About Ben

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Ben's horse journey started at age 10 when he and his family moved to a small farm in Manchester, Maryland. Already living on the farm was a 20-year-old un-broke mustang mare named Sugar. Ben was hooked and in April 2005  he got his first riding horse. Star was a coming three-year-old 17-hand Percheron/ Thoroughbred gelding.  By May of the same year, Ben was taking weekly lessons with local dressage trainer, Jackie Hyde to learn enough to stay safe. Soon after, he saw Jackie with her FEI dressage horse and from that moment, Ben knew he wanted to dedicate his life to becoming the best rider he could become and later become the best trainer he could be.

From 2005 to 2009, Jackie taught Ben on everything she could and took him from a very fresh beginner to showing through the third level on multiple horses, developing stallion handling skills and even starting young horses.

In the spring of 2009, Ben took his gelding, Star, to First Choice Farm in Woodbine, Maryland for a lesson with Felicitas von Neumann-cosel. He was so inspired by her riding and theory that he never left. Ben worked for Felicitas from 2009 until 2011. During this time, he developed as a feeling rider and it was ingrained to strive to be better in your riding and understand horses deeply, to appreciate horses for what they are and everything they give us. Every day was inspiring and to this day, he strives to become the most mindful trainer he can be because of her.

Ben was then offered a position working for James Armstrong helping to work horses for him at his business. During this short period, he showed again through Prix St, George level, and started to develop his clientele base with a group of sales horses.

After an internship at Lars Petersen's farm in Florida, he went to work for Scott and Susanne Hassler in Chesapeake City, Maryland, where he was offered the ride on some very talented horses to campaign for the show season. While working for the Hassler family, Ben met some amazing people and made many lifelong friends. The team at Hassler Dressage taught Ben the importance of proper care and management of elite sport horses and breeding stallions. While working for the Hasslers, Ben was advised that the next logical step in his education should be to find a job where he could ride as many horses as possible every day and live the life of a professional trainer without the pressure of running his own business.

In Late 2012, Ben moved to Chicago to work for KYB dressage and further his career as a young professional. Kim Barteau worked with Ben to compete through Grand Prix on a variety of horses, and to develop a client base that he retains today. During his time in Chicago, Ben had between 13 and 16 full-time horses and clients he coached and competed with.

2014 brought Ben back to Maryland, where he set up his operation in Union Bridge. His training and competition barn had a loyal following of competition-oriented boarders and sales horses. While in Maryland, Ben continued his education with several of his previous mentors and also added work with world-renowned classical dressage trainer, author, and clinician Paul Belasik. During this time, Ben was still competing on his own and clients' horses through to Grand Prix and became the nation's second youngest 5-star rider, according to Centerline Scores.

In 2018, Ben moved his business to Conroe, Texas, with his partner Benjamin Winger at Paragon Stables, where Ben continues to train horses and riders.

As always, Ben retained his interest in continuing education and has the opportunity to work extensively with Olympic trainers and friends, Tina Konyot and Sabine Shut-Kery. 

Ben has also trained extensively, in private sessions or in clinics with top trainers such as Susanne Von Dietze, Laura Graves, Steffen Peters, Anne Gribbons, Catherine Haddad-Staller, Jan Bemelmans, Bo Jena and Isabell Werth.

Ben recognizes that many of his most impactful learning experiences came through working student positions. This inspired Ben to give back to the sport by continuing the tradition of hiring and training working students. 

Ben has had many working students through the years, some of whom are now successful professionals.