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Monday, January 30 2023 / Published in Weekly Feature

Brett Ingram: Learning and Riding Around the World

By Ruby Tevis

Portraits by Melissa Fuller

Brett Ingram has made a lifelong commitment to his equestrian education. From catch riding as a teenager to training carriage tour horses in his hometown of Charleston, South Carolina, then across the world to the Westphalian Riding School to earn his German trainer certification, Brett’s desire to learn has never faded. 

In 2021, Brett was awarded a grant from The Dressage Foundation’s Team Tate Mentorship & Leadership Fund to pursue business, leadership or personal coaching education, and to work with a mentor to improve equestrian skills. With the grant, Brett has chosen to study the art of long lining, a skill he was first introduced to when he was in high school while working at Classic Carriage, a carriage tour company in Charleston.

“I grew up not having horses. My parents are not horse people at all!” Brett said. “My uncle had horses, so every time we went to visit, we were able to go ride the horses. That’s when my love for horses first started.” 

After some time convincing his parents, Brett started taking riding lessons, focusing on hunter-jumpers. Eventually, Brett started catch riding for different farms in the Charleston area. “I rode whatever people would let me ride,” he said.

While he’d always enjoyed riding, Brett became fascinated by ground work while working under a Mennonite trainer at Classic Carriage. “They had black Percherons, and the trainer taught me how to drive them, pull sleds and hook up teams of four and six horses to a wagon,” Brett said. “It was a great learning experience, and it was a fantastic environment to be part of. The trainer was so charismatic, and he really wanted the horses to learn. This inspired me toward the training path that I’m on today.”

Adventures in Germany 

After his time at Classic Carriage, Brett branched out to pursue training professionally in dressage and eventing. “I was working in Savannah, Georgia, and we had Tanya Münch come from Germany for a clinic,” Brett said. “I told her if she ever needed a working student to give me a call. Well, later that year, she called me and said her working student was going off to college, and asked if I was interested.”

In January of 2005, Brett boarded a plane to Hamburg to work for Tanya. “I worked for Tanya for about six months, mostly teaching lessons in her riding school,” Brett said. “I wanted to focus more on my personal training and how to bring horses along, so I transitioned to working for Grand Prix dressage and show jumping rider Arndt Hönke.”

Under Arndt, Brett started from the bottom as a groom, getting horses ready and cooling them out. “I worked my way up and started teaching lessons and having my own horses to ride and train,” Brett said. “Back home, I’d competed to Second Level, but I had trouble getting horses past that point. When the opportunity to go to Germany came up, I knew I had to take it. I needed more lessons and more opportunities to learn. Learning the German training system really redefined the way I approached riding and teaching. It was the first time I truly felt the horses’ movements and understood the entire training scale.”  

While at Arndt’s barn, Brett had access to lessons on upper-level horses, and was able to compete several young horses and attend Keurings with them. “I had the opportunity to attend the Westphalian Riding School, where I earned my riding medals. I also took the trainer certification program, similar to the Bereiter,” Brett said.

“We were at the school for three weeks. We’d ride dressage in the morning, do our classwork, then ride our jumping horses. The days were mentally and physically draining, but it was an invaluable experience.” Brett said. “At the end of the three weeks we had a written exam, an oral exam, and were judged on our riding and teaching by three judges.”

Business Back Home

Having received his certification, Brett returned to the United States in late 2009 to build his own training business in Waxhaw, North Carolina. “When I came back from Germany, the hardest part was getting reestablished. Because I was in Germany for so long, I didn’t have a W-2, I didn’t have anything, so trying to get an apartment or find a place to live without anything on paper for the last five years was challenging,” Brett said. “I didn’t have many options, so I moved back in with my parents at 29 years old.”

Brett spent time freelancing, traveling from barn to barn to ride and teach, building his business. “In this area, most people have private farms of five to 20 acres, and they keep their horses at home,” he said. “I went property to property to ride and teach lessons. I still do a lot of that today.” While he still freelances, Brett keeps his personal horses at a client’s farm, so he has a bit more of an established “home base” than he did in his earlier years. “I train her horses and my wife and I help out at the barn,” he said.

“I met my wife, Melissa, before I left for Germany, at one of the farms we were both working at,” Brett said. “She had just graduated from Clemson University with an equine business degree when I got back from Germany. She called and asked if I needed help, and the rest is history! We now have two beautiful daughters.”

Fatherhood has been quite an adventure for Brett, but it’s one he wouldn’t trade for the world. “It can be a rollercoaster, but we’re making it work, and my clients understand—most of them have children of their own,” Brett said. “My oldest daughter, Ellie, loves gymnastics and swimming, but my youngest, Emma, is all about horses. She wants to be at the barn all the time.”

With his daughter Emma showing the same fierce passion for horses as her parents, Brett can’t help but wonder if she will follow in his footsteps to become a trainer. “This life can be really challenging and that’s a little scary for me as her dad,” he said. “At the same time, it’s so nice to see that she really wants to be part of what I’m doing. We just got her a little pony, Matilda, who tolerates all of her shenanigans and trick riding attempts,” Brett laughed.

Special Horses and Goals 

One aspect of training in Germany that Brett longed for again upon moving back home was working with stallions. “I have a huge variation in the horses I work with day to day. Most of them are warmbloods or warmblood crosses, but two of my current favorites are my Friesian stallions. One is training at Prix St. Georges, while the other is young and still learning the basics of dressage. Their personalities are so unique, and they have such a great work ethic. They’ve both been so much fun to work with.”

In addition to the Friesian stallions, Brett also has an Oldenburg mare and a Trakehner gelding he is campaigning at Fourth Level, with plans of moving up to Prix St. Georges in 2023, as well as many Adult Amateur students schooling at lower levels. Brett takes pride in working with horses and riders at all levels, and loves seeing the “lightbulb” moments that come with training. 

Maybe above all, he is excited about a coming-4-year-old he has in training, Sugarfoot—an Anglo Arabian. “She has so much raw talent. She’s a bit of a boss mare, and she got a late start with daily handling and ground work, so we’re really going slow and focusing on building her confidence and trust. She’s come such a long way and I’m so excited to see how she develops. Based on her athleticism and outgoing personality, I really hope she’ll enjoy jumping and maybe take to the eventing world,” Brett said. 

When Brett looks to the future, he’s excited about getting back into the show ring at the FEI levels, and learning more about long lining. “I’m so pleased to have the horses I have in training, and having Richard Malmgren as my mentor, I feel like I’m bettering myself as a trainer and rider. Long lining is such a fine art, and it really helps the horses become accountable for themselves and allows them to find their own balance without anyone interfering. It’s really cool to see the long lining skills transfer to under saddle,” Brett said. “I’m also excited to pursue the leadership and business programs that The Dressage Foundation’s grant has made possible for me.”

Over the next few years, Brett hopes to spend more time training in Florida to immerse himself in top-quality training and riding. “Last year I went down to Wellington to work with Richard and watch the shows, but I didn’t take a horse,” Brett said. This winter, he plans to take the Friesian stallions to train with Jeremy Beale. This will be his third season in Ocala with Jeremy. “It’s a bit overwhelming, logistically, thinking about balancing the extra time traveling and still being there for my family,” he said. “It’s exciting and a little scary, but I can’t wait to see how it all unfolds.”

Thanks to Laura Cassioppo for the use of her Equus Grove Farm and horse Hilfiger for the photo shoot.

For more information, visit ingramequinetraining.com 

Photos by Melissa Fuller, msfullerphotography.com

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A column from Liz Halliday-Sharp herself The spor A column from Liz Halliday-Sharp herself 
The sport of eventing is a demanding and mentally challenging discipline that requires a combination of physical and mental fortitude from both the rider and horse. While having a coach can be incredibly beneficial, self-coaching can also play a crucial role in a rider’s success.

I think that given the opportunity, most riders would like to be coached every day. The reality of life in the horse world, however, is that the majority of us need to absorb as much from the lessons we have on a limited basis and then practice those skills at home to improve.

When I am riding, I try to have a plan for the horses each day and focus on what I’m looking to achieve. It’s important to be aware of the steady improvements rather than trying to solve everything all at once. This is especially important when teaching horses new movements or exercises that they might struggle with, and we need to give them time to learn and understand what we are asking for.

I have a couple of quotes that I use regularly when I’m teaching, and these are mottos that I hold myself to in my daily work as well.

The first is, “If you do what you have always done, you will get what you have always gotten.” This is a quote that was said to me many years ago when I was still motor racing and I keep it in the back of my mind each day. It’s easy to get stuck doing the same thing every day with your horse and bad habits are hard to break, from both riders and horses!

This leads me to my next quote, which is, “If what you are doing isn’t working, try something else.” It really is as simple as that! Many riders I see keep asking a horse to do something the same way over and over with an ongoing negative response and they wonder why things don’t get better. In these circumstances, I recommend that the rider change something, even if it’s wrong.

Read the full article by clicking the link in our bio! Don’t forget to keep your eye out for our April subscription!
📸Photo by Alex Banks Photography
The✨April issue✨ of Sidelines Magazine is here The✨April issue✨ of Sidelines Magazine is here and we are so excited to feature three-day eventer Liz Halliday on the cover! Big thanks to photographer Melissa Fuller for the beautiful photo of Liz and Cooley Nutcracker- Liz Halliday-Sharp - HS Eventing. Liz and her horses have taken the eventing world by storm - and find out how Liz is at the top of the sport as a female eventer! As the horse world gears up for the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event 2023, it's the perfect time to enjoy our eventing issue!! We also feature eventer and woman entrepreneur Frankie Thieriot Stutes, who is not only an eventer, but also runs Athletux and FRANKIE CAMERON handbags and accessories. And don't miss our eventing story on Robert "Bobby" Costello, who will be leading the US Eventing team to the 2024 Paris Olympics- and US Equestrian has named Bobby the eventing technical advisor/chef d'equipe!! Liz, Frankie and Bobby all have GREAT stories - don't miss any of them and don't forget to get your tickets for the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day event! We are also excited to introduce you to hunter-jumper rider Casey Lorusso Smith, who is not only a talented rider but also a psychotherapist and incorporates horses into her career. If you are up for adventure, then read the story on dressage rider Priscilla Baldwin who certainly doesn't let any grass grow under her feet! We also head to the west coast to catch up with hunter-jumper trainer Jim Hagman of Elvenstar Farm, we feature beautiful art by equestrian artist Tammy Tappan, and we get to know Miranda Jones and her family. Miranda is not only an attorney who spends a lot of time in the courthouse, but she's a rider and spends lots of time riding, and is joined by her daughters also! We are excited to feature Stephanie Lightner in our Unbridled column, and don't miss our columnists George Williams, Robert R.L. Jacobs and Margie Sugarman! It's a great issue - and you can read it online, but don't forget to go to the website and order a subscription and get every issue delivered to your mailbox!! Enjoy this issue and enjoy the ride: Link in bio!!
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Marie Meyers has been around the world because of Marie Meyers has been around the world because of dressage, but it’s her farm in Moorpark, California, that has captured her heart. The farm and the business that thrives there represent Marie’s lifelong journey—a journey made up of good friends, spectacular horses and relationships made to last.

Marie was raised in Southern California, and spent her childhood playing just about every sport under the sun, but she didn’t discover riding until she was 14 years old. “I loved animals so much, so I started taking lessons. I did jumping at first, but I was very bad at that, for sure!” Marie laughed.

After some time, Marie moved on to take lessons at Foxfield Riding Academy and began riding dressage. “I fell into dressage by accident,” Marie said, “At the beginning, I thought it was extremely boring, but then I got hooked. By the time I graduated from high school, I had plans to travel to England to work for Franz Rochowansky, a former head of the Spanish Riding School.”

In 1988, Marie’s hard work paid off, and the pair was selected as alternates for the 1988 Summer Olympic Games. “They didn’t take the alternates that year, so we didn’t go to Seoul, but the experience, the training and the European Tour afterwards set me up for the 1990 World Equestrian Games in Stockholm, Sweden,” Marie said.

In addition to having success representing her country, Marie was busy with her life—marriage, a business, teaching lessons and clinics. 

Learn more about Marie in this month's edition of Sidelines Magazine. Click the link in our bio for more 🦄

📸Photos by Lindsey Long Equine Photography, www.lindseylong.com

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