Becky Carnell
Becky started riding when she was 4 yrs old and had her first pony on loan when she was 6yrs old. When she was 7 she had a rescue pony called Goldie who was extremely cheeky and challenging.
In an effort to manage his behaviour Becky’s mum looked for alternatives to the traditional way which wasn’t working. She found Parelli.
Becky developed a close partnership with Goldie but unfortunately grew out of him rather quickly. She then became the proud owner of a thoroughbred ex racing horse mare called Piggy, who was also very challenging and difficult to stop! and often lame due to old racing injuries. Piggy was covered by a quarter horse stallion and along came Max.
Becky has played with Max from day one. She has had support from Parelli Professionals and attended the Horse behaviour & You at Stoneleigh Park when Max was 2yrs old. Using the Parelli Method, Becky was able to start Max herself and now at four years old he is ready to move forward into foundation training.
As well as using her time at The Horse Place to further Max’s training, Becky’s goal is to achieve her levels and progress towards becoming a Parelli Professional.
Odette Insoll
Odette started riding at the age of four and had her own pony by eleven after helping out at the local riding stables for several years. On leaving school she studied at Bicton College, achieving a National Certificate in horse care, before going on to teach at a riding stables gaining ABRS (Association of British Riding Schools) teaching qualifications.
At nineteen Odette met her current levels partner Morph. He was deemed to be un-trainable and dangerous. He was a serious bucker and was going to be put down.
Of course, Odette just had to have him. Realising she would need a lot of help with Morph, Odette arranged a lesson with Alison. Since that first lesson, Odette has been fully committed to the Parelli Program. In November 2010, Odette came to The Horse Place as a working student to work towards her dream of becoming a Parelli Professional. During her time working with Alison and David, Odette passed level three and after leaving us in June 2011, attended the fast track in Florida.
In March 2012, Odette returned for another three months as a working student during which time she will be attending the 1* Instructor course and working towards her level four auditions.
I have passed my level 3, i also have done the fast track out in florida and passed to qualify to do my 1* course. Come back to do 3 months with alison and david during this time i will be doing my 1* and hoping to do some of my level 4 auditions.
Jackie Light – Office and Administration
Jackie bought her first horse in 1970 and competed in novice show jumping and dressage until the early nineties. After losing her old pony she bought her latest partner Trim as a newly backed three year old in 2002.
A couple of falls later the nerves set in and she was reluctant to ride at all. In the autumn of that year Jackie attended the first Parelli conference at Solihull and heard Pat Parelli say ‘if you are scared of your horse, get off’. It took three years, and a lot of help from Alison before she could get back on. Following that Jackie attended regular courses with Alison in Suffolk and Essex and then a hacking course in Devon. After hacking for a week in Devon, Essex was no match and she moved to Devon a couple of years later. Nowadays, back in the saddle, Jackie is happy quietly hacking around the beautiful Devon countryside. She has regular lessons with both Alison and David to continue to build confidence and further improve her relationship with Trim.
Clare – Our Knight in Shining Armour
Clare and Alison met in 1995 when Alison was working on an eventing yard, they went to Duchy College together and have remained firm friends ever since. Clare is the reason Alison and David are at Milford as this is where Clare grew up.
Clare was very keen on racing and worked for Martin Pipe after leaving Duchy, one of her horses being Dom Samurai who was second in the Welsh National. When she left Pipes, she worked in Australia for a year in racing yards, then came home to Milford to work on the family farm, which she still does now. When she came home, she bought a failing hurdler called Imprevu (Sid), to train him and ride him in point to points which she did with some success.
When Sid became dangerous on the racecourse she decided to stop racing him for which family and friends were very thankful!
Clare also has another horse, Miss Daisy Duke, a Bodmin Moor pony that she started and is her levels horse and now working her way at the end of level 3, into level 4.
Clare is looking to put a solid foundation on both horses and have them be calm and responsive in their winter job – on the hunting field and in their summer jobs of show jumping and eventing. Daisy has been jumping up to 1.15m tracks and Clare’s aim is to compete at 1.20m foxhunter level and complete the Working Hunter course at Royal Cornwall Show with her. Clare is our knight in shining armour, living now 4 miles away, she is always there for everything and in an emergency is the first on hand.
Sue and Les – Student Accommodation
Sue and Les are the owners of East Milford farm and landlords of The Horse Place.
The farm has been in the family for seven generations so roots go fairly deep.
Les milked 200 cows here at East Milford until November 2009 but now keeps young stock and calves. Daughter Clare (our knight in shining armour) now looks after the milking herd at her farm, not far away in Hartland. Sue looks after their self catering holiday cottages and also provides full board accommodation for students attending clinics or private lessons, in four rooms of their farmhouse.
All guests staying with Sue will be greeted by her two very friendly dogs, Kracker and Bracken and a relaxed homely environment with fantastic farmhouse cooking awaits. During workshops and clinics Sue can usually provide lunches for students and spectators who are not staying with her.
Dougal – Pest Control Officer
Dougal probably knows more about the Parelli Program than any of Alisons students. He has attended countless workshops, clinics, courses and demos with her and always pays full attention although sometimes when he is laying flat with his eyes closed it may not look like it. Dougal missed his calling to be on the stage but never stops practicing his audition for the meerkat advert. Despite the disappointment of not getting that role, he takes his job of pest control very seriously regularly patrolling the buildings, telling everyone else if there is a problem.
