Epona Unlimited
Celebrating Equestrian Partnerships
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Who is Epona Unlimited?
The Epona Unlimited Family is a close group of teachers, trainers, students, families and horses who come together to make a whole that is stronger than the sum of its parts.
Moore Van Star
1989 Quarter Horse Gelding
2004 Devon Therapeutic
Horse of the Year
Star has been Shelley's lifelong partner since she had the honor of being the midwife at his birth on May 13, 1989. Since then they have been inseparable, showing in everything from Western Pleasure and Barrel Racing to Dressage and Hunter Over Fences. Star is the real founder of Epona Unlimited, and is well known for giving each and every rider just what they need to grow and excel. In their free time you still might catch Star and Shelley enjoying their favorite pastime, riding on the flat and over fences without tack or equipment of any kind!
Star at 3 days old with his mother Cejay Steel Moore
Shelley A. Kaczmarczyk Dedicated to the art of guiding horse enthusiasts of all levels of interest and experience along the path of learning using proven biomechanical, psychological and behavioral principles of both horse and human partners. The first nationally recognized instructor training course specializing in Equine Facilitated Mental Health and Equine Experiential Learning techniques for the empowerment of clients in therapeutic and educational settings. Internationally renowned training program awakening clinicians, therapists and educators to the art of creating psychological and emotional change through conversational hypnosis, awareness of thought processing patterns, learning styles, and creating new, positive emotional and behavioral systems.
This is the definition of the Innovative Horsemanship Program. Epona Unlimited embraces the untapped talents of horses and ponies with unique training, questionable backgrounds and unusual personalities, combined with a welcoming spirit toward every participant, regardless of age, skill levels, goals, challenges, strengths, world views, and personalities that often find it hard to fit in to the “normal” barn or lesson program. What is Epona Unlimited? Dressage School, Western Ranch, Hunter/Jumper Show Barn, Trail Riders’ Social Club, Hippotherapy & Therapeutic Riding Program, Equine Facilitated Mental Health Outpatient Clinic, Adrenaline Junkie’s Barrel Racing, Pole Bending and Gymkhana Paradise, and a sum so much greater than it’s parts that it enables horse and human to become one.
Program Director for a 32-year-old non-profit Therapeutic Horseback Riding Program for children and adults with physical, mental and emotional disabilities. Implemented cutting edge, horse logical handling techniques to improve horse behavior and increase client and volunteer safety.
North American Riding for the Handicapped Association –Therapeutic Riding Instructor certification training.
Pennsylvania Council on Therapeutic Horsemanship – Completed Phase I & Phase II Therapeutic Riding Instructor training.
The Society of Neuro-Linguistic Programming – Certified in Design Human Engineering.
Summary of Qualifications
17 years professional Instructor, 24 years barn management experience
Teachin
g and Training Dressage from Introductory Level to 4th Level/Prix St. George.
Coached riders for 4-H Local, State, AQHA Congress and Paint National competitions in Reining, Western Horsemanship, Western Pleasure, Hunter Pleasure, Equitation, Over Fences, Showmanship, Gaming/Rodeo, Gymkhana and Working Cow events.
4-H, Pony Club, Youth, Adult, and Equine Behavior Clinician.
Equine Behavior Lecturer for Purdue University School
of Veterinary Medicine.
Guest Lecturer for the 2007 National Horses & Healing Symposium.
2004 Therapeutic Horse of the Year trainer at the Devon Championship Horse Show
Education
2007 Horse Power National Instructor Training School Temple, NH
Equine Facilitated Mental Health and Experiential Learning Intensive
2004 The Society of Neuro-Linguistic Programming Orlando, FL Design Human Engineering
1999-2001 Meredith Manor International Equestrian Center Waverly, WV
Riding Master VI
The #1 ranked Professional Equestrian Training and Instructing School in the United States, providing Old World structure and New World innovation to nurture some of the most ground breaking innovators of today’s Horse Industry. Where there are methods, there can be freedom. Where there is consistency, there can be change.
1993-1998 Purdue University West Lafayette, IN
Animal Science
Equine Science, Forage & Pasture Management, Animal Nutrition, Physiology & Entomology.
Professional Experience
2006 - Present Epona Unlimited Pennsburg, PA
2003 - 2006 Sebastian Riding Associates Collegeville, PA
Head Therapeutic Riding Instructor responsible for teaching 40-50 of SRA’s 150 students with physical, mental and emotional disabilities. Program Director in charge of student record keeping, bringing in new students, managing the 2 year long student waiting list, hiring, management and continuing education for 14 instructors
2001-2003 Arrowhead Ranch Santa Fe, NM
Full time, live-in, Manager of 40 horse boarding and training facility. Western Pleasure, Dressage, Reining and Hunt Seat Pleasure Instructor and Trainer.
1999-2001 Meredith Manor International Equestrian Center Waverly, WV
Developed curriculum for the new Advanced Riding Instruction class. Taught instruction classroom and hands on education of 45 students for 6 quarters. Public Lesson Director responsible for hiring instructors, advertising the Lesson Program, intake and evaluation of each new Public Lesson rider. Stable Manager for 20-horse barn, in charge of training students in hands on horse care and barn management skills for 6 quarters.
1996-1998 Rivenstar Equestrian Academy Lafayette, IN
Founder and President of Equestrian Co-op. Labor & Supplies Coordinator
1994-1998 Great Horse Equestrian Academy West Lafayette, IN
Founder & full time Dressage, Western Pleasure and Hunt Seat Pleasure Instructor and Trainer.
1990-1993 Just Ruth Ranch Fair Oaks, IN
Head Trainer for the area’s largest Quarter Horse breeding farm, training young horses, exercising mare herd, and showing sale horses to clients
Certifications
American Riding Instructors Association – Advanced (Level III) Dressage certification, Intermediate (Level II) Hunt Seat & Stock Seat (Western pleasure & reining) certifications.
Professional Memberships
American Riding Instructor Association
United States Equestrian Federation
United States Dressage Federation
North American Riding for the Handicapped Association
Equine Facilitated Mental Health Association
Pennsylvania Council on Therapeutic Horsemanship
Arabian Horse Association
American Quarter Horse Association
United States Eventing Association
National Reining Horse Association
Certified Horsemanship Association
Intercollegiate Horse Show Association
So Intriguing (Tigger)1990 National Show Horse gelding
(Arabian & Saddlebred Cross)
Tigger is our ultimate theatrical artist and free spirit. Given a choice, he would certainly spend every waking moment playing with people instead of other horses. Tigger came to the Epona Unlimited family as a gift and a labor of love. His owner in New Mexico was unable to keep him, and his unique
personality made his chances of being misunderstood 
and abused very high if he were sold and passed on in the usual ways. Now he is with a group of people who value him for his unusual quirks, and he greatly enjoys his work in Equine Facilitated Mental Health sessions and advanced dressage lessons. Tigger is also working on a second career showing Dressage at 4th Level and Prix St. George. Watch for us in Dressage at Devon!
A very warm welcome to Valerie Frederick and the 6 year old Fresian stallion Hannibal to the Epona Unlimited family. We look forward to an exciting 2009 show season and the opening of bookings for the breeding season.
Bravo Trish and Cheese for your excellent performance in your first Combined Training horse trial on October 12, 2008. Good luck in your second horse trial on November 8th!
