About Me

My name is Erin J. Graves. Most of the horse people around here know me as
Erin J. Rye. I have been riding horses since I was 14 years old.

High Hand Lucy was my first horse. Boy was she a pistol! Barn sour and stubborn,
thats a heck of a combination. But Lucy taught me to ride, in between her stubborn
streaks. I took lessons on Lucy for about 2 years. I am pretty sure after riding
her, I was pretty confident I could ride anything.

When I was 16, my Mom and I went to an auction looking for another horse to add
to our family so that Mom and I could ride together. That is where we found Otoes
Majic. Majic was 2.5 years old and seemed to be a really nice mare. So Mom bought
her. After cracking Mom's jaw and 2 hours putting her on a trailer, we headed home.
Majic was a bit of a rebel. Her and Mom didnt get along. I started riding Majic and
was doing quite well. So we moved her to my trainers where I worked off board and
lessons by feeding and cleaning stalls on the weekends. Majic taught me how to have
patience and have prescense all at the same time. Which wasnt easy with her. Majic
was my first show horse. We were always in the ribbons.

I then took some time off from horses, but ended up coming back to the sport that
I love the most. I have since then trained quite a few horses and people with alot
of success in my opinion. I want my students and my horses to be safe, happy, healthy
and all in all have a great time.

After getting back into giving lessons, the horse of my dreams came up for sale.
I was ecstatic!!! Bradley Osgood, Boomer, is a once in a lifetime horse. I bought
Boomer in 2001 and still have him to this day. He will never leave me. He was my
lesson horse for quite a while after I got him back into condition. Now, he is retired
and loves to be brushed and get treats everyday. Occassionally, we go for a trail ride.

Lady Bug was my next purchase in 2005. Sheza Illusive Lady had sat in a field for
5 years, no vet, no farrier, no worming, nothing. This was not the farms fault where
she was being kept. Her owner said she was vicious and refused to touch her. So Mom
bought her and a few months later, I bought her from Mom. You could forget about
worming her, putting a bit in her mouth, touching her ears let alone her head, her
belly was off limits and if you looked at her the wrong way, she would rear and
strike out at you. After lots of patience and work and alot of help from a great
friend of mine on the riding, you can now pet her ears, her head and her belly.
She will never take a bit, we had to have her wolf teeth removed. She rides great
in a side pull or just a halter. She still wont take a wormer by mouth, so we have
her on a daily wormer and when we do have to worm her, it gets mixed in her feed.
No more rearing, no more laying her ears back. Just lots of kisses and hugs!

I do alot of work with abused or neglected horses. Some of which you can see on
the My Horses page.

I am currently looking for more students. I am teaching at a farm in Newburg,
Reliable Stables, as well as traveling. Right now, I do not have a lesson horse.
Boomer is retired and will no longer be used for lessons.

For more information, or to come out and watch a lesson, please contact me either
by email or phone, 301-399-3880.