Colton Woods was scheduled to be a presenter at Equitana USA this year, but the threeday celebration of the horse was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Equestrian professionals and enthusiasts can meet Woods at Equitana USA, Oct. 1-3, 2021, at the Kentucky Horse Park. To learn about Equitana presenters in various equine disciplines, visit equitanausa.com.
A Partnership for a Lifetime While he trains horses, Colton Woods also educates their owners to strengthen their relationship with their equine companions BY DEBORAH KOHL KREMER
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ith a mission to “Educate Horses and People with a Lifetime in Mind,” Colton Woods Horsemanship of Paris works to train horses and teach horse owners what their trained horse needs to succeed. Owner Colton Woods uses a holistic approach in his training, which involves examining how the horse thinks and what motivates it. He also adds technical skills and some human psychology. “We want to help the horses, but we need to help the people who own them as well,” he said. Woods did not grow up aspiring to be a horse trainer. He loved to 36 K E NT U C K Y M O NT HLY SEPTEMBER 2 0 2 0
play sports, and his parents were professionals whose careers took the family to live in China for two years when Woods was 12. He had never been around horses, let alone ridden one. But when he turned 16, he got a job on a hunter-jumper horse farm, where his duties included mucking stalls and stacking hay. Then for several summers, he worked at a show-horse training program, where he earned his stripes and cemented his love of horse training. During high school, Woods took a job at Safe Haven Equine Rescue & Retirement Home in North Carolina to fulfill his service hours for graduation. That summer, the young and strong volunteer was assigned to build fences and shovel gravel, but along the way, he saw neglected and abandoned horses that would never find a home. “I realized that neither the horse nor the human was educated in training, and neither had access to this training,” he said. “I found my purpose. I needed to train the horse and make them adoptable, so they could find a home.” Woods headed to University of Kentucky, where he majored in equine science and management with a business focus and a minor in agricultural economics. He was fortunate to get valuable internships such as one at Taylor Made Sales Agency, where he learned to care for, exercise and show Thoroughbreds. Throughout college, Woods got up early and stayed up late working with horses and meeting people who worked with an assortment of breeds.
After college graduation, Woods accepted the position of assistant trainer at Double Dan Horsemanship in Midway, where he cared for a team of horses and continued learning. In
2016, Colton and his then-fiancé Maredith decided to put down roots in the Paris and Georgetown area and established Colton Woods Horsemanship, which combined their shared passion for horses. Now married, the couple own and operate the business together. Colton Woods Horsemanship has had many successes along the way and is well-known in the horse world. Woods credits these successes to his training criteria, which includes several components. First, he works with the horse on ground skills, such as leading, trailer loading and saddling. The second step involves teaching the horse what to do once the saddle is on. This includes how to trot, canter and back up. Then, Woods moves on to performance-type skills such as dressage, hunter and jumper and versatility. Lastly—and possibly the most important—is the owner training, which is offered free to horses being trained by Woods. “All of this creates a partnership between the horse and the athlete,” he said. Woods trains horses and teaches classes at home, but he spends many weeks on the road, doing the same thing at farms and horse shows. His website offers online educational opportunities, and his podcast, “The Heart of Horsemanship,” provides a vehicle for him to broadcast tips and guidance and include guests who can share their insights. Woods sums up his intentions on his website: “Our greatest mission is to leave a lasting legacy of positive impact on the lives of horses and people all across the globe. Whether through an in-person event, online video or course, on the phone, or on social media, our top priority is to provide you with valuable content that helps you and your horse take your next step on your horsemanship journey.” For more information, visit coltonwoodshorsemanship.com.
