Jasmine Farm About Us

Jasmine Farm began in March of 2000 when I finally realized my lifelong dream of owning my own facility. No more boarding my own horses, no more traveling to someone else’s farm to teach lessons on borrowed lesson ponies. The farm started with t acres, and rapidly grew to necessitate a move to 30 acre facility (NOW FOR SALE!) with a full top of the line stadium course, a regulation-sized dressage arena with sound system, a 36 x 48 barn with heated wash stall and extra large tack room, a round pen, five paddock/pastures, and a swimming pool for after those summer rides! Behind the farm are hundreds of acres of wooded trails and dirt roads for hacking out. In April 2011, we decided to move closer to Mark's job and to Mark's family, and returned to a smaller acreage where I will only keep my own horses.

I am a 1970 model (if I were a car I’d be considered an antique now!). I have been involved in horses since 1978. I learned to ride on gaited (racking) horses, Saddlebreds, and Tennessee Walkers, which I showed on a state-wide level. I then did some Western pleasure and barrel and arena racing. I also spent a lot of time just trail-riding, going bareback, swimming the horses across large ponds, and just being silly! It is these times that I remember most fondly and I try to replicate that joy in my lesson program. Most people do not want to learn to ride to spend obscene amounts of money on the fanciest horse or win ribbons; they want to enjoy the human/equine bond, appreciate nature, and have fun. I strive to maintain that in a safe, structured environment.

I showed huntseat with the College of Charleston equestrian team for four years (1988-1992). During those years, we qualified for Nationals every year (earning the Reserve National Championship once) and I earned a 4th place individual national ranking in my division as well. I then pursued 3 day eventing where I won several horse trials throughout the southeast. While eventing, I worked with fellow Aikenites Simon Eades and Lellie Ward, and as a working student at FareWell Farm in Blythewood, SC (then the host of the Eastern Preliminary DeBroke championships). During my eventing years, I was fortunate enough to ride in clinics with Lucinda Green, Jim Graham, Denny Emerson, and Cindy Sydnor. I never truly adored cross-country (I'm a chicken at heart) so I quickly found my way next door to FareWell, at Scott and Katie Peterson's OneWood Farm in Blythewood, SC (host to the '96 Olympic gold medal-winning Dutch team, and now the home of the USC equestrian team). It was here that I became hooked on dressage. My first job teaching riding was at Hickory Top Farm in Eastover, SC- through this connection I also ran the summer riding program at Camp Rockbrook in Brevard, NC. When my husband's job transferred us to Georgia, I worked as a barn manager for a dedicated dressage trainer near Atlanta, but I really misse teaching, so I jumped at the opportunity to work for Greg and Cindy Thaxton at High Point Farm in Athens, Georgia (host to the U.S. Olympic team in '96). That wa a wonderful working situation for me, and I had hoped it would be longterm, but after two years, the unexpected death of my father prompted us to move back to Aiken so I could be closer to my Mom (home base was flexible for my husband because he was a talented sound engineer and travelled on the road; in fact we met through mutual friends Hootie and the Blowfish) . Kathy Lewis, owner of the most beautiful farm in Aiken, Black Forest Equestrian Center (www.blackforestfarm.com) was kind enough to offer me a job teaching riding there, where I taught the STAR handicapped riding program and the Aiken Prep School program. I never planned on leaving there, as I loved it, but another unexpected death, this time of my beloved first husband Fletcher, prompted me to move my horses and my lesson program to my (former) small home farm on Wisteria Drive to try and make ends meet! I look back on this time and my heart warms at the memory of how people came forward to help me, emotionally and financially. I do believe that my father and Fletcher got together in Heaven and sent Mark my way (Mark is my current husband).

Over the years I have won several South Carolina and Georgia championship and reserve championship titles and placed in the Regional championships with different horses, including Step A Side (who was sold and went on to earn a 9th place nationally in the junior hunter division with a student of Don Stewart's) , Norman Swygert's mare California (who was sold to a student of Gunner Ostergaard's), the Mexican imported mare Simpatia- First Place ranking in First Level Freestyle for Region 3, and 11th for the national rankings (sold to a student who is active in Lendon Gray's junior dressage program), and Dutch gelding Persona Grata. In the 90's I evented through Novice on my beloved Carpe Diem (now 28 years old and still with me); the only jumping I have done since then has been on her daughter Deficit Spending and grandson Farther in Debt. From 2000-2007, I broke the Welsh ponies for Orchard Hill Farm (www.orchardhillfarm.com); owner Sara McCormick and I still do business together but I no longer have time to take in the ponies. In early 2007 I met a super friend and trainer in Holland who has helped me and my customers find several really super horses. Persona Grata helped me complete my USDF bronze medal in our first two shows, and earned my two fourth level scores towards my silver medal in our first two shows at that level. In 2008 I sold him, with the help of Jennifer Baumert. I then imported my Gribaldi daughter "Envy" (Una Voce, U.V. sounded stupid so I then though N.V., which is how she became Envy). Though she had NEVER been to a horse show in her life until 2 months after I brought her to the U.S., our scores at training level in 2008 were wellover 70% most of the time. Later in 2008 I imported Personality, with the hopes of learning the ropes at the FEI levels. In addition to training my own horses, I teach several students in the Aiken, Augusta, Ridge Spring, and Columbia areas. In 2008 I passed the USDF "L" program "with distinction"- which is different from "passing" the program; "with distinction" means I scored high enough to go on to the USEF program. and only a small percentage of those who take the test receive this rating. I often judge SCDCTA dressage shows and some local hunter shows and open shows, as well as some dressage shows in Georgia and North Carolina and in 2010, added Bermuda to that list (what a pleasure that was!). Besides lessons and judging, I actively import quality sales horses. My focus has always been matching appropriate temperaments and abilities, and I guarantee brutally honest representation- you will hear the good AND the bad about any sales horse and whether or not he or she is a good match for YOU. I have been known on a couple of occasions to refuse to sell a horse to a buyer, because if I do not believe it is a good long-term match, in the end, the buyer and the horse will be unhappy. I no longer do "third party" sales, as I find it ridiculous for buyers to end up with commissions over 10% (and sometimes close to 40%!) in order to pay several people, and I find it unethical when the buyer isn't told exactly who gets what amount, and I don't even have words to explain how I feel about "agents" who sell horses they don't know, owned and trained by people they don't know.

Lessons available on a very limited basis on a couple of my horses, occasionally lessons available on an FEI horse. I am available to teach at my farm and I also travel.

Deficit Spending, 2000 fancy and quiet AQHA mare, fabulous hunter- jumps anything you point her at in style, and schools solid second level dressage. Safe & predictable to ride, never spooky or hot, handles new/strange situations with great aplomb. Will trail ride anywhere with anybody. Has foxhunted with children. She is out of my best horse ever (retired superstar Carpe Diem & is her only foal and spitting image, so she is "priceless" and will never leave Jasmine Farm. Currently in foal to Orchard Hill Farm's lovely palomino stallion.

2003 pony, Welsh x out of above mare Deficit Spending, and by Llandefalle’s Better by Far. "Farther in Debt" a.k.a. "Trouble" has turned into a fancy and fun dressage horse though he loves to jump and occasionally some of my students enjoy him. He does the Spanish walk, has a good start to most of the lateral movements, and has a super uphill canter. He is light off the leg and eager to please. Sometimes a bit too eager….and I’m not always sure teaching a horse to rear was a good idea! On the What's New page, you can see photos of him painting. He knows many other tricks as well, including lay down, bow, smile, hug, stretch, etc. He has spent most of his life on the back burner, only going to a few horse shows, mostly in 2010. He spent 3 months in 2011 with event trainer Doug Payne, who loves him and had him going over 3 foot courses no sweat.

Our resident favorite and mascot, miniature donkey Fiesta, is currently living with Loose Rock Riding Center's petting zoo giving cart rides and enjoying being spoiled. This is a fabulous facility for birthday parties and the like, owned by wonderful people who take phenomenal care of their animals.