About Jessie Tierney

RIDING EXPERIENCE

 

CURRENT
Non-competitive Pleasure & recreational riding with friends & family in Lafayette, CO

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MCCORMICK STABLES, WHEELING, WV—2016-2018

While in school for my Doctorate of Physical Therapy in Wheeling, WV, I lived above the tack room at McCormick Stables, fed evening grain and hay, fed night hay, helped clean stalls, turned the horses in/out, took a few hunter/jumper lessons and even had the opportunity to assist with two foaling seasons.

 

SANBORN WESTERN CAMPS, FLORISSANT, CO—2009-2011

Sanborn Western Camps is a summer camp for girls and boys ages 7 to 25, located among 6,000 acres on a working cattle ranch.  The equine program is rated among the 10 best summer camp riding programs in the United States.  As Head Wrangler, I worked year-round, worked project horses throughout the wintertime, and continued to ride these horses into the summer until they were ready for campers.  Below is a brief listing of my riding experience at Sanborn.

• Riding green broke horses; training Grade and Quarter Horses to be ready to carry campers & inexperienced riders

• Barrel Racing, Pole Bending inter-camp competitions

• Competent in round pen work—trained in Natural Horsemanship methods, both groundwork and under saddle

• Design & execute Drill Team patterns with up to 14 riders

• Comfortable riding and navigating through rough terrain, water, steep slopes with a mind for the safety of horses and riders

• Led 5-day pack horse trips through the Colorado Backcountry

• Daily roundup of a herd of 60 horses

• Occasional cattle roundup

 

CHESTNUT LANE FARM, MONROE, NC—2004

Chestnut Lane is a class A show barn, housing 25 American Saddlebred horses.  The trainer, John Whalen, drew a lot of his approach to horsemanship from his Dressage background: I learned a lot about patience and a gentle approach from John.

• Exercised and fine-tuned my string of 8 lesson horses for my Saddle Seat riding students

• Ground driving and working horses in a jog cart

 

WILLIAM WOODS UNIVERSITY, FULTON, MO—2003-2004

I attended William Woods University’s Equestrian Science program in the Saddle Seat concentration for one year, where I attended clinics, rode daily, showed, and taught others to ride, under the instruction of Gayle Lampe.  Below is a listing of my riding experience at William Woods.

• Rode / Trained / Lessons on American Saddlebred, Morgan, Arabian, and National Show Horses 7 days/week

• Worked horses in a jog cart, longe line

• Attended clinics by local and traveling Saddle Seat instructors

• Attended ROLEX as a spectator

 

NORTHERN TRADITION FARM, MINOOKA, IL—2002-2003

Northern Tradition is a class A show barn, housing over 40 American Saddlebred horses.

• Exercised and fine-tuned lesson horses to keep them in shape for clients

• “Catch-rode” horses to qualify them for championship level competitions—notably Reserve Champion Show Pleasure at the Midwest Signature Horse Show

 

RESIDENTIAL FARMETTE, MINOOKA, IL—2000-2003

Throughout High School, I was the primary caretaker of an eclectic American Saddlebred, Arabian, off-track Standardbred, and Shetland Pony herd at our 5-acre farmette in Minooka, IL.  My younger sisters and I showed at local, 4-H, and FFA shows out of our trailer.  I rode my ex-racehorse and trained her under saddle for western pleasure, and showed my American Saddlebred at local shows with great success but preferred to ride her bareback around our small acreage and neighboring farmland.

• Saddle Seat pleasure and equitation

• Western pleasure

• Grand Champion 4-H English Equitation

• High Point Kane County Fair

• 1st Place and Grand Champion FFA English Pleasure

 

HUNTOON STABLES, AURORA, IL—1993-2000

Huntoon Stables is a family owned and operated Saddle Seat lesson facility, where I “grew up” on horseback.  Their approach is uniquely work-based—we learned all aspects of horsemanship by being held responsible for the care of our horses for hours before and after the lesson.  The horses were all school horses—not in training—and we showed these lesson horses at the B-and some A-level shows, where we were typically out-horsed but really held our own.  A family oriented barn, Huntoons explored the diversity of the American Saddlebred horse—we had stable shows with costume classes, trail rides, obstacle courses, drill teams, and more.  Below is a brief listing of my riding experience at Huntoon Stables, which truly served as a strong foundation not only in riding but in all aspects of horsemanship.

• Formal Saddle Seat horseback riding lessons two days per week from age 8 to 16

• Showed up to four times per year at the B level in Pleasure and Equitation—most notably, received 2nd place at the American Saddlebred National Pleasure Horse Show in the Pleasure category and placed top ten in the Pleasure Equitation Olympics; also, Champion in Country Pleasure at IASPHA horse show among many other shows and placings

• Competed in Schooling Shows at Huntoon Stables and was High Point champion for consecutive years

• Finished green broke American Saddlebreds, Morgans and Arabians for the lesson program at Huntoon Stables

 

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

DOUBLE S QUARTER HORSES, BOW, WA—2011-present

• Hayloft Yoga Instructor—instruct weekly classes in the hayloft of the barn with an emphasis on posture, strength, balance and flexibility and how this practice translates to horseback riding

• Horseback Yoga Clinic Instructor—instruct 2-hour sessions on a yogic approach to interacting with horses, alignment, postures, breathwork off and on horseback

 

SANBORN WESTERN CAMPS, FLORISSANT, CO—2009-2011

• Head Wrangler—train incoming Wranglers (some with limited horse experience) how to ride and how to teach others to ride western

• Teach basic fundamentals to all Camp Counselors so they can be competent and helpful when the kids come down to the barn

• Lead arena lessons—technical western riding skills

• Teach grooming and tacking up

• Western Trail Guide—half day or all day rides of up to 15 riders ages 7-25

• Guide overnight pack trips for up to 5 days

• Lead the Community Out Reach Experience (CORE), a week-long coed technical arena riding program which prepares campers to compete in the gymkhana and improves hands, feet, seat, and balance at the walk, jog, and lope, while combining the experience with community service projects throughout the week

• Led the Sanborn Outdoor Leadership Experience (SOLE), week-long coed horsemanship and trail competence program which gives campers the opportunity to learn to plan and lead their own pack horse trip—packing a pack horse, tying a high line, hobbling and hawking, and all elements of leading a pack trip

 

CHESTNUT LANE FARM, MONROE, NC—2004

• Organized a beginner Summer Riding Program

• Organized and ran two week-long summer day camps

• Taught daily hour-long Saddle Seat riding lessons

• Managed a string of 8 school horses

 

WILLIAM WOODS UNIVERSITY, FULTON, MO—2003-2004

• Taught informal lessons to peers in the riding program

• Taught at-risk youth in a work exchange program to ride horses

 

NORTHERN TRADITION FARM, MINOOKA, IL—2002-2003

• Taught hour-long Saddle Seat riding lessons to the beginning riders at Northern Tradition Farm twice per week

 

HUNTOON STABLES, AURORA, IL—1993-2000

• Taught Saddle Seat riding lessons in the Park District Program once per week

• Taught younger riders how to groom and tack their horses

• Helped with Girl Scout outings and Birthday Parties at the barn

 

WORK EXPERIENCE

 

MCCORMICK STABLES, WHEELING, WV—2016-2018

• Daily feeding/watering at a 40 horse facility

• Monitor horse wellness

• Assist with foaling in springtime x 2 seasons

 

SANBORN WESTERN CAMPS, FLORISSANT, CO—2009-2011

• Head Wrangler

• Train staff

• Manage herd of 60 horses—tack, meds, feed, feet, turnout, ride scheduling, morale

• Fence maintenance on 6,000 acres

• Stall and turnout mucking

• Organize large scale events catered to kids: horse shows, gymkhana

• Work with cattle—shots, meds, branding, tagging, worming

• Competent medical care

 

CHESTNUT LANE FARM, MONROE, NC—2004

• Groomed client horses before and after lessons

• Mucked 25 stalls daily

• Prepared horses and put riders in the ring at A shows throughout the East Coast Saddle Seat Show Circuit

 

NORTHERN TRADITION FARM, MINOOKA, IL—2002-2003

• Mucked 40 stalls daily

• Groomed, worked and cared for my string of show horses

• Prepared horses and put riders in the ring at A shows throughout the Midwest, including the World’s Grand Championship Horse Show in Lexington, KY

 

RESIDENTIAL FARMETTE, MINOOKA, IL—2000-2003

• Daily stall mucking and manure disposal

• Barn maintenance

• Scheduling hay delivery, hoof care, vet care and other horse needs

 

HUNTOON STABLES, AURORA, IL—1993-2000

• Fed and watered 30 horses every Saturday

• Helped tack for younger riders

• General barn cleanup