The Appalachian Trainer Face Off is a revolutionary concept that brings unhandled RESCUED Horses together with Amazing Trainers across our region in a way seldom seen before.

These trainers selected the horse of their choice from equines in need at Heart of Phoenix Equine Rescue, INC in May to undertake 100 days of training to prove they are the BEST of the best in Appalachia and to change the life of a neglected horse entirely.

The Appalachian Trainer Face Off Introductions

Introducing our next Trainer Face Off Pair: Olivia with Zoey!
This 6 year old mare came to us with her very senior, partially blind and emaciated dam, 2 Standardbred geldings and a senior miniature horse when their elderly owner needed to turn them over after going without food and needed items in order to try to provide for them. She hadn’t received farrier care before, had never been on a trailer and was not truly halter trained. Her dam had to be euthanized due to various detrimental conditions, and this little gal was quite lost without her mama. You can read her intake story here.

Various horse traders had stopped and asked the lady who had this herd to give them away, let them load them up, run them to auction, and the owner refused each time. Can you imagine the fate an barely leadable mare would have had if HOP hadn’t come in time or if the owner hadn’t refused each time?

We cannot wait to watch her journey unfold with Olivia of Dixon Equine and A Pony Known of Satan fame. Can Olivia bring out all of the talent with little mare holds in her tiny frame? Oh, we suspect she can! Heck, day two is barely over, and she is already well underway!

ADAM BLACK of Adam Black Horsemanship of Ohio

HOP has asked each of the trainers taking part this year to tell YOU about themselves. We asked for some of their personal favorite photos to share with you, as well.

Adam is our second featured trainer, and we will share more trainers as they get their photos and write ups to us.

We encourage you to Share these trainers, like their pages and keep them in mind whenever you are looking for training, lessons and/or a clinician for an event. We recommend and everyone of these awesome folks

The Appalachian Trainer Face Off feature Trainer:

Mike Hurst of Mike Hurst Horsemanship.

“I started training horses in 2001 for myself after leaving the army and buying a farm. I bought un-started horses because they were cheap, and I could start them myself. I had no idea that there would be no turning back from this point. I began reading about training and watching videos. I picked up on things quite easily and couldn’t feed my desire to learn fast enough. Friends started asking for help and later people starting offering money for my help. I realized that horses were helping me more than I was helping them. Horses were so honest, forgiving and comforting. They have given me a sense of purpose by allowing me to enter their lives. I have had some success getting horses to operate cooperatively with me and for my clients; horses fill in the gaps for my lack of ability to communicate with them. Horses will give you their all if you just ask.