Five Star Hunters

Summer is right around the corner!! DO NOT WAIT. Your kids will thank you for signing them up. Week 2 is FULL

What a great three weeks of showing with Cheryl & Co. Horse Shows. From the Channel II show to local at Wills and then local at Chatt we have had a great April. Now to regroup , reset and get ready for May!

Thank you as always to the staff and crew of The Co. We appreciate all of the long hours put in to deliver top notch shows. Glad to be a part of it !

We had an incredible time last week attending the Cheryl and Co Channel II show at Wills Park with our group, celebrating the achievements of our riders and their partners.

Kudos to everyone involved for making it a truly unforgettable weekend. Our gratitude extends to Cheryl & Co. Horse Shows for consistently delivering exceptional events that empower our riders to excel.

Cheryl & Co. Horse Shows

Congratulations to Addison Lindsey and Limited Edition and Lucy Smith and Eloquent HBF for their accomplishments in the 2025 show season ! Couldn’t be more proud of these two ladies.

Looking to see what it out there. Please read post in its entirety as anything that does not meet the criteria will not be considered. Looking to purchase NOW. Will travel for the right fit.

ISO
Hunter type gelding or mare , 6-12 yrs old 16.1 and up, uphill build.

Prefer something currently showing (no projects) must have solid show record. Can do the 3’ job but needed for 2’6 currently

Good brain and SAFE demeanor is a MUST. Must be able to go from stall ➡️ ring with minimal to no prep. SEASONED packer preferred.

Horse will be kept in a professional program so younger is fine w/ less experience but again must have good brain and be SAFE.

This horse will be for an older adult amateur so would prefer something not too forward but also not a total kick ride. Easy jump , easily maintains a nice rhythm. Easy or auto change , can take a joke or 10 and be forgiving. Must hack out quietly. Doesn’t have to be a hack winner. Actually prefer more quality o/f.

Not looking for the most perfect, flawless PPE must be able to pass one

BUDGET IS MID TO UPPER 5’s. Flexible for the perfect fit.

No stop, buck, absolutely no rear , spinners , spook (within reason). If you wouldn’t put your own kid on it and let them go we are not interested.

Can send what you have to my phone 404-694-9230 or WhatsApp (same number) or through messenger.

Again, LOOKING TO PURCHASE NOW!

We had a wonderful time at the local Cheryl & Co. Horse Shows kick off! Once the rain moved through on Thursday it gave way to a gorgeous weekend. Was so happy to be back at Wills Park Equestrian Foundation where the revitalization continues in full force.

Despite the construction, the show ran without a hitch and we absolutely LOVED the new format that Cheryl and Jay are trying to roll out. It was so nice to be pulling in at the barn on a Sunday at 3:00pm!!!

It was an ADULTS ONLY weekend for us and it was so much fun!!

Highlights :

☀️ Lucy Smith and Eloquent HBF - Reserve Champion in the 15-17/ Adult Eq Combined
Reserve Champion in the Adult Hunters , 1st in the combined Classic and 2nd in the new Cheryl and Co 3’3 Medal

☀️ Fiona Tackett and God of War had a great first showing in Long Stirrup finishing Champion of the hunter division.

☀️ Cathy Smith and Paiute Warriors Heart returned to the Silver Stirrup division and was consistent in all of their classes earning them 🥉place across the board. Now to just work on our speed!!

☀️Sadie Molinari and Nicole Molinari’s TJC’s Q-Mann returned to the Hunter ring and finished 🥇Laura Tyson Medal, 🥉3’3 Cheryl and Co Medal and Champion of the Adult Hunter division this weekend.

Way to go team!! Looking forward to The Co’s Channel II show at the end of the month. Thank you as always to the staff and crew for putting on these top notch shows.

We had such a great time down in Florida last week at WEC with a terrific group! It is truly a magical place to visit. The weather was perfect and so were all of our riders and horses.

Stuart left with a fan club and I’m certain he was trying to figure out how he could catch a ride on the golf cart to save his steps.

Too many pictures to choose from so just enjoy them all. Thank you to all of our clients for making this such a memorable trip. Can’t wait to visit again!!

☀️☀️☀️ BRING ON SUMMER ☀️☀️☀️

Summer is right around the corner which means camp sign up is in full swing. We will be offering 4 weeks of camp.

Sign up now to secure your spot as spaces are limited.

VERBAL confirmation does not secure a space for your child. Camp forms (found on our website) and deposit does!!! WEEK 2 is almost full!

Don’t miss out. Your kids are guaranteed to have a great time!

Last weekend our Five Star Hunters IEA team competed at the Region 7 Finals in Conyers at the GIHP and while our teams will not be advancing to Zone 4 Finals we do have two riders who will be advancing. Congratulations to Catelyn Ruehman and Ziva Prather for qualifying and congratulations to all of our riders who competed with us this year. I am beyond proud of this team, their accomplishments, perseverance and love of the sport.

Many thanks to Ashley Rolader and Sadie Molinari for all of the behind the scenes work you do to help everything run so smoothly.

So important

Let’s Talk About Trainer Rides.

There’s something I’ve been thinking about a lot lately, and it feels like an important conversation: Trainer rides.

Somewhere along the way, I feel like trainer rides have started to feel optional, like a luxury, or something only needed when things go really wrong. But I believe they are one of the most important parts of keeping horses happy, confident, and reliable in their jobs.

Especially the good ones! The steady school horses. The saintly kids horses. The show horses packing their riders around week after week. Those horses don’t stay that way by accident. They stay that way because someone with experience is checking in with them from the saddle.

Horses are athletes, but they’re also thinkers and feelers. Over time they develop habits, compensations, and questions, just like riders do. A horse gets a little crooked or starts dulling to the leg. They lose confidence in a certain question or quietly start carrying more than their fair share. These things can show up as the ride feeling harder, less smooth, less fun… until suddenly both horse and rider are frustrated. Or they start to voice their frustration and they get labelled as having “bad behavior”.

That’s where a trainer ride isn’t a luxury, it’s part of the care. A professional ride helps to clarify the aids, rebuild confidence on the flat and over fences, and supports them physically and mentally in the job we ask them to do. Then that carries over into the owner’s ride. And the rider gets to build their relationship on a solid, supported foundation instead of constantly trying to fix things themselves.

It’s also about fairness.

Our horses work hard. They try, they tolerate mistakes, they take care of their riders. It’s only fair that we give them rides where the aids are clear, the balance is correct, and they get help doing the job well. Those rides keep them happier in their work and help prevent the slow mental burnout we sometimes see in over-generous horses.
That’s not taking something away from the rider, it’s supporting the partnership.

When horse, rider, and trainer all play their roles, the whole system works better. Horses stay more reliable. Riders progress with less frustration. And the relationship between them gets stronger, not more strained.

At the end of the day, trainer rides aren’t about control. They’re about responsibility.



Photo Credit: Wild Griffin Photography