When the Clinician Academy gets underway at the Downunder Horsemanship Ranch in September, Abbey Pailthorpe will be among the horsemen in attendance. The Iowa horseman has been involved with horses from a young age and participated in horse club in her elementary and high school years. She shares why she’s passionate about the Method and what led her to enroll in the Academy.
Why do you believe in the Method?
The Method worked for the 10-year-old me who had no idea how to work with horses and had just adopted a 7-year-old, blind Quarter Horse mare. She was a nervous Nellie, scared of leaving her pasture and started getting a bit disrespectful. She would nip at me, wouldn’t want her feet picked up, and she didn’t want to be caught. My family had no real prior experience with horses either, so finding Downunder Horsemanship was a blessing. The Method helped me go from just a little girl who wanted to ride her horse to teaching my blind mare how to be ridden, to trailer and being able to take her to local shows and competing. I learned safety first, and I truly believe it has saved my life more than once.
What made you decide to attend the Academy?
I remember being in middle school and seeing the first Academy graduates. At that moment, I knew that it was what I wanted to do in life and I would do whatever it took to get to this point. Downunder Horsemanship feels like a second family to me. It has inspired me to do things when no one else believed that I could. I want to be that inspiration and helping hand to so many horse owners looking for guidance.
We’re excited Abbey chose to enroll in the Academy and look forward to helping her on her journey toward becoming a Method Ambassador! Learn more about the Clinician Academy on our website.
