Sadie discovered her love for horses when she was in college and picked up a job working on a historic farm that was home to a variety of animals including a herd of horses. She’d always had a strong love for animals and all things outdoors, but because she’d been raised in the city, she never had the opportunity to be around horses before. So when she saw the job opening, she didn’t hesitate to apply.
She spent a year driving the wagon rides the farm offered its guests before she earned a position caring for the livestock on the farm. Eventually, she worked her way up to exercising the horses. “The first horse I rode was Moe, a 30-year-old, gaited gelding. I thought it was the best thing ever,” Sadie says.
Recognizing Sadie’s interest in working with the horses, the farm’s manager introduced her to Downunder Horsemanship and the Method. “I wasn’t raised around horses and I don’t come from a horse family, so I didn’t know anything about horsemanship,” Sadie says. “The Method is easy to understand and follow. It just clicked in my brain. As soon as I started using it, I got immediate results with the horses I worked with.”
At the time, Sadie was earning a degree in anthropology but the more she studied the Method and worked with the horses at the farm, she became convinced she wanted to pursue a career as a horse trainer. “The more horses I worked with, the more I fell in love with training. I enjoy the process of working with a horse and building their confidence,” Sadie says.
Her desire to better her skill set as a trainer led her to taking a lesson with Method Ambassador Dacoda Hiatt. “It was a great experience and gave me more knowledge than I could pick up from watching just the videos,” Sadie says. “I couldn’t afford to take regular lessons, but luckily for me, Dacoda needed help with her personal horses and invited me to work for her.”
The Method Ambassador had just gotten in several half-draft horses with bucking stock bloodlines that she needed to start under saddle. “Working with those horses got me a lot of experience very quickly. I couldn’t have asked for a better opportunity to refine my feel and timing as a horseman,” Sadie says. “I knew that I wanted to make a career out of training horses, so coming to the Academy and learning the Method in-depth just made sense as the next step in my journey.”
As a Method Ambassador, Sadie enjoys helping other horsemen realize their dreams and making a connection with horses. “I didn’t grow up with this life – I had to work really hard for it and make opportunities open up. It is awesome to be in a position now where I can help others who have a similar background to mine,” she says. “You don’t have to be raised around horses to have a passion for them. When you can get involved with horses, the Method makes learning how to interact safely and correctly with them easy to understand.”
Sadie is based in West Jordan, Utah, 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 Sadie on her website and contact her directly at 801-792-2683 or [email protected].
