Like the majority of horsewoman today, their passion for horses began at an elementary age. For Michele Foland it was at age of seven when her parents enrolled Michele in horseback riding lessons. Little did they know this road would lead to a committed career with horses.
It wasn’t long after she began riding, Michele was enrolled in the Heels Down program. From that summer forward, her experiences lead to not only improved equestrian skills but also to a strong group of friends that still exists today. Michele states she sees them all being friends for life. Clearly this is a testament to the social aspect Heels Down provides our campers. This group of girls helped build the beginning foundation of the program and it was because of them the enrollment age increased each summer until they were 15.
For the first time in the Heels Down program’s history a camper will return to be an instructor. Michele Foland has so many wonderful qualities to offer to the program this summer. For the campers, the most important aspect is she knows first hand the impact each two-week experience can have and how life altering a sound instructor can have on an impressionable child. She has lived and experienced the truthful statement that “one thing you say or do can change someone’s life” for the better. Michele is a now a junior at Morrisville State College in upstate New York majoring in Equine Science & Management with a specialization in breaking and training.
It should be so much fun for our campers to experience training our young filly Lulah with Michele, and to share the same experience Michele had with Chestah when both were young. Michele’s knowledge of so many disciplines brings strength to our Heels Down program. This was and continues to be the goal of Heels Down in providing riders and their parents a variety of equestrian disciplines. Michele is a fine example of one of many successes from this program. Since graduating from Heels Down, Michele’s horse experience has flourished, creating a wide repertoire of skills from dressage, show jumping, driving draft horses to western pleasure and western reining.
She humbly acknowledges her numerous accomplishments but remembers most fondly her exposure to western reining and of being the reserve champion of the NRHA central New York circuit as one of the most rewarding. Michele knows it is hard work loving horses and while proudly smiling she admits that mucking 90 stalls in the zero degree weather of Morrisville is still rewarding. All those enrolled in Spring Lessons will enjoy getting to know Michele as she starts full time here at Pompositticut Farm, May 9th. We can’t wait!