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Karin Schmidt
Founder
Karin started riding in a high level dressage barn in Germany and was a member of a vaulting team from age 7-13. After high school she became a professional jockey and rode successful thoroughbred horses on racetracks in Europe, South America and USA for nine years. In the decades following she added professional experiences in horse training, stable management and teaching riding lessons. Since she moved to Michigan in 1999 with her family she followed her lifelong dream to became a therapeutic riding instructor and she dived deep into the vaulting world. Karin Schmidt is the owner of Legacy Stables and founder and executive director of Karin’s Horse Connection. With her vaulting club A Vaulting Connection she was the first person that brought vaulting to the greater Grand Rapids area and other clubs branched off of it. Karin’s international expertise has lead her to participate in the World Equestrian Games 2018. As a clinician she likes traveling and sharing her horse related skills. But as a proud grandma she also likes to spend time with her family right here at the farm.

Some of Karin's certifications are:

German masters degree in horse training (1987)

German vaulting coach level C (2005)

PATH international instructor (Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International) (2002)

Some affiliations:

AVA American Vaulting Association

USEF United States Equestrian Federation

FEI Federation Equestrian International

Former:

CHA Camp Horsemanship Association

4H / PEP Proud Equestrian Program

MIHA Equestrian Team