Plus, keep an additional eye open for additional Q&As and lectures to be shared on the Schleese YouTube Channel and the Schleese Facebook Page.
SEPTEMBER
Jaelynn Bosner – https://www.instagram.com/jj.equestrian/ – September 3 @ 2:00pm EST
Jaelynn rescued her pony 7 years ago and started her with western/barrels before finding out she loved jumping. Jaelynn dabbled in eventing for a few years before moving to jumpers, and has ridden multiple different breeds and sizes. She’s interested in saddle fit because she wants her horses to be fully comfortable in saddles that fit and help them perform at their best. Jaelynn sees it as someone wearing the wrong shoe size – it wouldn’t be comfortable – so she couldn’t imagine having an ill-fitted saddle, bridle or bit.
Sydney Eastburn – https://www.instagram.com/thebarnratdotcom/ – September 4 @ 3:00pm EST
Sydney is a hunter/jumper trainer who has a Bachelor of Science degree in Equine Studies. She is a trained equine massage therapist and has worked directly with equine veterinarians as a technician. She is incredibly devoted to the wellness of the horse and continuing to learn what that means for them across all avenues. Sydney believes the horse is a unique creature that gives us far more than we deserve or earn every day and is worth our highest level of care. Equine welfare has become a huge driving interest for her, and saddle fit is one of many crucial elements she wants to have solved in order to have ridden horse sport.
Kelsey Rast – https://www.instagram.com/redpoppyequine/ – September 9 @ 3:30pm EST
This is Kelsey of Red Poppy Equine. She works in all positive reinforcement training and works for a rescue in Middle Tennessee, as well as for herself. Her grandfather was a farmer and started her riding by going for trail rides when she was 2 years old. Kelsey has loved horses ever since. She has no specific discipline, but believes in proper biomechanics and works closely with a horse and human physical therapist. This has helped her learn so much about equine movement and fitting a saddle, and she is constantly trying to expand her education. She loves what she does!
Anneleise Sanchez – https://www.instagram.com/anneleisesanchez/ – September 10 @ 11:00am EST
Bio TBD
Alysha Santana – https://www.instagram.com/holistichorsewoman/ – September 10 @ 2:00pm EST
Bio TBD
Macy Zylstra – https://www.instagram.com/mila_the_mustang/ – September 11 @ 1pm EST
Macy Zylstra is the owner of Mila the mustang and Marguerita Ranch. She owns 6 horses, 2 donkeys, and 5 pigs and adopted her first horse Mila 6 years ago. Her favorite thing to do is explore Arizona and trail ride. She did not grow up with horses but was always obsessed and tried to ride every change she got, so she did have quite a bit to learn when she got Mila. Macy adopted an OTTB named Maya shortly after Mila, and rehabbed her from starvation. After she got healthy, Macy was riding her in a very poorly fit saddle (which Macy didn’t know at the time) and she started having issues and then discovered she had kissing spine. This kicked off Macy’s interests in saddle fit and hoof trimming. Now that Mila’s 6, they are riding more and more, and Macy struggles with saddle fit for her since she is completely mutton withered. The other rideable horses have the complete opposite with large withers, so Macy now has a saddle collection from trying so many different types.
Alexisandra Travis – https://www.instagram.com/sc00byd1zzl3/ – https://www.tiktok.com/@sc00byd1zzl3 – September 13 @ 2pm est
Alex Travis is an indigenous veteran from Arizona with over two decades of large animal training and handling experience, as well as a Masters Degree of Science in Animal Biomedical Sciences. She owns 8 equines; 2 registered quarter horses, 5 mustangs, 1 draft cross mustang and 2 donkeys. Alex’s training emphasis is on meeting the 3Fs and LIMA protocols, exclusively trains with positive reinforcement and most of her program is at liberty. She primarily works with feral/untouched horses and ones that have had a violent or aggressive history.
Madeline Byrd – https://www.instagram.com/controlhaltdelete/ – September 13 @ 4:00pm EST
Madeline started her riding journey around 10 and found herself with an OTTB around 15. They dabbled in local shows but stuck to trail rides and in hand work. Shortly after losing her heart horse, a young quarter horse fell into her lap. 100s of miles on the trails later, they found their love for eventing and will hopefully make their BN debut this season, maybe with a little yellow horse named Pickle Chip in tow.
Stefanie Skidmore – https://www.instagram.com/wildhorse_outreach_advocacy/ – September 16 @ 2pm EST
Stefanie Skidmore is the director, trainer, founder and president of Wild Horse Outreach & Advocacy (WHOA). She has 30 years of experience training horses of various ages, breeds and sizes on 2 continents, and over 7 years of experience working almost exclusively with wild horses. She has been teaching horsemanship for well over a decade and has an academic background in biology with a focus on animal behavior and husbandry, as well as human psychology and behavior through her work as a mental health therapist. In her free time, Stefanie enjoys learning more about horses and horsemanship as well as exploring the Mountain West, ideally on horseback. She regularly takes the WHOA Ambassador Mustangs on backcountry rides and overnight pack trips.
Rhonda Hartman – https://www.instagram.com/rhondahartman228/ – September 18 @ 3:00pm EST
Bio TBD
Ifa Simmonds – https://www.instagram.com/ifa.fit/ – September 25 @ 2:00pm EST
Ifa works in equestrian fitness and wellness. His background is in leisure trail riding. He’s yet to own his own horse but plans to in a few more years once his business is a bit more established and he has more time. He’s interested in chatting about the impact a rider brings to the saddle and their horse with previous/current imbalances, body awareness and more along the subjects of what he teaches and talks about daily. Ifa is also interested in Jochen’s experience of seeing changes in riders he’s worked with once they’ve started cross training.
Kenz Wilde – https://www.instagram.com/wildechild_official/ – September 25 @ 3:00pm EST
Kenz grew up in the saddle, starting with hunter/jumper and dressage before switching to Western. She participated in internships throughout high school and college to learn about reining, cutting, and colt starting. She loved colt starting and proceeded to dive into the world of mustangs, specifically the aggressive ones. Using science-based methods, she studied the equine brain, how trauma affects its ability to function, and more. She has published several books on equine-related matters. Kenz is currently a horse trainer and riding instructor who specializes in educating others on kinder, more humane horsemanship methods. She is working on another book about saddle fit, riding equipment, equine biomechanics and more. This would not only be a way to further research for her book, but to gain more knowledge and experience to share with others.
About Jochen Schleese and Schleese Saddlery Service Ltd.
Jochen Schleese got his certification as Master Saddler in Germany at the age of 22 and came to Canada in 1986 to establish and register the trade of saddlery in Ontario, Canada. With over 100 different models designed over the years, Schleese Saddlery Service Ltd is the world leading manufacturer of saddles designed for women, specializing in the unique anatomical requirements of female riders. Schleese authorized representatives provide diagnostic saddle fit analysis and saddle fitting services across the globe to maintain optimal saddle fit to horse and rider and together they have enriched the lives of over 200,000 horses.
He and his company have been the recipients of numerous business and industry awards over the years and have been featured in the Wall Street Journal , twice on the Discovery Channel as well as PBS. He has also won a “Winnie” award for his DVD “Beyond the 9 points of saddle fit” as best educational video in 2017 at the EQUUS Film Festival in NYC as well as one in 2019 for best educational book for his best-seller: Suffering in Silence: The Saddle Fit Link to Physical and Psychological Trauma in Horses.
He is a regular guest lecturer at various equine and veterinary colleges around the world.
For more information about Jochen Schleese and Schleese Saddlery Ltd. please go to http://www.saddlesforwomen.com/ or https://saddlefit4lifeacademy.com/
Media Contact:
Madison Loach
Schleese Marketing Lead
Madison@schleese.com