We are very fortunate to have a wonderful and talented trainer working out of our barn. Because we are committed to supporting our team members and trainers as part of this ecosystem that we’ve created, we do require people to be a part a program. This enables us to provide better amenities to everyone. This is a collaborative environment, not a competitive one - with the primary focus being on rider goals. We also bring in regular clinicians to give people an opportunity to learn from someone else.
Monthly Training Packages:
Weekly Group Jump lessons: $235
Weekly Private Jump/Flat lessons: $325
Part-Time Training (2 units/wk): $550
Full-Time Training (4 units/wk): $700
Training packages are billed at the beginning of the month. “Units” can be a ride or a lesson. Show coaching is additional. Please note that our trainers operate independently of Southern Cross Equestrian and contract separately for their services. The training agreement and relationship are between the trainer and the horse owner.
Leslie Skinner, EVENTING
Leslie Skinner started out fox hunting and eventually moved on to compete in eventing, hunter/jumpers, and dressage. Her eventing experience has been with a variety of horses at different levels. At the onset of her career, she spent years training with Bruce Davidson and later with Phillip Dutton, among others. During that time, her advanced horse won the Fairhill Preliminary and Middleburg Advanced horse trials, and at the North Georga three-day, her horse at the time was noted as one of the fittest to compete based on its heart rate and temperature in the 10-minute box.
Leslie fox hunting at 14 years old.
“The art is finding the combination of the correct work and knowing when to rest. A good cross country rider knows how to gallop efficiently between obstacles and from that gallop effortlessly create an adjustable canter at the jump. So we take a horse fit enough to gallop a big course and we ask them to squeeze into a dressage ring and be light and supple! It’s a wonderful challenging sport that reveals the finest qualities of horse and rider.”
Leslie’s training style is not a one-size-fits-app approach. Instead her, training philosophy is simple: allow the horses and riders to inform the exercises and techniques that best help them as individuals develop and progress.
“I do not adhere exclusively to a training agenda. Instead, I consider the rider’s goals and abilities and the horse’s potential and attitude. It is my objective to help riders establish a working partnership with their horses to maximize performance and soundness.”
Leslie competing in her 20s.
Leslie competing in the 1990s.
Leslie has a degree in Animal Science from Michigan State University and is currently studying equine biomechanics.
Leslie’s daughter, Caitlin Davison, is also an accomplished trainer and owns Heritage Performance Horses with her partner, Andres Castaño, in Waco, TX.