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climb that ladder to success in training and coaching great rid- ers, especially equitation. He is articulate, concise and able to explain his beliefs in detail. “One of the things that I always stress when I give clinics
is that I will be sharing the system that I use to produce my horses and riders. To explain it in detail would take up more space than intended for this article but in the end, it is built around the qualities that you would look to see in horses and riders from any discipline….the emphasis on development of straightness, balance, rhythm, impulsion, and relaxation…….. and how to go about both measuring and achieving it.” “Beyond that,” he continues, “I believe that when you look
The people that gave me a leg up here in California, and in my early career, would be
at the equitation horse and rider that is standing in the win- ner’s circle when it is ‘their day’, they will be standing there as a result of the efforts of the many working winners behind the scene, owners, breeders, veterinarians, farriers, grooms, body and teeth specialists, their coaches and of course their family.” “I am a ringside witness to the evolution of our sport - not
only the globalization of it. I like a challenge and really am motivated to achieve goals. I love to figure out what makes a horse ‘tick’ that has gotten off on the wrong track. And then, find and begin to feel where he has been in his mind and body, and see if I can’t help restore the horse to its original potential.” “The two ground people that were there at the right mo-
Hap Hansen, Nancy Nordstrom, and Lisa O’keefe. Over the years I have worked with and been influenced in some capacity by Jimmy Wofford, George Morris, Col John Russell,Peter Weinberg, Nelson Pessoa, Buddy Brown, Bernie Traurig , Rodney Jenkins, Joe Fargis, Conrad Homfeld, Butch Thomas, Guenter Seidel, John French, John Bragg, John Turner, Richard Keller, Jon Topps, Thomas Kohler, Rolf Goron Bengsten, Willie Van der Hamm, Geoff Billington, Malcom Pyrah, Kenny Nordstrom and Nancy Nordstrom, Miriam Doddridge, Leslie Burr Lenehan, Sandy Aston , Susie Hutchinson, Judy Martin, Leslie McNaught, Kathy Kusner. These are the most important people to me in the industry, and are the ones who give back and pass it on in some way.
ment for me, and impacted my riding the most, would first be Sandy Aston back in the late 80’S. What I needed and got from her was a better understanding of how distance is creat- ed through balance and straightness. It made incredible sense the way she explained it.”
to be successful as a top trainer. Christy Jacoby came to me from the three day event world as a working student, wanting to hone her skills in the stadium phase of show jumping. I feel fortunate that as a result of Christy having retired from active competition for the time being, she can devote herself as our full time rider and manager at home.” At home, Benson is a bit of a nester and has created a comforting, relaxed and peaceful space for himself and his
“One of the things that I always stress when I give clinics is that I will be shar- ing the system that I use to produce my horses and riders. To explain it in detail would take up more space than intended for this article but in the end, it is built around the qualities that you would look to see in horses and riders from any dis-
cipline...the emphasis on development of straightness, balance, rhythm, impulsion, and relaxation…and how to go about both measuring and achieving it.”
right time was Buddy Brown. The piece I believe he helped me with the most was a better understanding of not only your horse’s weight distribution throughout his body, but a better recognition of how to make it work for both the rider and the horse.” He considers himself fortunate to have a staff that has been
with him since he began Ventana Farm 11 years ago. He says, “We have all grown together as a team. Our head groom, Rigo Soto, and his assistant, Ignacio Mata, are much more than grooms, they are horseman with all of the important qualities that come with it. Candace Allen, started with me as a working student and I knew from the start that she had the qualities
Above: Adrienne Dixon, Benson Carroll and Sheila Sosnow 73 “The other horseman that influenced my riding at just the
Corgi’s, Bruiser and Bandit. After the hectic schedule of being on the road he loves to return to the more relaxed and peace- ful setting of “home” for training and teaching. “Fun,” he talks about with a robust laugh. “For a moment
I had to think about any fun to be had before or after work, something outside of the barn. And the truth is this line of work doesn’t leave much left of me for fun, or time to go and find it at the end of the day. But what I do know is that I have such a lot of fun with my clients in so many different ways, we laugh a lot at Ventana Farm and I love it!! At the end of the day I would say to your readers what I say to my students and that really it’s the horses themselves that have taught me the most....I am grateful to them.”
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