Meet Method Ambassador Mindy Vance
Mindy was in the saddle and riding horses before she could walk. Her parents are avid riders, and she grew up exploring trails with them. In grade school, she started taking riding lessons and competing in gymkhanas. Later on, she got involved in rodeo queen contests, going as far as to compete at PRCA rodeos, which led to her learning reining, working cow horses and trick riding.
As a young adult, Mindy stepped back from pursuing her horsemanship to focus on establishing a career in the health care field. One of her horsemanship goals had always been to train a horse from a foal and start them herself. In 2016, she made that happen when she bought Whiskey, a weanling colt. “I was at a point in life where I had my career going and could focus more on horses again,” Mindy says. “I’d always ridden horses that were green broke and up, so this was a new challenge to me.”
She got a Fundamentals Kit from a friend and set to work. “Whiskey took to the Method so well. He never bucked when I put the saddle on him or when I rode him the first time. To this day, he’s been a very safe, willing horse,” Mindy says.
The gelding is now a family favorite that Mindy feels comfortable letting her husband and three kids ride. “One of the things I love most about the Method is its focus on safety. As a mom, it’s especially important to me to keep my kids safe and happy,” Mindy says.
When she took on Slinger, another young prospect, the training didn’t go as smoothly. “He’d strike out and kick and would bolt under saddle, but his demeanor was very quiet. I couldn’t figure out what was going on and was frustrated,” Mindy says.
She knew she could send Slinger to a trainer, but her nature is to know how to fix issues herself. So she took him to a Fundamentals Clinic taught by Method Ambassador Wade Wickman. With Wade’s help, she sorted through the issue, and after the clinic, Wade encouraged her to apply to the Academy.
It was a big commitment, and Mindy loved all the knowledge she picked up from the course and now shares it with others. “I enjoy helping people create safe, willing horses that they can be confident on and have fun with,” Mindy says. “I meet a lot of people who are frustrated and scared of their horses. It’s a shame because it doesn’t have to be that way. You should feel safe and be confident with your horse. It’s possible with the Method.”
Mindy is based in Hayden, Idaho, 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 Mindy on her website and contact her directly at 208-966-7502 or [email protected].
