Owner/trainer Cristie Palmer has a strong background in Eventing complemented by galloping race horses and exercising fox-hunters. Cristie began riding at the age of 7 with the late Colonel Roberto Perea at Blue Bonnet Riding Academy in Houston, TX. Colonel, as the name suggests, was a former military cavalry officer and demanded perfection in every aspect of both riding and horse care. There, under Colonel’s tutelage and many months spent riding without stirrups, she developed a solid foundation with an independent seat and soft hands, as well as an understanding of the care required to keep horses happy and healthy in their daily jobs. She went to her first event on a pony named Micro Machine and was hooked.
Cristie rode under Colonel until his retirement at which point, she began working under his longtime assistant, Laura Martin. With Laura’s guidance Cristie rode every horse that she could get her hands on including many OTTBs. Her first serious eventing partner was a chestnut OTTB named Track Lark who took her through the Preliminary level. Following Track’s retirement, Cristie brought two other young OTTBs through the ranks and also began riding for Houston-based race horse trainer Alan Love. Under Alan’s guidance, Cristie breezed both thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses in the early morning hours at Sam Houston Race Park for several years.
Cristie then took a bit of a break from USEA competitions and galloping race horses to finish her Bachelor of Science degree at Texas A&M University where she studied Biomedical Science and Medical Entomology. While at TAMU, she continued riding fox hunters for Kenada Foxhounds and catch riding a variety of other horses.
Upon graduation, she relocated to Austin, TX where she was asked to manage a private hunter-jumper barn. There Cristie was responsible for training schedules and daily care of 7 horses. It was also while working there that Cristie found the Irish Sport Horse yearling that would put her on the path back to USEA eventing. Cristie spotted Tom Sawyer (“Sam”) while horse shopping for a hunter client and knew she had to have him as her next eventing partner. Cristie enlisted the help of Advanced-level event rider and trainer Danny Warrington to begin Sam’s eventing career and has been working with him ever since.
Cristie and her husband now own and operate a beautiful 25 acre facility in the Central Texas Hill Country where she trains all levels of horses and riders. Cristie continues to regularly spend time training under Danny and highly values his opinion and expertise. She believes that riding, teaching, and training are all processes of continuous improvement and is always looking to learn and grow. Cristie has several young up and coming horses and riders at all levels competing at local schooling horse trials all the way up through USEA events.