Rick has been living his life with horses since he was three years old. After graduating from high school, he went to horseshoeing school and has since become a certified farrier with the American Farriers Association. Rick is also a Member of the American Quarter Horse Association Professional Horsemen's Association.

In December of 2005, Rick got married, retired from the Cedar Falls Fire Department, in Iowa, and moved to Cornell, located in the beautiful Upper Peninsula of Michigan.  There, he spends his time between several local ranches giving lessons and clinics, as well as traveling out of state for demonstrations and lessons.

A lifetime of knocking around various cattle and horse ranches has led him to the conclusion that to be effective training horses, we must first start on the ground with mutual respect being the common goal. This respect, once earned, will help prevent communication problems, injury and frustration when we do swing a leg over that saddle.

In his travels, Rick has been fortunate enough to meet and get to know some of the best horsemen in the United States - Ray Hunt, Buck Brannaman, Lee Smith and Pat Parelli to name a few.

Rick began doing clinics and demonstrations in the Midwest in 1996 to share what it seems to have taken me a lifetime to learn. He tries to show people another way with their horses – a natural way. It’s about changing YOU and your horse comes along for the ride.

He has worked with the City of Waterloo to implement a mounted patrol and taught as an Adjunct Instructor at Kirkwood Community College, showing their equine students a natural way.  He recently was a speaker at the International Hoofcare Summit in Cincinnati, OH, where his topic was centered around working with and shoeing the difficult horse.  He donates his time to local 4-H clubs and has participated, as a clinician, in the U.P. Equifest.

In 2002, Rick joined up with Nutrena, a division of Cargill Animal Nutrition, to present clinics as part of their Equine Education Series. Additionally, in the past, Rick has been working with Priefert Manufacturing, providing round pen demonstrations in the Midwest. 

Rick is now concentrating on the finished horse and rider.  He wants to help you understand your horse and for your horse to understand what you are asking of him.  He has seen too many dangerously untrained horses ridden by novice riders or riders far more advanced then their horses.  Sometimes just a little training goes a long way to a safer ride!