Strides Member of the Month for October!
Each month, we will be profiling one of our Strides Student Members, so everyone can get to know each other a little! This month, we’ve chosen Donna Robinson, who lives in Dublin, Texas, USA!
How long have you been a member of Strides? I was an original member but I stopped after a couple of months because I didn’t have a horse to ride. I joined back up after the last year’s 30 Days to Round Challenge because I’m getting ready to start my young horse.
What’s your favorite part of Strides? I’m a very visual person so I really appreciate the videos the most. Reading it and seeing it are very different. I love always having access to the videos. I find I pick a subject and watch the videos several times. I really like Amelia’s passion for teaching and creating such a fabulous community of like minded people.
How has Strides helped you? My life took a turn about 13 yrs ago when I moved to Texas. Up until that point I worked in the horse industry professionally and never had to seek out trainers, I worked for some of the best in the country. When I moved to Texas I found making a living with horses very difficult and was forced to get a real job. I bought a small farm. So now I ride by myself I also don’t ride nearly as much as I use to. It’s super hard to find any really knowledgeable dressage trainers in my area. I joined Strides for the community because I was feeling isolated and missed being in a busy barn. So it helped me that way and also gives me a refresher now that I ride by myself and keeps me motivated.
What kind of horses are your favorite? Ummm…. All horses!! I’ve owned Thoroughbreds, Quarter Horses, Selle Francais, Rhineland and I had a Morgan TB cross when I was in high school.
What’s your goal for this year? My biggest goal this year is to get my 4 yr old filly started correctly and hopefully get her ready to start showing by next year
What is something unique about you, your journey or your horse? Later in life I went to a rodeo and watched the guys team rope. I decided I wanted to do that. I had never swung a rope or been around cattle. I had ridden Western when I was younger but it had been a very long time since I had sat in a Western saddle. I went to the local Western wear store in my area and asked them who team roped. They put me in touch with a great guy that gave me a horse to ride and sent me to someone for lessons. I married that cowboy, ran his ranched and learned to heel. I competed in jackpots and rodeos and did well for a low numbered roper.
What achievement (with horses or not) you most proud of? I’m proud of my career with horses starting in high school riding horses for my trainers, to graduating from the Maryland Horse Centers equine studies program, to being a working student for a 3x Olympic dressage rider. I worked my way up from stall cleaner to rider. I’ve worked for some of the top trainers in this county and rode horses that competed in the Olympics. I’ve traveled the world with horses and have spent thousands and thousand of hours on the back of a horse. I was also a large animal tech and managed a couple of breeding farms. I’m proud of what I have achieved, the places I got to go and the horses I got to ride. All sparked from sitting on a horse when I was 3 yrs old.
