A happy place to be to learn about happy horses

Tall Willow Equine is a quiet and peaceful place, ideal for concentrating on learning about horses.  Two small, fenced arenas are well suited for the horse enthusiast getting to know horses for the first time, or for the rider who is returning to horses after a long hiatus.  When the rider has improved in ability (balance, connection, control, rhythm, feel, self-confidence), two large, outdoor dressage courts are available for lessons.  The barn offers amenities to keep horses, as well as people happy:  bathroom, running water, coffee, tea etc.

Three happy horses live at Tall Willow Equine:  Charlotte, Charles and River.  They will be your teachers.  Horses are excellent educators and they will teach you a lot.  Including me with this trio, we make up a teaching staff of four. 

These lovelies have a team of experts and professionals I call upon to make sure they are well cared for.  They are never overworked, and are up-to-date on vaccinations, de-worming, dentistry, hoof care, etc.

Come meet the horses, tour the facility, ask questions, and see if what we have to offer here at Tall Willow Equine is what you are looking for.

I was horse-crazy from the get-go but my involvement with them began with a pony named Jinx when I was eight.  Ever since then I have been a student of the horse, always striving to improve my understanding of them and I am continually amazed at what wonderful teachers they are. 

While attending university I managed a 20-stall barn and was a groom on the A-show jumping circuit.  I was involved with everything from cleaning stalls to lunging and exercising horses, grooming, tacking up, cooling out, riding and jumping.  I gained experience handling horses of all ages and levels of education from foals just beginning their education to geriatric school horses living the good life of retirement, to the barn's stallion we nick-named "Baby Huey".

After graduating college a wonderful Appendix Quarter Horse came into my life.  Ajax was an untrained 3-year old gelding who had lived the first three years of his life with one other horse and numerous cows on many, many acres in northeast Texas.  He was an expert at being a horse but knew nothing about interacting with humans or how to carry them on his back.  I learned a great deal from this wonderful horse, especially the gift of patience. Together we got involved with Endurance Riding at Limited Distance (25 miles). He even won "Best Conditioned Horse" one year  He was a big part of my life and I rode him up until his death from old age at 29.

Endurance riding was fun but then I discovered dressage and was hooked.  I rode a chestnut mare named Lady in a dressage competition.  We placed first at our test level.  The blue ribbon was nice but the real prize for me since then has been discovering more and more how the basic classical principles of dressage when ridden correctly benefit and improve the horse.   I have been at it ever since, continually learning and looking for the blue ribbon in every ride, celebrating each new success as the horse progresses in its education.   My added passion is to introduce the equine enthusiast just starting out to the wonderful world of horses and to encourage them to appreciate their own unique blue ribbon moments each time they ride.  The learning never stops with horses.

A.R.I.A. Level I Dressage

BHS I/II

Graduated with B.A. in Education

CPR training/basic first aid