"The Donna West Story"
Born in Bedford, Pennsylvania December 26, 1952, I was raised on a farm with incredible parents and two (now best friend) sisters. My life as a young girl revolved around riding and playing with our horses. We had quite a few, but my two favorite horses were a buckskin, "Scotty" and a 17 plus hand Tennessee Walker, "Kentucky". My sisters said I've been a trainer since the age of 5. Well, ya' know how mean siblings can be! Since I was the "baby", my older sisters didn't want me to always tag along and they figured I was too small to bridle that Tennessee Walker. Obviously, if I couldn't bridle him, I wouldn't be bugging them on their ride. (You know that expression, "where there's a will there's a way"?) I took that as a challenge and taught Kentucky with the command "Head Down Kentucky" to lower his head. Then with bridle on my arm, I would swing my leg over his ears, command him with a "Head Up Kentucky" to raise up, then I'd finagle the bridle onto his kind head, slide down his neck onto to his back and I was good to go! As an adult, my dad, even though proud of me, saw how dangerous this was and made it painfully clear to me that even though I had solved the problem, it was not a safe solution!
My first show was at the age of 7 and my first paid job at 17 ($50 to get the buck out of a large white pony "Crazy Legs".) In my 40 year career with horses, I have been blessed to have worked with many breeds, ridden, trained and shown in Western and English pleasure and equitation, halter, showmanship, gymkhana, endurance and competitive rides, over fences, dressage, team penning, reining horses, gaited horses, driving competitions as well as mules, and mustangs. I showed my mule "John Henry" at the National Mule Celebration and used a mustang in my local clinics (Owyhee, my mustang and I were one of few civilians to graduate from the National Mounted Police School). I have given lectures, speeches, and demonstrations on various horse topics nationwide. I was invited with 4 other trainers from the United States to be part of the "Brumby Gentling Team". We went to Australia and worked with the brumbies (wild Australian horses) and the Australian people to share with them ideas/techniques to domesticate their beautiful natural creatures. (To read about the Brumby Gentling Workshop on the Lifesavers, Inc. website, click HERE.)
A friend said to me one day, "You know Donna, I just figured out that horses are not what you do, Horses are what you are." They truly are my life! Even though I conduct many clinics nationwide, I also attend everyone I can. We can always learn and share experiences and I would love to share my experiences and life of horse knowledge with anyone who is willing to learn. My wish for any true horse lover is that they continue to gain knowledge about the incredible gift God gave us when He created the majestic horse. Understanding, working with and developing a better partnership with your horse is a peaceful, yet exhilarating emotion that is unexplainable.
I read a quote that sums it up for me. I apologize that the author is unknown...
"YOU CANNOT REMAIN UNMOVED BY THE GENTLENESS AND CONFORMATION OF A WELL BRED AND WELL TRAINED HORSE. MORE THAN A THOUSAND POUNDS OF BIG BONED, WELL MUSCLED ANIMAL, SLICK OF COAT AND SWEET OF SMELL, OBEDIENT AND MANNERLY, AND YET FOREVER A MENACE WITH ITS INNOCENT POWER AND INERADICABLE INCLINATION TO SEEK REFUGE IN FLIGHT, AND ALWAYS A BURDEN WITH ITS NEED TO BE FED, WORMED, AND SHOD; WITH ITS LIABILITY TO CUTS AND INFECTIONS, TO LAMING AND HEAVES.
BUT WHEN IT GREETS YOU WITH A NICKER, NUZZLES YOUR CHEST AND REGARDS YOU WITH A LARGE AND LIQUID EYE, THE QUESTION OF WHERE YOU WANT TO BE AND WHAT YOU WANT TO DO HAS BEEN ANSWERED."
Please contact me if there is any way I can help you and your horse have fun, be safe and "Develop that Special Partnership!"
