Advice On Finding Good GA Trainers

[Kawliga]

I am need of some input from GA riders.

I am a mother of two girls who ride on the local hunter circuit (with the occasional A show). One is in the pony ring and the other will be showing Pre-Childrens this year. I have been involved with horses all of my life, though no longer ride due to an old injury. We are moving to Georgia in the next couple of months and of course, my main concern (over finding an appropriate house) is finding the appropriate barn!
I have gone to the GHJA web site, but will say the list is rather intimidating!
There seem to be so many choices! I am going to begin the process of making more phone calls and then visits, but thought I would see what you all had to say!
My husband will be working in the Alpharetta area (where most farms seem to be) although we are thinking we would like to live a little further out... up GA 400 maybe.
Any recommendations...
Thank you for your thoughts!

[DMK]

hmmm, tell us when you will be visiting and we will tell you when and where some good local shows and/or rated shows are and you can walk around and just scout things out yourself. I think that works best.

That said, both Carolyn Bell (Fortitude) and Janet Salem (Patchwork) have good programs and do both the local and A shows and are conveniently located in/near Alpharetta, but there are plenty of others!

If it were me, I'd get a list to work with, don't pay too much attention to various opinions (everyone has good or bad experiences) and then head to a show and look around! Then you can come back here and evaluate what has been written in context with what you saw and make appointments from there. ;)

[Amontiamo]

I can see how the search for a trainer in Alpharetta could be a little overwhelming! It is a very large horse area! I have been in Alpharetta for many years, grew up at the hunter jumper shows here. I would be sure to check out Patchwork Farm. She does both the Locals and the As and seems to have a great group. Her program is very structured, a great place to learn. She goes to Pony Finals every year and has a beautiful farm. They are located in Canton - But very close to the Birmingham Hwy Area. Also, in that area is Sunny Stevens. She has been around a long time and has a solid program. If you are looking to go a little further north there is Signature Sport Horses. They have a huge group that do mainly the local shows and a very successful! I looked into sending my kids to her before she left the Alpharetta area and was very impressed. She believes that the horses come first always and is very good with timid riders (as my daughter is).
PM me if you want in more info.

Good Luck on your search!!! Keep Us Posted!! :)

[tx3dayeventer]

Try Jonna Wilks @ Wilks Sporthorses. She is in the Alpharetta/Crabapple/Ball Ground area. She works out of Rising Fawn (I think). Here is her website: http://www.wilkssporthorses.com/index.html

She does both the 'A's and locals. Has quite a few ponies and pre-greens. I rode with her when I lived in Alpharetta and she is GREAT with the kids and adults! This year she was asked to coach the Alpharetta HS team :)

Good luck in your search!

[gasrgoose]

www.patchworkfarmga.com

[Beethoven]

Janet Salem at Patchwork Farms would be a good place to look as she does local and "A"s. http://www.patchworkfarmga.com/

Sunny Stevens is also an awesome trainer. She tends to stick to the "A" shows though. Her barn is Stevehaven Stables and recently located to Rising Fawn Equestrian Center.
http://www.stevehavenstables.com/

[spmoonie]

I highly recomend Woody Phorr!!!!!!:yes::yes::yes: I ride with her now, and I can not say enough good things!

[Ebvann]

I have to throw my two cents in, I do not live in Georgia, I live in South Carolina and a few years ago my daughter went to Atlanta with a BNT from South Carolina. She was doing the Children/Adult Jumpers in the Grand Prix ring as a 14 year old ( about 80 lbs wet). She was pretty nervous as she had not been doing them very long and was new to "walking courses". ( We had even told the trainer that this was her weak point) We waited for her trainer to show up..and waited and waited...then it was apparent he was not going to show up so I held her horse, told her to go walk it alone,and she went in to walk the course alone. Sunny Stevens, who we had never ever met before, walked over to her, noticing she was alone and confused and told her to walk the course with her and her students. She explained every line like my daughter was her student, not only did she walk the course with her but then told her to come over and watch Sunny's riders and told her what they were doing wrong...what a wonderful person! Thats my kind of trainer!!!!!

[HunterJumper106]

I agree with both Sunny Stevens and Janet Salem--it just depends on what your daughters/you are looking for more. As others have already said they both are great but Sunny does tend to do more of the A shows and Janet does a nice mix. Plus Janet has a good school program with plenty of lesson horses.

[Va2Ga]

If you dont mind driving out of Atl then a great place is www.fourseasonsfarm.com Kat does a wonderful job. When i was living in Ga i kept my horses there and showed with her when not on the road with my trainer from Fl. She does have some clients that live around Atl and they travel to her. Good luck picking a place.
If you dont want to drive I would go with Patchwork farm.

[tri]

Sunny is the absolute best. I've also known Kat since she was about 14 years old riding her first horse. Highly recommend both.

[gleaner]

www.newvintagefarm.com

Julie Curtin is a great rider and trainer, laid back, and fun and she's got a ton of great clients and horses

[DMK]

Julie's awesome, but like Sunny she doesn't do any local shows...

[Pony+ an inch]

www.newvintagefarm.com

Julie Curtin is a great rider and trainer, laid back, and fun and she's got a ton of great clients and horses

I agree with everything said, but I will offer a caveat that things can get very pricey. A few friends of mine used to ride there (moved on to greater things like college etc.), and they all encountered this, and I got to hear the complaining side of it. Couldn't have been that terrible or dissatisfying though as they all enjoyed training with her.

On a more positive note, the facilities she has are beautiful yet workman like, and her staff help is excellent. When I visited one of my friends there, a couple of them knew me (even without my riding garb) and my horse from the ringside even though we'd never spoken before! Julie also has some talented young horses under her and knows how to make them sparkle in the ring.

I have always been a fan of Sunny and hope that if I ever get back to GA I might be able to board and lesson with her. I don't think I've ever heard a person speak poorly of her. Last I heard from a friend, though, she has a full barn.

Janet Salem posts on here, and I've heard excellent reviews, not to mention see her daughter ride professionally at shows.

Another of my friends cannot say enough good things about Hunt Tosh, and my trainer up here also loves Hunt. He does have some lovely hunters in his barn last I saw by the ringside (which was awhile ago, granted).

But seriously, chose some names and go exploring. Alpharetta is the mecca of H/J barns in GA.