About Me
I set up Carin Coker Eventing LLC in 2022 to offer training, lessons and sales to the Northern Virginia area.
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I have been around horses my entire life, I was riding before I was born (my mom rode when pregnant). I have been told I could steer my pony before I could walk. I joined Casanova Warrenton Pony Club when I was just 5 years old. Competing in Mounted Games, Eventing, Show Jumping, Dressage, Tetrathlon and Quiz. Other riding I did during my youth was Vaulting, Jousting, Trail riding, Hunter Jumpers and Fox Hunting. I was very competitive in Mounted Games for a number of years and in 2008 I was on the USPC International Games team that competed in Australia. After that I switched my focus to Eventing and Dressage. In the summers I spent time working at various barns and was a working student for Cathy Fredrickson.
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In college I rode with Bridgewater College competing on the ANRC team. Taking lessons with Jerry Schurink in Dressage and Eventing. I became certified in Thermography and started my Thermal Imaging business Picture Perfect Equine LLC. I thermal image horses for unexplained body pain, saddle fitting, pre purchase and maintenance monitoring. After graduating college I was a working student for Sharon Miller and then at Morningside Training Farm with Skyeler Voss. I was able to take many clinics and work with various upper level riders such as Jan Byyny, Doug Payne, Leslie Law, Hawley Bennett Awad, Lynn Symansky, Clark Montgomery and Jimmy Woffard. I currently train with Skyeler Voss and Chris Talley.
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I also have worked at various rehab/medical barns. From I worked at an equine vet and osteopath doing everything from laser therapy, vet tech/assistant and working in the office. Learning a lot about the medical side of horse care and correct function of a horses movement.
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My passion is to help horses and riders connect in a harmonious, tranquil and productive way. I have a slow and steady wins the race attitude allowing horses and riders to tell each other when they are comfortable and ready for more.
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Highest level of competition:
Eventing - 2* (Preliminary)
Dressage - 3rd level
Storm in Alke "Jake"
Jake is a 2006 OTTB - I rescued Jake in late 2018, he had a BCS of a 3 and was covered in rain rot from head to toe. He was to be a companion from my recently orphaned foal "Louie" and we would see what he wanted to do after her was healthy. He needed to learn to trust and spent 1.5 years learning to trust and gaining weight. He started off very timid and closed off, I rode him lightly and actually taught some lessons on him. Letting him do the basic walk trot canter and cross rails. Jake finally started to come around and I let a local teenager take him to some jumper shows. I even tried to sell him a few times and nobody seemed to like Jake or see the potential that I did. So in the fall of 2020 I decided to go ahead and take him to a horse trial and see how he liked it. The last event of the year was Virginia Horse Trials and I decided I would take Jake out Novice. I had one of the best XC rides of my career that day. You know one of those rides when you cross through the flags with a huge smile on your face and not a care in the world, like time stops and all the worlds problems fade away? Well, I had that ride on him at that event. Just running Novice and I thought hummm, if Novice can feel that easy our first time out together I wonder what we could do with a little training. So I decided Jake was not for sale and we would see what he could do! In early 2021 we did his first Training level, mid 2021 we did his first Modified and qualified for the CCI 1* L at Virginia Horse Trials. So I said what the heck and got him a passport and signed us up for the 1*. Jake stormed around the 1* with one green run out on XC (my fault for not lining us up better) and we finished in 11th place! Literally 1 year to the exact same event we went from lets see how our first event together goes to completing both of our first FEI competitions. In 2022 Jake continued to impress and give his heart to me and I moved him up to Prelim in the summer. We qualified for the 2* and in the fall we ran the 2* at Virginia Horse Trials finishing in 12th place! He was feeling better than ever and galloped the biggest track him and I had ever seen with ease. I see a bright future ahead for this $500 rescue horse! Stay tuned for what comes next....
Dans La Nuit WE "Night" is a 2012 Oldenburg mare bred by Wits End Eventing. Night is small at only 15.1h, although you would never know it. Night came to me whene was fairly young and very green and has continued to impress me at each step of her career. Her dressage and flat work is something that comes very natural for her. She likes the challenge and complexity of the flat work and keeps stepping up to work harder and get stronger. She is currently competing at First Level and schooling Second Level. In her Eventing career she has won more events than she has not. She has competed up to the training level so far and has potential for much much more! She tends to be a horse that needs a lot of schooling and confidence building for the Cross Country leading up to an event, but with that thoughtfulness taken she really steps up to each challenge she is presented with. Night is a bit of a typical mare type of ride as it needs to be her idea and if she feels good about it she will give you everything she has got. In the barn however she is the sweetest horse I have been around. She is affectionate and can be every horses friend. She is truly a special horse who I feel very lucky to have her in my barn. She is stunning inside and out!
Sweet Talker "Louie" 2018 Oldenburg Gelding 16.1h (Cassie's Shot "Sweetie" x Sandro's Star)
Louie is the one and only homebred I have. Since day one he has been curious and brave about everything in the world. He is the first one to come running in to say hi in the field, nobody gets to pass by or come into his field without petting him. His personality is so goofy, he is constantly seeking attention and making funny faces at people as they pass his stall. He loves treats of all kinds and ensures that his tummy is filled at any chance he gets. Undersaddle he is light and soft in the bridle and a can tend to be a little on the lazy side. He loves to jump and is already showing natural talent as an event horse. He competed in the U.S. Event Horse Futurity in 2022 and was the winner of the Fan Favorite award. We did not take him to the championships as he was not quite mature enough. I will take my time developing this young horse so that he can be everything that he is capable of becoming. A future star in the making!