Our Trainer - Erlene Seybold-Smythe
Erlene Seybold-Smythe was raised at Roy-El, quite literally on a horse. She won her first national title at the age of four. As a teen she studied saddle-seat equitation under Nancy Whipple Becker, one of the world’s leading equitation trainers, President of the International Saddle-Seat Equitation Association and coach of the Saddle-Seat Equitation World Cup team. Ms. Seybold-Smythe also studied hunt seat, hunt seat equitation, and jumping from Jeffray Ryding, a Level III certified instructor with the U.S. Eventing Association, of Goose Downs Farm, a 3-Day Eventing Center. Rounding out her education, Ms. Seybold-Smythe studied western equitation and western riding from Deborah Warrick of Albuquerque, NM, a noted Quarter Horse and western seat trainer.
Over a decade ago, Ms. Seybold-Smythe’s career began with Terry Berg at Santa Fe Reiners, where she trained and showed reining horses. Following that she started her own training operation for a number of years and eventually accepted an invitation to apprentice with the world famous Mike Goebig and Dwayne Knowles of Broadmoor in Pennsylvania.
Beyond training in saddle seat, hunt, western and reining, Ms. Seybold-Smythe has worked with a plethora of equine breeds including Morgans, Saddlebreds, Arabians, Warmbloods, Thoroughbreds, Stock Breeds, Draft Breeds, mules, and donkeys.
Ms. Seybold-Smythe holds numerous local, regional, national and world champion titles. She also guided others to titles of their own. Her training accolades include: High Point Arabian trainer at the New Mexico State Fair, various Regional Champions in western and hunt, and innumerable local champions.
Her extensive equitation background helps her instruct young riders to the top of the class. In fact, she had the 2007 Reserve National Champion Hunt Seat Equitation rider at the Morgan World Championships. Ms. Seybold-Smythe instructs equitation and trains all disciplines including western, hunt, dressage, western dressage, saddle seat and driving.
Ms. Seybold-Smythe has obtained her Large R Morgan judging card, and is a member of the U.S. Equestrian Team, American Morgan Horse Association, American Paint Horse Association, U.S. Dressage Federation, Western Dressage Association, National Reining Horse Association, New Mexico Dressage Association, and the Northern New Mexican Horseman’s Association.
In addition to earning show ring glory, Ms. Seybold-Smythe has helped clients to find their dream horse and their best friend. She helps clients build confidence. Whatever you may be looking for in an equine experience, there is no doubt that Ms. Seybold-Smythe will be able to help you find it.