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 has grown from five acres to its current 30 acre facility with a full top of the line stadium course, a regulation-sized deluxe 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.

Jasmine Farm is a show facility for six SCDCTA shows per year, a learning facility for mature teens and adults interested in the art of dressage whether for show or personal enjoyment and a training center for my own competition horses and for clients' horses and resale horses. The farm is quiet, low-key and laid-back, in keeping with my philosophy of gently training horses and riders alike.

I specialize in teaching dressage and am known for providing explanations on why certain aids would be applied in a specific manner at a specific time, so students learn to apply consistent, fair aids- which always makes for happy horses! I hate it when I hear someone say their horse hates dressage. Dressage should never be boring, repetitive, or harsh. My B.A. in English with a minor in Education help me present riding theory in a logical, easy-to-understand way.

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 unpexpected 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 over 70% most of the time. Later in 2008 I imported Personality, with the hopes of earning my scores to continue with the USDF judge's "r" program and to complete my silver medal. In addition to training my own horses, I teach several students in the Aiken, Augusta, Ridge Spring, and Columbia areas, and I take in 1 or 2 client horses at a time. In 2008 I passed the USDF "L" program "with distinction"- which is a requirement to go on to the USEF licensing program. I often judge SCDCTA dressage shows and some local hunter shows, as well as some dressage shows in Georgia and North Carolina. Besides lessons and judging, I actively find horses for people and buyers for horses; my focus is 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.

$375 per month, includes blanketing in the winter and diligent fly masking in the summer, and fly boots and sheet if the owner wishes. Deworming and farrier care billed as incurred. $5-$10 (depending on length of time horse takes) per farrier visit added if the owner can't be here, and a $25 per hour vet fee is added if the owner cannot be here to meet with the vet. Supplements will be given at no extra charge but owner must provide them. THE FEEDING PROGRAM: Triple Crown Training, which in my opinion is the best, most consistent feed on the market. 13% protein, 13% fat, probiotics, Omega 3's and 6's- the only feed on the market to contain fish oil- it includes everything you could possibly want and is very palatable. Very expensive and worth every penny! All horses get the Sand Trap psyllium supplement 7 days per month and electrolytes in summer. All horses have 24 hour access to QUALITY, TESTED coastal hay. Other hays are available if needed but cost extra. Salt and Equi-Min mineral licks (the best you can buy) and turn out sheds (with fans) in each pasture; some with heat lamps as well. Maximum of four horses per pasture, some with just 2 or 3. Water troughs are scrubbed minimum of 3 times per week. Feed tubs and troughs are disinfected at least once per month. All horses here live outside 24 hours, unless an allergy or medical condition necessitates a stall, except in the case of a valuable competition horse who needs to be kept in to prevent sun bleaching or possible turnout injury. We bed on pine pellets- keeps dust levels down, much more sanitary as well so worth the extra cost. I take great pride in how happy and comfortable my horses are and I will not compromise that for any reason. In the 10+ years of managing my own barn, even when I kept upwards of 20 horses, I have only had 4 colics which required a veterinary call and maybe 5 other times I've had to give banamine due to a mild colic (knocking on wood here!), and injuries are extremely rare. I am very proud of this fact, and feel it speaks for the feeding program and the physical and MENTAL environment in which they are kept. ALL HORSES MUST HAVE A WATERPROOF BLANKET IN WINTER AND FLY MASK IN SUMMER.

Lessons available at our farm, on your horse, and in some instances, Jasmine Farm may have a horse for a student to use. Depending on the rider’s age, weight, and prior experience, we may not have a suitable mount for you but we will do our best. Our lessons are private only; each student deserves 100% of my attention in order to be safe and progress quickly. Group lessons are more “social” than “instructive” in my opinion. Students may, and often do, watch each other’s lessons and provide great moral support! However, if a student wishes his/her lesson to be private, that is no problem. Please call to discuss your needs. Horses for training accepted when space available.