Meet Stephanie...

Unlike many equine professionals, I did not grow up with horses... I am not a natural... I was not born in the saddle...

But I got there as fast as I could!

When I was ten, my cowboy godfather gifted me my first horse.

I immediately found that my dream of what owning a horse should be like didn't match the reality.

My first horse was a green-broke Arabian-Warmblood cross who made me realize that just because I loved him deeply, didn't automatically earn me his love in return.      But why?? 

I fumbled through my relationship with my horse until my passion was almost extinguished. I was bucked off, kicked, bitten, ran over, ran away with, and dragged so many times that the barn owners were beginning to worry about whether I'd even survive long enough for me to realize that
... I was the problem.

My timid approach of trying to love him and bribe him resulted in him continuing to walk all over me and pull me around.
My cowboy godfather's aggressive approach resulted in him being fearful and returning that aggression back to me.

All I wanted was for my horse to want to be with me
as much as I wanted to be with him.

As a last ditch effort before selling my horse and running away from my dream-turned-nightmare, I enrolled in a natural horsemanship clinic. This clinic taught me that I could be assertive, but not aggressive. I could be firm, but fair. I could be loving, but not a pushover. And that if I wanted to connect with my horse, I needed to learn to speak his language. After that clinic, I dove headfirst into my efforts to become a master horsewoman. Within a few years I had adopted my first Mustang and was riding her bareback and bridleless in demonstrations to promote the Mustang. 

I continued to attend every clinic I could, apprenticing with this mentor for a decade, and developing my skills with horses and instructing others. My unbridled passion for horses has shaped my life in so many ways and now I dedicate my life to helping others find the answers they need to attain their dreams with horses. 

We all just want that magical connection with horses that we have dreamed about since childhood, or developed in adulthood. I'm here to tell you ... it's 100% possible. 

My journey with Mustangs

I may have lucked into my early involvement with Mustangs as I grew up in Wild Horse Country... but since adoption my first Mustang in 2007, I've deliberately dedicated my life to them.

Mustangs are highly intuitive and tend to be more sensitive to our "unconscious" cues than domestic horses. In order to connect with a Mustang, you must be able to listen to their subtle language and respect their unique experience. There is nothing quite as beautiful as the feeling of trust and partnership with a once wild horse.

Mustangs need our help in so many ways... from advocacy, to on-range management, to training, adoption, and promotion.

I have expanded my passion for saving Mustangs into a career while I served as the Head Trainer and Equine Manager at the Great Escape Mustang Sanctuary for over 4 years as well as the Executive Director.

I have had the privilege to draw knowledge and share experiences with hundreds of Mustangs over the years and the lessons I've learned while rehabbing the "untrainable" Mustangs have grown my horsemanship immeasurably.