Today we’d like to introduce you to Karen Knies. She and her team share her story with us below.
Please kick things off for us with some background on the story.
Karen Knies, the creator of Canter Down Farms, is a long time horse junkie since the age of 4. Since her family wasn’t the wealthiest on the WEF scene, Karen made her way as a working student at show barns and racing stables. This gave her a great appreciation, respect, and some fantastic knowledge for horses. But what she learned the most was the amount of dedication it takes to succeed at your passions in life. No matter what it may be.
Karen then knew what she wanted to do for a living. So she started working with the younger students in Pony Club, 4-H, and FFA. Those experiences created her love for teaching and mentoring young minds who are just as horse crazy as she was at that age.
Shadowing vets and trainers of all kinds of disciplines from the western side of barrel racing, pleasure, reining, cutting and some good ole fashion trail riding.
On to the English side. Wow! Talk about almost relearning a little riding again. She fell in love with the discipline and started training OTTB’s for her equestrian endeavors. This brought her closer to the JR Jumpers and Combined Training areas where she learned the connections you develop in dressage and the trust and bravery it took to gallop a horse around a prelim course or a 4’6” liver pool.
When she decided to start a family, she ventured more into the Hunter rings. In 1995, at the age of 23, CDF was born while raising her three boys. A place where the sport of Hunter Equitation riding could be offered to all. That it didn’t have to be a “rich man’s” game and from hard work, dedication and some meaningful life lessons we discover along our paths, she wanted to show her children and others that every child with a goal and passion for something; if you never quit, it can be achieved. And if riding competitively for high school or college is one of those dreams. CDF wants to offer that opportunity to help in any way possible. Where there is perseverance, there is a way!
I just did a big story with the John Deere company and my life stories of me, my farm, my goals -( which is creating a riding program through FFA and Agriculture programs for students in schools.) and where I hope to be some in the future, which will be branching out a stable in Georgia in a couple years.
The life story and national commercials will come out everywhere starting February 1 through the John Deere company. I was very honored that they chose me to represent them for the tractor I bought. Any more questions, please feel free to ask.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
No smooth roads here, haha. I like to think that life is just like climbing mountains. My mountain is Everest, but I’m determined to get there and I know in my heart of hearts if I stay true to me and my passions and what I want to be able to leave when my time is done here in this world. I will get there. There are some special people in my life that know what I’ve been through and have been by my side and believe in this path for our youths.
Canter Down Farms – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I have probably in my 26 professional years in this one area of Volusia county, would like to say I’ve taught maybe 800 or so adults or children. I like to think I’ve mentored or impacted everyone I’ve touched around me. I like to think I’ve done more than make great riders. But I specialize in Hunters Equitation riding. Is like to say I’m proud of my perseverance and the ability to instill it into others that need that extra edge. Work ethic and good integrity is very important to me.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
My work ethic and the daddy’s girl that I was raised to be with “tool time girl talents” lol. I love teaching the art of riding to young minds. It’s where someone can learn to connect with something else and trust and respect for one another these days is so valued whether it be two legs or four.
Contact Info:
- Address: 2669 Turnbull Bay Rd.
New Smyrna Bch., Florida. 32168 - Website: Canterdownfarms.com
- Phone: 386-410-0275
- Email: canterdownfarmsllc@gmail.com
- Others: https://epandcompany.gosimian.com/sp/a/d/jb4bWaXnYleixMFlB0qkEw/13108
Image Credit:
This was the HSITP year ends awards banquet with some of my students. I’am in the middle red dress blonde.
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