When Daphne, Alabama Method Ambassador Alexandra Sparks got her first horse, she made all of the mistakes experienced horsemen warn against. She and her mom decided to get a horse and found themselves in a pasture at a horse farm in Alabama. Alexandra selected Alamo, a blue roan colt who was just turning 2. “He hadn’t been handled at all, and I hadn’t been around horses before,” she says. “It became clear to me quickly that I needed to learn how to work with a horse.”
In hopes of learning proper horsemanship, Alexandra found a barn from which to take lessons, “but the horses were awfully behaved. They wouldn’t go when asked, they’d kick out and were just disrespectful and badly trained,” Alexandra says.
Her frustration led her to the Method, and she spent the next year teaching Alamo groundwork exercises and preparing him to be started under saddle. “I ended up breaking him in myself. Although I made mistakes, overall it was a great experience for both of us,” Alexandra says.
She enjoyed the experience so much that she bought another colt to start and participated in Clinton’s Colt Starting Clinic. “That clinic was a great opportunity and made me want to learn more about the Method,” she says. That fall, she participated in the Intermediate Clinic.
As Alexandra’s horsemanship skills improved, she began training horses for the public. “I enjoyed working with my horses and was having fun helping others. So when I learned about the Academy, I decided to go for it,” she says.
Because of her rocky start in the horse industry, Alexandra has a keen understanding of the frustration horse owners face when they have a lack of knowledge. “I’ve been there and understand how helpless it feels to be in that situation. That’s why I enjoy sharing the Method and helping horse owners accomplish their goals,” Alexandra says.
Learn more about Alexandra on her webpage.
