My journey in Horsemanship

 

        My horsemanship journey began before I can remember.  As a child I was convinced that I was a unicorn,  then reality set in and I quickly replaced my unicorn obsession with a horse obsession.   In a desperate hope to force me to walk on two legs in stead of four,  my parents enrolled me in a riding lesson program at a local barn when I was 11.  I rode huntseat all through high school until I moved to Savannah, Georgia.  After graduation I went  to college still looking for a way to keep horses in my life.  My freshman year I was blessed to be a charter member of the Georgia Southern Equestrian Team (GSUET).  I served as the Secretary for the first two years and as the President the next two.   That kept the dream alive for me and my team mates through the first fragile years of GSUET existence.  The team started with three riders and eventually grew to 19 during my presidency. It was during that time that I started my study of dressage Under the direction of  the team coach, Christine Manka.  I competed successfully for four years at the intermediate level on the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) circuit.  As an alumni I qualified for nationals in western stock seat and reining

 Team photo 1996.  I am on the center row right side on the end.pattern and finished third and forth respectively in 1998. In 1997 I graduated with a B.S. in biology.   GSUET is still together and competing under there current coachTest, Eleanor Ellis at Evermore farm.

        During those college years in the saddle, I trained and competed western pleasure on the Bulloch Horseman's Association circuit for a local retired farmer Bennie Earl Deal as well as taught local kids how to ride.  To this day, I am indebted to Bennie Earl for his generosity in permitting me to learn and experiment with his horses on his stud farm.  It was there that my hours in the saddle really started to add up.  I gained experience working with Studs and learned about running a stud farm.  I also had the opportunity to work with the weanlings

and yearlings and do some coltCollege friend Jodi, Benny Earl Deal and myself. starting.

        Post college I took a couple of years off and worked in the real world at Rayonier Pulp and Paper Research Facility in Jessup, GA.  In 2000 I Married Fitz Moles, and moved to Columbus, MS.  In Mississippi again I was blessed to meet my close friend, Joyce Brown.  We were introduced by a mutual friend  that knew  we both loved horses.  Joyce is the owner of the grey Arab mare shown in some of the pictures on this site.  I rode Joyce's mare for pleasure during my stay in Columbus.  It was Joyce's Idea to attend a Parelli tour stop in the fall of 2001.  This was the first major mile stone in my horsemanship journey.   At this event that I realized why my horsemanship had  plateaued.  This unlocked so many mysteries for me and showed me how to achieve the partnership and connection with my horse that I always wanted.  It was here that I sJoyce Brown and I in my Mississippi home.tarted my Parelli journey and Joyce's mare, Cammie, helped me

hone my skills and achieve my level 1 and 2.   Eventually, as the economy declined, I was laid off of my part-time employment.  This gave me an opportunity to go back to teaching and training horses and I have been doing so ever since.

        I Currently reside in Woodstock GA. and Have passed both my Level 1 and 2 in the Parelli  journey and am currently accessing my level 3.  I have attended several clinics under Parelli instructors Sam Beachboard, and Amy Brimhall.   I attended a 2 six week studies in Ocala, FL. at the Parelli International Study Center in the spring of 2006 and spring 2007.   Most recently I have mentored with renowned natural horseman and clinician Don Knapp.

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