Michele has been riding and training horses her whole life and of various disciplines.  She began her riding career in Europe in the English disciplines at the age of 7 where she gained a strong knowledge first in the Hunter/Jumper circuit and then in Dressage where she worked for a number of trainers for several years.  After many years of successfully showing dressage she made the switch over into the Western world in where she quickly developed a passion for riding and training Reining horses.  

Michele quickly established herself in the Reining world by winning multiple Pewter’s and Bronze Trophies on Futurity and Derby horses as well as at various Open levels.  Regardless of your or your horses level of training Michele will create a program tailored to fit your or your horses’ needs and aspirations. 

The program consists of a combination of consistent and patient training, quality care and attention to detail.  Her program incorporates the use of dressage basics consisting of a lot of flexing, bending and supplying of the horse gaining control over the horses’ body and showing the horse the easiest way to get its job done.  It is her goal to produce sound and willing horses that are able to perform to their full potential.  Michele enjoys helping Non Pros and Youth riders develop their skills and horse and teaching them not only to ride finished reining horses but also getting them to develop the skills to maintain and train their own reining horse.

Michele has over 15 years of riding and training experience.  She began her riding career in the English world and thus has a strong background in Dressage which she now applies in her daily training of reiners and all other horses.  You will find that Michele creates a solid foundation in every horse’s and rider’s training program from which higher levels of training are built upon.  For more information and to set up a consultation please contact Michele.

TRAINING PHILOSOPHY

Horses

Michele Ottiger Performance Horses believes that horses must be developed patiently in order to create a solid foundation from which higher levels of performance can be achieved while all along ensuring that the horses’ overall health, well-being and happiness isn’t compromised.

Riders

Michele Ottiger Performance Horses believes that riders must develop a correct and independent seat with a focus on developing a solid foundation from which they can correctly and efficiently influence the horse and achieve and develop their own and their horses’ full potential.

Accomplishments:

2008

Novice Horse Open Champion Meaford

Open Reserve Champion Canadian Reining Classic

2007

Limited Open Derby Champion and Open Reserve, Ilderton

Limited Open Champion OBBO Derby

Limited Open Champion and Int.  and Open Res. Champion at Affiliate Finals

ORHA Int. Open Reserve Champion

2006

Open Champion OBBO Futurity

Limited Open Champion Caywood Memorial Futurity

Champion Open, Int, Ltd and Rookie Pro at Canadian Reining Classic

Testimonials

Michele has all the qualities of a great professional trainer and coach, and displays knowledge far beyond her years. She provided us with lessons for our first year of competing in the ORHA .  Her coaching brought us to a level that far exceeded our expectations.  We strongly recommend Michele to anyone who is looking to get a start in reining or to brush up on their existing skills.

Thank you Michele for your unlimited patience, the valuable lessons, and a lot of enjoyment!  It was very rewarding.

Steve & Jaime Witt

Michele is an experienced and professional trainer with an easy going friendly manner.  She is clearly an animal lover who is firm with the horses she trains, but also kind and understanding of their needs.  Michele also has an instinctive ability to instantly recognize the experience of the rider she is instructing and to gear her teaching level and methods to that experience.  For both horse and rider she challenges to provide learning without exceeding her student's abilities.

Rob and Sharon Bregman

“From the first lesson Michele gave me, I knew that we had someone that truly cared whether I succeeded and understood what I wanted in a trainer for me and my horses. Michele is kind to the horses and trains horses and people at a rate that they need. We will continue to take lessons and send horses to her for training for a long time to come”.

Sharon Schut.