A lifelong horsewoman, Method Ambassador Ruth Holmes can’t remember a time when she wasn’t passionate about riding and pursuing her horsemanship dreams. “I fell in love with horses when I was little and grew up riding my friends’ horses every chance I could,” Ruth says.
For years, Ruth took lessons and was eager to learn everything she could about horsemanship. Her quest for knowledge led her to an equine expo in Virginia in 2005 where she first met Clinton. “He was doing a demo about how to pick up horses’ feet. There were three people watching him, and I was one of them,” she remembers. “He made sense and was simple to understand and I liked that he was willing to help people with problematic horses and didn’t sugarcoat his instruction.”
Ruth studied Clinton’s training tapes and trained her horses using his groundwork and riding exercises. Eventually, she began working horses for the public and competing in Extreme Mustang Makeover Competitions. “I put the Method to the test. In the Extreme Mustang Makeover Competitions, you take on mustangs that are completely untouched and compete on them in a hundred days,” Ruth says. “The Method is safe and it helps me do my job and allows me to feel as if I’m making a difference in the life of a horse.”
A riding accident that resulted in a fractured skull and a broken back and required nine months of physical therapy, helped Ruth appreciate the Method’s focus on safety. “The doctors told me that I was not going to be able to ride again, but I was determined to. Safety is a priority for me when enjoying my horses,” Ruth says. “I want to do what I love, but it’s important to stay safe while doing it.”
As she nears retirement from the military, the Florida horsewoman wants to turn her passion for horses and helping others into a second career. “The Method works. I’m passionate about helping other people understand that they can enjoy their horses and stay safe while doing it,” Ruth says. “Clinton is phenomenal because he produced a program that is thorough and easy for people to understand.”
Ruth is based in Lawtey, Florida, where she trains horses for the public and teaches private lessons and clinics that focus on the Fundamentals level of the Method. Learn all about Ruth on her website and contact her directly at 904-239-8307 or [email protected].
