Meet Jeanette Aumon

We were lucky to catch up with Jeanette Aumon recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Jeanette, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?
My earliest memory was at 2 years old. Hopelessly horse crazy. A curse, a blessing, a passion. Every toy, coloring book page, every request to Santa Claus, horses. By age 4, I was saddle-fitting my rocking horse with various blankets to find the ideal combination for steed and rider. I’d simulate all gaits, walk, trot and canter, finding perfect harmony within the movement. At age 5, I was bumming horseback rides off strangers to ride double through the wetland park across the street. Freedom. Engulfed by natural beauty, the exhilarating thunder of speeding hooves fueled my passion as the swamp rushed by.

In grade school, my afterschool mission was to convince farmers that their horses needed grooming and riding by me. At 14, I co-founded and managed my own successful horse boarding business. I seized the opportunity to purchase, train and sell my first resale horse. One year later, my friend’s father, who owned the farm, dissolved our enterprise in favor of his lucrative dog boarding business.

At 15 years old, I applied for membership at the Girl Scout Mounted Troop, one of only two in existence in the US at the time. A year later, the acceptance call came. Making up for lost time, I scaled the GS ranks and earned Class 1 riding privileges in record time.

Horses of all breeds and “issues” were donated to the Troop. My assignment was a severely abused American Saddlebred. He was the most beautiful horse I had ever seen. Two long days it took to treat wounds over every inch of his body. We bonded. I could ride him anywhere, do everything with him, under saddle or bareback, halter/lead rope. We rode in parades, shows and overnight trail rides. Before one of the parades, I rode him bareback through a park. There it was. The moment the ground evaporated. We were floating on clouds. I looked down to see if we were still on land and we were performing what I later discovered was Passage, an upper-level dressage movement. Curious to see what else we could do together, I experimented. A shift in body position here, a touch there, I uncovered buttons that unlocked other grand prix level dressage maneuvers, piaffe, passage, canter pirouettes, half pass and tempi changes, all bareback with a halter and lead. That is how I learned dressage and eventually, the advanced tool of a double bridle. Everyone wanted to ride “Cloudy,” but those that did ended up in the hospital with a concussion.

At 16, I found my mecca and ultimate testing ground, a dressage and jumping stable. The gifted head trainer/owner eventually relented to my insistence to ride.

There he was, my test, a tall, muscular, high-octane Paint. He was “green,” rank and the problem child. With no formal riding education and only a handful of rides in my lifetime, I climbed aboard. He fought me tooth and nail, but I knew in my spirit that I could ride him. Very quickly, we walked, trotted and cantered under complete control. I achieved what others failed. By this time, a crowd gathered, horse owners, students and assistant instructors. The defining moment. “Jump that picnic table.” I had never jumped and had zero knowledge of how. I simply replied, “Ok.” We flew, clearing the table with 1 foot to spare. Gasps from the bystanders were followed by a job offer and a title as green horse trainer and instructor.

I got right to work and learned how to train. The head instructor took me under her wing and shared the fine art of classical dressage long-lining. It was there that I witnessed the grace and poetic movement of the Warmblood horse. Seeing more in me than I did, my mentor later charged me with the responsibility of writing a Horse Camp manual for other instructors.

By 18, I was a professional horse starter at a world champion American Saddlebred show stable. My extensive long-lining education translated into fine harness driving. My double bridle experience refined the young horses’ head positions and directed the expression of the Saddlebred’s powerful gaits. The most exciting challenge was training these gorgeous horses to slow gait and rack.

Fast forward. BSBA degree in Business Management/Marketing. Ran 8 small businesses simultaneously while raising my kids, escaped an abusive marriage. Accelerated BSN degree in Nursing. Open Heart Surgical Nurse. Real Estate. Cerulean Farm was born.

Passion for horses, training, breeding, learning, teaching, healing and creating all directed me toward my purpose. My mission at Cerulean Farm is to impact the world in positive, profound ways, one horse, one heart and one stay at a time.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
My core focus at Cerulean Farm is excellence within the Equine and Hospitality industries. As a reputable breeder of world-class, multi-discipline performance horses for 25 years, I have achieved the rare, consistent combination of talent and temperament suitable for professionals and amateurs alike. My Irish Draughts, Hanoverians and Ranch Bred Foundation Quarter Horses are versatile high achievers in Dressage, Eventing, Jumping and Ranching. I am also devoted to extensive rescue and rehab of seriously abused or neglected horses through our 501c3 non-profit Equine Rescue, Kentucky Equine Heritage Foundation.

Cerulean Farm gives back to the community. I actively support Kentucky Tourism through Agri-Tourism, Horse Experiences and Equine Therapy. Visitors can immerse themselves in all things equine or just soak up the beautiful scenery during their stay at my historic 1860 Bed and Breakfast. Guests rest, heal and restore while soaking in panoramic views of the farm from a huge all-season, eco-friendly wrap-around porch.

My most exciting venture is expansion into educational equine seminars, unique hands-on foal training by bnb guests and Working Student Program. My working students are challenged in every aspect of farm operations ranging from property management, waterway protection and conservation practices to equine nutrition, health, reproduction and training. I plan further innovative expansion into our repro and training divisions. Personally, the horses and our guests fuel my passion for photography and learning graphic art.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Education, dyslexia, and intuition were most impactful on my journey.

Education: My BSBA degree in Business Administration and Marketing is the foundation for flourishing sustainable business models. My BSN degree in Nursing and subsequent career as an open-heart surgical nurse honed my lifestyle desires and renewed ventures into real estate.

Dyslexia: Severe dyslexia presents enormous challenges, but equally valuable blessings. Skills of patience, determination and perseverance emerged as a necessity which continues to underlie every endeavor. But the most important gifts of this learning difference are remarkable intuition, attention to detail and the ability to see many perspectives and avenues to reach desired outcomes. I have also developed a unique ability to tutor other nursing students in complex subjects, lifting them from F’s to A’s, from dropping out to a medical professional degree. I owe my creativity and passion of all forms of art to my special way of thinking.

Intuition: Trust in my intuition has minimized setbacks, although I’ve had many, and accelerated achievement of goals through self-guided decisions.

Words of wisdom for young people:

Education is never wasted.
Stay current and relevant.
Be brave. Face your fears head on and plow through them without hesitation.
Set boundaries.
It’s never personal.
You are enough. Do your best and move on.
You are the only person in the world who can do what you do in your unique way.
If something doesn’t work, approach it differently. If nothing works, have courage to let it go. It may not have your name on it.
Trust your instincts.
Above all, follow your passion with all your heart for the joy of it until something else excites you more.

Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?
The best advice I have for feeling overwhelmed is to put off today what you can do tomorrow. In other words, focus on what must be done today only. Segment each task, focus on one item at a time. Finish one, then go onto the next. Prioritize the must-dos, reschedule what can be done another day, delegate anything possible and eliminate the unnecessary. And always keep self-care, downtime and mental/physical health a priority.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Jeanette Aumon

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