Savannah
I started riding in 2008 and began teaching as an assistant instructor in 2018. Southern Equine Performance, LLC began in 2019 offering “Pony Parties,” and I officially took over the lesson program at Ridgeview Farm, Longhorn S Arena in 2022. At this time, Southern Equine Performance, LLC transitioned into a lesson program that offers equine enthusiasts a chance to become part of the horse world by starting out (or restarting!) on safe, slow horses who have taught generations of riders. My goal is to offer my students access to the confidence, knowledge, and intuition they need to become successful horsemen and owners.
Over the years, I have been fortunate enough to be involved in a number of western riding disciplines, including: Speed Events, Roping, Showmanship, Pleasure, Horsemanship, Ground Handling, Ranch Riding, Sorting, and Trail. Above all, my favorite things to do are groundwork and starting colts. There’s nothing quite as satisfying as watching them learn and work their way through challenges that seem small to us, but are huge leaps for them!
Starting beginner riders and coaching intermediate through advanced riders has been a skill that I have been developing over the last six years; from young children to adults. It really makes you think about and appreciate the little things! Not only do you learn a lot about yourself (and patience! Lol), but breaking down all of the cues and explaining it in a way that makes sense to riders of varying ages, learning styles, and knowledge levels takes a lot of thought and practice. It also helps you to better understand the horses’ thought processes, responses, and behaviors.
One major realization I have had is that training horses is, in all reality, not much different than coaching riders. Comparing riders to horses sounds offensive at the first take, but really—developing muscle, coordination, communication, timing, etc. all stems from CORRECT and CONSISTENT repetition. Taking baby steps to create miles of progress takes GOOD and CONSISTENT practice. You will NOT become a great rider or develop a great horse without those things. You may go weeks or months and feel like you haven’t accomplished much; but then, the inevitable happens: a breakthrough. And suddenly, all of the “little” things you have been working on come together and makes sense.
If you haven’t heard the saying, “Prepare the child for the road, not the road for the child,” I encourage you to take a moment to really think about it! I know when I first started out, I wanted to “helicopter” my students; i.e. do everything for them or correct them about everything. What I’ve learned over my time of instructing riders is that it is best to give them the information they need, give them the opportunity to apply it, and then discuss what we aimed for versus what actually happened and what we can do better. Learning through experiences is SO important and gives us the opportunity to accept responsibility and failure, but also SUCCESS. We retain information so much better when we learn through experience than when everything is done for us! If you’re a horse owner reading this, take a second to apply this same quote with your horse in mind.
One thing that I spent hours upon hours of time on this last summer was my Riding and Barn&Safety Skills Levels. There are many sources out there that already cover this topic, but not quite in the way I wanted to do it. My goal is to create trainers—not riders. I want my students to understand the “Why” just as much as the “How.” I strive to create well-rounded riders who can adjust to ride any horse they mount, and also be knowledgable enough to own and train their own horse independently.
If you are interested in learning more about my riding program and skills levels, send me a text at (352) 221-3194! I’d love to work with you to set you or your child up for success, starting with a solid foundation!
Experience and Education
17 years of Riding Experience
- Speed Events, Roping, Sorting, Horsemanship, Trail, & Ranch Riding
- Tune-ups & Restarting
- Colt Starting
7 years of Coaching Experience
- University of Florida Western Team Coach 2023-2024
- For both recreational riders and those who want to show
- Experience working with ages 2+
- Reintroducing riders with poor past experiences and building confidence
University of Florida 2021-2023
- B.S. in Animal Science with an Equine Specialization
- UF Western Team Rider
- Interned with pleasure trainer Jenny Baker in Reddick, Florida
College of Central Florida 2018-2021
- A.A. in Animal Science
- A.S. in Equine Studies with a focus in Business
- Interned at Wichita Riding Academy in Wichita, KS
2023 IHSA Semi-Finals
Team Ranch Riding