About Kelli
Senior Instructor
Kelli has been riding since she was 8 years old after begging her parents for some riding lessons. A saintly buckskin quarter horse named Gidget sealed the deal. At the age of 11, her dad sold his Harley Davidson to buy an off-track thoroughbred. The horse was way too much horse for her but she had an immediate connection with her. Through hard work and dedication, this would be the horse that allowed Kelli to show across the country in the A and AA rated circuit frequently winning championships amongst the other, more well-bred competitors. She taught Kelli how to win with humility and lose with grace, both characteristics she tries to install in her students today. This unforgettable horse remains with Kelli today, now approaching her twilight years.
Kelli attended Kansas State University and rode for their Intercollegiate equestrian team while working towards her undergraduate degree in Animal Science with a specialty in Equine Science. After college Kelli took a job working for Mary Ann Funk at Ashwoods Farm working from the bottom up. She began to teach lessons and learning the aspects of selling and training performance horses.
From there, Kelli traveled to East Texas working for Peirce Equestrian where she found her passion for teaching and coaching. She also grew an adoration for small naughty ponies in her time there, showing and coaching Welsh ponies. Kelli started an Interscholastic Equestrian Team, which had much success their first year out. Kelli loved how it gave an opportunity for everyone to show no matter the level or financial backing. The team aspect was also a great benefit to allow what is normally an individual sport become one where they can all work together. Through this experience, Kelli coached some of the top junior athletes in the state from IEA to Junior Hunters and Medal Finals.
In Houston, Texas, Kelli opened her own program, where she had the opportunity to show, train, and teach on some of the best horses. Kelli currently owns a quirky dressage horse turned jumper Dutch Warmblood, several saintly lesson horses who have had much success on the rated circuit, and an Oldenburg mare who will hopefully become her National Derby mount. Kelli had found her passion for coaching those who were devoted to the sport and typically had some quirky horses who were misunderstood. Kelli looks forward to helping her clients build confidence and a bond with their four legged counterparts. She loves bringing the young talented horses along, harnessing their strengths to create competitive performance horses in the hunter/jumper field. Kelli places a high emphasis on knowing the ‘why’ behind
what we do and being active participants in each and every ride. She believes in a foundation with correct equitation that allows riders to promote our horses natural ability and not get in the way of letting them do their jobs. She strives to help the horse work in relaxation, to retain new training and set them up to carry themselves properly, reducing wear and tear and the occurrence of accidental injuries.
Kelli wanted to be in this industry for the horses but has stayed for the connections we make with each other. She aspires to be a source of direction for her students looking not just for the ribbons, but also to repair, begin, and grow their connection with horses.
