“Your interactions with horses should add up to joyful lessons in life”

Through the years I have become increasingly aware of the need for horses in human society.  As a child they were simply strong, beautiful, fun creatures that captivated and amazed me with their abilities and power.  As an adult, I am still in awe of their distinct nature.  However, I am now more aware of their unique ability to teach us necessary lessons in life.    As an instructor I try to help each student understand that the horse already knows how to do “all the stuff” we require for work, show and pleasure riding.  We simply have to learn to communicate our requests to him in a language that he can understand. 

I also believe that it is our responsibility to provide the security, structure and guidance of the herd and natural environment that we have removed the horse from in order to become our daily partner in work.  If this is not provided, it is difficult for healthy learning to take place.  It is my opinion that once we accept these responsibilities in earnest and commit to better methods of communication, our horsemanship skills will help us to develop life skills that improve our ability to respectfully communicate with all other creatures.

~~~~~Christina Fleming~~~~~~

Christina Fleming graduated with an Associates degree in Science with high honors at Rock Valley College in Rockford, Illinois.  She went on to receive her Bachelors degree in Biology (pre-veterinary emphasis)  at Benedictine University in  Lisle, Illinois.   Currently, Christina lives in Cerrillos, New Mexico, and spends her time teaching lessons, training horses, judging and offering clinics. 

 Training, Judging and Showing Achievements

• Judged the 2002 Santa Fe County 4-H Queens Contest

• Offered clinics in Santa Fe, New Mexico on “Collection and the Natural Aids”, Summer  2001

• Offered clinics in Taos, New Mexico on “Problem Solving”, Fall 2001

• Owned, trained and showed the WI/IL BDGP highpoint halter gelding for 1998, the same gelding placed third in the world, Topeka Kansas ABRA World Show

• Owned and trained the 1999 Wisconsin Paint Horse Club weanling stallion futurity champion

• Owned and trained the 1999 Wisconsin/Illinois Buckskin, Dun & Grulla promoters Club and Buckskin Horse Association of Michigan weanling stallion/gelding futurity champion

• Owned and trained the 1999 All American Buckskin Congress Reserve Champion halter gelding

• Judged the 1999 Northern Illinois Horse Fest open show and held a private, sold-out, re-training clinic for ex-race horses at the Horse Fair

 Certifications 

• Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor, Cheff Center, Augusta, Michigan

• CHA certified english riding instructor, Tyler, Texas

• CHA certified western riding instructor, Tyler, Texas

• CHA certified guide, (Certified in Chehalis Forest, B.C. Canada) Tyler, Texas

• Certified 4-H judge, Iowa State University, Ames Iowa

• Certified horse show judge, Wisconsin State Horse Council

Courses, Conferences, and Clinic Attendance

• Advances in Modern Farriery, University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine

• Completed the “Aggression Management Training Series”, The University of Illinois at Chicago and The Illinois Department of Mental Health, Chicago Illinois

• Four year attendee at Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) International Conference since 1993, Silverton Oregon, Tyler Texas, Harrison Mills BC Canada and  Brookston Indiana

• Five year attendee at North American Horseman’s Association (NAHA) Conference since 1994, Estes Park and Boulder Colorado, Minneapolis Minnesota

• Completed the Sally Swift Centered Riding Instructor training camp, hosted by Sally Swift in Augusta, Michigan

• Attended (three years) workshops hosted by Julie Fershtman, Esq. on equine liability and the law, Boulder and Estes Park Colorado

• Attended workshops by authors/trainers Mary Midcalf and Peggy Cummings on various topics in riding, various locations throughout the U.S.

• Attended a workshop with the National Mounted Police on training horses for public use Boulder, Colorado

• Attended workshops by author Dr. Nancy Loving on various veterinary topics, Boulder Colorado

• Attended workshops on horsedrawn vehicle rides safety and management offered by members of the Carriage Operators of North America (CONA), Estes Park Colorado

• Attended workshops by the U.S. Forest Service on Low impact horse packing, Boulder Colorado

 Articles and Other Written Materials

• Monthly columnist for Todays Horse Trader Magazine, a nationally distributed horse journal.

• Appeared in the 2002 Cowgirl Calendar published by Browntrout Publishing

• Author DMSO, In Equine Applications, a research paper on the use of Dimethyl Sulfoxide in horses.  Paper was published in “The Instructor Magazine”  Fall 2001.

• Wrote for Robert Dawson’s new book entitled “The Spirit of the Horse”, released in Fall 2001.

• Published author, Horses and horsemen of the West Indies, “Western Horseman Magazine”, September 1998

• Asked by the North American Horseman’s Association (NAHA) to author a guidebook for professional horsemen on implementing the American’s with Disabilities Act with the assistance of the National Center on Accessibility, entitled:  “Programmatic Implementation of the Americans with Disabilities Act”.

• Designed and drafted curriculum for Kishwaukee College course AGR 105 Introduction to Horses, offered a part time Faculty teaching position for same course.

 Speaking and Other Professional Engagements

• 2004 NATRC North American National Conference featured clinician.

• Featured speaker at 1995 NAHA Conference, Boulder Colorado and 1995 CHA Conference with a lecture on “The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and its impact on the horse industry”.

• Workshop presenter at 1997 CHA International Conference, “Conformation, form to function”, Brookston Indiana

• Presented clinics at the Rockford Park District, Rockford, IL on Equine Nutrition, Conformation, Green horses, Horse Care and other topics

• International equine consulting work for a private business located in the West Indies and other national and regional organizations/companies

 Memberships

• Life member American Quarter Horse Association

• Life member American Paint Horse Association

• Member International Buckskin Horse Association (IBHA), American Buckskin Registry Association (ABRA)

• Member American MENSA