MEET THE TRAINERS
Sloan adams
Sloan Adams is the owner/trainer of SEA Horsemanship located in East Tennessee. Sloan got her start training horses at the age of ten, gentling feral yearlings for a local equine rescue and has been hooked ever since! Sloan is drawn to the equine mind and loves to explore it through her training. Her methods are energy based, focusing on using energy control to encourage the horse to open their mind and express themselves so Sloan can help guide them into becoming the best equine they can be!
Rachael Bouziden
I fell in love with horses at a young age, and quickly developed my love for challenging problem horses and training. I researched about the mustang horses and adopted my own when I was 13. Maverick and I completed in high-school rodeo from barrels to roping and all events in between. I then developed a real passion for learning theory and understanding how the horse learns, and this flows into my philosophy as a professional trainer. I look forward to the opportunity to work and develop another young mustang.
Krystal cates
Born and raised in Texas, spent 18 years down in Mexico, running a nonprofit horse rescue. Recently moved back to Texas, and I have thoroughly enjoyed getting involved helping train Mustang.
Jonathan chastain
Trainer at Bar C Farms alongside his wife.
Has a passion for training troubled horses and mustangs. Specializes in colt starting, gentling wild horses and ranch riding.
Mandy duncan
Bio coming soon.
James Ellis
I have been training horses for 25+ years. I also competed in the 2023 mustang make over for Tennessee and was
in the top 10. Me and my wife also put on the San Antonio Wild to Mild trainer challenge.
amber espinoza
Amber is a lifelong horsewoman who developed a passion for mustangs when she adopted her first mustang in 2009. She is a US Army Veteran, a Registered Nurse, a mother and wife. Amber was a Top Ten Finalist at the 2023 Mustang Magic, 2020 California Extreme Mustang Makeover Champion and Reserve Freestyle Champion, Top Ten at the 2021 Extreme Cowboy Race World Championships, just to name a few of her accomplishments with mustangs. She hosts the Sacramento and Las Vegas Wild Showdown Mustang Challenges with her husband, renowned mustang trainer Isidro Espinoza. Together they run Isidro Espinoza Horsemanship out of their two facilities, Dos Lomas Ranch in Snowflake, AZ and Yankee Folly Equestrian Center in New Paltz, NY.
Kelby Farnsworth
Born and raised in Utah, now training in Central Florida. Truly love the journey each horse provides for me as a trainer and the satisfaction in helping horses and riders fulfill their potential.
Caitlin Finney
Starting by competing in her first Mustang challenge in 2022, Caitlin has since found her passion for training mustangs at her facility Wild Skye Ranch in Lansing, Michigan. She focuses on colt starting, liberty, and tricks through relationship-based training. Caitlin has competed in two TIP challenges, placing reserve champion both times, and one Extreme Mustang Makeover placing first in Handling/Conditioning. Her goal is to help people better understand and connect with their horses.
Jessica Flaherty
Jessica is a 23 year old horse trainer and instructor residing in Scarborough, Maine. Jess started her journey with horses at the age of 3 and has competed in a variety of disciplines from eventing and dressage to western pleasure
and trail, but has found her passion starting mustangs. Jess competed in her first 90-day Mustang challenge in 2015 at the age of 14 and took overall champion in the youth division. She has since competed in two more Extreme Mustang Makeovers, taking home champion in each
event. Jess has grown a special love for the mustang breed and looks forward to helping many more find their forever homes.
Patty Forbes
Photo and bio coming soon
Sydney Frost
My name is Sydney Frost and I’ve been riding since I was ten years old. I got my start in the hunter/jumper world and was gifted my first OTTB at the age of 13. He was a very hot, hard to ride horse that I put countless hours of rides and energy into and ultimately turned him into a really nice children’s hunter horse. He became an amazingly reliable, well-broke mount and is currently giving up-down lessons to kiddos at 23 years old. I always helped fellow boarders with their OTTBs and various problems under saddle, I was always volunteering to ride the difficult ones! It wasn’t until college, where I completed the horse psychology and training program at the University of Florida, that I became completely enthralled with colt starting. Since then, I have started my own colt starting program in Florida
and really enjoy putting strong foundations on horses.
Michelle Gilles
Michelle didn’t start her career in the performance horse world. She started taking the horses no other trainers could or would ride. Over the years through hard work and dedication she has built herself up to be a coveted all around trainer. With earnings and titles in a multitude of disciplines! She encompasses the values, teachings, and
lifestyle of traditional vaquero style horsemanship and a patient approach to her training! Working with legends such a as Master dressage rider and all around horseman Charles Wilhelm, reined cow horse, master roper and the trainers trainer Les Vogt, and cutting and cowhorse royalty John Ward. In the three decades since she has started her career Michelle has established herself to be one of the hardest working in the horse industry today. Michelles values of it’s always about the horse first has set her apart in the performance horse world for being honest and helping the “non cookie cutter” type horse find success. Michelle works with all around horses from colts to
mustangs, and jumpers to cowhorse. She always says it’s all about hard work, looking outside the box at each horse as an individual, discipline, dedication and heart, fused into one goal, making every horse she meets a better horse in order to build a successful relationships between horse and rider.
Serenity Hackl
My name is Serenity, I’m 23 years old and I’m from Rosholt, WI! I’ve been training professionally for the past 4 years but have been practicing Horsemanship my entire life! I’m most passionate about Mustangs & Liberty Horsemanship. Since 2019, I’ve gentled over 20 mustangs and have competed in several MHF & other training
competitions across the country having never placed outside the Top 10 yet! Last year, my mustangs & I won 2 TIP challenges back to back and today I’m blessed to find myself here in TN, competing in my first EMM!
Brandon Hood
Hi, I’m Brandon! My trainer journey started when I was young, about 13 in a Tennessee Walker barn. I learned a lot about horses and just how majestic they are. I started the process of learning the ins and outs of the horse world. I have worked as a member of our military in the Army as a combat engineer with an expertise with dog handling
and training. Growing up understanding there is a different language to the animals than what we as humans understand helped me to train dogs too. Horses are a different kind of creature, they pick up on every aspect of what we bring to them and I strive to learn their unspoken language. I make connections with them on their level, and develop a way to understand them as they learn to understand me. I don’t break horses, I train them.
Gavin Huffman
Gavin is an 20-year old from Akron, Ohio whose love for horses started at just 3 years old. Gavin participated in 4H for many years, rode on a western riding team, and competed at Quarter Horse Congress. He has taken lessons in
western pleasure, reining, contesting, and some English. Five years ago, Gavin was introduced to the world of wild mustangs and has found a true passion in working with them. He has competed in multiple mustang makeovers as well as TIP Challenges.
Shelley Hughston
My passion for mustangs and training ignited in 2016 with the adoption of my first mustang who will always be with me. I love the challenge and reward that each and every one has given me as a TIP trainer, as a personal trainer and as a trainer for other adopters. I’ve learned much more from them than I could’ve ever imagined. I live in Big
Rapids, Michigan which makes it more of a challenge to get them here but there’s so many wonderful homes in Michigan that it’s been very worthwhile and heartwarming.
Julia Hunsberger
I came from a non-equestrian family, I quickly found my people and was raised doing eventing and hunter/jumpers. While training with Rollingwoods farm I discovered my true love was for helping horses and their owners. I decided
to run with my passion and have been working with challenging horses and everything in between ever since. I had always watched mustang trainers in awe, and last year I decided to enter my first makeover. Now almost a year since I picked up my makeover horse I’ve lived and breathed mustangs, I’m currently training for the Mustang Classic and don’t plan on stopping show just how life changing this breed is.
Michael Hurst
Mike is a five time top 10 Extreme Mustang Makeover veteran from Philippi West Virginia. Mike is a performer, clinician and trainer. Mike has been training horses for the public for over 25 years. Mike is known as the Pragmatic Horseman because of his simple and practical style of horsemanship. He is a proud husband, father and US Army Veteran.
Jay JOnes
My journey with horses did not begin until a few years ago when I met my now wife. I grew up playing sports, and I feel like my experience with that learning about discipline, responsibility, coachability, and teamwork really helped me when I started being around and working with horses. I trained my first mustang in 2019. I still have her to this day and she assists me in the gentling of other Mustangs and working client horses. My wife and I own and operate a large boarding and training operation in North Georgia, and we really love the process of training Mustangs both for competitions, but also to help set them up for successful lives with their future owners. I am thankful for all that I have learned and experienced over these past years, and cannot wait to continue to expand my horsemanship and training abilities.
Molly Kline
Molly graduated from the University of Findlay in 2012 with a Bachelors of Science in Equestrian Studies. She completed in her first Extreme Mustang Challenge in 2020. She gives lessons and shares her love and knowledge
about horses with others!
Alison Magee
Alison lives in Loveland, Colorado. She has been riding, training and competing with horses for over 15yrs. She enjoys working with both young and problem horses to build a safe and reliable riding partner. Alison uses natural methods to train and believes it yields the best results for a long term willing equine partner.
Kristine Main
Hi. I’m Kristi and I’m beyond excited to be here! My horse journey started as a child when I first started taking lessons. Needless to say I have been glued to their side since. As a critical care nurse for my “day job” I have learned they teamwork is by far one of the most important principles for just about every aspect of life, and this rolls into the horse world too. Everyone needs a ground, and I love showing a horse I can be that for them to help them grow!
Geri Maxwell
I’m 18 years old. I’m about to graduate high school. I’ve been training horses for about 5 years but I’ve been riding for 15 years. I’ve been working with mustangs now for 3 years. I hope to learn more from each horse I get to work with throughout my life.
Nicholas Mcdonald
My name is Nick McDonald from Fort Dodge, Iowa. I’m married to Susie McDonald and have two amazing little boys AJ 4-years-old and TW 2-years-old. I have been training horses full time at M&D Cattle Company for the past two years but raised, showed, and rodeos for 15 years. My show experience is mostly in the colt starting and showing in the Extreme Ranch Horse Extravaganza and Futurity and the Iowa Ranch Horse Futurity. My rodeo experience and favorite hobby is team roping. I am a veteran of the United States Army serving 10 years. Coming home from
multiple deployments I have found horse training is my therapy, passion, and now my career. I would love the challenge that a mustang makeover presents but also have always wanted to connect with a mustang to compete at the mustang makeover challenge.
Cortland Mcdonald
Dedicated to promoting mustangs and their brilliant minds, sure-footed reliability and the beautiful bonds they can form with their human partners. I believe in building a correct foundation that will serve them well throughout their lives, one based on trust, respect, clear communication and fair expectations. I approach training as a lifelong
journey of learning to best serve the horses in my care. For over 20 years I’ve worked to always find better ways to create responsive, soft & willing equine partnerships.
Danielle Mitchell
Dani was first put on the back of a pony at 6 months old and riding has been a passion ever since. Following in her mother’s footsteps as a barrel racer, she grew up competing in rodeo and speed events. After working with horses of many different breeds, Dani got her first mustang, Cody, and fell in love with their spirited nature. She now
enjoys gentling mustangs with her close friend Emily as part of The Harbor Center Corporation, a 501(c)3 nonprofit dedicated to providing a healing harbor for both people and horses.
Jean Osborne
Mustangs embody versatility, grit, and a type of loyalty that is unmatched by any other horse breed. It has been a dream of mine to compete in the mustang makeover for many years after adopting my own Spruce-Pequop mare, Lola. Acceptance into this program will open many doors for my natural horsemanship training program, ultimately helping find homes for many more mustangs in the future.
Aly Rattazzi
I have been involved in the horse industry for my whole life. As a daughter of two trainers, I learned the ins and outs of the industry at an early age. I have always had a passion for training and just being around horses in general, so in my adult life I have built my own business in the horse world. My husband and I own and operate a large scale boarding and training operation, with a big part being in the gentling and training of Mustangs. I
competed in my first EMM in 2015, and was named Rookie Champion for the competition, and have been hooked ever since. The Mustang community is like no other, and in that community I have made lifelong friends and clients and expanded my training abilities allowing me to not only be a better horsewoman, but also a better person in general. I learn something new from every horse that I work with, and I hope to continue being able to work with these amazing animals for many years to come.
allyssa Rennebu
Since my first mustang competition in 2014 I have since competed in 20 makeover competitions. I’m a ten time top ten finalist . Now, I actively show and compete on my personal mustang mare, Raven. Together we successfully show against seasoned show horses in saddleseat, huntseat, and western. Through showing off various tricks,
riding on a drill team, and showing, promoting the American Mustang has become a passion of mine.
Katelyn Rennebu
Katelyn has been training mustangs for the past four years and has competed in over seven mustang challenges during her time as a youth. Training these mustangs has taught her a lot over the years and she has enjoyed meeting all the different mustangs, each with their own unique personalities. This year will be her first time
competing as an adult competitor and she is excited to show what she was able to accomplish with her first ever adult mustang.
Liz Sawicki
I am a full time horse trainer based in Pendleton, Kentucky and specialize in starting young horses under saddle as well helping “problem” horses with behavioral issues. As the name of my business implies (Square One Horsemanship), I focus on giving my horses a solid foundation and educating them on the basics. I work with a wide
range of breeds and disciplines, as I believe all horses deserve to receive a solid education in the fundamentals before starting work in a specific arena. Some of the foundational skills I incorporate into my training are teaching horses how to think their way through different situations and environments, how to relax and de-escalate when
they become frightened or worried, how to understand pressure, and how to be both mentally and physically soft to the aids.
Sheanna Shipley
Hi I’m Sheanna. Shanni for short. I have been training horses since I was 13 year old. I got in to mustang about 10 year ago with my mom. These horses have changed my life and the way I train. They have made me step up my training games and I enjoy every minute of if. They have shown me what trust truly is. I love these horses and love to educate people on them that my family started a training challenge in Texas and help my mom put one on in Colorado. My goal is to train mustangs and give them a chance at a truly blessed life.
Arianna Standridge
I grew up on a small horse rescue in southeast Tennessee, if you ask either one of my parents they would tell you I was riding horses before I could walk; but I think that’s true for every little girl who grew up around horses. After my father was diagnosed with cancer I started running the horse rescue that my parents started along side my brother, while I am going back to school for psychology my dream is to be able to share my passion of animals and the Lord with people, by providing equine therapy to my local community.
Betty Standridge
My Grandfather got my first pony before I was a year old. I was told I was riding before I walked. When I was 12 my Dad bought my first untrained grade mare. I trainer her myself and competed in 4-H shows and other local shows through out the years. In 2008 my husband and I started a not for profit rescue in SE TN. It was a crisis situation
with people loosing their homes and abandoning their animals. At one point we had 27 horses and a donkey. Due to my husbands cancer diagnosis over 5 years ago we closed the rescue. My son and daughter have recently filed papers to start it back up. He is a veteran and sees the need in our area for equine therapy. It’s a passion for the
whole family. Currently I have 8 horses and a donkey on the ranch. Four are Mustangs.
Karmen Steele
My name is Karmen Steele. I am a avid mustang lover , who strives to train and place them into their forever homes . I competed in the 2023 GHS PA TIP Challange and won 1st in adult overall with my mare Astro. In 2023 I placed 3 mustangs and 1 burro into their forever homes , and transported about 7 more to their homes. If I’m not home training ,I’m out hauling horses to their new homes.
Dillon Wade
Hi I’m Dillon Wade, I was born and raised in Houston Missouri. I have a beautiful wife and three beautiful daughters whom I am very proud of. I enjoy the outdoors, farming and ranching with my family and raising and training horses.
Kitra Wake
My name is Kitra. I am from Norton Ohio. I am also a wife and mom of 3 kids. I grew up on a farm and have been riding horses my whole life. I started breaking mustangs at 14 and never stopped. I love mustangs and showing others what this breed can do.