Jodie

Growing up in Brooklyn NY made being around them a bit of a challenge. I’d do anything I could to scrape up enough money for an hour trail ride at the local stable. Lessons were out of the question. I had enough natural ability to be asked to become a trail guide. I was 13 and it was this horse crazy girls dream come true. I got to ride lots of different horses all day long, every weekend. my days were spent taking groups of people through the trails and galloping up and down the beach. It was a great experience but I still dreamed of having a horse of my own.  

With some savings and birthday money I went ahead and bought my first horse for my 16th birthday. At 16 with only a part time job, paying board at a NY stable left me once again with no money for lessons so I had to be content with trail riding.

Fast forward 30 years I decide I’d like to do some team penning. I didn’t think I’d find a “real” cow horse here in the Northeast, so I just googled cutting horses in Weatherford, Texas. I found an ad, made a call, talked to an owner, a trainer, watched a video, mailed a check and got my 4yo cutting/reining horse delivered to my door a month later!

It didn’t take me long to realize that Commander Hallmark knew a lot more than I did. I tried to get help. Went to various trainers for lessons but good western trainers are in short supply around here. While I tried my best to be the rider that this fine horse deserved I spent the next 15 years turning this light, soft, sensitive horse into one who was over reactive, hiding behind the vertical and would, on occasion, get annoyed enough to try to buck me off.

By chance I took a handful of dressage lessons with him right around the time western dressage began to surface in this area. Started doing local schooling shows pretty successfully. The thing that always bothered me at these shows were how ridiculously high our scores were. The comments were vague. I’d have preferred honest feedback over ribbons and inflated scores. I didn’t really click with the trainer I was using and I really wanted to compete in reining.

That’s when I discovered NAWD. This program is by far the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I discovered the ranch horse program and realized that that was the perfect discipline for me.

The organization provides me with access to the help and training I’ve been searching for over forty years. I submitted a video to be judged in my first virtual ranch horse show just over a year ago. The judges comments were very long, detailed and accurate. She didn’t miss a thing. She saw mistakes that I never thought anyone would catch in a video. I knew right away that Id finally found my trainer.

I’ve been working with Julie Slater for just over a year now. She based my first lesson on the video she had judged. My lesson plan told me what she wanted me to do with my horse. It included videos and diagrams as well. I’ve never found it easier to learn. I love having all of the information to refer back to.. I’m finally getting the education I’ve always wanted. My relationship with my horse is now the one id always hoped for. Hallmark is 19 now and doesn’t hide behind the bit anymore. Hes once again soft, light, responsive and very happy in his job.

I really owe everything to NAWD

–Jodie Palella

Start Your Journey

North American Western Dressage offers a variety of programs designed for virtual learning, wherever “home” might be. Whether you enjoy Western or traditional dressage, ranch horse, trail, groundwork or something else, there’s a place for you in NAWD. Our virtual showing and TRAX programs provide added incentive to test your partnership in competition, providing the opportunity to feed your competitive spirit and evaluate your journey while also earning great prizes, too.

Jodie competes in the Ranch Horse Program, which is found at Ranchhorse.org.

Learn more about NAWD, our parent organization, and join the family today at nawdhorse.org.