About John

I have spent most of my life in Virginia, with the exception of the short time in the service. I served 2 years as a sniper in the Army with the 101st Airborne Division. I grew up on a large beef cattle operation in central Virginia and learned how to get along with livestock through common sense. I have worked ER's, OR's, ICU's, performed critical care ambulance transports and also been an equine nurse at an equine medical center. After nearly 10 years treating the sick and injured as a paramedic running volunteer rescue squad and, working in several of the area hospitals, I found a much needed peace in educating horses. I have found there is a mental and spiritual connection that is there if we allow it to take place.

I have spent years learning the horsemanship of Tom and Bill Dorrance through great clinicians such as Ray Hunt and Buck Brannaman. I follow the old Californio ways of training and making good using horses. These methods were brought here by the Spaniards and are preserved by the few with patience to carry on their ways. This way of educating the horse is about refinement and continuing the horse's education. It's about teaching the horse where ever and when ever the need arises. The horse is always learning from us through our every action. I do quite a bit of gentling during this process that helps to create a horse who can help you when you need him. Over the past 10 years that I have training for the public I have trained everything from Arabs to Warmbloods, even mustangs and mules. I spent about a year working for The Thorough Bred Retirement Foundation working with the 100 or so OTTB's they had at Montpelier. I've made some great all round horses, some Gran Prix horses,race horses. In the past 10 years I've started or restarted over 300 horses. I'm still looking for one who doesn't understand me, but I have found him yet. I am a student of horsemanship. The more I learn, the more I know there is to learn. I look forward to working with you and helping you to learn, also.

"John's Riding Arena" (the area inside the red line) covers a large area of Locust Dale. It contains several square miles of woods and rolling green pastures with creeks and small rivers. There are many opportunities to expose the horses to deer, turkey, and other wildlife as well cattle. There are places to ride near busy route 15 and allow horses to become good with traffic. Much of this land is also hunted by the local fox hunters. It also includes the place where John spent much of his youth. There are few places that can offer this kind of education for the horse in Central Virginia. We look forward to riding your horse in this beautiful "arena".

The Guy in the Glass

When you get what you want in your struggle for self,

And the world makes you King for a day,

Then go to the mirror and look at yourself,

And see what that guy has to say.

For it isn't your Father, or Mother, or Wife,

Whose judgement upon you must pass.

The feller whose verdict counts most in your life

Is the guy staring back from the glass.

He's the feller to please, never mind all the rest,

For he's with you clear up to the end,

And you've passed your most dangerous, difficult test

If the guy in the glass is your friend.

You may be like Jack Horner and "chisel" a plum,

And think you're a wonderful guy,

But the man in the glass says you're only a bum

If you can't look him straight in the eye.

You can fool the whole world down the pathway of years,

And get pats on the back as you pass,

But your final reward will be heartaches and tears

If you've cheated the guy in the glass.

For years Ray Hunt has recited this poem at his clinics, I pass it along to you. May you pass your test.

John, when he was a sniper with the

101st Airborne Division

John racing motorcross back in the 80's

Horsemanship Clinic Spring 2009

This is John's newest mode of transportation. It get's great fuel mileage and John packs his saddle in big red bag. The bike is a KTM 950 Adventure.