Horses have been a part of Dayton’s life for as long as he can remember. Growing up in western New York, he was raised in a family of horse lovers. His parents operate a public trail riding business, and his mother runs youth riding camps, so horses were woven into nearly every aspect of his…
Horses have been a part of Dayton’s life for as long as he can remember. Growing up in western New York, he was raised in a family of horse lovers. His parents operate a public trail riding business, and his mother runs youth riding camps, so horses were woven into nearly every aspect of his childhood.
“Before I could even walk, I was on the back of a horse,” Dayton says. “My mom has all kinds of pictures of me riding in a backpack with her.”
Although Dayton grew up around horses, his interest in horsemanship reached a new level when Clinton brought a Walkabout Tour to his area. Attending the event introduced Dayton to the Method and inspired him to become a serious student of horse training.
As his passion for horsemanship grew, so did his family’s business. In addition to trail rides and camps, they began buying and selling horses and training horses for the public. The Method became the foundation of their program.
“We’d go to auctions and buy horses, put them through the Method and sell them,” Dayton says. “No matter the breed of horses or their background, the Method works on all of them. We even use the same principles to train driving horses.”
Working with a wide variety of horses gave Dayton valuable experience and reinforced his confidence in the Method. Eager to continue improving, he sought out every opportunity to learn from accomplished horsemen. Over the years, he attended numerous clinics with Professional Clinicians Jeff Davis and Diego Gaona, building a strong foundation and sharpening his skills.
“I rode with Jeff for the last five years in a lot of different clinics before coming to the Academy,” Dayton says. “I’d always take four horses with me. I’d ride one in the clinic, then show up early to ride another horse, work one during lunch and ride the fourth at the end of the day. Anytime I ran into issues, Jeff was willing to help me out.”
His dedication and work ethic paid off. When the opportunity to attend the Academy presented itself, Dayton didn’t hesitate to enroll in it.
“I’ve always dreamed of being part of the Downunder Horsemanship team, so when I was offered the chance to attend the Academy, there was no way I was passing the experience up,” he says. “It’s bettered my horsemanship in almost every way.”
Today, Dayton combines a lifetime of hands-on horse experience with the Method to help horses and their owners succeed. Whether he’s working with a trail horse, a driving horse or a horse with problematic behavior, he enjoys helping people better understand their horses and build safer, more respectful partnerships.
“I enjoy training horses and helping people understand how to better work with them,” Dayton says. “Seeing horses and their owners improve together is what makes this so rewarding.”
About Dayton
Horses have been a part of Dayton’s life for as long as he can remember. Growing up in western New York, he was raised in a family of horse lovers. His parents operate a public trail riding business, and his mother runs youth riding camps, so horses were woven into nearly every aspect of his childhood.
“Before I could even walk, I was on the back of a horse,” Dayton says. “My mom has all kinds of pictures of me riding in a backpack with her.”
Although Dayton grew up around horses, his interest in horsemanship reached a new level when Clinton brought a Walkabout Tour to his area. Attending the event introduced Dayton to the Method and inspired him to become a serious student of horse training.
As his passion for horsemanship grew, so did his family’s business. In addition to trail rides and camps, they began buying and selling horses and training horses for the public. The Method became the foundation of their program.
“We’d go to auctions and buy horses, put them through the Method and sell them,” Dayton says. “No matter the breed of horses or their background, the Method works on all of them. We even use the same principles to train driving horses.”
Working with a wide variety of horses gave Dayton valuable experience and reinforced his confidence in the Method. Eager to continue improving, he sought out every opportunity to learn from accomplished horsemen. Over the years, he attended numerous clinics with Professional Clinicians Jeff Davis and Diego Gaona, building a strong foundation and sharpening his skills.
“I rode with Jeff for the last five years in a lot of different clinics before coming to the Academy,” Dayton says. “I’d always take four horses with me. I’d ride one in the clinic, then show up early to ride another horse, work one during lunch and ride the fourth at the end of the day. Anytime I ran into issues, Jeff was willing to help me out.”
His dedication and work ethic paid off. When the opportunity to attend the Academy presented itself, Dayton didn’t hesitate to enroll in it.
“I’ve always dreamed of being part of the Downunder Horsemanship team, so when I was offered the chance to attend the Academy, there was no way I was passing the experience up,” he says. “It’s bettered my horsemanship in almost every way.”
Today, Dayton combines a lifetime of hands-on horse experience with the Method to help horses and their owners succeed. Whether he’s working with a trail horse, a driving horse or a horse with problematic behavior, he enjoys helping people better understand their horses and build safer, more respectful partnerships.
“I enjoy training horses and helping people understand how to better work with them,” Dayton says. “Seeing horses and their owners improve together is what makes this so rewarding.”
