Horse sense

Trish Gibbons, 46, began her career at age 12, when she got her first mare.

The half-Arabian, half-quarterhorse was 5 years old when Gibbons and her father picked Missy, also known as Lady Liberty, from her former owner in Colorado.

“We learned together,” said Gibbons.

In the years since, Gibbons, who has worked at Fischer Stables at the Katy Trail for two years, has trained countless other horses and riders.

She works with students of all ages — typically 8 years old to adults — and horses of many different types.

Gibbons said she got into teaching 15 years ago because “I think with my love of animals, love of horses and then helping kids as I was helped. Passing it on.”

She teaches barrel racing, western-style pleasure riding, hunt seat, roping and more.

Gibbons, who still competes, has ridden race horses, participated in rodeos and shown in the ring. She has cut down on competition in recent years.

“Now, for me, it’s all about the kids,” she said.

Gibbons, who has 11 horses of her own, said one of the most rewarding parts of her job is to watch the horses she trains go from never ridden to the point someone can ride them.

“Every one of them has a different personality and learning how to build on that and use it to your advantage” is one of the biggest challenges in training, she said.

She exercises her horses and the ones at the stable every day. She said she typically works six days per week.

Her students share her love of riding.

Sedalia resident Lauren Yeager, 12, said she comes to the stables every day to ride her horse, Stanley, an American quarterhorse.

“It’s just fun,” she said.

Gibbons is a good teacher, and they always have fun and joke around, she said.

Her mother, Jan Yeager, described Gibbons as “awesome.”

“Trish is so selfless and she just gives and gives and gives. It’s been a super experience from day one,” she said.

Syd Herrick, 14, of Sedalia, has been Gibbons’ student for nine years.

“I enjoy riding different horses, and learning something new every day,” she said.

Herrick recalled a ride last year, the first time she rode bareback with her horse, Flash.

She and Gibbons went out on a trail ride during the first snowfall, which proved more challenging than expected. Herrick said she was trotting, and hadn’t quite figured out how to squeeze her thighs to stay on without a saddle. She slipped off — Gibbons said in slow motion — and then couldn’t get back on. Gibbons dismounted to help her, and then she couldn’t get back on her horse.

“It was pretty funny though. We were laughing the whole time,” Herrick said.

Herrick said Gibbons is a great teacher.

“She pushes to the amount she knows you can reach and helps you set your own goals,” she said.

Gibbons said she likes to let her students observe each other to recognize what they are doing wrong and doing right. They often observe her as well.

“They don’t let me slack off any,” she said.

Gibbons’ love of animals doesn’t stop with horses. She also owns three dogs — a rottweiler and two basset hound mixes — chickens, several donkeys and barn cats.

 Gibbons has worked as a trainer for others, not just her own horses, for 26 years. Taking a horse that has never worn a saddle to one that can be ridden takes a lot of small steps.

“They don’t know, and they depend on us. So yeah, I have a lot of patience,” she said.

One of her favorite riding memories was her first ribbon on Missy, knowing she trained the horse herself.

It was a third place ribbon in Western Pleasure riding.