Trainer- Karen Colston
Karen was born in Cleveland, Ohio, and knew she loved horses from a very young age. Her toys consisted of play horses and horse coloring books. Her family couldn't afford for her to take lessons, so she became a working student at Parker's Ranch in North Olmsted, Ohio. There she learned how to clean stalls, tack up and untack horses, and listened to Mrs. Parker's astounding stories of her days doing trick riding and vaudeville with Buffalo Bill Cody. Parker's Ranch is now a Historical Monument.
She went to school at Pacific Horse Center in California and achieved the Riding Master Certificate. She now has 25 years experience training horses and riders in the hunter/jumper discipline. During this time she has had two riders who won the SAHJA Medal Finals and many top equitation riders at the rated shows. In the past four years she has pursued a journey of study in the Pat Parelli Natural Horseman program. She has now worked with dozens of horses and has gained an insight to horse personalities, which helps her and her students know how to approach problems more effectively.
Karen believes there is so much more to lessons than just riding, and believes that with the right teaching methods, not only can she help the students to ride better, but also can instill a confidence which comes from taking the time it takes to do things correctly. Many parents of her students have come to her and thanked her for teaching not only about horses, but life skills as well.
Karen riding Chase
