|
|
The welfare of the horse is the central focus of our training business.
The Driving Training Center, 16717 96th St. SE, Snohomish, Washington 98290
The Driving Training Center, 16717 96th St. SE, Snohomish, Washington 98290
Meet Our Staff
Our staff is an important part of the success of our business.
Our staff is an important part of the success of our business.
Don has been involved in the driving world for the last 20
years. He has been competing in Combined Driving, in
the Northwest since it's beginning here, 19 years ago.
Don and navigator Lisa, along with his one of a kind
horse Gem, won many Combined Driving events in the
US as well as in Canada, through the upper levels, until
her retirement in 1998.
After many successful seasons in Combined Driving as well as pleasure shows, Don decided to go ahead and train professionally, after the many requests to do so. He has been professionally training for over 12 years.
As well as competing, coaching, training horses and officiating, Don has served in numerous capacities with national and local equestrian organizations and filled almost every conceivable positition for horse competition management. This includes 2 years as Director of Equestrian Institutes Combined Driving Committee and a stint as an ADS Technical Delegate. In addition, he was responsible for establishing "Equifriends" disabled driving program.
Don and his wife Lisa own and operate the Driving Training Center in Snohomish, Washington along with the boarding facility French Creek Stables. They train all breeds and sizes of horses from Mini's to Clydesdales. All horses are started with complete and gentle ground work in a relaxed atmospnhere, stressing safety and the driver/horse relationship.
After many successful seasons in Combined Driving as well as pleasure shows, Don decided to go ahead and train professionally, after the many requests to do so. He has been professionally training for over 12 years.
As well as competing, coaching, training horses and officiating, Don has served in numerous capacities with national and local equestrian organizations and filled almost every conceivable positition for horse competition management. This includes 2 years as Director of Equestrian Institutes Combined Driving Committee and a stint as an ADS Technical Delegate. In addition, he was responsible for establishing "Equifriends" disabled driving program.
Don and his wife Lisa own and operate the Driving Training Center in Snohomish, Washington along with the boarding facility French Creek Stables. They train all breeds and sizes of horses from Mini's to Clydesdales. All horses are started with complete and gentle ground work in a relaxed atmospnhere, stressing safety and the driver/horse relationship.
Lisa, with 28 years horse experience, is a valuable
asset to the Training Center. Her ridden dressage
experience, as applied to the driving horses, is one
of the primary reasons the horses go on the bit,
bend, and go round. With 16 years as Don's partner
and navigator is the driving competitions she knows
her way around a horse and carriage, but the time
spent on the horses back in a training situation is
what makes her shine.
Don Eckhardt - Owner, Trainer
Gem - The Morgan that started it all.
Lisa Eckhardt - Farm Manager, Trainer
Raised with a foundation in Dressage style riding since
age 7, Erika has continuously devoted her life to equine
education in the riding and training field. Growing up
with experience showing 4H zone, Arabians and Paints,
Erika decided to further knowledge by pursuing and
obtaining a college degree in Equine Science: Riding
and Training, from Northwest College of Powell
Wyoming. Along with a childhood of horse experience
and a college degree, Erika studies her interests
independently in equine behaviors by working with
rehabilitating emotionally and
physically deprived animals on the side of owning and operating her training and lesson business; Erika's Equestrian Sports. Aside from the lesson, training, and rehabilitating horses, Erika is also active in showing her purebred and half Arabians in Region V, as well as being a 4H leader of the Roundpen Rowdies and escorting them to shows. With experience in so many different types of horses, as well as knowledgeable skills from college, Erika has developed her special touch of inventing individualized training programs for horses as well as personalized lesson plans for her human students. Her passion is to help other people reach their goals and expand their knowledge whether it is for shows, pleasure, or both. Erika believes with patience and perseverance horses can learn anything their body and mind is suited for. Challenges are welcome but success is inescapable.
physically deprived animals on the side of owning and operating her training and lesson business; Erika's Equestrian Sports. Aside from the lesson, training, and rehabilitating horses, Erika is also active in showing her purebred and half Arabians in Region V, as well as being a 4H leader of the Roundpen Rowdies and escorting them to shows. With experience in so many different types of horses, as well as knowledgeable skills from college, Erika has developed her special touch of inventing individualized training programs for horses as well as personalized lesson plans for her human students. Her passion is to help other people reach their goals and expand their knowledge whether it is for shows, pleasure, or both. Erika believes with patience and perseverance horses can learn anything their body and mind is suited for. Challenges are welcome but success is inescapable.
Erika - Trainer
Emma - Trainer
Emma Dye has been successfully training and
competing in Region 6 through Intermediare I. Her
students, both children and adults, range from beginners
to upper level riders. Emma's individual, compassionate,
positive approach to training is fun and inviting. For 20
years Emma Dye has trained and competed through the
F.E.I. Levels. She has earned many USDF awards for musical Freestyles, All Breeds, (American Saddlebred, Prix St. Georges) and a USDF Silver Medal. Emma is British Horse Society and P.D.I.A. certified. On going education and continuing development as a trainer are priorities for Emma. She participates in clinics, both as a student and an instructor. This continuing education offers constant growth to her students and horses. Because classical dressage is so beneficial to all horses she welcomes all breeds. Her broad
training experience includes work over fences, starting young horses, behavior modification and change of careers.
Credentials
USDF Silver Medalist Winner 1997
USDF Horse of the Year, 4th Level Musical Freestyle on Patron
Winner 1997 USDF Prix St. Georges All Breeds Award on My Privateer
Trained with Debbie Dewitt, Miguel Roalo Duarte, Kathleen Raine, Steffen Peters, Henrik Johansen and Dr. Cesar Parra
B.H.S.A.I
P.D.I.A. Mod 1 and 2
USDF "L" Judge Candidate
F.E.I. Levels. She has earned many USDF awards for musical Freestyles, All Breeds, (American Saddlebred, Prix St. Georges) and a USDF Silver Medal. Emma is British Horse Society and P.D.I.A. certified. On going education and continuing development as a trainer are priorities for Emma. She participates in clinics, both as a student and an instructor. This continuing education offers constant growth to her students and horses. Because classical dressage is so beneficial to all horses she welcomes all breeds. Her broad
training experience includes work over fences, starting young horses, behavior modification and change of careers.
Credentials
USDF Silver Medalist Winner 1997
USDF Horse of the Year, 4th Level Musical Freestyle on Patron
Winner 1997 USDF Prix St. Georges All Breeds Award on My Privateer
Trained with Debbie Dewitt, Miguel Roalo Duarte, Kathleen Raine, Steffen Peters, Henrik Johansen and Dr. Cesar Parra
B.H.S.A.I
P.D.I.A. Mod 1 and 2
USDF "L" Judge Candidate