Kelly's passion began at the age of 8 when she was introduced to her older cousin's Christmas present: a white and dun colored tobiano paint mare named Odyssey. Her pleas of getting her own horse were met with an emphatic NO from her parents, but a compromise was made and Kelly began riding lessons at a stable in Highland, MI. Her first horse was purchased when she was 12, a very stubborn and sassy red roan mare that taught Kelly a respect for finding a job that best suits each individual horse. Since then, Kelly has been a competitor and coach for the Milford High School Equestrian Team where she coached riders in Western and Hunt Seat Equitation, Bareback, and Gymkhana to the MIHA State Championships 6 years in a row.
She attended Michigan State University and received her certificate in Horse Farm Management with a focus on training and instruction. While attending MSU, Kelly was hand-picked out of her class for an internship at Massman Stables, working under the Nationally renowned and highly respected coach of over 100 National Champion riders, Leesa Massman. Within a year and a half, Kelly was promoted to Farm Manager of Massman Stables and Lesson Program Director. There she developed programs for the YMCA of Lansing, Mason and Eaton Rapids School Districts, Boy Scouts of America, and hosted camps and clinics for her own students and 4-H groups around the state. As a competitor in multiple breeds and disciplines, Kelly enjoys the hard work on the road to the show ring almost more than the win. Kelly has a light-hearted and fun approach to her lessons for both youth and adults. Her program not only teaches a solid foundation in horsemanship, but gives insight to into the horse psychology. Kelly believes that to build a true partnership with your horse, you must understand how it thinks and why it reacts the way it does. She loves working with rides who are preparing for competition and stresses that the most important part of riding is having fun and enjoying your experience with your horse.
She attended Michigan State University and received her certificate in Horse Farm Management with a focus on training and instruction. While attending MSU, Kelly was hand-picked out of her class for an internship at Massman Stables, working under the Nationally renowned and highly respected coach of over 100 National Champion riders, Leesa Massman. Within a year and a half, Kelly was promoted to Farm Manager of Massman Stables and Lesson Program Director. There she developed programs for the YMCA of Lansing, Mason and Eaton Rapids School Districts, Boy Scouts of America, and hosted camps and clinics for her own students and 4-H groups around the state. As a competitor in multiple breeds and disciplines, Kelly enjoys the hard work on the road to the show ring almost more than the win. Kelly has a light-hearted and fun approach to her lessons for both youth and adults. Her program not only teaches a solid foundation in horsemanship, but gives insight to into the horse psychology. Kelly believes that to build a true partnership with your horse, you must understand how it thinks and why it reacts the way it does. She loves working with rides who are preparing for competition and stresses that the most important part of riding is having fun and enjoying your experience with your horse.