MEET JASON & KRISTEN SORRELL

Horses have been a family affair for Jason for as long as he can remember. His first pony, named “Redbud” was his trusted mount as a toddler. When Jason was old enough, he started to show interest in showing. Fortunately, he was able to start what would turn out to be his chosen career and passion of training horses. In 1999, he met Kristen who equally shared in the same passion of training and caring for horses.

Jason graduated in 1994 from the University of Findlay Equine program. From there he went to work for Dale Livingston in Pilot Knob, NC. There he further developed his natural ability and talent of training horses and learned the ‘ins and outs’ of quarter horse showing at the highest levels. It wasn’t long before it was time for him to move closer to home, where he felt he belonged. It was then that Sorrell Performance Horses was established in Ohio. In 1998 he then based his training program in Richmond, Indiana.

In 1999, Kristen and Jason met and had success together in the show pen including top ten placings at the PHBA World Show, numerous circuit award winners, futurity wins and Congress top ten finishes and finalists. Realizing that they worked well as a team, in 2001 they married and formed their life long partnership. In 2003 they moved to Lancaster, Ohio to train at and manage Tarhe Run Farms for Bill and Carole Morris.

Together they focus on their clients needs and goals through helping them focus on their goals and develop their riding skills and techniques. Their theory is the owner needs to be able to ride their horse and understand what takes place while they are on their horse’s back. They want their horses and clients to be prepared for the show pen so they can succeed in their chosen event. They encourage clients to ride their horses as often as they can so they can get to know their horse and their personalities and enjoy their animal.

The training program is intense. The horses are athletes and are treated as such. They care for each horse as though they were their own. They feel the only way for a horse to be comfortable is to have it do what the horse was made to do both mentally and physically. They like to keep their minds fresh and looking forward to doing their job versus forcing a square peg into a round hole. Therefore, many maneuvers and disciplines are incorporated into the training program to keep diversity in the day-to-day riding. This promotes greater agility and performance from the horse so they can be at their optimal presentation for the show days.

Their goals for their clients are to learn about their horse, be successful, have fun, keep it safe and rates affordable. They offer training and conditioning for western pleasure, hunter under saddle, and all-around events. They take pride in helping youth and amateur achieve their goals in the show pen.

FUTURE PLEASURE HORSE SHOWMAN!

Gabriel Sorrell making his debut in 2007 in Lead-Line on Wrapsody In Motion or ‘Holly’. He has been winning first and gathering trophies and goodies every time out!

Watch for him in Walk/Jog in 2008!