“Success is only so sweet,” she says,
“depending on how you get there.”
Smith Taylor, who Ali’s mother Tina has coined “Ali’s fairy godmother,” has been a huge influence. Ali also spent this past summer working for Olympic gold medal show jumper Peter Wylde, who gave her an appreciation for the work in- volved at the highest level of the sport. She also draws from legendary horseman and practitioner of natural horseman- ship Buck Brannaman, who travels the country giving clinics in colt starting, horsemanship, cow working and roping. Ali and her brother began to ride with Buck at a young age, while Tina has been using Buck’s methods since she first came across the kind cowboy some 20 years ago. “I started his clinics when I was ten,” Ali says. “We host a clinic at the ranch every year and I ride as many horses as I can with him—riding nine hours a day for four days.” Although she can only ride with Buck occasionally be- cause of his packed travel schedule, Ali makes the most of her time under his watchful eyes. Buck and the Cornish family have a shared appreciation for a holistic approach to riding. Much of the cowboy’s work revolves around allow- ing lightness in the horse, so the horse begins to feel like a simple extension of the rider. It is this sense of acceptance and understanding that Ali strives for with her hunters and jumpers. It is, she says, the same willingness and enthusiasm you can see in a top roping horse. “You have to be willing to take the time, be realistic with the horse you have and your goals. You don’t have to fall into the norms,” she says.
34 January/February 2014
Ali and her young jumper Freddy at a Buck Brannaman clinic.
One Horse at a Tme As much as Ali believes in her work, she also admits it can be lonely at times. Her unconventional ways haven’t exactly won over the hunter/jumper industry. But while she’s quick to note that everyone has their own path and journey, she also hopes more people will begin to see the positives of her blended program. As for Theo, Ali is now looking for his next ideal home as she launches her business. Until she find that perfect owner, however, she’s hoping to enjoy him a little while longer— including taking him to the Legacy of Legends event, focus- ing on natural horsemanship techniques, held in Las Vegas at the beginning of February. “He’s been a great journey. I want him to go to a person who appreciates him. He’s done so much for me,” she says.
s
With patience that belies her age, Ali is philosophical about her goals. “Success is only so sweet,” she says, “de- pending on how you get there.”
Courtesy Ali Cornish
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