Erin T. McElmurry
Erin takes pride in being able to bring out the full potential of every horse she has the pleasure to work with, no matter the breed or level, using classical dressage techniques. She is a kind and honest trainer always creating a positive and enjoyable atmosphere for the horse and rider to learn and grow in.
At the age of 7 Erin began taking riding lessons just learning the basic fundamentals of being around a horse, care for the horse and just having fun and riding. After a time lessons had to be earned so she decided to start working at a farm close by, doing chores just for the opportunity to sit on a horse and ride around for a while. Then it turned into her riding all of the horses that no one else could ride because see, she didn't care what happened under saddle, the only thing she cared about, was being on a horse and figuring out how to enable the horse to work and have fun at the same time.
Erin went through high school working at farms in exchange for riding, and then she decided that for college she wanted to go to Equestrian School. After a lot of hard work over the summer of her senior year of high school she attended Meredith Manor International Equestrian Center for 2 years, where she took jumping, reining and dressage classes and discovered her love for dressage. At the end of 2 years, and a heavy class load, she finished a 4 year certified teaching and training degree in dressage with honors, a 4.0 GPA and Grand Champion of the School.
After college she applied and accepted a working student program in the Netherlands where she worked with top dressage trainers and rubbed elbows with some of European’s best such as Sven Rottenberger and Anky Van Grusavan. She was in the Netherlands working and riding for 8 months and then it was back to the USA to further her education and training skills.
Over the next several years she has worked with many FEI Level trainers as a working student, barn manager, and assistant trainer for Hilda Gurney, Brad Cutshall, Kristine Morris and for the winter season of 2005 she trained in Wellington, Florida with Olmypic Bronze Medalist Michelle Gibson.
Erin has started many young horses under saddle and brought them through the levels using classical dressage methods. She has several times over been the solution to the confused horse owners that bounce from trainer to trainer with their horse, looking for a correct and positive solution to their horses training opportunities.
Erin is a USDF Silver Medalist and currently competing through FEI Intermediate I and earning scores in the upper 60's, at home schooling and perfecting all of the Intermediate II and Grand Prix movements for the future show season. She is a sensitive and knowledgeable rider with the horses best interests always put first. She can teach you the techniques needed, to give you and your horse the balance and confidence needed in order to arrive at the next level.
Give Erin a call at: (269) 547-0647 or email at: contact@hawthornesterlingfarms.com to have her help you with a soulution to all of you and your horses training goals and needs.
