Home About Bethany Friends&Family Horses for Sale Lessons&Clinics Training
To contact Bethany please call 614-886-BETH or email her at:
bethanyhorsetraining@yahoo.com
Bethany Lilly not only has a long history
of experience with horses, but with all kinds of wildlife too. Growing up in
Birch River, West Virginia, she and her
family
raised everything from your average
house
pets like cats and dogs, to exotic animals like skunks, emu and wallabies.
Bethany was homeschooled her whole life, and graduated when she was sixteen.
Although her family supported her the best they could, they had neither the
money, contacts, or expertise to help Bethany pursue her dream. That didn't stop
her. She taught herself how to train horses by videos, books and experience. Her
first equine was a donkey named Spookendyke, which she trained so she could
stand on his back. Without money for a bridle, she fashioned her own using
twine. She never used a saddle.
At age 15, she, her sister and her mother
began to travel to clinics given by horse trainers. Not having a trailer to haul
her horse, or the money to participate in a clinic, she sat and watched as horse
trainers such as Linda Black and Van Hargis, worked with the participants, and
listened carefully to their advice. She would then come home and use their
techniques on her own horse.
Since then,
Bethany has worked with a number of well known horse trainers, such as Clinton
Anderson of Down Under Horsemanship, Jan Seutter of Seutter Performance
Horses and with Westfall Horsemanship.
Every experience was a learning experience that Bethany absorbed, and now uses in her own style.
She has had a lot
of experience riding and training her own horses. She has a lot of colt starting
experience under her belt, as well as training reining horses, and doing general
tune-ups on everything from trail horses to problem horses.
She has a talent for
one-on-one people training and enjoys helping people with a hands-on approach.
She is patient and understanding of both the rider and the horse.
Stacy Westfall and Bethany Lilly
Horsing around with Westfall Horsemanship
Carli, Emmie and Bethany working for
Westfall Horsemanship
at Road to the Horse 2007
"While at Westfall Horsemanship, Bethany was known for her ability and willingness to work until the job was done. She is a capable young woman who is ready to help you and your horse with ground work, colt starting, or the general 'tune-up' that your horse may need." ~ Stacy Westfall
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Our paint gelding, Cappuccino, had become very heavy on the bit and was starting
to pull my husband (a new rider) wherever he (the horse) wanted to go. He had
also become very lazy and was stumbling over his front feet. I realized we
needed a consistent riding program to get him back in "shape" and I was not able
to commit the 5 days week to do so. At Westfall training, Bethany was assigned
to ride Cappy under Stacy's direction. After one month, Cappy came home in
awesome shape, stops on a dime, picks up his front end and lopes off nicely. We
are very pleased with Bethany's commitment and capabilities.
Chris & Jenny Lance
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I still can not express my appreciation for and undying faith in what you,
Bethany and Carli accomplish at Westfall Horsemanship.
When I sent Rocky to you last April he was really being an awful horse, very spoiled. I had let him get out of control and really didn't enjoy riding him because he was a handful. I don't think he was enjoying me too much either.
When I came to pick him up after 2 months and spent a couple of days with the three of you, I felt as though Westfall had changed everything about how Rocky and I related to each other. Your consistent riding, discipline and routine was exactly what he needed and Bethany really knocked my socks off when I saw her ride Rocky so beautifully.
Four months later, Rocky is still doing great. I am thrilled and he is happy and really seems to be enjoying being a horse much more than he did this time last year.
Many thanks to you, Bethany and Carli. We will make visiting you ladies an
annual event -- please keep us on the waiting list!!
Sincerely,
Carolyn Swanson
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Upon arrival there was no time wasted in evaluating exactly what we had
brought you. It was clear that we brought you a very nice gelding, but one that
was very uptight, and used to having his own way. The following morning we had
the opportunity to watch you and Bethany work with him. Firstly, Bethany worked
with him on the ground. Bethany proved to us that morning that there was no
question as to why she was working with you, she is excellent hand with a horse.
Then we got to watch you, all the while, you explained to us what you were
doing, what you were looking for, and what you wanted.
You assured us that the girls knew what they were doing, obviously they had a
great teacher, and that you had all the confidence in them.
My daughter and I picked Darin up in October and brought him home. We brought
home, a broke, quiet, AND relaxed horse. While there we spoke with Carli at
great length about Darin, since she had been the one riding him. Watching Carli
ride is like watching you ride, with the exception Carli is using a saddle and
bridle! Carli, had this horse dragging poles, riding with tarps, playing with
balls, she even stood up on him! What Darin was lacking you and Carli gave him.
He had holes in his foundation and you filled them. You gave him confidence, so
he could be relaxed and a pleasure to ride.
Thank you, thank you, thank you. Especially thank you, to Carli and Bethany who
not only worked with Darin every day, but cared for him as well!
Brynn Gordon