Dena Popara spent over 25 years in Thoroughbred horse racing as an exercise rider, jockey and assistant trainer. In 2002, after Meadowlane Farm was built, she started training former race horses for new careers as general riding horses. She moved on to starting horses under saddle and training trail horses, using Natural Horsemanship methods, such as those taught by Clinton Anderson and Pat Parelli. In 2005, she discovered the joys of gaited trail horses and began buying, training and selling gaited horses, as well. She has studied the teachings of Lee Ziegler and Brenda Imus for working with gaited horses.
Below, Dena working with a young Thoroughbred filly at a client's farm:
Norman Ashauer has 30 years of experience with horses. He grew up on horses at his parents' cattle and hog ranch in Colorado and rode bulls in high school rodeos. After high school, he worked on QH ranches and learned how to shoe horses. He went on to spend 25 years as a racehorse trainer and now races a public stable. He has campaigned with great success in Iowa at Prairie Meadows. In 2007, he trained the Iowa Championship Filly, Judy Faye, and in 2008, he trained stakes winner Sharkiowa. He had successful race meets in 2009 and 2010 at Prairie Meadows and Canterbury Park (in Minnesota). When Norman is home in Arkansas, he races at Oaklawn Park and stables his horses at the Arkansas Thoroughbred Training Center in Hot Springs. Norm is a very hands-on trainer. He shoes and exercises his own racehorses.
Below, Norm riding a horse during a morning workout at the Arkansas Thoroughbred Training Center:
About us
Dena Popara spent over 25 years in Thoroughbred horse racing as an exercise rider, jockey and assistant trainer. In 2002, after Meadowlane Farm was built, she started training former race horses for new careers as general riding horses. She moved on to starting horses under saddle and training trail horses, using Natural Horsemanship methods, such as those taught by Clinton Anderson and Pat Parelli. In 2005, she discovered the joys of gaited trail horses and began buying, training and selling gaited horses, as well. She has studied the teachings of Lee Ziegler and Brenda Imus for working with gaited horses.
Norman Ashauer has 30 years of experience with horses. He grew up on horses at his parents' cattle and hog ranch in Colorado and rode bulls in high school rodeos. After high school, he worked on QH ranches and learned how to shoe horses. He went on to spend 25 years as a racehorse trainer and now races a public stable. He has campaigned with great success in Iowa at Prairie Meadows. In 2007, he trained the Iowa Championship Filly, Judy Faye, and in 2008, he trained stakes winner Sharkiowa. He had successful race meets in 2009 and 2010 at Prairie Meadows and Canterbury Park (in Minnesota). When Norman is home in Arkansas, he races at Oaklawn Park and stables his horses at the Arkansas Thoroughbred Training Center in Hot Springs. Norm is a very hands-on trainer. He shoes and exercises his own racehorses.
