Meet Method Ambassador Jessica Shepherd
Jessica was raised on a dairy farm in northern Minnesota, where she grew up trail riding with her family and participated in 4-H. She dabbled in a variety of disciplines, trying western pleasure and then focused on running barrels.
“I realized I couldn’t afford to rodeo, so I got into the English world and quickly realized that was even more expensive,” Jessica shares. “Like Clinton says, there are only three ways to get a well-trained horse: Buy the horse trained, pay someone to train the horse or train the horse yourself. I figured out if I wanted to be involved, I needed to train my own horses.”
When she was a teenager, Jessica’s method of training was the “get on and don’t fall off” approach. Then she discovered the Method. “My family always had every TV on RFD-TV. When I heard Clinton’s Aussie accent and watched what he was doing with horses, I was hooked,” Jessica says. “I liked the way he trained the horses – he was getting results quickly and he explained what he was doing.”
When her older sister gifted her a Fundamentals Kit, Jessica didn’t look back. “My family had $50-auction ponies, so they didn’t come to us with the best behavior. The Method taught me structure and gave me the building blocks I needed to put a foundation on the horses and actually accomplish something,” Jessica says. “Before the Method, I would just try random techniques that never worked out.”
In 2015, Jessica started Shepherd Mountain Horse Rescue, a nonprofit organization that focuses on saving horses, retraining them and then placing them in loving homes. “There are so many horses out there that end up in bad situations not because there’s anything wrong with them but they’re just uneducated. Once you earn their respect and trust and they learn the Fundamentals, they’re great partners,” Jessica says. “It’s rewarding to take horses people failed and turn them into something special.”
Attending the Academy and becoming an ambassador was a pipe dream, so when an opportunity presented itself, Jessica took a chance and made it happen. “My dad passed away before the Academy and he inspired me in the sense that if you’re doing something you love, you’ll never have to work a day in your life,” Jessica shares. “I love helping horses and inspiring people. I want everyone to know that you’re capable of more than you think you are and spending time with your horse should be fun.”
Jessica is based in Mountainburg, Arkansas, where she trains horses for the public and teaches private lessons and clinics that focus on the Fundamentals level of the Method. Learn all about Jessica on her website and contact her directly at 479-445-8484 or [email protected].
