TB Equine Client Experience
TB Equine (which operates out of Sweetwater Farms) feels like an extended family to the people who have their horses in training there. Tammy Burkman and Martin Avalos make up the training operation of TB Equine, taking their horses all over the country for local, regional, and national competitions. In the big moments that audiences see and small moments on an average day at the farm, they stay committed to an optimal horse and client experience.
“It truly feels like home,” Kelly Gragg, longtime TB Equine client and “family” member shared about her experience. She and other clients used additional words like fun, family, kind, and supportive to describe how it felt being part of this group.
Tammy and Martin are a force to be reckoned with on the competitive circuit. They each bring their own unique set of talents to the horses, but seem to have the same common goal of making these horses easy and fun for their riders to enjoy. The expectations all around are high, which means that the successes are often big as well.
“Tammy and Martin are an incredible team,” Kelly went on. “They collaborate, brainstorm, and constantly look for ways to help each horse-and-rider pair perform at their absolute best. They genuinely care about the well-being of every horse, and their top priority is always the horses’ happiness and overall health. Their passion and dedication make all the difference”
This group of trainers and clients have a massive group chat that is bustling with updates during horse shows, going at all hours of the day/night if the crew is traveling, and filled with a mix of random “I miss my horse show family!” during the times they are not together. Their friendship with one another comes first to anything else, besides the care and love for their horses. So many people call their barn groups “family,” but TB Equine’s connection definitely stands out.
They live by the “work hard, play hard” mentality as a group. If there is something that needs to be done, they are all jumping in to make it happen. But once the work is done, they let themselves fully enjoy the moment and their company. No matter if they are working or playing hard, there is laughter and friendship.
These qualities make it not only a place to excel, but also a great addition for people’s family dynamics. Arian Wilson tells this perspective well. She grew up with Arabian horses in her life. What started by her parents’ purchasing she and her sister and older Arabian gelding in their childhood, quickly became a way of life. Who else can relate to that? She showed for many years and then took a break to get married and begin her family. From day one of her daughter Henley’s life, she could tell she had that unspeakable draw to horses.
“Henley’s first word was ‘horse,’” Arian reflected on one of the many indicators that horses would need to come back into her life. “She wanted to be near them whenever she could!”
Shortly after Henley started taking lessons, the stars aligned (as Arian said), and they ended up finding Tammy and Martin’s program. As a mom and someone who grew up in the sport, Arian knew that the early influence of an instructor was critical to how Henley would feel about her abilities and, frankly, whether or not this would be any fun.
“I took her for her first lesson and she was hooked,” Arian said. “Tammy was perfect for Henley because she gave her positive feedback and essential critique so she could quickly take her abilities to the next level. Plus, Tammy was just as worried for Henley’s safety as I was when she gave her lessons!!”
TB Equine has so many things to offer any kind of competitor or rider. Take Kelly and Arian’s word for it and reach out about how you could fit into this family!