Perrien Farms, Turlock

Trudy of Perrien Farms has been riding horses since she was 8 years old. All that time spent with equines has taught her how to connect with the horses on a personal level. She uses that connection to teach other riders how to have fun and perform on horseback. Her classes range from beginner sessions—which acquaint newbies with basic horsemanship skills—all the way to competition-level sessions, which cover jumping and course work. For students who are serious about the sport, she also leases horses. This allows riders to always train with the same animal, giving them the chance to learn which commands they best respond to and how they take their tea.