Joni Fitts School of Horsemanship

10/14/2023

First group of the morning getting ready for class 🌞
That is only ONE class out of 26 we have going!! 😳
Our board is up to 115 names/week 🙆🏼‍♀️😬
On top of all those lessons I’ve been squeezing in
private lessons for some of our IEA team who are leaving
for a show next week in CO. 🤩
That “retirement” has pretty much slipped away and
eluded this girl. 🤦🏼‍♀️
JFSH still marches on after 43 years.
I guess since I’m the “JF” of JFSH,
I’ll have to stick around a little longer. 🥴
Meanwhile, Rosie isn’t getting all the good meals I make.
Though I have made ox tails, short rib pot roast, rack of lamb, steak
and teriyaki chicken the past couple weeks.
Tonight is shrimp scampi.
👅💦🧄🍤🍜

09/18/2023

Some of our IEA team members waking up with the sun. 🌞🥱
5am start for these kids so they can make it to school.

09/18/2023

Riders waking up and warming up for the first class of the day.
5:30am start!
That’s dedication. 🤩

09/06/2023

At two years old, our little “homegrown” Kinsey,
began her horsemanship education.
Today, Kinsey prepares for her first IEA (Interscholastic Equestrian Association),
season!!!! 🤩🤠
Go Kinsey! 👊🏽
*Only eight more years before she can challenge the ARIA
(American Riding Instructors Association) certification tests!

09/02/2023

08/23/2023

Our new horse Sonny, takes good care of Gloria 🥰 (77 yrs old) ♥️

08/21/2023

Third generation Fitts!
Kinsey earns some kudos for pushing through, and accomplishing a tough goal!!
🏆🤩😍🤠🐴🥇

08/18/2023

👉🏼JFSH gets another new team member!! 👈🏽
✌🏿second one this month!!
🐴🐴Two down, and two or three more coming soon 🐴🐴🦄
WELCOME “Sonny” to our school. All around good egg 🥚, and cute as can be. 🥰
Got him yesterday, gave him a bath. Then put him in a lesson today at 5am.
No adjustment period. Ready to please and play. 🥰
♥️Congratulations to Terri on this wonderful new addition to her family. ♥️

08/06/2023

Full class of 9 at 5:30 this morning !! Perfect photo op as instructor Callie Fitts gave a water break an explained the exercise. Had to show the big boss how attentive her class was this morning 🤩 Joni Fitts

08/06/2023

Callie Fitts
Joni Fitts

08/04/2023

It might be hot but we are out here prepping for the new season for IEA! Fitts Horsemanship team is currently on it’s 4th season of being a western IEA team here in AZ! With many returning riders and welcoming several “newbies” we are super excited and ready to rock!!

Riders ranging in grades from 4-12
Message if you have a kiddo that would love to be a part of an Interscholastic Equestrian sport!

Joni Fitts
Callie Fitts
Liberty Wilson
Andrea Wilson

07/27/2023

Berry enjoying a frozen electrolyte pop. 🥰
This poor guy suffers from anhidrosis and cushings. 😞
Being 28 doesn’t make life any easier. 😢
So we make sure he gets rinsed 4x/day during
this extreme heat. 🥵
The ice pop helps to keep his innards cool too. 😉
And, it makes him happy too. ♥️

07/11/2023

07/10/2023

Practicing teamwork! 😍

07/09/2023

🏇🏽🤩👉🏼Practicing teamwork👈🏽🤩🏇🏽

07/08/2023

🤸🏼‍♂️💃🏼Yippee yippee!!💃🏼🤸🏼‍♂️

The brandy new upgraded JFSH office is almost complete!

🥰🤩👏🏼🥰🤩
🕺🏼Cha, cha, cha!🕺🏼

07/01/2023

NEW AMERICAN RIDING INSTRUCTORS
CERTIFICATION TEST JUST ADDED

Saturday November 4th
9am
Cave Creek, AZ
Contact www.riding-instructor.com to register
EARN YOUR ARIA INSTRUCTOR CERTIFICATION

Contact Joni Fitts for location information and questions
480 544-4243

06/26/2023

Summertime, summertime. 🌞☀️. And the livin’ is easy…🍹
🐴Though at JFSH, classes start at 5:30am. 😳😴😵‍💫😬
Yet students of all ages come ready to practice as a team,
working together to improve their horsemanship skills. 🥰
We’ve had 29 student recitals/shows over our 43 years. It’s time to make it an even 30.
Let the games begin for 25 different classes of every age/level. 👊🏽🤩🤠

06/23/2023

Go FITTS HORSEMANSHIP TEAM!

06/18/2023

CONGRATULATIONS to JFSH’s newest Certified Wrangler Workers!! 🥳
Nine students completed a program which will allow them to begin assisting our
instructors with beginner lessons.
🤠 👏🏼🤩👊🏽♥️👏🏼🤩🐴👊🏽♥️👏🏼🤩👊🏽♥️🤠

The 12 hour course is designed to educate select students on becoming a hands on volunteer (working student) at my school. It stresses SAFE Horsemanship practices, integrity, ethics, and professionalism.
Students take an 8 page written test on the first and last days of class.
Most fail the first day, but no one fails the last day.
Everyone is determined to pass that last test, and they DO study hard.
They need to know horse anatomy, different temperament types, footfall sequences, tack and equipment, parts and care.
And above all…SAFETY GUIDELINES.

They learn about respect, dependability/accountability and what it means to be a role model.
Students increase their horsemanship knowledge by working in teams to identify common unsafe mistakes that new riders make.
👉🏼JFSH creates 25 (mock) situations which could be potentially dangerous. (tack/equipment mistakes that may cause injuries that can be avoided by well trained assistants).
We emphasis sound horsemanship skills as a foundation to help build well rounded,competent working students.

They also learn communication skills, working in teams to prepare for a 30 minute teaching presentation that they give on the last day.
Students explain and demonstrate their topic for the others, including a safety tip to help avoid unsafe situations.
(The best way to learn, is to teach).

We do have a lot of fun (even though the subject matter is serious), getting to know everyone and watching students begin to feel comfortable and open up by the end of camp.

Remember….
Safe horsemanship is NO accident!

*I am holding an ARIA test center this fall. Any riding instructors who would like to earn certification from the American Riding Instructors Association, or have questions,
please contact Joni at: jfsh.com, or go to ARIA at www.riding-instructor.com.for more info.

06/09/2023

Welp, we did survive closing our doors for months three years ago. ♥️
We’re going into this summer with over 120 students/week! 😳
We’ve had to start a waitlist for fall. 🤩
The only camp I’m offering this summer is our Wrangler Worker certification class (invitation only). That starts next week so that we can begin training more working students to help teach safety to all of our newest class members.
I guess I’m putting off that retirement for a few more years. 😉😜🙄😬

06/05/2023

Getting geared up to teach another Wrangler Worker Camp!!! 😎👊🏽
Going through my materials and handouts, I saw the very first column I wrote for Arizona Horse Connection in 2005.
My column, “Heads Up, Heels Down” was in AZ Horse Connection monthly. Foothills Focus newspaper also ran my column, once a week!
The JFSH Wrangler Worker certificate program is designed to teach upcoming volunteers at our barn, what it takes to have a safe and successful horsemanship school.
Upon completion of the camp, students who pass the testing, receive certificates as WW.
This particular article says so much about what JFSH is, and having our working students certified is just one more layer of protection for our students.

Joni Fitts

03/01/2023

Interested in experiencing a photography session with a horse? Open to all! Students, family, friends, and the public!

⭐️ Beautiful Location!
⭐️ You don't need to own your own horse!
⭐️ Can use your own horse!
⭐️ Horse only sessions offered
⭐️ No horse experience necessary!
⭐️ Individual or Group photos!
⭐️ Perfect time for Senior Photos!
⭐️ Take your prom photos with a horse!
⭐️ Any age!
⭐️Any occasion!

💫✨BOOK TODAY ✨💫

https://fitts-callie.square.site

02/15/2023

Do you have a love for horses? Have you always wanted to learn to ride but just never started? Did you ride as a kid and now want to get back in the saddle as an adult?

💫 NOW is the perfect time!

☀️🌻Spring is right around the corner. What better time than now to take that first step in fulfilling you dreams and goals!

Lesson levels for everyone youth-adult:
🐴 beginners
🐴 "rusty rider"
🐴 intermediate/novice
🐴 advanced
🐴 show/competition opportunities
🐴 Interscholastic Equestrian Team for riders in
4-12 grade

Visit us at www.JFSH.com for more program information and contact info.

10/02/2022

Horsey and ranch fun at this family friendly SPOOKTACULAR EVENT! Book your time slot today!!

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0e4baaa629abfdc25-jfsh

Proceeds go to support JFSH and our Fitts Horsemanship Interscholastic equestrian team!