Meet the Team

Bekah Maddox Owner | Director | Instructor

Horses have always been Bekah's passion and from a very young age she knew that she wanted to help people using horses as the catalyst. While in college, she volunteered for a specialty program that took her to England to attend the Talland School of Equitation. There she studied Classical Dressage, Equitation and Eventing from several Olympic and internationally competitive riders. Bekah received her bachelor's degree in Equine Business Management with concentrations in teaching, training and therapeutic riding. Bekah holds instructor certifications through BHS (British Horse Society), PATH (Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship), ARIA (American Riding Instructors Association) and was a Licensed 3 Star Parelli Professional.   

Bekah enjoys Dressage, Eventing, Show Jumping, Endurance, working cows, driving as well helping "problem" horses through issues, and equipping young horses with the foundation that they need for success in any discipline.  She has over 27 years experience training, teaching, starting horses and working with problem horses.  With such a wide variety in her background and hundreds of horses handled, she has a lot to offer her students.

Mark Maddox Owner | Trainer | Instructor

Mark has been riding and playing with horses for more than 35 years.  He started off trail riding and roping with friends, and through those connections started training horses. His passion for foundation training emerged and he volunteered with the Bureau of Land Management helping with adoptions, transport and eventually doing demonstrations on his mustangs that he had trained. Over the years he's become more experienced with roping, cow working, ranch work, trail riding/camping and trailer loading, but young horse development has always had his heart. He enjoys laying a solid foundation and helping prepare horses for their future and any goals their human partner may have. His quiet, steady energy is empowering for the horses and humans as they grow calmer, smarter, braver and more athletic under his tutelage.

Mark has several of his own horses that he continues to develop a solid foundation on. He enjoys working cows, team-roping, cow sorting, and anything with a purpose! He has trail ridden and camped with his horses all over the southeast. He started the Parelli program in 2005 and has progressed into level 4 with several horses. Let Mark use his experience to help you and your horse get where you want to go!

Kate Whitmyer Barn Manager

Kate is a wife and devoted mother of three creative, active kids. Her childhood love of horses was rekindled when her daughter started riding at a young age. As her kids grew, she started to have more time and space to pursue this love, and she never looked back. This path has brought extraordinary souls into her life, horse and human alike.

As a person who is happiest outside and a nurturer at heart, Kate loves working behind the scenes to care fore and support the horses so that they can teach and heal others. She feels so fortunate to be part of the Dark Horse team, to care for such amazing horses, earn their trust, and learn from them every day.

Vikki Paesi Equine Counselor

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Mark Maddox

Owner | Trainer | Instructor

Mark has been riding and playing with horses for more than 35 years.  He started off trail riding and roping with friends, and through those connections started training horses. His passion for foundation training emerged and he volunteered with the Bureau of Land Management helping with adoptions, transport and eventually doing demonstrations on his mustangs that he had trained. Over the years he's become more experienced with roping, cow working, ranch work, trail riding/camping and trailer loading, but young horse development has always had his heart. He enjoys laying a solid foundation and helping prepare horses for their future and any goals their human partner may have. His quiet, steady energy is empowering for the horses and humans as they grow calmer, smarter, braver and more athletic under his tutelage.

Mark has several of his own horses that he continues to develop a solid foundation on. He enjoys working cows, team-roping, cow sorting, and anything with a purpose! He has trail ridden and camped with his horses all over the southeast. He started the Parelli program in 2005 and has progressed into level 4 with several horses. Let Mark use his experience to help you and your horse get where you want to go!

Kate Whitmyer

Barn Manager

Kate is a wife and devoted mother of three creative, active kids. Her childhood love of horses was rekindled when her daughter started riding at a young age. As her kids grew, she started to have more time and space to pursue this love, and she never looked back. This path has brought extraordinary souls into her life, horse and human alike.

As a person who is happiest outside and a nurturer at heart, Kate loves working behind the scenes to care fore and support the horses so that they can teach and heal others. She feels so fortunate to be part of the Dark Horse team, to care for such amazing horses, earn their trust, and learn from them every day.

Meet the Horses

  • Al-Caponi

  • Te-Bear

  • Romeo

  • Sammy

  • Copper

  • Maverick

Dark Horse Horsemanship

Dark Horse Horsemanship is a welcoming, family-friendly facility dedicated to Natural Horsemanship and foundation training. Our mission is to help individuals heal, change, and grow by exploring the art of horsemanship.

We are an equine-assisted learning facility where the unique connection between humans and horses fosters endless hands-on experiences. Participants engage with horses to build confidence, develop communication skills, and explore emotional well-being.

The gentle, intuitive nature of horses creates a safe and supportive environment, allowing individuals to gain insight, overcome challenges, and discover new strengths. With a focus on personal growth and skill development, Dark Horse Horsemanship offers opportunities for people of all ages to connect, learn, and thrive alongside these incredible animals.

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