Heather Mills

Trainer/Instructor.

 

     Heather fell in love with horses as a young girl on her parent's farm in Appleton, WI and now, with a lifetime experience honing her skills, teaches lessons and trains horses at Jefferson Farms in Salida, CO. Her passion is sharing her knowledge with others interested in developing the same love for horses and all they offer.
     Riding and competing throughout her childhood in various programs, including 4-H, she taught lessons in high school to pay for her horses. She rode for the Ball State University Equestrian Team. Worked as an Equestrian Director at a summer camp in Michigan and competed as an individual her senior year at the IHSA National Championships in the Open Over Fences division. 
     After college, she took a job riding dressage horses in Santa Fe, NM and worked as a groom for Goose Downs Farm in Galisteo, NM where she discovered a passion for Eventing. While working as an instructor for the Colorado Outward Bound School in Jensen, UT, she was hired to 'cowboy' for All Round Ranch where she learned to ride colts and rope. After many years working seasonal horse jobs on the east coast, including a stint as a groom for Olympic Event rider Michael Plumb, and a journalist for The Chronicle of the Horse magazine, she landed in Gunnison, CO., where she managed the Messner Ranch and co-owned High Country Cowboy Company. Rekindling her love of Eventing, she brought many horses up through the levels, including her top horse, Cangaroo, with whom she ranked nationally with the USEA and competed to the preliminary level.
     Heather’s Riding School offers lessons for all levels and abilities in all disciplines.  Private and group lessons with similar ages and ability level are available. The program offers goal specific instruction, beginner and youth development, special needs circumstances or overcoming fear or other issues, and competition preparation.

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     One of Heather's passions is re-schooling Thoroughbred racehorses post track life for a new career as a sporthorse. Please visit the Horse Sales page for current available horses.

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