Looking for info on Houston area

Looking for info on upper level jumper trainers in the Houston area and generally what the scene is like there.

I was a full-time trainer with my own business in Southern California for 5 years with up to 20 clients. I have shown up through 1.45m jumpers (plus have bronze medal scores through Third Level in dressage). I switched gears 3 years ago and now have a full-time desk job, but kept a handful of clients to keep my toe in the water.

I’ll be moving to the Houston area and while I will never have a full-time business again (negative interest haha), I’d like to stay involved with the horses somehow. I could see myself maybe just taking lessons somewhere, helping someone part-time as an assistant trainer, or eventually getting a horse of my own and keeping it in a training program with someone else. Would love to hear if anyone can share contacts, or if there are any trainers who want to share tips on advertising or getting started in the area.

Hi! Houston is a huge area with a ton of traffic - do you know where you’ll be living yet? The traffic may influence who you want to work with!

I’d start on the THJA.org page; they list the trainers by area that do the A shows.

Thanks for the response. Not totally sure on location yet, most likely directly south of Houston, possibly between Sugar Land and Pearland. Might end up near Pasadena though. Equestrian landscape might factor into the decision on where to live.

Most barns in Houston are to the west and north of Houston. I do dressage but I would think hunter/jumpers would be the same. The east side of Houston is more industrial with the refineries and is typically lower income than the west and north sides.

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For jumper trainers:

Martien Van der Hoeven at Marlac Farms
Daniel Bedoya at BedoyaTraining Stables

Neither are close to Sugar Land/Pearland area or Pasadena, however.

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Tony Font. I don’t know him but a friend used to speak well of him. Laura Mendoza is at that barn as well. Laura I know and she seems very good people. Also, there was a Karl around Brookshire. There was another guy too and i can’t think of his name at the moment.

Farm - Tony Font

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My trainer is in Needville, which wouldn’t be a bad drive if you’re near Sugar Land (I make the drive from inside the loop).

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ranked third worse in the country behind Boston and NYC and ahead of the California notorious traffic

https://www.houstoniamag.com/news-and-city-life/2021/07/new-report-how-bad-is-houston-traffic