RIDER OF THE MONTH

Eddie is a native Texan, from the big city of Houston. He did not grow up with horses but he had great role models from watching old western movies and visiting one of the largest livestock shows and rodeos nearby. He says living in Houston was big city life except for rodeo time. To kick off the rodeo thousands of horses, their riders and wagons would travel on historic cattle trails into the city camping along the way. During the two weeks before the rodeo depending on the road you were on and timing you could be sharing the road with one of the trail riding groups. As he grew up the closest he got to being a cowboy was being active in the Boy Scouts going camping and backpacking all over Texas, New Mexico, and Colorado. He earned his Eagle Scout ranking and enjoyed sleeping on the ground, being surrounded by nature and beautiful vistas. He attended the University of Dayton as an Art Education major concentrating in photography. He may have been majoring in art but he did everything he could to continue enjoying the outdoors and finding horses. During his time in college, he would travel to a local university to photograph their horse shows. He was able to make some great contacts at the university that got him directly involved in the horse community by teaching horse care at a summer camp, leading trail rides, and learning how to drive a wagon team. After college he worked as a farm caretaker and purchased my first horse. He worked full time in various positions in the medical industry, but has continued to grow and enjoy his horsemanship journey. Eddie started showing in the Ranch classes and fell in love. He rode with a long list of Top horsemen and women to help shape him and his horse as a versatile team. Since he lived in Columbus, OH he showed at the Quarter horse congress numerous years and each year he scored better and showed improvement. He also enjoys ranch sorting, really any cow work, obstacle challenges, trail riding, and will try anything if he can ride in a western saddle and jeans.     Since moving to Greenacres, WA with his wife, and fur babies he continues to find wonderful community of equestrians. He shares, “my wife and I enjoy helping animals and humans through PEMF sessions (stache vitalty). I have also joined the S.C.O.P.E. Mounted Patrol working with the Spokane Sheriff dept to patrol county parks and report what we see back to authorities. We have also started a riding club called the Greenacres riding club through the Old Peoples riding club organization to bring us together to improve our horsemanship and continue learning. The riding club, Stache Vitality, and Stache Ranch sponsored a Horseman Gathering one day a month Dec-March at the Spokane County fairgrounds . This was a wonderful way to ride with old friends, and meet new ones. The price was $10 per horse and that allowed you access to the arena from 9a-5pm. The last date in 2023 is March 4, but we look forward to offering this next winter season as well.” Eddie is a great resource if you are looking to get started in Ranch Riding. If you are also interested in the local Ranch Horse classes check out “Spokane Ranch Horse connection” group on Facebook for more information on shows, clinics, and local trainers. Currently Eddie has started offering lessons, clinics, and training at Stache Ranch. He is excited to share what he has learned from his journey with horses. He shares, “I did not always have the best rides, or even feared going on a trail ride because I did not know what to expect from my horse or how embarrassed I would be. If this is you, I understand you, and can help."