BC Bridlehorse Heritage Association

Stefanie Travers - Stefanie has been a dedicated and extraordinarily committed advocate of the Californio bridlehorse system for decades. Although she won’t say so herself, she was instrumental in inspiring and educating many of the founding members of the BC Bridlehorse Heritage Association’s current Board of Directors. Stefanie was one of the first educators in BC to dig up these traditional methods, polish them off, and hold them up to the light- sharing her passion for an all but forgotten art and bringing clinicians like Bruce Sandifer north of the border to help preserve the system that she found so fascinating. Although Stefanie is not a fourth-generation rancher and never did more than day work on ranches, she is not a storied old vaquero and while she can throw a decent loop, it’s never been in a branding pen. What she is, however, is a dedicated woman who developed a deep, long-standing curiosity about the old Spanish spade bit and hackamore horses and actively set out to educate herself. Being female and not from a ranching background made this a wee bit more challenging than usual and gave her a humility and understanding of what it can be like for folks from similar backgrounds. When she started, she was a full-time farrier, colt starter, and “problem-horse shenanigan fixer-upper.” She sought out the best horsemen she could find, often traveling great distances to do so. “It was sometimes a tough lesson in self-trust, as I was often disappointed-or worse, aghast-and learned the brutal lesson of becoming very careful about who I gave my horsemanship education trust to. I bring this passion for continued education, and for unashamedly seeking knowledge wherever I can find it.” Recently, this passion for knowledge and an ever-increasing desire to learn has led Stefanie to veer into the world of classical equitation, deepening her comprehension of what healthy biomechanics and strong, correct, and lasting equine development should look like. “When I first began sharing this bridlehorse work, I was told it would never stick. I’m delighted to see that it has- and that it continues to grow strong. I am honored to bring my particular lens to this work, along with my deep and abiding love for it, and to inspire others to remain humble and curious as they pursue finer horsemanship and stockmanship.” In addition to being an incredible horsewoman, Stefanie is also an extraordinarily gifted artist who's ability to capture the power and essence of her equine and bovine subjects is matched by her ability to also transmit their gentleness and wisdom through subtle detail. To learn more about Stefanie's horsemanship, please check out her website at www.loadstarhorsemanship.com If you'd like to find out more about her art, visit www.stefanietravers.com