By Allison Taylor
Davis Ranch—with locations in Leicester, Mills River and Fletcher—offers lessons and training that can be structured around any rider’s goals and schedules. The Leicester barn also offers camps and programs for youth. During one-day pony camp experiences, kids learn about daily farm chores, horse care and safety, balanced centered riding skills, supporting barn mates and having fun outside. This year, Davis Ranch will offer its first adult camp.
Leslie Holden with young riders
“With the diversity of strengths the trainers at Davis Ranch bring, we can cover developing young horses through showing and everything in between,” says owner Jason Davis. Instructors include Kim Engle, Anna Toomey, Elexa Moyers, Jessica Combs, Leslie Holden, Meghan Robertson and Heather Taddonio.
In her younger years, Toomey competed in hunters, jumpers and eventing, as well as working for and training with some of the best event riders in the country. From that exposure, she discovered dressage. “I loved the harmony and communication needed with your horse,” Toomey says.
Moyers’ first horse was a blind mare named Diamond, who was barely halter-broken. The two learned and grew together, traveling and doing barrel racing and local shows until a tendon injury took Diamond out of racing. Now, Diamond teaches Moyers’ new students how to ride. “I wouldn’t be where I am today without my trainers,” says Moyers, “and I want to spread that knowledge to anyone who wants to learn.”
Combs is a skilled trainer and instructor with more than 25 years of experience training various breeds and covering multiple disciplines. She is passionate about continuous learning to further build her relationship with horses and students. “I’m looking forward to growing my eventing team at Davis Ranch to share the amazingly positive eventing community with my students,” she says.
An Equine Canada certified instructor with more than 20 years of teaching experience, Holden competed in Canada/US hunter/jumper and dressage competitions. “I believe that, before sport, comes the relationship and the understanding of horsemanship, and I strive for a therapeutic and healing relationship between horse and rider that benefits all,” Holden says. A mother of four, she offers lessons for the youngest riders. Lessons focus on foundations of proper horsemanship and equitation using the English style of riding.
Robertson is a distinguished equestrian professional with an impressive background in training and coaching across various disciplines, including eventing at beginner to intermediate levels, western dressage, hunter/jumper and classical dressage. With a deep understanding of the psychological aspects of equestrian sports, she guides students through the intricacies of each discipline, building confidence, focus and determination.
Taddonio grew up in Charlotte, riding and showing locally in the hunters, and then competed with her college team in the jumpers. At 15, she became a regular volunteer at a therapeutic riding center that offered adaptive riding lessons for children with physical disabilities, and later worked at a middle school that offered equine psychotherapy for students and families. At the Davis Ranch Leicester location,
Taddonio now offers equine-assisted learning sessions for adults and children, which she explains are “individualized, unmounted sessions ideal for children and adults seeking to build relationships with horses, work on personal goals and develop horsemanship skills.”
Davis Ranch treats horses and riders as individuals, fostering and encouraging personalities. “After all, it’s the love of horses that brings us all together,” says Davis.
For more information, visit DavisRanchWNC.com. Follow on Facebook @Davis Ranch LLC to keep up with events.
