Her resume reads like a who’s who of the show horse industry and early this year, with the knowledge and experience that can only be gained by working alongside the best, Amanda Ringer established her own training operation – AR Performance Horses – in Dunnellon, Florida.

While she was growing up, Amanda’s mother, Renee Ringer, showed Appaloosa horses with Mark Stevens and bought her daughter her first horses when she was just 3 years old. From there, she was hooked and learned at an early age to take the good with the bad.

At age 13, Amanda was competing in a Goat Tying class. She ran down and tied her goat. After the time was called she untied him and started to walk away.

“Apparently, the goat was mad! He came after me and head butted me to the ground,” she recalled. “People who were there still laugh about it today.”

But as she learned and progressed, it became clear to Amanda that to be the best, she should learn from the best.

Over the years she has worked as an assistant trainer for Scott Suggs, Garth Gooding, Masterson Farms, Michael Colvin, Clint Ainsworth and Rusty Green.

“I started working for Scott when I was 18 and he taught me the foundations of what to look for in a pleasure horse,” she said.

After that, she went out on her own for a time and worked part time for Garth Gooding.

“I got a call from Shannon Curl who was looking to add an assistant trainer at Masterson Farms (in Tennessee),” she explained. “I spent four years with the Mastersons and took over management of the farm.”

From there, Amanda went to work for Michael Colvin and Clint Ainsworth where her passion developed for all-around horses.

“I spent a year and a half with Michael and Clint until Michael transitioned into his position with Sea Ridge Farms,” she said.

In early 2017, Ringer had a non-horse related injury and had to take some time off from riding. When she returned to riding later that year, she was offered a position with Rusty Green Quarter Horses in Florida.“I spent three years learning with the Rusty Green team and decided it was time to branch out on my own again in early 2020, this time with a lot more experience,” she said. Ringer is now operating out of Cole and Elizabeth Baker’s place in Dunnellon, Florida.

Ultimately, it was my goal to start my own business,” Ringer said. “Everything in my life fell into place and I knew it was the right time.”

Amanda said her favorite part of the job is breaking 2-year-olds but she specializes in the preparation of futurity horses and developing young all-around prospects.

Over the years Ringer has had the opportunity to train and/or show such decorated horses as Dunthat Benthere, the 2007 #1 APHA 19-44 Amateur Champion; OBG No Chic No Spot, the 2008 Just For Pleasure 2-Year-Old Hunter Under Saddle Futurity Champion; Check Your Irons, the 2011 PtHA Senior Hunter Under Saddle World Champion; Plenty of Good Chips, the 2011 PtHA 2-Year-Old Western Pleasure World Champion; KM Million Dollar Baby, winner of the 2012 NSBA Breeders Championship Futurity Limited Open 3-Year-Old Western Pleasure and Reserve in the NSBA Limited Open 3-Year-Old Western Pleasure; KM Invited By Bo, 2012 Reichert Celebration Reserve Champion 3-Year-Old  Limited Open Western Pleasure; KM Perfect Ten, 2013 Reserve Champion Little Futurity 3-Year-Old Limited Open Western Pleasure; KM Best N Sheik, 2014 SOQHA Madness Novice Horse Limited Open Western Pleasure slot Champion and 2014 Quarter Horse Congress SBB Reserve Champion 10k Western Pleasure Maturity; KM The Best Brandy, 2015 Tom Powers Co- Champion 2-Year-Old Intermediate Open Western Pleasure, 2015 NSBA BCF 2-Year-Old Intermediate Open Western Pleasure Champion and NSBA Reserve 2-Year-Old Intermediate Open Western Pleasure Champion; Hoo I Am, Reserve Congress Masters 2-Year-Old Open Hunter Under Saddle Champion; and KM Flat Out The Best, third place, 2018 AQHA World Show Level 2 Junior Western Pleasure.

In addition, Ringer has had clients win multiple World and Reserve World Championships in NSBA, APHA and PtHA contests and she continues to work closely with Non-Pro exhibitors.

Amanda said the best advice she’s ever received was to “Just let it be a good horse.”

“I think sometimes we try to over do it and need the reminder,” she said.

When she is not training horses or at a show, Ringer enjoys anything on the water.

“Paddleboarding is my favorite hobby,” she said. “Any day on the water is a good day!

She also enjoys spending time with her fiance, Karlie Loland. Amanda met Karlie while on vacation with friends in Hudson, Florida, and they became engaged earlier this year.

You can contact Amanda Ringer, AR Performance Horses, by calling (352) 516-8570 or you can email her at ringeramanda@yahoo.com.

Open Profiles are part of InStride Edition’s editorial content. If you know someone who would make a good subject for a professional profile email Corrine Borton, Editor, at: CorrineBorton@InStrideEdition.com.