History with Horses:
Sheila Wilson started riding at an early age and at 15 years old she had the good fortune to learn from Vicki Humphrey, a dressage graduate of Merideth Manor. Sheila continued to ride with Vicki and work for her for several years until she graduated High School.
Vicki used her dressage skills to train Arabian and Half Arabian horses for English Pleasure and Park. Sheila learned how dressage could lighten a horse’s front end and make their trot more animated and engaged.
After High School Sheila boarded a plane and moved to Arizona to work as a Horse Trainer apprentice at a large Arabian horse training and breeding facility. While in Arizona she saw what training without a dressage basics was like, not good. She had learned enough about dressage to see its benefits to all styles of riding and knew that to be an effective rider/trainer she would have to work with a trainer who possessed a stronger foundation in dressage.
So back in Ohio, Sheila continued training with Vicki Humphrey. During which time while she was helping another friend at a horse auction in Oklahoma, she was offered a job in Arizona. (Since this was November and knowing the approaching Ohio winter, Arizona sounded like a good idea ) There she met a true horseman.
She met a horse trader that not only had a strong foundation in dressage, but also knew how horses think. Although he may have looked like a cowboy and rode in a western saddle, he rode dressage. He learned traditional military horse training methods from a retired Calvary colonel. He had studied horses and their behavior his entire life. That is when her education of natural horsemanship skills began. She learned that you could change how a horse moves to or from you by just your body position. How you could teach a horse to want to be with you. Sheila learned that once you were able to get a horse to “give to you” you could teach them anything.
Sheila continued to work with the horse trader, when he moved to Oklahoma. She worked at repurposing horses and sharpening her training techniques for six years.
During her time in Oklahoma, Sheila earned a Bachelors Degree in Fine Art from the University of Oklahoma.
After achieving her BFA Sheila moved to New York to work on her MFA. Her two and a half years in New York, is the only time she has been away from horses since she was eight years old.
Horses and Art really seem to go together. Sometimes one has to be very creative when training horses. Sheila’s training as an artist, gives her an eye for detail in every rider that she coaches and every horse that she trains.
When Sheila had completed her MFA, she returned to Ohio. There she joined her Mother in an Arabian horse training and breeding business. It was a family operation, Dad made the hay, sister helped with the showing, Mom took care of the mares and foals, and Sheila trained the horses. Together they made and sold National winners in Halter, English pleasure and Park.
Sister moved away, Mom and Dad retired, that left Sheila. She knew to stay competitive in the show ring you have to keep honing your skills. Knowing how important dressage training is to any discipline; she sought a dressage coach, to improve her English horses. What she found when she started learning dressage from someone who was actually riding and competing in dressage, was that dressage was becoming much more interesting than English Pleasure. The more dressage she learned the less she wanted to show in the English/Saddleseat classes.
Although she had a large Saddleseat clientele built up, she made the brave decision to switch to dressage. To her surprise many of her clients followed her. During this transition she became involved in Pony Club. With Pony Club came Eventing. Learning new skills has always been exciting. For 12 years Sheila was the joint district commissioner of the Blue Ribbon Riders Pony Club. Sheila is currently a USDF L Candidate. She has competed successfully in Dressage and Eventing. In 2015, Sheila earned her USDF Bronze medal.
Sheila has constantly sought information and education about horses and riding. Since she was first in 4H (over 30 years ago) she has attended seminars and training clinics and continues to do so today. Horses By Sheila is host to several riding and training clinics throughout the year.
Vicki used her dressage skills to train Arabian and Half Arabian horses for English Pleasure and Park. Sheila learned how dressage could lighten a horse’s front end and make their trot more animated and engaged.
After High School Sheila boarded a plane and moved to Arizona to work as a Horse Trainer apprentice at a large Arabian horse training and breeding facility. While in Arizona she saw what training without a dressage basics was like, not good. She had learned enough about dressage to see its benefits to all styles of riding and knew that to be an effective rider/trainer she would have to work with a trainer who possessed a stronger foundation in dressage.
So back in Ohio, Sheila continued training with Vicki Humphrey. During which time while she was helping another friend at a horse auction in Oklahoma, she was offered a job in Arizona. (Since this was November and knowing the approaching Ohio winter, Arizona sounded like a good idea ) There she met a true horseman.
She met a horse trader that not only had a strong foundation in dressage, but also knew how horses think. Although he may have looked like a cowboy and rode in a western saddle, he rode dressage. He learned traditional military horse training methods from a retired Calvary colonel. He had studied horses and their behavior his entire life. That is when her education of natural horsemanship skills began. She learned that you could change how a horse moves to or from you by just your body position. How you could teach a horse to want to be with you. Sheila learned that once you were able to get a horse to “give to you” you could teach them anything.
Sheila continued to work with the horse trader, when he moved to Oklahoma. She worked at repurposing horses and sharpening her training techniques for six years.
During her time in Oklahoma, Sheila earned a Bachelors Degree in Fine Art from the University of Oklahoma.
After achieving her BFA Sheila moved to New York to work on her MFA. Her two and a half years in New York, is the only time she has been away from horses since she was eight years old.
Horses and Art really seem to go together. Sometimes one has to be very creative when training horses. Sheila’s training as an artist, gives her an eye for detail in every rider that she coaches and every horse that she trains.
When Sheila had completed her MFA, she returned to Ohio. There she joined her Mother in an Arabian horse training and breeding business. It was a family operation, Dad made the hay, sister helped with the showing, Mom took care of the mares and foals, and Sheila trained the horses. Together they made and sold National winners in Halter, English pleasure and Park.
Sister moved away, Mom and Dad retired, that left Sheila. She knew to stay competitive in the show ring you have to keep honing your skills. Knowing how important dressage training is to any discipline; she sought a dressage coach, to improve her English horses. What she found when she started learning dressage from someone who was actually riding and competing in dressage, was that dressage was becoming much more interesting than English Pleasure. The more dressage she learned the less she wanted to show in the English/Saddleseat classes.
Although she had a large Saddleseat clientele built up, she made the brave decision to switch to dressage. To her surprise many of her clients followed her. During this transition she became involved in Pony Club. With Pony Club came Eventing. Learning new skills has always been exciting. For 12 years Sheila was the joint district commissioner of the Blue Ribbon Riders Pony Club. Sheila is currently a USDF L Candidate. She has competed successfully in Dressage and Eventing. In 2015, Sheila earned her USDF Bronze medal.
Sheila has constantly sought information and education about horses and riding. Since she was first in 4H (over 30 years ago) she has attended seminars and training clinics and continues to do so today. Horses By Sheila is host to several riding and training clinics throughout the year.
