With Scamper Hill’s wealth of great horses, she’s had the chance to get to know and ride something from most of the top bloodlines in the industry, and as a trainer she’s already made some top of the line futurity horses. Her attitude towards riding and training results in desirable horses that want to, and do, win big. Below, she talks about her horses, her riding and her training philosophies.

What horse(s) are you running now?

I have a 7yo palomino Frenchmans Guy gelding named Frenchmans Bulladash, aka “Sparticus” (if you met him you would know why that’s his name), a 5yo brown gelding named Sure Down Dash “Viper” (if you see him run you’ll understand this one’s name), a 6yo sorrel gelding Streakin Bling Bling “Shiner”, and a 4yo sorrel gelding named Corona N Cash “Cash”.

What are your favorite bloodlines?

I love the Frenchmans Guys as long as they have run on the bottom, race breeding such as First Down Dash, Takin On the Cash, Special Leader, Stoli.. I think each individual is there own horse, but bloodlines do help to give you an idea to how the horses’ disposition may be and what they may be prone to. I have had some bad experiences with some bloodlines and now I steer clear of horses bred similar.

What associations are you running?

I go to a few NBHA’s and BRATs just to take some of my younger horses, but I mostly go to the huge barrel races like Win More, Pac West, D&G, Elite, Cowboy Capital, etc.

What is the best thing about your riding?

My horses are BROKE, they ALL have a reining horse handle and are extremely soft and quiet. I spend alot of time with my horses doing other things besides barrels and just riding them to keep them soft and supple. Also, since I ride so many different horses that have different styles and are at different levels of their training, I am able to change the way I ride with each horse, alot of people are unable to do that.

What do you struggle with the most (mentally, riding-wise, etc.)?

The thing I struggle with the most would have to be trusting a horse after they make a mistake in a run, if one blows off a barrel or hits, it takes me about 4 or 5 runs to not be thinking about that before I run and trust them not to make that same mistake again.

What is your philosophy with training?

Let one come on their own time, if they are meant to make, they will make. The more you show them how, but don’t force it, then the more they will love it and want to do it. Also, I like to do other things besides barrels, its so good for their minds. I don’t think any horse should be started on the barrels until they are soft and broke and they should maintain that suppleness throughout their training and even their lives.