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On a weekday afternoon at Belleame Farm, lessons begin in the aisle.
Kids head out to the field to catch their horses. They groom. They tack. They adjust stirrups. When lessons are over, they untack, wash down, clean tack, and put horses away. None of it is rushed. None of it is optional.
Jennifer Edwards has been an equine professional for over 40 years. Along with her husband, Rob, she has developed many highly ranked horses and students, bringing home local and national championships. Jennifer and Rob personally instruct every student, and that hands-on approach allows them to shape the experience and success that is Belleame Farm.
For Edwards, that daily routine matters just as much as what happens once a rider picks up the reins.
“I have from day one, my kids will come in the barn and their horses might be outside in the paddock,” Edwards says. “They will go get ’em. They will get ’em already brushed. Ready to go for their lesson. They do it all.”
In an era of increasingly streamlined barn operations, Edwards has held firm to a more comprehensive view of education. Riding, in her program, is only one piece of learning how to be a horseman.
Learning That Takes Time
It’s easy to say riders should groom and tack their own horses. It’s much harder to build the time into a program to let them do it imperfectly.
“Most barns don’t do that because they don’t have time to stand around while the kids do it wrong,” Edwards acknowledges. But for her, that patience is non-negotiable.
At Belleame Farm, riders are expected to take responsibility for the full routine at home. That expectation is for their understanding. Riders learn how horses feel on different days, how they respond to handling, and how care choices affect performance later on.
“I really think that is an important part of connecting with the animal,” Edwards says.
That connection, she believes, cannot be outsourced without consequence.
The Horse as a Partner
Edwards is careful to distinguish between what happens at home and what happens at horse shows. At shows, with tight schedules and limited time between classes, she relies on professional grooms to ensure horses are turned out properly and efficiently.
“We owe that to the industry,” she says. “We owe that to the judge.”
But at home, the goal is different. There, riders are meant to slow down and build a relationship with the horse that goes beyond performance. Grooming, tacking, and care become a form of communication that teaches riders to notice small changes before they become big problems.
“They get that connection better with the horse,” Edwards says, “and with the people they’re riding with.”
That connection shows up later, in the saddle, when riders are better able to make decisions, adjust expectations, and recognize when something doesn’t feel right.
Building Barn Culture From the Ground Up
Horsemanship at Belleame Farm doesn’t happen in isolation. Riders learn not just from Edwards and her husband, Rob, but from one another.
Older students help younger ones catch horses, adjust stirrups, and find the mounting block. Walk–trot riders are supported by juniors who remember exactly what it felt like to be new. The result is a barn culture built on shared responsibility rather than hierarchy.
“The older kids will always step in,” Edwards says. “They will help ’em get on their horse. They’ll walk ’em to the mounting block. They get along.”
That atmosphere, she believes, is intentional. From the start, families are told there is no room for drama. Everyone is expected to contribute, and everyone is expected to treat one another with respect.
“If it’s not like that,” Edwards says, “then it becomes a job for me. And I don’t want to police people.”
Instead, horsemanship becomes communal—something reinforced daily through example rather than rules.
Education Beyond the Lesson
Riders at Belleame Farm don’t only learn during scheduled lessons. Many ride or hack independently several days a week, knowing that Edwards and her husband are nearby if questions come up.
“They can always say, ‘Hey Jen, will you look at this?’ or ‘Hey Rob, can you help me with this?’” Edwards says. “We’re there.”
That accessibility allows learning to happen organically. Riders aren’t limited to prescribed instruction; they’re encouraged to ask questions, experiment, and reflect. It’s an environment that treats curiosity as a strength rather than a distraction. Over time, that approach produces riders who understand how to think through situations with horses.
More Than a Skill Set
For Edwards, teaching horsemanship is about preparing riders for far more than the next show.
“When you get older, you’re going to have a job,” she tells her students. “You’re not going to like all your coworkers, but you have to learn now that you have to get along with everybody.”
Responsibility, accountability, empathy—these lessons are woven into daily barn life. They are learned while currying a muddy horse, waiting patiently for a turn, or helping a younger rider who’s struggling.
Want more insight from Jennifer Edwards? Listen to episode 469 of The Plaidcast and subscribe on your favorite podcast platform for conversations with the most influential voices in the equestrian world.
