We just moved to Abilene and I’m realizing that there are NO barns here. I mean nothing. I was hoping to keep teaching kids and training horses but I don’t know if that’s an option anymore. Does anyone know of anything around here??
It’s a big world. A state might help. Kansas?! Texas?!
Lone Star Stables is in Abilene. They have a trainer, but it might be worth contacting.
I called them and they told me they no longer do English. I’ve been training and teaching and asked if they had room for me to work there and they didn’t seem super interested. I have a full course jump set…all I need are clients out here!!
I would throw the Texas part in your subject! I’m assuming that because you called the one in TX that means you aren’t from these parts 
I was prepared to talk all about Abilene, Kansas.
If there aren’t any barns, sounds like they need you to start one! 
I lived in San Angelo for a year a long time ago. There are no H/J barns in that part of the state. I found one (since closed) at the time, and when I was there for work a few years ago and wanted to ride, I literally found nothing closer than 3 hrs away!
There’s not a lot of market out there I guess, as most horses tend to be the QH and grade variety that are trail horses or pasture puffs (no pasture, I guess dust puffs is more accurate?)
There are a few dedicated English riders who do the back-yard barn thing and are looking for free lance instructors to come out to their house/barn/dust paddock and work with them or do a schooling ride. But it’s absolutely a horrible place to live in if you are a serious H/J rider: there’s no/limited market, few suitable horses, and the nearest shows are like 4 hours away. Sorry!! 
Start advertising. There isn’t a huge market because no one is doing it. I’m from nearby and I would have killed to have access to a trainer growing up.
There is a place down in Clyde that has a nice little cross country course. Its about 25 min from abilene
There is a pretty good AQHA trainer there. I will PM you his phone number, and maybe his clients need help with English. There are some nice hunter classes and an AQHA Hunter Derby in Oklahoma City.
What Plumcreek said. Even in Texas, the Quarter horse as a hunter is highly underrated! Hook up with a Quarter horse barn, and get them going English!
I’ve been training and had my own barn in Houston and this is such a culture shock. LOL I just kind of assumed English was everywhere after being there for so long. I got here and was like uhh…where my jumpers at?! I have a kid who is starting with me next week so hopefully things take off from there. I was really just hoping to get a foot in the door and meet other h/j up here. So wish me luck, y’all! Thanks for all the input!! ??
I’m definitely going to have to start doing that. Hopefully there’s still more people like you up here!
I’ll be moving to Abilene this winter and have started doing some preliminary research. Disappointed to hear that Lonestar wasn’t interested in having English riders. If you don’t mind me asking, what barn do you think you’ll end up at? I do eventing (please don’t shun me :o) but it would be nice to have some other English riders around.
Go with the flow! While the OKC has the big GO USEF circuit, north Texas has a quite a few AQHA hunter trainers and horses, and you can probably find more customers with funds to get to the major AQHA circuits with hunter (and some jumper) classes, plus the Select (over 50) World Shows in Amarillo is easy to quality for and is a huge goal for many, not to mention the Paint World Show in Fort Worth. Your clients can be stars in big competitions without going to the east coast or Katy. You are a one day haul to the new USEF circuit in Santa Fe. Also, come up to the Colo Horse Park for cool(er) summer temps.
(I should mention, as you may not know, that if you stick to the hunters, jumpers, and eq over fences, the AQHA and Paint shows are pretty much the same training and coaching as USEF. Flat classes, no.)
I was really hoping to stick with what I know and that is definitely not paint/pinto/qh BUT if that’s all there is I definitely will have to learn and adapt. LOL
I am a student at ACU and will be in Abilene this fall. I ride and show hunter jumper and have been looking for a barn I could keep riding at. If you find a barn I would love to come ride with you!
We are new to the area and in need of a HJ trainer, or any English trainer. Please help!
Sorry to be reviving and old thread, but… fellow H/J trainer and instructor here new to Abilene. I don’t want to give up on teaching and growing an English program out here but I might have to put it on the back burner for a while. Are there any new hunter jumper barns out here? If I can’t teach I’d at least love to connect with some fellow english riders!
