With spectacular mountain views, gentle afternoon breezes, easy freeway access and close proximity to several large show grounds and riding parks, the Escondido foothills in San Diego County have long been a haven for horsemen of every discipline and skill level. This summer marked the formal grand opening of another unique training facility in Escondido, Hunter Equestrian Center. The facility was designed to accommodate horses and riders of all levels and disciplines as well as multiple training programs. Starting in the facility’s developmental phase, one of the owner’s main goals was to establish a peaceful, fun and inviting atmosphere in which horses and riders, regardless of age, feel comfortable and welcome. 
Some of Hunter Equestrian Center’s finer amenities include four arenas - a jumping arena, a ring for instructing younger riders, a full and half dressage court - two new equicizers, five large turnouts and a grass area for hand-grazing. Everything at the farm, from its amenities and overall design to all of the ranch’s rules and regulations, are employed to enhance each rider’s entire equine experience and support the aims of students and horses in training.
The facility has four trainers crossing four different disciplines: hunters, jumpers, dressage and western. Trainers Karen Busch and Jesse Rapheal moved to Hunter Equestrian Center last year, when the facility first opened while the newest addition, Ashleigh Reese, joined them this August.  
Karen Busch and Got-2-Fly Farm
It’s quite possible that Karen Busch’s love for horses is a genetic trait she inherited from her mother, an avid foxhunter and later riding instructor. Karen was already spending quality time in the saddle on her mother’s lesson horses at the age of 4. She describes her lessoning experiences as a junior as “hit or miss,” and instead felt she learned much more from clinics.
Her passion has always been three-day eventing, but she’s also found a great place within the hunter/jumper discipline. It wasn’t until she met Annalee Bennett as a young adult that she started consistent training. She combined her education from clinics with George Morris, Brian Sabo, Christine Traurig and Volker Bromann with what she learned from Annalee, her favorite instructor who she always finds herself returning to.
Even with her busy schedule Karen still tries to find time to take lessons with Annalee, and has found her background in dressage to be an invaluable tool in educating her students and training horses. Karen tries to teach her students to ride into a horse and not just on top of their horse. Her dressage background has taught her that a good ride is one where an observer can’t tell where the horse starts and the rider begins because they are working as a seamless pair, one unit.
“My philosophy is that if a horse is happy it should feel good, and if it feels good then you are doing something right,” explains Karen. “I don’t believe in jumping more than twice a week. I like to do a ton of pole work with my horses. I may work in a more conservative manner than some trainers, but I like to make sure all my horses, hunters and jumpers, have a solid foundation. Their physical and mental health is of utmost importance to me.”
She uses the same philosophy when working with problem horses that come to her for schooling and with young horses, many of which are fresh off the track. Karen says she has always been drawn to “problem” horses as well as young horses and riders, and loves watching these flourish under her tutelage.

Jesse Raphael and Turning Leaf Farm
“I love watching children progress with their horses,” say Jesse Raphael, who taught her first riding lesson when she was only 15 years old. “I was fortunate enough growing up to ride with a lot of great trainers, so I’ve learned a number of different ways to explain things. Good communication is vital to teaching.”
Jesse will be the first to say she has been especially lucky throughout her career. As an assistant trainer she was able to inherit her business from her mentor after he retired. Her current group of students has been training together for almost four years and she describes them as a tight knit group that enjoys hanging out together away from the barn.
“Karen and I use to be at Forest Hill Farm and we got along well from the very beginning,” explains Jesse. “When the farm closed I went to another place and she went to Hunter Equestrian Center. But all too soon, I found myself in the same situation and I knew how much she liked the facility.”
Though Karen and Jesse’s students compete against each other in the show ring, they put show ring agendas aside at home to trail ride together or just hang out. She attempts to take her group to at least one show a month, where her students compete in both hunters and equitation. Instead of pushing her students to win and move up the ranks, she tries to let them progress at their own pace. After all, Jesse’s philosophy, one which she hopes her students will inherit, is that “if you’re not having fun, then it’s not worth it.”

Ashleigh Reese and Frivolity Farms Dressage
Ashleigh Reese may be the new kid on the block at Hunter Equestrian Center, but she is no stranger to horses and training. She began riding at 5 and by the time she was 9 had made a big jump from hunters to eventing. But at age 16 a bad accident pushed her towards dressage.
“I was lucky when I was younger that all my horses loved to jump, but even before my fall I was always interested in dressage,” says Ashleigh. “I think the flat work is vital to everything you do. Even if you’re a jumper, you want a horse that has an adjustable stride and a good, soft connection. It can be a little scary to go around a course otherwise.”
Though Ashleigh works primarily with dressage students, she does take on the occasional hunter, jumper or eventer looking to improve. One of her clients is schooling a reining horse and is making the jump from reining to dressage; the horse has been progressing wonderfully and will be starting his career in dressage at Fourth Level. Ashleigh says this just proves what she has always felt, that anyone can do dressage.
“I don’t rush my students or horses,” explains Ashleigh. “Each horse is different. Things can really fall apart when you rush and use tricks to get to the higher levels. My first goal when a horse comes to me is to get them over the back, to free up their shoulder and engage their hind end.”
Ashleigh’s clientele and horses run from beginners just starting out, to a converted hunter/jumper rider that is now riding at Fourth Level. She has everything from imported warmbloods to paints in her barn, and she is currently looking at an Andalusian stallion and a Dutch gelding, both with FEI potential. But whatever her client’s age, skill level or the breed of their horse, Ashleigh’s goal is to get them self sufficient.
“I try to be honest with my clients, and if I think someone else better suits their needs, then I refer them to someone else,” says Ashleigh. “Most of my clientele is really younger and we have a lot of fun. We’re open to everyone, and we want to see everyone, both horse and rider, going at their full potential and at their best.”

More In Common Than One Might Think
Though Karen, Jesse and Ashleigh all came to Hunter Equestrian Center for different reasons and they each have their own thriving business, they also have a lot more in common than one might think. All three trainers hold the care and comfort of their horses above blue ribbons and fast training tricks; all three trainers want their students to have fun while they advance and learn; and all three trainers have found a home at Hunter Equestrian Center.
For more information about Hunter Equestrian Center call 760-294-6666 or email info@huntereqcenter.com. To contact Karen Busch call 619-920-4880. To contact Jesse Raphael call 760-525-2305. To contact Ashleigh Reese call 913-908-8877 or email FrivolityFarms@yahoo.com.