Susan was born in Dubuque, Iowa and her love affair with horses began with her first horseback ride on her sister's horse at the age of three. Lessons began at the age of six. By fourteen she had purchased her first horse with a little help from Mom and an unsuspecting Dad! More instruction, working at several training and show barns and a show career followed. At seventeen she began training and showing professionally. A former Marine Colonel recognized Susan's talents and abilities with horses and put her to work training and showing his Warmbloods. Her Interest in dressage and jumping led her to more instruction from a Grand Prix level trainer. Susan also lived and worked in Montana for several years. This is where she developed her love and appreciation for foundation quarter horses. It was also where she purchased two range raised half thoroughbred horses, great grandchildren of the Triple Crown Winner "Bold Ruler", to continue to pursue her interest in dressage and jumping. These two completely wild horses would later earn her a Silver and Bronz medallion through the American Warmblood Society. Susan credits her experiences with these two as having taught her a tremendous amount about the aspects and characteristics of horses, along with leading her to the road with John Lyons. Her education in Montana also sparked her love for and interest in breeding King 234 bred quarter horses. After an eye opening injury to herself and close call with one of her horses, Susan signed up for her first John Lyons Clinic in 1990. Absolutely inspired by the experience, she knew this was the only way she would continue training horses. She followed up with seven weeks of apprenticeship with John and later over the course of an additional eighteen months she was in the first group to complete the John Lyons Certification Program in 1994. Later she joined the elite group of John Lyons Select Certified Trainers and was on this list until her divorce and illness.
Susan's horse experience includes:
- WA State Director for the American Warmblood Society, 1991
- Director of the Year Award from the American Warmblood Society, 1991
- Winner of the American Warmblood Society's Silver and Bronz Medallions with her formerly wild horses; Midnight Star and Magic Getaway
- Participant in the USDF Sport Horse Seminar with Dr. Hanfried Haring (Germany) with her mare Midnight Star, 1992
- First Championship Snaffle Bit win with her AQHA Stallion and Certification Partner, Dregers Dry Tivio
- Placing 3rd in the All Dun Futurity with her young stallion, IA Pines Ransom
- 5th in the Nation at the Foundation Quarter Horse Registry's Round-Up and Review in Grand Island, NE with her filly Chex My Royal Freckles, 2000 (Bred on her farm - by a stallion and mare that she owned at the time)
- Main Event Speaker for the Certified Horsemanship Associations International Conference in 2000
- Prior to her divorce and illness Susan was the WA State Representative for the Foundation Quarter Horse Registry and a Carded Judge
- Susan has retrained horses for seventeen years along with a productive show record in many disciplines with many breeds
- On the western side of life her education in reining was participating in clinics with Doug Mulholland, Dick Pieper and others. She rode practice cuttings, using bison, with Buster Smith and rode turnback on occasion with her stallion Dregers Dry Tivio.
Over the years Susan has also enjoyed breeding Quarter Horses. Since 1991 she has
managed one to four breeding stallions.
"While working with John Lyons I was
blessed to be around and have the opportunity to work with his stallion Bright Zip.
Later I would take my own stallion through the Certification Program. Since then I
have had extensive experience training, showing and handling stallions for breeding
and appreciate the extra energy and effort they put into their work if trained and
handled properly."
For 2008 Susan will be standing Badgers Roan Gun, a red roan son of Hickory Badge Prom (Young Gun by Freckles Playboy out of a Doc O' Lena mare and Little Peppy Holly by Peppy San Badger out of a Hollywood Gold granddaughter). Out of Red Speck A Pepper putting Dry Doc and Lad Leo on his papers on his dam line. For more information on these stallions, please visit the stallion page.
Susan still has "Eli" her paint horse, that was originally started by John and is now twenty-five-years old! He continues to be her standby and helps riders overcome their fear of horses. "Midnight Star", her AWS Silver Medal mare, is now twenty-four and has run of the property with Eli. Both are in excellent health.
Susan started out 2007 as a Clinician for the Mane Event Expo in Ridgefield, WA working with horses with behavioral problems.
Also, in 2007, Susan was a contestant in the Extreme Mustang Makeover, competing with
her Mustang "Big Mac" in Ft. Worth, TX in late September. A contest that
aired on RFD TV September thru December of 2007.
Also look for Susan and Big Mac on the February Cover of Perfect Horse Magazine 2008!
2008 will see Susan back in Ridgefield, WA for the Hands on Horse Expo in February. See Susan’s Schedule for more information.
2008 will also see Susan teaming up with Bill Lopez, a fellow Mustang Makeover competitor, for a clinic here in WA State. Bill placed 6th in the Makeover and was a 2007 AQHA World Qualifier / Competitor in Ranch Sorting. See Susan’s Schedule for more information.