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Debi Jones and Wagon Trail Farm have long been associated with all-around performance horses, first in AQHA, then PHBA and now they are establishing a long line of winners in the American Paint Horse Association. For the last five years, Debi's Amateurs and Novice Amateurs have been taking the awards for either High Point or Reserve in the Carolina Paint Horse Club, located in North Carolina, and have been successful regionally and nationally.
Debi and Wagon Trail Farm are located in Mocksville, North Carolina, not far from the intersection of the two major interstates into North Carolina of I-40 and I-77. Because of this location, access to the farm is easy for her customers, some who are within a 10-hour radius of the farm. An indoor arena and excellent staff make the operation work smoothly and provide the best of creature comforts for both owner and animal.
Debi's philosophy in training is that nothing can be accomplished by taking short cuts or "quick for" methods. She believes in using resistant-free methods in starting her 2-year olds, and that the horse will tell you when he is ready for the next step. "So many trainers are pressured into producing winners at a quick pace" Debi says, "that many intricate steps are left out and this produces an animal that is ill-tempered and hates what they do." Debi advises her customers during consultation periods with their horses that to produce a world quality horse takes time, and that the customer has to have the dedication to work at the process as hard as the horse does. Sometimes, it isn't the horse that needs the improvement, it is the rider in using their seat and hands and balance to produce better communication to their horse. For certain events, it can take a while for the communication between horse and rider to become flawless and effortless.
The person that influences Debi and gives her the determination to be different than most trainers in her field is Lynn Salvatori Palm. "Lynn's work with Rugged Lark and all the tours they did over the United States and abroad just go to show that taking your time and not backing down from your principals will pay out in the end. Just watching videos of the farewell tours with her and Lark performing bridle less will take your breath and renew your faith that a horse and rider can become one without abuse or short cuts."
Debi is well versed in Western Pleasure, Showmanship, Horsemanship, Trail, and Hunter under Saddle, Equitation and Western Riding. She also has an excellent ability of putting the right horse/rider combination together when a customer decides to purchase a horse. She can train both horse and rider to reach their goals and dreams.
