—trained in Natural Horsemanship methods, both ground work and under saddle
• Design & execute Drill Team patterns with up to 14 riders
• Comfortable riding and leading rides through rough terrain, water
• Led 5-day pack horse trips through the Colorado Backcountry
• Daily round up of a herd of 60 horses
• Occasional cattle roundup

CHESTNUT LANE FARM, MONROE, NC–2004

Chestnut Lane is a class A show barn, housing 25 American Saddlebred horses.  The trainer, John Whalen, drew a lot of his approach to horsemanship from his Dressage background: I learned a lot about patience and a gentile approach from John.

• Exercised and fine-tuned my string of 8 lesson horses for my Saddle Seat riding students
• Ground driving and working horses in a jog cart

WILLIAM WOODS UNIVERSITY, FULTON, MO–2003-2004

I attended William Woods University’s Equestrian Science program in the Saddle Seat concentration for one year, where I attended clinics, rode daily, showed, and taught others to ride, under the instruction of Gayle Lampe.  Below is a listing of my riding experience at William Woods.

• Rode various American Saddlebred horses daily
• Worked horses in a jog cart
• Attended clinics by local Saddle Seat instructors
• Attended ROLEX as a spectator

NORTHERN TRADITION FARM, MINOOKA, IL–2002-2003

Northern Tradition is a class A show barn, housing over 40 American Saddlebred horses.

• Exercised and fine-tuned lesson horses to keep them in shape for clients
• “Catch-rode” horses to qualify them for championship level competitions—most notably 2^nd place in Show Pleasure at the Midwest Signature Horse Show

RESIDENTIAL FARMETTE, MINOOKA, IL–2000-2003

Throughout High School, I was the primary caretaker of an American Saddlebred, an Arabian, an ex-Standardbred Racehorse, and a Shetland pony at our 5-acre farmette in Minooka, IL.  My younger sisters and I showed at local, 4-H, and FFA shows out of our trailer.  I rode my ex-racehorse and trained her under western saddle for western pleasure, and showed my Saddlebred at local shows but mostly rode her bareback around our small acreage.

• Saddle Seat pleasure and equitation
• Western pleasure
• Grand Champion 4-H English Equitation
• High Point Kane County Fair
• 1^st Place and Grand Champion FFA English Pleasure

HUNTOON STABLES, AURORA, IL–1993-2000

Huntoon Stables is a family owned and operated Saddle Seat lesson barn, where I “grew up” on horseback.  Their approach is work-based—we took care of our horses for hours before and after the lesson.  The horses are all school horses—not in training—and we showed these lesson horses at the B-level and at one A-level show per year, where we were out-horsed but held our own.  A family oriented barn, Huntoons explored the diversity of the American Saddlebred horse—we had stable shows with costume classes, trail rides, obstacle courses, drill teams, and more.  Below is a brief listing of my riding experience at Huntoon Stables.

• Formal Saddle Seat horseback riding lessons two days per week from age 8 to 16
• Showed up to four times per year at the B level in Pleasure and Equitation—most notably, received 2^nd place at the American Saddlebred National Pleasure Horse Show (an A show) in the Pleasure category and placed top ten in the Pleasure Equitation Olympics; also, Champion in Country Pleasure at IASPHA horse show among many other shows and placings
• Competed in Schooling Shows at Huntoon Stables and was High Point champion for consecutive years
• “Finished” green broke American Saddlebreds, Morgans and Arabians for the lesson program at Huntoon Stables

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

SANBORN WESTERN CAMPS, FLORISSANT, CO–2009-2011

• Head Wrangler—train incoming Wranglers (some with limited horse experience) how to ride and how to teach others to ride western
• Teach basic fundamentals to all Camp Counselors so they can be competent and helpful when the kids come down to the barn
• Lead arena lessons—technical western riding skills
• Teach grooming and tacking up
• Western Trail Guide—half day or all day rides of up to 15 riders ages 7-25
• Guide overnight pack trips for up to 5 days
• Lead the Community Out Reach Experience (CORE), a week-long coed technical arena riding program which prepares campers to compete in the gymkhana and improves hands, feet, seat and balance at the walk, jog and lope, while combining the experience with community service projects throughout the week
• Led the Sanborn Outdoor Leadership Experience (SOLE), a week-long coed horsemanship and trail competence program which gives campers the opportunity to learn to plan and lead their own pack horse trip—packing a pack horse, tying a high line, hobbling and hawking, and all elements of leading a pack trip

CHESTNUT LANE FARM, MONROE, NC–2004

• Organized a beginners Summer Riding Program
• Organized and ran two week-long summer day camps
• Taught daily hour-long Saddle Seat riding lessons
• Managed a string of 8 school horses

WILLIAM WOODS UNIVERSITY, FULTON, MO–2003-2004

• Taught informal lessons to peers in the riding program
• Taught at-risk youth in a work exchange program to ride horses

NORTHERN TRADITION FARM, MINOOKA, IL–2002-2003

• Taught hour-long Saddle Seat riding lessons to the beginning riders at Northern Tradition Farm twice per week

 

HUNTOON STABLES, AURORA, IL –1993-2000

• Taught Saddle Seat riding lessons in the Park District Program once per week
• Taught younger riders how to groom and tack their horses
• Helped with Girl Scout outings and Birthday Parties at the barn

 

WORK EXPERIENCE

SANBORN WESTERN CAMPS, FLORISSANT, CO–2009-2011

• Manage herd of 60 horses—tack, meds, feed, feet, turnout, ride scheduling, morale
• Fence maintenance on 6,000 acres
• Stall and turnout mucking
• Organize large scale events catered to kids: horse shows, gymkhana
• Work with cattle—shots, meds, branding, tagging, worming
• Competent medical care

CHESTNUT LANE FARM, MONROE, NC–2004

• Groomed client horses before and after lessons
• Mucked 25 stalls daily
• Prepared horses and put riders in the ring at A shows throughout the East Coast Saddle Seat Show Circuit

NORTHERN TRADITION FARM, MINOOKA, IL–2002-2003

• Mucked 40 stalls daily
• Groomed, worked and cared for my string of show horses
• Prepared horses and put riders in the ring at A shows throughout the Midwest, including the World’s Grand Championship Horse Show in Lexington, KY

RESIDENTIAL FARMETTE, MINOOKA, IL–2000-2003

• Daily stall mucking and manure disposal
• Barn maintenance
• Scheduling hay delivery, hoof care, vet care and other horse needs

HUNTOON STABLES, AURORA, IL–1993-2000

• Fed and watered 30 horses every Saturday
• Helped tack for younger riders
• General barn cleanup