Welcome to Whiskey Run Sport Horses!
Jamie and Whiskey going over a ramp in Maryland
A little bit about Whiskey Run and head trainer Jamie Heflin:
We are located in Rainier Washington on 30 gorgeous acres. We have an indoor arena, large outdoor arena and round pen. The farm backs up to 400 acres of open pasture which is fantastic for conditioning, training and cow work. We also have a small cross-country course and endless trails to explore!
We will never have a fixed notion of what level horses must get to or what discipline they must excel in. That takes all of the fun out of it! Instead, we bring out the horse's best attributes to find what they love and are great at. Every horse has potential and it's my job to let it shine!
Our training program is fun, enjoyable and rewarding for horses! We train incrementally and they blossom from every session. It's amazing how quickly an unhandled skittish horse turns into a trusted mount. When the training is done positively with correct timing, horses instantly absorb it! You end up with a quiet, confident horse that you can do anything with!
We are always bringing babies along. Most of the young horses we train are successfully shown by kids and young adults. Our horses, at just 4 and 5 years old, are quieter and more level-headed than many horses twice and even three times their senior. Our initial training focuses on the mind, exposure and getting the horse to think his way to the right answer. Outside miles always come before the arena work.
About the trainer, Jamie Heflin:
Training horses has always been a passion of mine. Whiskey Run is named after the love of my life: Whiskey (pictured above). Whiskey started out as a backyard western horse, afraid of sticks and poles on the ground, but turned out to be an amazing eventer that loves to jump! He can do several tricks and always comes when I call him; which is very convenient when I need the entire herd to come in! I can hop on him bareback, bridleless and go anywhere. He is and will always be my closest friend and partner.
Horses have been my greatest teachers. Whiskey, always offering a surprise around every corner, taught me many life-saving reactions as well as how to communicate and work with difficult horses. Over the last 20 years, I've had the opportunity to ride and bring along amazing Grand Prix level horses as well as start and finish over fifty horses, many of which were never handled before. These opportunities have sculpted me into the rider and trainer I am today.
I'm a bit different from other trainers, or so I like to think :). My experience with horses helped me have a successful career running operations for a national law firm. I excel at efficiency, strategics, pro-activeness and bringing out the best parts of every organization. Just as I would analyze a new group for its strengths, weaknesses and potential for growth, each horse I work with goes through the same process. A natural leader, I enjoy creative solutions and am able to make each step for the horse a successful one. My training is smart, strategic and the path is different for every horse I bring along. Understanding how they handle different situations, the way they think and react gives me every advantage to know how to train them to ensure they reach their highest potential.
I absolutely love the way we start horses! Yes, there are many steps involved and it does take time but the results speak for themselves. A proper foundation is essential as the horse always goes back to it since it's the first thing he learned. Just like a rider needs to have strong basics, a horse needs to have a great foundation and that's what I love to do!
Jamie on Toga at Aspen Farm
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Jamie on Toga at Aspen Farm
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Jamie on Whiskey in Maryland
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Jamie on Whiskey and ponying Toga on a 4 day packing trip
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