- Steffi Spielhaupter – https://www.instagram.com/scienceforsoundness/ – October 1 @ 2:30pm EST
- Alesia Willard – https://www.instagram.com/rudniktheroan/ – October 2 @ 2:00pm EST
Alesia has been riding most of her life. She had always dreamed of becoming a horse trainer and worked hard to accomplish that dream. By 20 she had already successfully started multiple horses, including a once-feral mare who was untouchable when Alesia adopted her. In 2019, she adopted an 11-month-old untouchable colt rescued from a livestock auction. Alesia did everything with him from halter training to saddle starting. He was her biggest challenge yet but he pushed Alesia to work through every fear and doubt she had in herself and her training. He’s now 6 years old and the most amazing horse she’s ever owned and met. Alesia believes in taking things slow and because of this their riding journey has been a positive and willing one with no negative or fear-based training methods used. It has given them trust in each other that can only come with time. Alesia has noticed the difference well-fitting tack makes for her horses, and she wants to learn more about the importance of saddle fit.
- Melissa Jean – https://www.instagram.com/melissajeanpt/ – October 7 @ 1:00pm EST
- Emma Grossheim – https://www.instagram.com/emmasequitation/ – October 7 @ 2:00pm EST
Emma started riding in 2016 and currently competes on the hunter/jumper circuit. She is training her thoroughbred in dressage basics, and she’ll start riding for Hollins University in the fall. Emma’s horse has mild kissing spine, a strange build, and a short back, so saddle fit is incredibly important. Through finding a saddle that fits her horse, Emma has become very interested in saddle fitting in the competition world.
- Kate Kudelko – https://www.instagram.com/painted__dressage/ – October 8 @ 2:30pm EST
Kate is a young professional based in Brooksville, Florida, specializing in training ponies, small horses, and rescues in dressage. Most of her clients’ horses are paints and stock crosses so she has run into her fair share of complications fitting horses who have very wide shoulders in comparison to the size of their body.
- Kelsey Rast – https://www.instagram.com/redpoppyequine/ – October 9 @ 1:00pm 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!
- Shannon Spellacy – https://www.instagram.com/moonglowequinemassage/ – October 9 @ 3:00pm EST
- Naomi Cox – https://www.instagram.com/alternative.cowgirl/ – October 11 @ 4:15pm EST
Naomi got a late start in the equine industry, starting when she was old enough to drive and have a job. When she turned 19 she bought her first Mustang and moved 3 hours from home to find a barn that would board her. Naomi took many years off from riding due to her horse’s training and a riding accident Naomi had before buying her. When Naomi got back into the saddle earlier this year it was to start her 4-year-old under saddle and he is the first horse she’s ever started. She’s interested in saddle fit for many reasons, one being she loves research and practicing holistic whole-body care for equines. Additionally, her gelding is short-backed and compressed so saddle fitting is difficult for him.
- Bryanna Tanase – https://www.instagram.com/bt.paradressage/ – October 15 @ 1:00pm EST
- Briar Callon – https://www.instagram.com/calloneventing/ – October 16 @ 1:00pm EST
- Stefanie Skidmore – https://www.instagram.com/wildhorse_outreach_advocacy/ – October 16 @ 2:00pm 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 behaviour and husbandry, as well as human psychology and behaviour through her work as a mental health therapist. In her free time, Stefanie enjoys learning more about horses and horsemanship and exploring the Mountain West, ideally on horseback. She regularly takes the WHOA Ambassador Mustangs on backcountry rides and overnight pack trips.
- Jenn Crawford – https://www.instagram.com/jenncrawford.eq/ – October 18 @ 4:30pm EST
On December 26th, 2018, the equestrian life Jenn had built abruptly ended due to a fall, leaving her with no feeling or movement from her hips down. She was in a spinal cord rehab for 4 months working hard at getting any and all strength back that she could, and she was told she’d likely never walk again. Six months later, she got back on her horse Beau, ready to start her new equestrian life. In the summer of 2023, Jennifer and Beau competed successfully at the Silver Series at Angelstone.
- Megan Richards – https://www.instagram.com/_meg_osaurus/ – October 21 @ 10:00am EST
- Tristram Hokenson – https://www.instagram.com/tmhokens/ – October 21 @ 1:30pm EST
Inspired by her grandpa’s horsemanship, Tristram grew up riding and owning horses. After college, she started learning more about Western horsemanship. Tristram took every opportunity to learn from her trainers by analyzing what they asked the horse to do and how the horse was supposed to move. Tristram currently breeds, raises, and trains mostly quarter horses. She takes in horses each month for training, ranging from colt starting to tune-ups. Her main horse is an 8-year-old mare who she competed with in skijoring this past winter. Tristram would like to show her mare in working cow, stock horse, or versatility shows.
- Mackenzie Smith – https://www.instagram.com/mackenziesmith.eq/ – October 22 @ 2:30pm EST
- Alexisandra Travis – https://www.instagram.com/sc00byd1zzl3/ –
https://www.tiktok.com/@sc00byd1zzl3 – October 25 @ 2:00pm 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.
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
Madison@schleese.com