About
Aspiring Equestrian Center is a private facility in Ranier, WA offering full care board, training, and lessons. Cheryl started Aspiring Equestrian Center to meet what she saw as a need for high quality, affordable training and instruction in Washington. What started out as more of a traveling business, has recently been consolidated and formalized as Aspiring Equestrian Center.
The name and the logo? Cheryl is also a passionate mountaineer and general outdoor enthusiast. Mt. Aspiring in New Zealand was the first major mountain that she summited, and the work, commitment, and dedication to climbing such a peak inspires all that she does both inside and outside the world of horses. She believes that as equestrians, we are all aspiring to do the best we can by the magnificent animals that come into our lives and to become the best horse people we can be.
Horse Training Philosophy
Whether focusing on developing a horse, rider, or both, the horse has to be the focus. Most horses thrive in a well-structured and consistent training program. After initial assessment, my aim is to put the horses in a program that has them engaged 5-6 days per week, and that gradually builds their education base and fitness. Just as with people, horses need time to adapt to training, and moving too quickly often ends poorly. I want horses to learn to enjoy the time they work and spend with people.
I keep the number of horses I have in training small so that I can devote the necessary time to each one, each day. I keep lines of communication open with the owner/rider and encourage those who send horses to me to come and visit. I live on site and oversee the daily custom care of each horse.
Cheryl comes from the Hunter/Jumper world. In her junior years she competed on the A circuit in the jumpers while also serving as the lead instructor at a large show barn in central Indiana. Her ability to ride and bring along a wide variety of horses landed her rides on horses ranging from Grand Prix jumpers to 2- year-olds just getting started. She handled the stallions in training for their certification, and eventually went to work as a rider for a large Belgian Warmblood breeding facility, helping to start and bring along the youngsters. She built a small business traveling and helping individuals with their challenging or young horses and has served as a rider for New Vocations (and owns several NV horses of her own). At her now home base in Rainier, she offers services to a handful of boarders, runs a growing lesson program, and trains horses and ponies.