Kuenle says she likes working with her quarter horses because of their versatility in training and level-headedness, which she finds helpful with novice riders. In the Mustang club, Kuenle works with other advisers, and says this year several of the 24-member club are just learning to ride horses.
One training tool that Kuenle finds helpful is a video camera.
“Many are surprised to see the mistakes they make, and the riders are also better able to correct them,” Kuenle said.
Kuenle, a Warren County Fairboard member, works with 4-H members on the junior fair board to plan equine activities. One event at the fair is a horse camp where 4-H members bring their sleeping bags and spend three nights at the fairgrounds, enjoying dances and movies in the evening, and riding horses and attending demonstrations during the day.
Kuenle grew up riding horses and even trained in dressage several years ago. Today, she owns three horses, and boards another six on her mother’s 30-acre property in Lebanon.
With so much land to take care of, Kuenle jokingly says she is referred to as the “tractor jockey.”
She previously worked for the Ohio Department of Transportation for 36 years. As a Transportation Technical Specialist, Kuenle helped administer construction contracts for the state highway and interstates. Now retired, she spends more time riding her horses and is even taking a yoga class to help with her flexibility.
Kuenle says she enjoys working with a group of children who have the same interest and are eager to learn. Kuenle stresses to them working with horses is about building skills, learning responsibility with the animals, as well as good sportsmanship.
“You win if you did the best job you could do,” Kuenle said.
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