Top Ten Reasons to Train with Kelly
1. I start horses, I don’t break them. There is a difference. Starting a horse entails that you build a basis of rapport and trust. You never strip him of his dignity.
2. I fix broken horses…horses that have been in a pressure cooker way too long and have lost all confidence.
3. Most trainers focus on dressage, jumping, i.e. a discipline. I develop horses by giving them a firm, confident foundation so they are READY to be a happy dressage, jumping or ___________ horse!
4. Open door policy. There are no “visiting hours.” You have 24 hour access to your horse.
5. You won’t get a horse back that you don’t know what to do with…..owners are involved. Kelly works with owners and their horses together so they are on the same page when they get home!
6. Horses teach and help humans…if your confidence was broken, I have horses that can help build your confidence until you are ready to work with your horse!
7. Unlimited possibilities… Looking Glass Farm is equipped with round pens, arena, obstacle course, a cross country/playground complete with a beginner water complex, bank, ditch, coop, natural and stadium fences.
8. Horses are not cooped up in stalls. All horses have 24 hour turnout with loafing sheds, and go out with small herds.
9. Miles of trails…the farm opens up to miles of possibilities- you can ride for hours and never see another horse or person!
10. Field Trips!!! I take the horses AND their humans on field trips to Hitchcock and other amazing trail heads, cross country courses, fox hunting, sorting cows, obstacle courses and many other activities that Aiken has to offer.
Nineteen years ago, I was getting ready to load my TB gelding, George, into a trailer and go about my way to a jumping lesson. I never got there. While I was in the house, I heard a loud screech. I ran outside and found George shaking in the corner of his paddock. I had no idea what had happened. I then looked towards his shelter and saw that the shelter wasn’t there.
In Texas, we have these little mini tornados called Dust Devils that randomly pop up and carry things away. It happened to touch down on George’s run-in shed…while he was in it. I didn’t think much of it and proceeded to get him out of the pasture and walk him towards the trailer. He stopped right outside the gate of his paddock and would not go forward. He had seen the trailer. After what seemed like hours of trying to drag him into the trailer with the help of lots of well intending people, he started rearing and becoming aggressive. I gave up. I put him back in his paddock, realizing that I would probably never leave the farm. Our eventing career was over. We would live here the rest of our lives.
After a week of trying to bribe him into the trailer, someone from the neighboring barn took pity on me and asked if I would like some help. I was desperate- of course I did! A few days later, a student of Parelli Natural Horsemanship came to my aid. Within minutes my horse was going into the trailer- with a rope halter on….and she was waving this orange stick at him. I couldn’t believe it. Hours and hours of trying to drag him in that trailer, and he went in just like that!
I asked her to please teach me how she did this. She said she would be happy to, would not take any money for her help since she herself was a student, then let me know when she could come back to help. Every lesson I had ever taken before this was a riding lesson. I had never even thought that it was necessary to learn ground skills. At this point, I was showing at the Preliminary level in eventing. I thought I knew a lot about horses. I knew a lot about riding and staying on a horse, but I didn’t understand anything really about training them first on the ground, reading them, and truly understanding them.
Fast two years later…I was studying under Linda and Pat Parelli, going on tour with them, and having a relationship that I really never thought was possible with my horse. I became an instructor in 2005. I still had dreams of eventing again, but I was full time on the road as a three star clinician as well as the lead trainer at the Biltmore Estate.
In 2008, I bought my own farm outside of Wagener, which I named Looking Glass Farm. I continued teaching as a Parelli Instructor and traveling full time. Twelve years later, I am teaching Natural Horsemanship from my farm, locally, as well as nationally and internationally.
I am constantly seeking out new experiences and ways to develop my knowledge base. I gained a certification in Rider Biomechanics 8 years ago as well as training in Large Animal Rescue. Three years ago, I became certified as an aerial yoga instructor. I love keeping in shape and yoga is such an amazing modality to strengthen my riding position as well as my energy around my horses.
I travel to Spain and Portugal twice a year to work with Dressage and Working Equitation Masters. I love taking my clients on these adventures with me!
I keep growing locally by taking lessons locally from Dressage and Eventing instructors. I stay active in the community by running the Volunteer program at Sporting Days, volunteering myself at other local events, and eventing again!
Video Coaching
I know that not everyone can send their horse into training with me, and I might not live near you to help you in my lesson program, so I am now starting a video coaching piece to my program!
What does this mean?
That is $105 for three personalized videos 🙂