Meet Charlotte Sargent | Horse Trainer + Showjumping Instructor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Charlotte Sargent  and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Charlotte, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I really wanted to create a program for both horses and riders that focused on positive reinforcement and natural horsemanship. I’m in the showjumping industry and I see a lot of old-school training methods that are both harsh and unkind. Training methods that evoke feelings of fear and anxiety, which don’t really work for creating a harmonious partnership between horse and rider. Learning to work with horses is like learning a lost language – but you have to do just that, take the time to learn it. Training horse takes patience, resilience, time and effort. Most aren’t willing to put in that time to truly learn how to communicate with the horse and instead resort to force and punishment. You have to bring your best self to the table, and you have to do it every day.
I wanted to bridge the gap between horse and human and help other riders truly understand horse behavior. When you understand something, you become less fearful. When you become less fearful you can begin to trust and gain confidence within yourself and within the horse. You can create a truly beautiful partnership with a horse based on trust and kindness and I so desperately wanted to share that with other riders – so Salty Horse Stables was born.
Both specializing in fixing horses with behavioral issues and teaching and competing in Hunter/Jumpers, I have a much more peaceful approach to working with horses than most – and I wanted to prove that it works. Not for a pat on the back, but for those who had horses that were “lost causes” or riding issues that they didn’t feel were fixable – some because another trainer told them they weren’t. I had been there, and I felt the need to help!

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
What sets me apart from others I believe, is that I love the horse first and the sport second. Everything I do is for the good of the horse and the relationship he or she has with the rider. I’m simply not willing to beat on a horse to get him to do what I want. I take a longer approach and base everything I do in positivity and that yields a far better result and relationship than cruel “shortcuts”. I listen to the horse. When a horse truly trusts you, they will ask you what to do in fearful or confusing situations. When you train a horse using fear you’re on borrowed time – it’s a matter of time before the horse finds something they fear more than you and when that moment comes, you’re in trouble.
I take a slower approach to horse training and with my riding lessons as well. “Small holes sink ships” and at Salty Horse Stables I patch those holes in a kind and understanding way. At the end of each day I leave the barn proud of my work with the horses, because their best interests are always at the heart of my business. Nothing feels better than taking an “unmanageable” horse from someone, and returning them a gentle and willing partner. It’s no doubt saved the lives of both horses and riders.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I’m a sucker for a good dive bar and some Karaoke – I love Saddle Bar and the Kraken! Both are right on the beach, and both have live music and karaoke. I’m also pretty sure it’s an unwritten rule that if you’re a horseback rider in California, chips and salsa are a staple of your diet. I LOVE Mexican food and both En Fuego in Del Mar, and Casa de Bandini in Carlsbad are my two favorite spots in North County, SD.
North County San Diego also has some incredible farmers markets. Carlsbad and San Marcos’ markets are my two favorites – and the best part is finding new local businesses (ok and the food trucks) !

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
It truly takes a village to be successful with horses, and I owe mine to many.

The first is my trainer in high school, Janet “Jiffy” Read. I had a truly wild horse growing up who was athletic as could be and could out-jump any horse at the barn but was also a little terror. Refusing jumps, bolting, bucking, rearing – you name it, Stormy did it. I had tried many trainers but most either heightened my fear of Stormy and pushed us in the wrong way, or trainers that truly didn’t know what to do with him and avoided airing his issues at all. When I found Jiffy I was desperate. She never lost her cool at me or the horse. She was firm but kind, she helped me understand his behavior and worked with us slowly. She gave me homework to do (and not do) with him in my time away from her and she took away my fear. Stormy and I moved onto competing and doing magical things together.

The second, of course, is Stormy. This little horse that taught me tenacity, grit, and patience. That it doesn’t matter if you fall down 99 times, as long as you get up 100.

I’ve also been heavily inspired by natural horsemanship trainers Buck Brannaman and Warwick Schiller, who have heavily influenced my philosophies and the training methods I implement in my program.

Website: saltyhorsestables.com

Instagram: @saltyhorsestables

Yelp: Salty Horse Stables

Image Credits
Infinity Skye Photography