Fees and Pricing
Lessons: $35/hour or 4 for $120. 2-3 riders/hour $3o each.
Training: $30 per ride
Lunging: $20 per lunge
Catch rides (in clinics, shows or with other trainers): $20/hour and horse owner pays all other fees
Trip Fees: Trip fees vary with the distance and start at $5/ trip
Clinics: Negotiated based on grounds use fees, length of session, etc.
Sales: Contracts vary. Typically, a 10% commission on sale of horse, a 5% finders fee to find a horse for a client, and all
sales expenses covered by client.
General Policies: I am pretty flexible with my scheduling and understand that cancellations are necessary due to weather
and emergencies. I appreciate 24 hours notice when available, but will allow less notice under certain circumstances,
otherwise I will need to charge for the ride/lesson. If the temperature is less than 20 degrees or the roads are dangerous
due to ice/snow I do not expect to ride/teach. I'd hate to have a horse or rider injured trying to make it to a lesson.
Trainer History
I got my first pony, Jocko, when I was eight years old. I spent every weekend for the next three years throwing on his
Western saddle and curb bit and galloping him around his little paddock. He was a spitfire - if only my non-horsey parents
knew how poorly he'd been trained. He bucked, reared and bolted like the best of them! But I LOVED MY PONY and rode
with passion, never feeling fear or doubting my youthful abilities. This little Exmoor Pony built the basis of my future as a
horsewoman.
Once I outgrew my wild little friend I borrowed an older Quarter Horse Mare, Cricket, to play around with. She was an
ex-barrel racer and knew how to run. This mare quickly taught me how to balance while turning! I spent summer afternoons
cleaning tack and paddocks in order to ride her. She was the first horse I was able to trail ride on and I loved when we could
run across the fields as fast as possible.
Once I became a working teenager I decided all I wanted to do was spend my hard-earned money on English lessons so I
could jump. I rode and showed a little buckskin Quarter Horse gelding, Davey Crockett, in local and regional hunter shows.
He became my own about a year later and I had the time of my life on him! That incredible little horse packed me around
course after course, letting me jump up his neck, get left behind, pour into a line with no pace or distance, and then gallop
bareback across the neighboring farmers fields. We even earned California Horsemen's Association Champion Hunter for
the 14 -17 year old age group! THANK YOU Mom and Dad for supporting me (especially financially) throughout this
incredible time in my life! I know now that it wasn't cheap! And it wasn't until I leased him out and started riding greener
horses that I realized how much Davey compensated for my lack of skills! THANK YOU Davey!
Once I started riding younger, greener horse I was hooked. I competed in the Hunters in California, leasing a variety of
horses to show on. I found that working with a variety of horses gave me a much better feel and I wanted more than anything
to be able to hop on any horse at any time and ride them well. After years and years of lessons, shows, clinics (with the likes
of Victor Hugo-Vidal, Denny Emerson, Jan Bynny, Janet Foy and Amy Barrington), books, articles, and conversations with
other horsepeople, I have finally realized my dream. I have been a horsewoman from age eight, and have competed and
won in the hunters, eventing, and dressage. I have ridden well over a hundred horses in my lifetime and have ridden in
California, Wisconsin and Colorado. I've been teaching lessons for over twenty years and have a Master's Degree in
Education, specifically Reading. I find that my background with horses and with education makes me a terrific trainer to both
riders and their horses.
I love my job and feel incredibly blessed to be doing what I love for a living. I've always said that horses are like a disease
you are born with and the only way to cure this disease is to surround yourself with horses and horse people. I love working
hard, rain or shine, seven days a week, dawn to dusk. I love falling into bed every night with dirt still in my fingernails. And I
love waking up the next morning to do it all over again!
I am extremely grateful to everyone involved in my progression and my success! Thank you!
Lessons: $35/hour or 4 for $120. 2-3 riders/hour $3o each.
Training: $30 per ride
Lunging: $20 per lunge
Catch rides (in clinics, shows or with other trainers): $20/hour and horse owner pays all other fees
Trip Fees: Trip fees vary with the distance and start at $5/ trip
Clinics: Negotiated based on grounds use fees, length of session, etc.
Sales: Contracts vary. Typically, a 10% commission on sale of horse, a 5% finders fee to find a horse for a client, and all
sales expenses covered by client.
General Policies: I am pretty flexible with my scheduling and understand that cancellations are necessary due to weather
and emergencies. I appreciate 24 hours notice when available, but will allow less notice under certain circumstances,
otherwise I will need to charge for the ride/lesson. If the temperature is less than 20 degrees or the roads are dangerous
due to ice/snow I do not expect to ride/teach. I'd hate to have a horse or rider injured trying to make it to a lesson.
Trainer History
I got my first pony, Jocko, when I was eight years old. I spent every weekend for the next three years throwing on his
Western saddle and curb bit and galloping him around his little paddock. He was a spitfire - if only my non-horsey parents
knew how poorly he'd been trained. He bucked, reared and bolted like the best of them! But I LOVED MY PONY and rode
with passion, never feeling fear or doubting my youthful abilities. This little Exmoor Pony built the basis of my future as a
horsewoman.
Once I outgrew my wild little friend I borrowed an older Quarter Horse Mare, Cricket, to play around with. She was an
ex-barrel racer and knew how to run. This mare quickly taught me how to balance while turning! I spent summer afternoons
cleaning tack and paddocks in order to ride her. She was the first horse I was able to trail ride on and I loved when we could
run across the fields as fast as possible.
Once I became a working teenager I decided all I wanted to do was spend my hard-earned money on English lessons so I
could jump. I rode and showed a little buckskin Quarter Horse gelding, Davey Crockett, in local and regional hunter shows.
He became my own about a year later and I had the time of my life on him! That incredible little horse packed me around
course after course, letting me jump up his neck, get left behind, pour into a line with no pace or distance, and then gallop
bareback across the neighboring farmers fields. We even earned California Horsemen's Association Champion Hunter for
the 14 -17 year old age group! THANK YOU Mom and Dad for supporting me (especially financially) throughout this
incredible time in my life! I know now that it wasn't cheap! And it wasn't until I leased him out and started riding greener
horses that I realized how much Davey compensated for my lack of skills! THANK YOU Davey!
Once I started riding younger, greener horse I was hooked. I competed in the Hunters in California, leasing a variety of
horses to show on. I found that working with a variety of horses gave me a much better feel and I wanted more than anything
to be able to hop on any horse at any time and ride them well. After years and years of lessons, shows, clinics (with the likes
of Victor Hugo-Vidal, Denny Emerson, Jan Bynny, Janet Foy and Amy Barrington), books, articles, and conversations with
other horsepeople, I have finally realized my dream. I have been a horsewoman from age eight, and have competed and
won in the hunters, eventing, and dressage. I have ridden well over a hundred horses in my lifetime and have ridden in
California, Wisconsin and Colorado. I've been teaching lessons for over twenty years and have a Master's Degree in
Education, specifically Reading. I find that my background with horses and with education makes me a terrific trainer to both
riders and their horses.
I love my job and feel incredibly blessed to be doing what I love for a living. I've always said that horses are like a disease
you are born with and the only way to cure this disease is to surround yourself with horses and horse people. I love working
hard, rain or shine, seven days a week, dawn to dusk. I love falling into bed every night with dirt still in my fingernails. And I
love waking up the next morning to do it all over again!
I am extremely grateful to everyone involved in my progression and my success! Thank you!
About Us
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Nicole Ackerman, Trainer
Availability
Lessons, training, and sales are available in the Black Forest area of Colorado Springs, Colorado. I work mainly from Desert
Skye, a barn in the Black Forest that offers an indoor, all-weather ring. I do travel to other farms, but limit my driving time as
much as possible. Please contact me for more information.
Baby Brigade
Click on Baby Brigade to link to my NEW Baby Brigade page!!!
Lessons, training, and sales are available in the Black Forest area of Colorado Springs, Colorado. I work mainly from Desert
Skye, a barn in the Black Forest that offers an indoor, all-weather ring. I do travel to other farms, but limit my driving time as
much as possible. Please contact me for more information.
Baby Brigade
Click on Baby Brigade to link to my NEW Baby Brigade page!!!
| Nicole and Davey Crockett 1990 |
| 2008 YEAR-END ACCOMPLISHMENTS! Sage: My 8 year old OTTB was Reserve Champion at Training Level at the USEA Area IX Championship Event! We were Champions at Senior Training and 3rd in Training Horse for MSEA-CCC. Sage and I both placed 4th in the USEA Area IX final standings for the above divisions. Riding Sage, I am currently 9th in the USEA overall point standings for Training Adult Rider. Ciara: The 4 year old Freisian Cross mare owned by Daniel Leach placed 4th at Training Level and 7th at 1st level at the RMDS Regional Dressage Championships! CONGRATULATIONS TO PATTY ON HER PURCHASE! SEE YOU AT THE SHOWS! See videos of Ciara's 2008 shows at www.youtube.com/dhbbleach Knight's Tale: Annette Reals 7 year old Clydesdale/TB cross gelding helped our team win the Chronicle of the Horse Team Challenge at Novice. He was 6th in Novice Horse for MSEA-CCC. |
| Lynn Klisavage on Helicon Corvette, Wendy on Katanga, myself on Knight's Tale, and Gail on Fletch at the Chronicle of the Horse Adult Team Challenge at the Colorado Horse Park. |
| Click below to watch video of Nicole and Sage competing Preliminary at the 2009 Spring Gulch Horse Trials: Dressage Cross Country Stadium Training at the 2008 Rocky Mountain Horse Trails: Stadium Cross Country |
| SAGE GOING PRELIMINARY AT SPRING GULCH |