Thanks for visiting my page and giving me this opportunity to share my story with you. I have been a horse lover for as long as I can remember. I was not born into a “horse family” so I had to get my fix any way I could. That included the annual family trail ride on the rental string, 2 glorious weeks of sleep away horse camp in the summer, sneaking off with my cousin to trail ride at her friend’s place whenever I was out to visit and my favorite activity of all, the Charity Fair Horse Show at the Iowa State Fair every summer with my grandparents. I read every book I could get my hands on and collected all manner of model horses. My friends and I didn’t play dolls, we played horse families. I made macramé plant hangers and pot holders that I sold to the neighbors and kept the money in a little box marked “Horse Fund.” For my 12th birthday I asked all my friends to buy me horse brushes, hoof picks… and all the supplies I would need for my horse. My parents were a little surprised as I sat opening my presents up but my determination paid off and later that year I got a horse. A real live horse, not a stuffed animal or model horse or poster of a horse but a living and breathing and eating and pooping horse! Finally, a horse of my own and I didn’t have a clue!
That’s when the greatest journey of my life began. I met horse people who taught me about horses and trained me how to show them. I was hooked before I ever set foot in the ring. Luckily my mom was a horse lover too and she drove me every week 45 minutes away and waited while I cleaned 16 stalls and then took a riding lesson. She still loves to watch trainers work their horses. Well one day she up and bought me a Morgan show horse of my own and on the way home said, “Don’t tell your dad.” I guess the cat’s out of the bag now.
I started going to horse shows every weekend in the summers. I was in heaven. Soon I started going to the breed shows and we got a trainer and better show horses. I even took my horse with me to William Woods College where I minored in Equestrian Science and then moved to Southern California and got a real job. It took me 5 years to finally land a job where I could move my horse to California with me but when I did we had almost 2 decades of riding the spectacular trails in Southern California. That mare, Lovey, was my horse of a lifetime. She was my really good show horse, she went to college with me, moved halfway across the country with me and then was the doting babysitter for my young daughter.
Once my daughter was born, I left the corporate life behind and began giving riding lessons and working for a local trainer. It was ideal I worked a part time schedule and could bring my daughter to the barn with me when I needed to or wanted to. After my daughter got a little older I decided to partner with Gerry Rushton Stables in Perris, CA and start a satellite training barn and lesson program in the San Fernando Valley area just north of Los Angeles. I have been running that location since 2015 and we have a busy lesson program and a nice group of show riders. I personally love introducing people to horses, especially my beloved Morgans and Saddlebreds but we don’t discriminate and love all horses and ponies equally. I am continually fascinated by the wide variety of ways that people enjoy their horses. Once of the best things about working out of a public stable is how many breeds and disciplines I am exposed to and being able to spend quality time with good horsemen.
Find Your Passion
Riding is a lifelong process that helps develop critical thinking skills, builds resilience, empathy and fosters teamwork..
Spending time outdoors with your horse is a great way to let the stress of your week melt away as your heart rate syncs up with your horse’s.
As soon as you start spending time with horses you realize that you are a part of something bigger than yourself; your horse depends on you and he can take you to places you never dreamed possible.
Rushton Stables, LA 