Tricia Simpson has always had a passion for horses.  She began riding at the age of seven and continued her horse education over the next fifteen years in the United States Pony Club (USPC).  The USPC is a national organization that teaches all aspects of horse management along with riding skills to young riders up to age 21.  This organization has deep roots in the horse industry as most of our Olympic level riders are pony club graduates.  Tricia graduated from the USPC at age 21 in the top 20% of riders.  She put her skills to work as manager of a large stable on the southside of Indianapolis.  Tricia managed the daily care of 50+ horses including feeding, cleaning, turn-out, health care, scheduling vet and farrier and ordering feed and hay.  She also taught riding lessons and expanded that program to 70 students per week.

Tricia never lost sight of her personal aspirations to compete her own horses.  She purchased Indiana Dexter in 1989.  He was a 4 year old green broke horse that had never jumped.  Tricia trained Dexter over the next 5 years and with the help of her coach, international rider, Cathy Weischhoff,  she moved up to competing Dexter at the preliminary level.  Tricia qualified and competed Dexter in the DeBroke National Championship in 1996, held at Farewell Farm, in Blythwood, SC.  Tricia and Dexter finished that national championship in 19th place.  The following year the pair continued their success and moved up to the next level to compete at intermediate.  They finished their season at the BlueGrass 3-Day Event, held at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, finishing an impressive 4th place.  

 Tricia’s success with Dexter and many of her other horses is due to the correct training program of flatwork learned from international dressage instructor, Dominique Barbier. (www.dominiquebarbier.com)   Tricia has ridden under Dominique’s watchful eye for the last 15 years.  Dominique is a classically trained dressage master who was a student of the Master Nuno Olivera.  Dominique has helped Tricia to develop a training program that enables her horses to perform at their peak over many years.  Tricia’s horse Dexter is 24 years old this year and is still competing and winning at the lower levels with Tricia’s students.  Clinics with Dominique are held at Stepping Stone Stables 3-4 times each year.  

 Tricia has continued to improve her jumping skills working with Olympic coach and level III USEA certified riding instructor,  Cathy Jones-Forseberg.  Cathy is based in Chicago and  travels to Stepping Stone Stables 2-3 times each year to help Tricia with her Lusitano stallions and young horses she is training.  Cathy’s expert instruction also helps with Tricia’s students to continue their education and develop top level riders.  Cathy’s clinics are always a high point during the year for all of the riders.

Stepping Stone Stables is a 23 acre, 26 stall facility with an indoor riding arena, located in southeastern Johnson County in Franklin, IN.   Tricia opened the doors for business 9 years ago and currently has 18 boarders, many of whom have progressed under Tricia’s training to competing their horses.  Tricia instructs them and rides their horses on a weekly basis and coaches them at local and national shows.  Her students are bringing home many blue ribbons and last season one of her students was Beginner Novice Junior Champion Rider of Indiana.  Tricia also continues to compete her Lusitano stallions which she imported in July of 2005 with the help of Dominique Barbier.  These incredibly talented horses are unique to Stepping Stone Stables and under Tricia’s expert riding ability they were the Indiana Eventing Associations Grand Champion Professional Novice Horse and Reserve Grand Champion Professional Training Horse in 2007.

Tricia has also been involved over the years with many other aspects of the horse industry in Indiana.  She was the Indiana Eventing Association President for 2 years and a board member for 4 years.  She coached the University of Indianapolis Equestrian Team in 2000.  She is currently the coach for the Sugar Creek Pony Club of the United States Pony Club and has coached pony club for over 10 years, taking several students to the Regional Championship level.  Tricia has been involved with the running of many local and national level horse shows for over 10 years.  She is well versed in the organizational and administrative duties needed to run local and national level horse shows as well as the technical design of the actual jumping course.  Tricia is currently the organizer for the Leg Up Horse Trials scheduled for June 27, 2009 at the Hoosier Horse Park in Camp Atterbury.  Tricia and her husband Jason live a short distance from the stable with their dogs, Stoney and Bear.

Tricia’s vision for Stepping Stone Stables is to grow into a world class facility known for producing, caring for and managing top level horses and riders.  Tricia’s reputation and long term experience in all aspects of horse management and riding ability set her well above the competition.  Her skill set of horse knowledge, people skills, and integrity are exactly what is needed to continue to put Stepping Stone Stables at the top of the list in outstanding equestrian facilities.